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IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion Essay: Both Views + Opinion (Band 7 Guide)

The discussion essay is where a lot of otherwise careful writers lose Task Response. The prompt says discuss both views and give your opinion, and many people hear only the second half. They write a strong agree/disagree essay for the side they like, give the other side a polite sentence, and wonder why the band stays stuck around 6.

What examiners need is simpler, and a bit harder: you have to explain a view you may not share, with enough backing that it looks fair — then still make your position easy to find. If the reader finishes your introduction and still cannot tell what you think, you have already made the essay harder to mark.

Aim for roughly 280–320 words. Two body paragraphs that each carry one view properly will usually beat four thin ones.

Last updated: July 23, 2026

Table of Contents

  1. What this question is asking
  2. How it differs from agree/disagree
  3. A workable structure
  4. Where your opinion should sit
  5. Weak vs stronger body writing
  6. Mistakes we see in drafts
  7. Questions students ask

Related: All 5 essay types | Agree/disagree guide | Structure templates

What this question is asking

Task 2 is not one fixed format. Most papers fall into five groups teachers keep naming because they match real prompts: opinion (agree/disagree), discussion (both views + your opinion), advantages/disadvantages, problem–solution, and two-part questions. If you are new to the site, start with the fuller map: IELTS Writing Task 2 essay types.

Discussion prompts usually put two camps on the table with wording like Some people think… Others believe… Discuss both views and give your own opinion. Your job is not to prove one camp and erase the other. You summarise why each camp exists, then say which way you lean — and why.

A practical warning: do not paste I agree onto every paper you see. On discussion questions you do need a clear opinion. On problem–solution you usually do not. Wrong template is a common reason a script feels confident and still misses the task.

How it differs from agree/disagree

In an agree/disagree essay, arguing mainly one side is expected. In a discussion essay, that same habit is risky. If View A only gets three thin sentences and View B gets a full paragraph plus your conclusion, the examiner can fairly say the views were not equally developed.

You still take a side. You just earn the right to take it by treating the other side as a real argument first — not as a cardboard “some people think” line with no reason behind it.

A workable structure

Take this prompt: Some people think children should learn a foreign language at primary school. Others believe secondary school is a better time. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Here is a shape that usually works at Band 7:

You do not need a rigid Topic sentence → Explain → Example → Link chant in every paragraph. You do need a clear lead sentence, detail that answers why, and enough specifics that the idea is not floating in slogan English.

For sample openings on this type (paraphrase + thesis), see introduction paragraph examples. Templates for all types are in the structure guide.

Where your opinion should sit

All of these can work if the opinion is easy to find:

In the introduction, after you name both camps: While early exposure has advantages, I think secondary school is usually the better stage because…

At the end of Body 2, after you have presented the second view fairly — then say which side you take and why.

In the conclusion, if you already hinted at your lean earlier: On balance, I side with…

What tends to fail is hiding the opinion until the last sentence with no earlier hint. Examiners should not have to guess. We also see the opposite problem: a loud In my opinion in sentence two, then body paragraphs that never connect back to that claim. State it, then let the body earn it.

You can skip filler like This essay will discuss both views and then give my opinion. That sentence rarely adds anything the prompt did not already say.

Weak vs stronger body writing

Students often “cover” View A like this:

Some people think children should learn a foreign language at primary school. They think it is good for children. It is important in modern society. I will discuss this view.

It mentions the camp and then says almost nothing. Important in modern society could fit half the Task 2 book.

A stronger Body 1 for the same view stays with reasons that belong to early language learning:

Supporters of early language learning argue that young children pick up pronunciation and listening more naturally than teenagers. Primary timetables are also more flexible, so short daily exposure is easier than a few heavy secondary-school blocks. In several European systems, pupils start a second language around age six and already sound reasonably confident before secondary transfer.

Now Body 2 needs the same seriousness for the other camp — and then your position. A thin version only lists the opposite view and suddenly announces agreement. Better:

Others contend that secondary students learn faster because they already read and write well in their first language, which helps with grammar and academic vocabulary. They also choose subjects more deliberately at that age. I side with this view in most cases: abstract rules are easier to absorb with more cognitive maturity, and exam pressure at secondary level often pushes steadier study than primary school can sustain.

Notice the opinion arrives after View B is explained, not instead of explaining it. You can disagree strongly with one camp. You still have to describe it accurately first.

Mistakes we see in drafts

When we mark discussion scripts, the same patterns keep showing up. Some students only argue the side they prefer and treat the other view as a courtesy clause. Some never write I believe / In my view / My own view is anywhere, so the “give your opinion” half is missing. Others balance the word count on paper but still leave one side thin — three repeated some people think lines against a full reasoned paragraph. A few copy the prompt’s wording for both views and never explain why anyone would hold them.

If your draft feels lopsided, check whether TR already failed before you chase fancier vocabulary. Score the draft on the free IELTS essay checker and look hard at Task Response on those first two body paragraphs — one thin view is usually the first place discussion essays leak marks.

Questions students ask

Can I strongly disagree with one view?

Yes. Fair explanation first, then criticise or reject it. Skipping the explanation and jumping straight to attack reads like an opinion essay wearing a discussion title.

Is discussion the same as advantages/disadvantages?

No. Discussion compares people’s views. Advantages/disadvantages compares pros and cons of a trend, policy, or situation. The stems look similar when you are rushed; they are not the same task.

Academic vs General Training — same format?

Yes for this essay type. Same structure expectations and the same four marking criteria. The topics differ more than the method.

Do I need a third body paragraph for my opinion?

Not usually. Two developed view paragraphs plus a clear opinion (intro, end of Body 2, or conclusion) is enough. A separate “opinion only” paragraph often repeats what you already said and steals time from the real arguing.

After you check your score

If the checker flags Task Response, do not immediately write another full essay on a new topic. Check whether one view was thin, whether your opinion was invisible, or whether you drifted into pure agree/disagree. Fix that pattern on the next practice — that is usually faster progress than collecting another band estimate.

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