A discussion essay gives you two opposing views and ends with one instruction: Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. IDP, which co-owns IELTS, puts it plainly: there are three parts to this task, view A, view B and your opinion. You need to develop both views and make your own position clear.
As in every Task 2 essay, you write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes, and Task 2 counts twice as much as Task 1. Below: a 30-second check, a 5-minute plan, a model answer and one paragraph with band 6, 7 and 8 features.
How to recognise a discussion question in 30 seconds
Read the last sentence first. The instruction, not the topic, tells you the essay type:
| The question ends with | Essay type | What you owe the examiner |
|---|---|---|
| Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. | Discussion | View A, view B and your opinion: 3 parts |
| To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Opinion | Your position on one statement |
| Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? | Advantages and disadvantages | Both sides weighed, and which is bigger |
| Two direct questions, such as Why is this happening? Is it positive? | Two-part question | An answer to each question |
Then find the two views, usually after Some people think... and while others believe..., and write three labels on your paper: A, B and Me. Check one thing: view B is not always the opposite of A. In Some think governments should build more roads; others think they should improve public transport, B is a different solution, not don't build roads. Discuss the views as the question words them.
What GoPrep data shows about discussion essays
On GoPrep, discussion was the second most common Task 2 type from 28 July to 26 September 2026, after opinion (2,751 and 3,330 essays). Is it harder? Learners' first scored discussion essays averaged 5.5 after rounding, and first essays of the other four types 6.0 (see our Writing Task 2 overview); before rounding, the gap was under half a band. Different learners wrote different types, so we also compared the same people. The 701 learners who wrote both discussion essays and other Task 2 types in the period had similar averages on both, about 6.0, scored by the GoPrep AI examiner: their discussion essays averaged lower for 303 of them and higher for 310. The questions were not matched for difficulty, so this is a comparison of averages, not of how hard each type is.
The GoPrep AI examiner also scores 4 parts of Task Response. In each learner's first scored discussion essay, developing ideas is the weakest:
| Part of Task Response | Average | Scored 5.0 or lower | Scored 7.0 or higher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Developing ideas | 5.5 | 45% | 25% |
| Presenting a position | 6.0 | 37% | 27% |
| Addressing the question | 6.0 | 33% | 31% |
| Essay format | 6.0 | 32% | 39% |
Developing ideas is the hardest part: more than 4 in 10 first essays scored 5.0 or lower on it. More than a third scored 5.0 or lower on presenting a position, the job the instruction names in its last five words.
It is also the part with room to grow. Of the 239 learners whose first scored discussion essay got 5.0 or lower on developing ideas and who wrote another one, 132 (55%) scored at least half a band higher on it in their next discussion essay; their average went from 4.5 to 5.0. Low first scores tend to rise on a second try anyway, so this shows the room to improve, not what caused it.
Length matters too. 1 in 4 of these first discussion essays was under 250 words (310 of 1,233). Across all 2,751 discussion answers in the period, essays under 250 words averaged 5.0, those of 250 to 299 words 6.0, and those of 300 or more 6.5, with no further rise past 350. Stronger writers tend to write more, so extra words alone may not raise a score, but under 250 is where scores drop.
The 4-paragraph structure, and where your opinion goes
Four paragraphs, each with one job:
| Paragraph | Its job | In the model answer |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction (2 to 3 sentences) | The issue and both views in your own words, then your opinion with a reason. A short background line is optional | Ends: In my view, permanent collections should stay free... |
| Body 1 | The view you agree with less, at full strength: reason, consequence, example | Fees: a grant cut means shorter opening hours |
| Body 2 | The view you support, with the same depth; you can end with your opinion | Free entry: one visit instead of many; ends with the writer's view |
| Conclusion (2 sentences) | Both views in one sentence, then your opinion in new words. No new ideas | ...public money should keep permanent collections free |
Your opinion belongs in the introduction and the conclusion, and it must say the same thing in both places. IDP's advice is that it is essential to maintain a clear position throughout your answer. You then have two safe options for the body:
- Neutral bodies: each body paragraph explains one view fairly, and your opinion lives in the introduction and conclusion.
- Leaning second body: body 2 explains the view you share and ends by saying so, as the model answer does.
A separate third body paragraph for your opinion also works, but in 40 minutes it often leaves each view thinner.
You can support view A, support view B, or explain when each one applies. What doesn't work is ending with both views have merits and nothing else. Avoid empty openings too, such as There are two views on this: paraphrase the issue accurately and state your position. At band 6, the official descriptors say a position is presented, "although the conclusions drawn may be unclear, unjustified or repetitive". At band 7, "a clear and developed position is presented".
Three clear positions on the museum question, each with a conclusion that matches it:
| Position | Thesis in the introduction | Matching conclusion |
|---|---|---|
| For fees | I believe a modest fee is justified, because it gives museums income that does not depend on government budgets. | ...so a small charge is a fair price for keeping collections safe and open. |
| For free entry | I believe entry should be free, because a fee keeps away the families and students who would gain most. | ...so public money should keep museums open to everyone at no cost. |
| Conditional | In my view, permanent collections should stay free, while charging for temporary exhibitions is reasonable. | ...so free permanent collections and paid special exhibitions keep museums both open and accessible. |
Whichever you choose, the conclusion repeats the same position in new words.
A 5-minute plan on one question
Here is the question for the rest of this guide, written by the GoPrep team for practice:
Some people think that public museums should be free for everyone to enter, while others believe that visitors should pay an entrance fee. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
5 of your 40 minutes:
- Minute 1, decode. A: museums free for all. B: visitors pay. Me: decide now.
- Minute 2, position in one line, with a reason. Keep permanent collections free: the people who gain most can least afford tickets.
- Minute 3, one reason per view, pushed to a consequence. Fees: a collection costs money every day, so a grant cut means shorter hours. Free: a fee keeps families and students away, so one visit replaces many.
- Minute 4, one concrete detail each. Climate control and conservators; a parent buying four tickets.
- Minute 5, check the plan against the question. Are A, B and Me all there? Will the conclusion say what the introduction says?
One reason per view, developed, beats three reasons listed.
Model answer: a full discussion essay (288 words)
A practice example written by the GoPrep team, not an officially marked script, so we don't give it a band.
Museums hold some of the most valuable objects a country owns, so the question of who should pay to keep them open matters to every government. Some argue that anyone should be able to walk in at no cost, while others believe visitors should buy a ticket. In my view, permanent collections should stay free, because the people who would gain most from them are often the least able to pay.
Those who favour entrance fees make a practical point: a collection costs money to protect whether or not anyone visits. Fragile paintings need constant climate control, and conservators have to be paid all year. A museum that relies entirely on a government grant is therefore exposed whenever that grant is cut, and the usual result is shorter opening hours or closed galleries. On this view, a modest ticket price is not a barrier but a way of keeping the doors open.
Supporters of free entry, however, argue that even a small fee keeps many people away. A parent with three children may think twice before buying four tickets, and a student who could drop in every week will come once, if at all. Free entry turns a museum from a special trip into an ordinary part of life, and repeated visits are how a passing interest becomes real knowledge. For this reason, I believe the fairest approach is to keep permanent collections free and charge only for temporary exhibitions, which visitors choose as an extra.
In conclusion, although entrance fees would give museums a more reliable income, they would also shut out the visitors with the most to gain. I therefore believe that public money should keep permanent collections free, while paid special exhibitions raise extra funds.
What makes it work:
- The position holds and grows. The introduction supports free permanent collections; body 2 develops this by allowing charges for temporary exhibitions, and the conclusion restates it.
- The rejected view gets full strength. Body 1 argues for fees as well as a supporter would.
Band 6, 7 and 8 features in one body paragraph
The case for entrance fees, written three ways. These practice examples show features from the band 6, 7 and 8 descriptors; they are not scored paragraphs, and the examiner marks the whole essay.
With band 6 features
Firstly, some people think museums should take money from visitors because museums need money. Museums have a lot of costs, for example they must pay workers and repair old things. Moreover, if museums are free, they will not have enough money and the quality become worse. So paying for tickets is the best way for museums.
With band 7 features
Supporters of entrance fees argue that museums cannot rely on public money alone. Looking after a collection is expensive, since old paintings need climate control and staff must be paid even when few people visit. When budgets are cut, a free museum may have to shorten its opening hours, so a small fee can help protect the service that visitors value.
With band 8 features (body 1 of the model answer)
Those who favour entrance fees make a practical point: a collection costs money to protect whether or not anyone visits. Fragile paintings need constant climate control, and conservators have to be paid all year. A museum that relies entirely on a government grant is therefore exposed whenever that grant is cut, and the usual result is shorter opening hours or closed galleries. On this view, a modest ticket price is not a barrier but a way of keeping the doors open.
At band 6, some ideas "may be insufficiently developed" and cohesion can be "faulty or mechanical". At band 7, "main ideas are extended and supported" and "error-free sentences are frequent". At band 8, ideas are "relevant, well extended and supported" and "the majority of sentences are error-free" (quotes from the official Task 2 descriptors).
| Criterion | Band 6 features | Band 7 features | Band 8 features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Gives examples of costs, but assumes a free museum cannot get enough money, and the consequence (the quality become worse) stays vague. The best way also clashes with an essay that argues for free entry | A reason (running costs) and a consequence (shorter opening hours) | The reason is followed to a precise result (a grant cut means closed galleries) and ends on what the view claims |
| Coherence and Cohesion | Firstly, Moreover and So glued to the front of sentences; money 3 times | Linking inside sentences: since, When budgets are cut, so | Reference carries the idea: that grant, On this view |
| Lexical Resource | Vague words: take money, old things | Topic words used accurately: climate control, opening hours | Precise, less common words: conservators, exposed, a modest ticket price |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Complex clauses (because, if), but uneven control: the quality become | Complex sentences, no errors | Varied structures (whether or not, A museum that relies...), no errors |
In these examples, the final version makes the funding risk more precise (a grant cut, closed galleries) and uses clearer reference words (that grant, On this view). More in IELTS Writing band descriptors in plain English. For precise words in place of general ones, see Task 2 vocabulary by meaning.
Your turn: develop one reason
A new question: some people think university students should choose subjects that lead to well-paid jobs. Rewrite this body paragraph so the reason leads to a specific consequence:
Some people think students should choose subjects for jobs because money is important. If they study a useful subject, their life will be better.
One possible rewrite:
Those who stress job prospects point out that a degree is expensive, and many students borrow to pay for it. A subject that employers need makes it more likely that graduates can repay that debt early, instead of carrying it for years.
Money is important becomes a cost, life will be better becomes a result you can picture: repaying the debt sooner.
Phrases for each part of a discussion essay
Give each part of the essay its own signal:
| Job | Phrases | On the museum question |
|---|---|---|
| Introduce view A | Those who favour... make the point that, Supporters of... argue that | Those who favour entrance fees make a practical point. |
| Introduce view B | Others, however, believe, A different view is that | Supporters of free entry, however, argue that... |
| Give your opinion | In my view, I believe, For this reason, I would argue | For this reason, I believe the fairest approach is... |
| Concede, then decide | Although..., I still believe, While it is true that... | Although entrance fees would give museums a more reliable income, they would also... |
Vary the signal for view B. In GoPrep data, On the other hand opens a sentence in 36% of all Task 2 essays (2,922 of 8,073 essays, 28 July to 26 September 2026). It isn't wrong, but however inside the sentence, or a phrase that names the group, sounds less automatic. More in our guide to linking words for Task 2.
Practice: check your discussion essay instincts
Choose an answer, then read why.
FAQ
How do you write a discuss both views essay?
Find view A, view B and the instruction to give your opinion. Write an introduction that states your opinion, one body paragraph for each view with a developed reason, and a conclusion that sums up both views and repeats your opinion.
How should I structure a discussion essay with my opinion?
Use four paragraphs: an introduction with your opinion, body 1 for the view you agree with less, body 2 for the view you support, and a conclusion that repeats your opinion in new words.
Can I agree with both views?
Yes. You can explain when each view applies, for example free entry to permanent collections but paid special exhibitions, as long as your position is clear and supported. Ending with only "both views have merits" leaves it unclear.
What is the difference between a discussion essay and an opinion essay?
An opinion essay asks how far you agree with one statement. A discussion essay gives two views: you must explain both and present your own clear position.
Where to go next
See all Task 2 types in our Writing Task 2 overview, or the closest one, the opinion essay. The GoPrep Writing course has the full discussion essay lesson with more practice questions.
To fit Task 2 practice into the time before your exam, tell the quiz your target score and exam date, and GoPrep will build a personal study plan.
GoPrep Team
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