IELTS Discussion Essay: Structure, Vocabulary & Band 9 Model Answer

The IELTS discussion essay — "Discuss both views and give your own opinion" — is the second most common Task 2 type. It is also the type where strong writers lose easy marks, because they discuss one side properly and rush through the other.

The formula is simple: be a fair journalist for two paragraphs, then be a judge in the third. Here is how to spot it, the 5-paragraph structure, the vocabulary that scores, and a Band 9 model answer.

How to Spot a Discussion Essay

Look for two opposing views in the prompt plus an instruction to discuss them:

"Some people think X, while others think Y. Discuss both views and give your own opinion."
"Some believe X. Others argue Y. Discuss both sides and give your view."
"Discuss both views and give your opinion."

The keywords are "both views" and "give your opinion." If the second instruction is missing ("Discuss both views" alone, no opinion asked), still add a brief position in the conclusion — examiners reward it and never penalise it.

Discuss Both Views vs Advantages-Disadvantages: Don't Mix Them Up

This is the most common misidentification in Task 2. Compare:

	Discussion	Advantages-Disadvantages
Question shape	Two groups hold opposite opinions (Some think X, others think Y)	One trend or development (Is remote work positive or negative?)
Your job	Present View 1 fairly, present View 2 fairly, then give your opinion	Weigh the pros and cons of the same thing, then judge
Structure	5 paragraphs: intro, View 1, View 2, opinion, conclusion	4 paragraphs: intro, advantages, disadvantages, conclusion
Key error	One-sided discussion (see below)	Listing without evaluating

If the prompt names two camps of people, it is a discussion essay. If it names one phenomenon, it is advantages-disadvantages. For the full comparison of all types, see IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Types: All 5 Explained.

The 5-Paragraph Structure

Discussion essays need five paragraphs, not four. Each view gets its own fully developed paragraph, and your opinion gets a separate home.

Paragraph 1 — Introduction (2-3 sentences): Paraphrase the question (both views in your own words) + state that you will discuss both before giving your opinion.

Template: "While some argue that [View 1 paraphrased], others contend that [View 2 paraphrased]. This essay will discuss both perspectives before arguing that [your position preview]."

Paragraph 2 — Body 1: View 1 (5-7 sentences): Topic sentence stating the first view + explanation of the reasoning behind it + specific example. Write it as if you believe it, even if you don't.

Paragraph 3 — Body 2: View 2 (5-7 sentences): Topic sentence stating the second view + explanation + specific example. Give it equal weight — same length, same depth, same specificity.

Paragraph 4 — Opinion (3-5 sentences): Your own view with one clear reason + explanation or example. This can agree with one side or stake out a middle position, but it must be unambiguous.

Paragraph 5 — Conclusion (2 sentences): Summarise both views in one sentence + restate your opinion in different words.

The rule: One main idea per paragraph. Never put both views in the same paragraph — the examiner cannot award balanced development if the two sides are tangled together.

For a deeper breakdown of introductions, topic sentences, and conclusions that applies across all essay types, see IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Structure: Band 7+ Template. And if you mainly face the opinion type, compare with IELTS Agree/Disagree Essay Guide.

The Balanced-Development Technique

Task Response at Band 7 requires you to "present a clear position" AND "extend and support main ideas." For discussion essays, examiners add an unwritten check: did both views get genuine development?

Use this three-step chain in Body 1 and Body 2 identically:

Claim — State what supporters of this view believe. "Proponents of free tuition argue that..."
Mechanism — Explain why they believe it. What causal chain connects the policy to the outcome? This is the step most Band 6 essays skip.
Evidence — Anchor it with a concrete example: a country, a statistic, a study, a named programme.

Before (Band 6 — assertion without mechanism):

"Some people think university should be free. This is good because education is important. Many students would benefit."

After (Band 7+ — claim + mechanism + evidence):

"Supporters of free tuition argue that removing fees widens access for low-income students. When cost is no longer a barrier, enrolment from disadvantaged backgrounds rises, which narrows the lifetime earnings gap between rich and poor graduates. Germany, which abolished tuition fees in most states, saw first-generation university enrolment climb steadily in the decade that followed."

Same view, completely different score. The second version explains the mechanism (cost barrier → enrolment → earnings gap) and proves it with evidence.

Apply the chain symmetrically. If Body 1 has an example, Body 2 needs one too. Examiners notice length imbalance instantly — a 110-word View 1 followed by a 45-word View 2 reads as one-sided no matter what you intended.

Transition Vocabulary for Discussion Essays

Discussion essays live or die on signalling: the examiner must always know whose view is being presented. This table covers every slot.

Function	Phrases
Introduce View 1	Proponents of... argue that..., Supporters of... contend that..., Those in favour of... point out that...
Introduce View 2	On the other hand..., Conversely..., By contrast, those who oppose... maintain that...
Present arguments neutrally	It is argued that..., One rationale is that..., Advocates claim that...
Shift to your opinion	In my view..., I am inclined to believe that..., My own position is that...
Concede then judge	While both arguments have merit, I believe..., Although View 1 is persuasive, ...
Conclude	In conclusion, while..., Having considered both perspectives, I...

Two usage rules. First, never use opinion language ("I think," "In my view") inside Body 1 or Body 2 — it blurs the line between reporting a view and endorsing it. Second, vary your transitions: three "On the other hand"s in one essay signals a memorised template.

The #1 Mistake: The One-Sided Discussion

The single most common Task Response failure in discussion essays is developing the side you agree with and dismissing the other in two sentences.

One-sided (capped at Band 6):

"Some think university should be free. This seems unrealistic because governments need money. On the other hand, I strongly believe fees teach responsibility because students work harder when they pay. For example, my cousin studied much harder after paying his own fees..."

View 1 gets one unexplained sentence. The opinion leaks into Body 2. The examiner's note: "only one view developed; the other is token."

Balanced (Band 7+):

"Advocates of free tuition contend that cost barriers exclude talented low-income students... [full mechanism + Germany example]. Conversely, supporters of fees maintain that a financial contribution fosters accountability... [full mechanism + example]. In my view, while access matters, a modest fee paired with means-tested support balances both concerns..."

The fix takes no extra vocabulary — only discipline. Write Body 2 first if you have to, so your weaker side gets fresh energy. Then check before you finish: could a reader state both views back to you with a reason and an example each? If not, you are one-sided.

Band 9 Model Answer

Question: Some people think university education should be free for all students, while others believe charging fees encourages responsibility. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

While some argue that higher education should be entirely free, others contend that tuition fees instil a sense of accountability in students. This essay will examine both perspectives before arguing that a modest fee combined with generous financial aid strikes the best balance.

Proponents of free tuition maintain that cost barriers unfairly exclude talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds. When fees run into thousands of pounds per year, able candidates from low-income families either avoid university or graduate burdened by debt, which entrenches inequality across generations. Removing fees widens participation and allows merit rather than wealth to determine outcomes. Germany, which abolished tuition in most states, saw enrolment from first-generation students rise steadily in the following decade, suggesting that cost was indeed suppressing demand among the poorest groups.

Conversely, supporters of fees argue that requiring a financial contribution makes students value their education more highly. When learners invest their own money, the reasoning goes, they attend classes more consistently, choose courses more deliberately, and complete degrees at higher rates, because waste carries a personal cost. Evidence from England supports this mechanism: after fees rose, dropout rates at several universities fell as students treated their studies as an investment demanding a return. From this perspective, a price tag is not a barrier but a commitment device.

In my view, both arguments identify something real, but neither justifies an extreme. Entirely free systems strain public budgets and can subsidise wealthy families who could afford to contribute, while steep fees deter precisely the students higher education should uplift. A middle path — modest fees alongside means-tested grants and income-linked repayment — preserves the accountability effect while keeping access open.

In conclusion, free tuition promotes equity whereas fees promote responsibility. Having considered both, I believe a subsidised model with targeted support delivers the advantages of each while avoiding their excesses.

Why this scores Band 9:

Task Response: Both views are fully developed with mechanisms and concrete evidence (Germany, England), and the opinion is clearly separated in its own paragraph with a distinct middle-ground position. Nothing is one-sided; nothing is mixed.
Coherence and Cohesion: Each paragraph has one job and a clear topic sentence. Signalling is constant but varied: "Proponents of...," "Conversely...," "In my view...," "In conclusion...." Referencing ("this mechanism," "From this perspective") ties sentences without repetition.
Lexical Resource: Precise, natural collocations: "cost barriers," "entrenches inequality," "widens participation," "commitment device," "means-tested grants," "income-linked repayment." No awkward synonyms, no memorised dumps.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Subordinate clauses, conditionals, passives, and participle phrases used accurately throughout ("When fees run into...," "which entrenches inequality," "Having considered both"). Error-free with natural complexity.

Vocabulary Bank: Discussion Essays

Steal these collocations — grouped by topic so you can deploy them in any discussion essay, not just tuition fees:

Education and access: widen participation, cost barriers, means-tested support, first-generation students, entrench inequality, lifetime earnings gap.

Responsibility and incentives: foster accountability, commitment device, treat studies as an investment, completion rates, carry a personal cost.

Balanced judgement: both arguments have merit, neither justifies an extreme, a middle path, targeted support, avoid their excesses, strike a balance.

General academic: proponents contend, advocates maintain, the reasoning goes, the evidence suggests, from this perspective, having considered both.

Learn them as chunks, not single words. "Entrench inequality" scores higher than "make inequality worse" because the collocation is precise — and precision is what Lexical Resource Band 7+ rewards.

Practice This Structure

Pick a discussion question, set a 40-minute timer, and write five paragraphs. Check: Did the intro paraphrase both views? Does each body paragraph have a claim, a mechanism, and an example? Is my opinion in its own paragraph? Are both body paragraphs roughly equal in length? Did the conclusion summarise without new ideas?

Then get AI feedback on your essay across all four IELTS criteria — Band9Prep's writing checker flags one-sided development, weak mechanisms, and missing examples in seconds.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an IELTS discussion essay?

An IELTS discussion essay asks you to discuss both views on a topic and give your own opinion. The prompt usually reads Discuss both views and give your own opinion. It is the second most common Task 2 type after Agree/Disagree, and the key scoring point is developing both sides fairly before stating your position.

How do I structure an IELTS discussion essay?

Use 5 paragraphs: Introduction (paraphrase + outline both views), Body 1 (first view + explanation + example), Body 2 (second view + explanation + example), Body 3 or Opinion paragraph (your own view with a reason), Conclusion (summarise both sides + restate your opinion). One main idea per paragraph, each with a topic sentence, explanation, and example.

What is the difference between advantages-disadvantages and discussion essays?

An Advantages-Disadvantages essay asks you to evaluate one development (Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?). A Discussion essay asks you to present two opposing opinions held by different groups of people (Some think X, others think Y). In advantages-disadvantages you weigh pros and cons of one thing; in discussion you develop two separate viewpoints fairly.

Can I give my opinion in every paragraph of a discussion essay?

No. Developing both views neutrally in Body 1 and Body 2, then giving your opinion clearly in its own paragraph, scores highest for Task Response. Mixing your opinion into the discussion paragraphs confuses the examiner and makes the essay read as one-sided, which caps Task Response at Band 6.

How long should an IELTS discussion essay be?

At least 250 words, with most Band 7+ answers landing between 260 and 290 words. Write 5 paragraphs: a 2-3 sentence introduction, three body paragraphs of 5-7 sentences each, and a 2-sentence conclusion. Quality of development matters far more than length beyond 250 words.

See the pattern in a Band-9 essay

Theory sticks when you watch it applied. Our Task 2 sample essay library breaks down 30 essays criterion by criterion — start with free university education.