Learn the exact structure, master the balance rule, understand where your opinion goes, and browse 156 real student answers with AI feedback — all specific to this question type.
Question Type Overview
A discuss both views essay gives you two opposing opinions on the same issue and asks you to explain both positions before presenting your own view. The defining feature is balance — each side must be developed equally and fairly. This is fundamentally different from an agree/disagree essay, which is built around defending one position from the start.
This question type appears in approximately 20–25% of real IELTS Writing Task 2 exams, making it the second most frequent format after agree/disagree. Many students who have only practised opinion essays struggle when they encounter it — treating it like a one-sided essay is the single most common Task Response failure in this category.
Critical Distinction
This is the most common source of confusion in IELTS Task 2. Many students treat both question types the same way — which costs marks on Task Response. The table below shows exactly how the two types differ across every key dimension.
| 💬 Agree / Disagree | ⚖️ Discuss Both Views | |
|---|---|---|
| Your position | Defend ONE clear position from the very first sentence. Never waver. | Explain BOTH positions fairly first. Your position comes after — in intro hint + full conclusion. |
| Body paragraph 1 | Your strongest argument supporting your view. | View 1 — explained fairly, whether you agree with it or not. |
| Body paragraph 2 | Second supporting argument OR concession + counter-argument. | View 2 — explained fairly with equal depth. Must not be shorter or weaker. |
| Balance requirement | Not required — you are expected to be one-sided. | Essential — examiner actively checks both sides are developed equally. |
| Opinion placement | Introduction (full, clear) + conclusion (restate). | Introduction (brief signal) + conclusion (full, clear statement). |
| Is opinion required? | Always — the entire essay is built around it. | Yes if stated in prompt — "give your own opinion" means it's mandatory. |
| Biggest mistake | Writing a balanced essay instead of defending your view. | Developing one side properly and neglecting the other. |
| Typical word split | Intro 50 · Body1 85 · Body2 85 · Conclusion 45 | Intro 50 · View1 85 · View2 85 · Conclusion 45 |
Essay Structure
This four-paragraph structure gives each view its own space, making the essay easy to follow and clearly balanced. The key difference from agree/disagree: body paragraphs cover views, not arguments for your own position.
Opinion Placement — The Most Misunderstood Rule
This is the question students ask most about this essay type. The answer depends on whether the prompt explicitly says "give your own opinion" — which almost all real exam questions do.
Acknowledge both views exist, then add one sentence hinting at your position: "While both perspectives have merit, I believe X is ultimately more convincing." This orients the examiner without committing your whole argument to the introduction.
✅ RecommendedThis paragraph is for fairly representing View 1 — even if you personally disagree with it. Adding "I think this is wrong because…" here undermines the balance the examiner is looking for.
⛔ AvoidIf View 2 is your preferred position, you can develop it with a slightly stronger argument and more specific evidence — but the paragraph must still stand alone as a fair representation of that view, not a personal argument.
⚠️ Use with careAfter presenting both sides, the conclusion is where you state which view you find more convincing and why — briefly. "On balance, I believe X is the stronger argument because…" is a clean, effective template.
✅ RequiredWorked Example
The introduction sets the examiner's expectations immediately. A strong discuss both views introduction must paraphrase the issue, acknowledge that two perspectives exist, and signal your opinion — all in two sentences.
This is a complete Band 7+ model response for the employment vs. qualifications debate. Each paragraph is colour-coded and annotated so you can see exactly how the structure and PEEL formula work in practice.
When employers recruit new staff, they often have to choose between candidates with strong academic qualifications and those who have already gained practical experience. Although formal education provides essential theoretical knowledge, I believe hands-on experience is usually a stronger indicator of future job performance.
On the one hand, supporters of formal qualifications argue that degrees and certificates demonstrate that a candidate has completed structured training and possesses a solid foundation in their field. This is especially important in professions such as engineering, medicine, or law, where technical knowledge and professional standards are non-negotiable. Without proper academic preparation, employees may lack the theoretical grounding needed to make sound decisions in high-stakes environments.
On the other hand, practical experience is often more valuable because it demonstrates that a person can apply knowledge in real workplace situations. Employers generally need staff who can solve problems, collaborate effectively, and adapt quickly to daily challenges. Someone who has already worked in a similar role may therefore require less supervision and contribute more productively from the outset — an advantage that a degree alone cannot guarantee.
In conclusion, both formal qualifications and practical experience have clear advantages. However, while academic study provides an important theoretical base, I believe practical experience should carry greater weight in most hiring decisions because it reflects real-world ability more directly.
Key Vocabulary
Unlike agree/disagree essays, this type requires specific language for presenting a view you may not personally hold, contrasting two perspectives, and signalling your own position after exploring both. Practise these until they feel natural — forced phrases lower your Lexical Resource score.
Fast Planning Method
A discuss both views essay requires more upfront thinking than an agree/disagree essay — because you need two separate, well-developed lines of reasoning before you even get to your own view. These 5 steps prevent the most common planning failures.
Underline the first position. Underline the second position. They should be clearly opposing — if they feel similar, re-read the question. You need genuine contrast or neither body paragraph will be strong.
Even if you personally disagree with View 1, find its best argument. Ask: "What is the most logical reason someone would hold this position?" A weak representation of a view you dislike lowers your Task Response score.
Do the same for the other side. Note one specific, concrete example for each view — not a vague generalisation. "Studies suggest…" or "For example, in countries where…" is far stronger than "Many people believe…"
Choose which view you find more convincing. You can be nuanced — "I believe X is more important, although Y has clear value in certain contexts" — but you must commit to a direction. Vague opinions damage Task Response.
Before writing, confirm that both body paragraphs have roughly equal material: one reason + one example each. If View 1 has three points and View 2 has one, the essay will feel unbalanced. Fix this in the plan, not while writing.
Common Mistakes
These are the specific recurring errors found in discuss both views essays that score Band 5–6, based on analysis of student submissions. Most low scores are not about grammar — they are about balance and opinion handling.
Submit a discuss both views essay and receive AI scores across all four IELTS criteria — with specific feedback on whether both views are developed equally.
FAQ
Not the basics covered earlier in this guide — these are the specific questions that arise when students try to write their first discuss both views essay and run into the real difficulties.
If the prompt says "give your own opinion," you must include one — staying neutral is a Task Response failure. The safest approach is to signal your opinion briefly in the introduction ("I believe the latter view is more convincing…") and restate it clearly in the conclusion. If the prompt does not explicitly say "give your own opinion," you can remain balanced — but this is rare in real IELTS exams.
Yes — but you must still develop the other side properly. The examiner checks both body paragraphs for equal quality. A one-sided essay that gives three developed points to the view you agree with and one vague sentence to the opposing view will score poorly on Task Response, regardless of how strong the favoured side is. Find the best argument for the opposing view — even if you disagree — and represent it fairly.
If one is significantly shorter or less developed, the examiner may consider the essay unbalanced and reduce your Task Response score. Both body paragraphs should have roughly equal length (within 15–20 words), a similar level of explanation, and one concrete example each. Check this during your planning phase — it is much easier to fix before you start writing than to patch up at the end.
This is extremely common and happens because you naturally want to defend your opinion. The fix is in the planning. Before writing a single word, write the topic sentence for each body paragraph: "On the one hand, supporters of X argue that…" and "On the other hand, proponents of Y believe that…" These sentences force you to represent each side as a position, not as your personal argument. If your body paragraph topic sentences start with "I think" or "I believe," you are writing an agree/disagree essay by mistake.
As a structure, yes — it works reliably. But if those phrases are the only contrast language in your essay, your Coherence score is capped at around Band 6. Vary your contrast language: use "Conversely,…" to open View 2, "whereas" within sentences, "despite this…" when acknowledging a limitation, and "although both positions have merit,…" in the conclusion. The more naturally you rotate these, the higher your Coherence band.
Yes. Discuss both views questions appear in approximately 20–25% of real IELTS Writing Task 2 exams — making them the second most common type after agree/disagree. More importantly, many students who practise only agree/disagree essays panic when they encounter this type in the exam and treat it incorrectly — which is one of the most costly and preventable mistakes in IELTS Writing. Knowing this type well is genuine exam insurance.