IELTS Discuss Both Views Essay Structure + Sample Answers

The next big thing after learning about IELTS discuss both views essays is – How do you structure them?

Please be aware though, the perfect structure alone will not make you a band 7+ achiever. Your vocabulary and English proficiency still plays a key role in IELTS writing task – 2.

But the good news is… Here we’ve outlined an easily comprehensible step-by-step format to logically present a discussion essay and give your opinion effectively.

This post will clear your doubts over:

• Essay Structure
• Sample Question(s)
• Task Explanation
• Sample Answer
• Vocabulary

Discuss both views – Essay structure

There are hundreds of ways to structure a Discuss both views essay in the writing part. However, we’ll use this 4-paragraph foolproof band 7+ structure:

INTRODUCTION

1. Paraphrase the question statement or use a general statement relevant to the topic.
2. State both viewpoints
3. Write your opinion statement (only if specified in the statement).
4. Write an outline sentence

BODY PARAGRAPH 1

1. State first viewpoint
2. Explain the viewpoint
3. Provide a logical example
4. Write an outline sentence

BODY PARAGRAPH 2

1. State second viewpoint
2. Explain the viewpoint
3. Provide a logical example
4. Write an outline sentence

CONCLUSION

1. Write concluding remarks and your opinion
2. State which viewpoint is more significant

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Sample Questions

Now that you’ve understood the discussion essay structure, let’s look at some recently asked topics to give you an idea of how the ‘discuss both views and give your opinion’ essay looks like.

Some people believe that children should spend all of their leisure time with their families. Others believe that this is not required and a negative development. Discuss both viewpoints and give your opinion. Support your answer with the help of relevant examples.

Some companies offer their employees subsidized membership in sports clubs and fitness centres, believing that this will make their staff healthier and thus enhance productivity at work. Other employers see no benefit in doing so. Consider both sides of the argument and reach a conclusion.

It is sometimes said that the villages offer a high quality of life, especially for families. What are the arguments for and against families opting to live and work in the countryside? What is your opinion about this trend?

Some observers say that police officers should be recruited from local communities, so that they have knowledge about the place. Other people say that this is unnecessary, or even undesirable. Discuss both views. What is your opinion on this debate?

Completing University is considered by some to be the best way to get a good job, while others think that gaining experience and developing soft skills is more important. Discuss both sides of the argument and give your opinion.

Sample Answer

Some people believe that children should spend all of their leisure time with their families. Others believe that this is not required and a negative development.

Discuss both viewpoints and give your opinion. Support your answer with the help of relevant examples.

Explanation of the Task

This is Opinion>Discussion type essay. Hence, You should introduce the topic, provide relevant ideas explaining arguments on both sides of the discussion, and then write your opinion in the conclusion. Always remember that these Opinion>Discussion tasks might be expressed differently; look for keyword ‘discuss’ and its synonyms like ‘debate’, ‘consider’ and ‘review’.

Model Answer: No one can deny that parental influence is of paramount importance for children, especially in cases where children live with their parents, foster parents or guardians. However, it is by no means clear that children should spend time exclusively with their family. This essay will examine both viewpoints and provide rationale behind my opinion on this. On the one hand, proponents of this theory claim that it is advisable for parents to act as role models and to establish ground rules for behaviour by spending as much time as possible with their children. This allows the youngsters to absorb conventions and codes of conduct which they can then follow themselves, hopefully leading to an absence of problems such as bullying, truancy and delinquency later on. In addition to this, being with the family should reduce the risk of children falling victim to crimes such as abduction, stealing etc. On the other hand, opponents of this theory claim that it is not a practical proposition. In modern society where many families rely on dual-income, children cannot spend all of their time with the family. As such, child-minding and after-school childcare are often used in these cases. Equally, it seems that children can gain considerable knowledge from their peers. Therefore, allowing children to play without direct supervision may be an added advantage. In conclusion, it appears that, while family time is quintessential for bonding and absorbing behavioural patterns, there are definite advantages when children are outside the family eco-system too. Given this situation, it can be said that they are in safe, well behaved environment with peers who are themselves reasonably well brought up. (287 words)

Topic Vocabulary

• foster parents – people who officially take a child into their family for a period of time, without becoming the child’s legal parents. The child is referred to as their foster child.
• guardians – people who are legally appointed to protect child’s interests in the absence of parents.
• role models – people that children look up to as examples
• ground rules – basic rules governing the peoples’ behaviour
• conventions – traditions or social norms that most people follow
• codes of conduct – voluntary rules acceptable to people
• bullying – when children attack and intimidate other children
• truancy – when a pupil leaves school without permission
• delinquency – minor crime
• dual-income – a situation when both mother and father working
• child-minding – informal care for children (outside of schools)
• peers – people in the same age group or level
• behavioural patterns – ways of acting and doing things
• well brought-up – to grow, educate and behave in a socially acceptable manner.

We hope that understanding this ‘Discuss both views essay structure’ will help you organize your writing task – 2 better and ultimately fetch you a high band score. And, don’t forget to download the IDP IELTS Writing answer sheets!