An agree-or-disagree essay asks you to judge a statement and support your position. A discuss-both-views essay asks you to explain two given perspectives and give your own opinion when requested. Both can consider opposing arguments, but the purpose of those arguments is different.
The essential question is: “How far do I agree?” or “Why do people hold each view, and what is my judgement?”
| The Essay Question wording | Opinion requirement | Body paragraph structure | Common scoring penalty* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opinion: “Do you agree or disagree?” / “To what extent do you agree or disagree?” | State and justify agreement, disagreement or a clearly defined partial agreement. | Develop reasons for your position; for partial agreement, explain what you accept and reject. | An unclear or unsupported position can weaken Task Response. |
| Discussion: “Discuss both views and give your own opinion.” | Explain both views and make your judgement clear. | One developed paragraph per view is a useful option, with your evaluation included. | Neglecting a view or omitting the requested opinion leaves part of the task unanswered. |
*These are assessment risks, not fixed deductions. Discussing opposing arguments does not automatically result in a lower band.
Why this difference matters in IELTS Writing Task 2
A fluent essay can still miss the question. If a task asks whether universities should move all teaching online, listing the advantages and disadvantages of technology does not necessarily answer it.
The difference between agree/disagree and discuss both views in IELTS is therefore about what your response must achieve. Decide that before choosing examples, linking words or a paragraph template.
This lesson uses original teaching questions and examples to demonstrate the distinction. They are not official test questions or examiner-rated model answers.
How to recognise an agree-or-disagree question
Read the final instruction, then identify the exact claim you must evaluate.
University students should complete all their courses online rather than attend classes on campus.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
The important phrase is “all their courses”. The question asks whether online education should replace campus teaching entirely, rather than whether online learning has any benefits.
You can agree, disagree or partly agree. Official IELTS guidance on agree-or-disagree essays recognises all three approaches.
A useful partial-agreement thesis is:
I support moving lecture-based modules online, but practical training should remain on campus because students need supervised experience with specialist equipment.
This statement identifies a boundary: support for online lectures, but opposition to replacing practical sessions. “I partly agree” becomes meaningful when you explain precisely which part you accept.
How to recognise a discuss-both-views question
Some people believe that university students should study online, while others think they should attend classes on campus.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
This question gives you three jobs:
- Explain why some people favour online study.
- Explain why others favour campus study.
- Present and support your own judgement.
A suitable introduction could end with:
Online study offers flexibility, whereas campus teaching provides direct interaction and access to specialist facilities. In my view, universities should combine these approaches according to the subject being taught.
You can favour one view or support a combination. However, your preference does not remove the requirement to explain both perspectives.
Discussing a view means explaining its reasoning; it does not mean agreeing with it.
IELTS Task 2 opinion vs discussion essay structure
Both essay types can use four paragraphs. The distinction lies in the purpose of each paragraph. The following plans are practical options, not compulsory scoring formulas.
| Paragraph | Agree or disagree | Discuss both views and give your opinion |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Introduction | Paraphrase the claim and state your degree of agreement. | Introduce the two views and state your judgement. |
| 2. Body paragraph 1 | Develop your first supporting reason. For partial agreement, explain what you accept. | Explain the first view, including its reasoning and relevant support. |
| 3. Body paragraph 2 | Develop another supporting reason. For partial agreement, explain the limit or exception. | Explain the second view and connect your evaluation to your overall opinion. |
| 4. Conclusion | Reaffirm the same position and summarise your reasoning. | Bring the discussion together and reaffirm your judgement. |
For complete agreement or disagreement, both body paragraphs can support the same position. For partial agreement, contrasting paragraphs should explain the boundaries of your judgement.
For a discussion essay, give each stated view enough explanation to make its reasoning understandable. The paragraphs do not need identical word counts.
Side-by-side paragraph templates
Use these frames to practise organisation. Replace the brackets with specific ideas and write sentences that suit the question. A template alone cannot provide the reasoning an essay needs.
| Paragraph | Opinion essay template | Discussion essay template |
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | It is argued that [claim]. I [agree/disagree] because [brief reasons]. | Some people favour [view A], while others support [view B]. In my view, [clear judgement]. |
| Body paragraph 1 | One reason for my position is [reason]. This is because [explanation]. For example, [illustration]. This supports [connection to the claim]. | Supporters of [view A] argue that [reason]. This matters because [explanation]. For example, [illustration]. This approach can be useful when [relevant condition]. |
| Body paragraph 2 | A further reason is [reason]. [Explain the mechanism or consequence.] For instance, [illustration]. Therefore, [link to your position]. | Those who favour [view B] emphasise [reason]. [Explain and illustrate it.] I find this argument [evaluation] because [justification]. |
| Conclusion | Overall, I [restate position], mainly because [summary of reasons already developed]. | Although [acknowledge one perspective], I believe [judgement], because [reason established in the discussion]. |
How to adapt the opinion template for partial agreement
Make the boundary clear in the introduction:
I agree that [specific part], but I do not support [other part or wider claim], because [reason for the limit].
Then use the second body paragraph to explain that limit:
However, my support does not extend to [specific situation]. In this case, [reason and explanation]. For example, [illustration]. This is why [precise boundary to your agreement].
You do not need to use every sentence starter. Choose language that expresses the relationship between your actual ideas.
Same topic, different paragraph purposes: worked examples
The online-learning questions share a topic, so some ideas can appear in both responses. Notice how the writer uses those ideas differently.
Opinion essay: explain the part you accept
I support online delivery for lecture-based modules because students can revisit difficult explanations at their own pace. An economics student, for example, could pause a recorded lecture to work through a calculation before continuing. This gives learners more control over how they study and helps them review material they did not understand initially. Online teaching is therefore a reasonable option for theoretical modules, particularly when students can also ask questions in live tutorials.
Opinion essay: explain the limit to your agreement
However, I disagree with moving every university course online. Students in practical subjects need opportunities to use equipment and receive feedback on their own performance. A chemistry student may understand a recorded demonstration but still struggle to handle laboratory apparatus safely. Supervised sessions allow an instructor to identify and correct such problems immediately. Universities should therefore keep practical training on campus even if they deliver some theoretical content remotely.
Both paragraphs answer the proposal: how much university teaching should move online?
Discussion essay: explain why people support online study
Supporters of online university education often emphasise accessibility. Students who work or live far from a campus may struggle to attend daily classes, whereas remote study can reduce travel and offer more flexible schedules. For example, a working parent could watch a recorded lecture after their children are asleep. From this perspective, online provision allows people to continue their education when regular campus attendance would be difficult.
Discussion essay: explain campus study and evaluate it
Those who favour campus teaching place greater value on direct interaction and practical experience. During a laboratory session, students can ask for immediate help while learning to use specialist equipment. This also allows teachers to observe mistakes that might remain unnoticed in remote study. I find this argument convincing for practical subjects, although it does not justify requiring every lecture to take place on campus. Combining online lectures with supervised sessions would preserve both flexibility and practical learning.
The discussion paragraphs explain why people hold each view and establish the writer’s judgement. These are paragraph demonstrations, not complete essays.
Can a balanced agree-or-disagree essay get Band 6 for Task Response?
Yes, but balance itself is not the scoring problem. A response may show Band 6 weaknesses when its conclusions lack clarity or justification, or its ideas need fuller development. A clearly argued partial-agreement response can perform well.
The official IELTS Writing band descriptors distinguish a clear, developed position at Band 7 from a relevant position at Band 6 whose conclusions may be unclear, unjustified or repetitive. Incomplete coverage of the task appears at Band 5.
These descriptors assess the complete response. There is no automatic Band 6 cap for considering both sides, and an isolated sentence cannot establish an essay’s score. The examples below are teaching diagnoses of how a response can go wrong.
Trap 1: describing the debate without making a judgement
Weak thesis: “Online education has advantages and disadvantages. This essay will discuss both sides.”
This tells the reader the topic but gives no answer to whether all courses should move online.
Better: “I support online lectures, but practical training should remain on campus because students need supervised experience.”
The revised version makes a decision that the body paragraphs can develop.
Trap 2: claiming complete agreement and then contradicting it
Introduction: “I completely agree that all university courses should be delivered online.”
Body paragraph: “Medical and engineering students must attend campus for practical training.”
The second statement creates an exception that conflicts with the first. The reader is left to reconstruct the writer’s actual position.
Fix: Introduce the exception from the start and explain partial agreement. If you genuinely support complete online delivery, your argument must address the practical-training objection convincingly.
Trap 3: using “balance” as a substitute for an answer
Weak conclusion: “Both methods are important, so we need a balance.”
This does not specify which parts should be online or explain the decision.
Better: “Universities should deliver suitable lectures online while retaining practical training on campus, so I do not support moving every course entirely online.”
The conclusion must follow from points already developed in the essay.
Trap 4: giving an unsupported opinion at the end
Two paragraphs that merely report other people’s beliefs do not necessarily justify a sudden conclusion such as “Therefore, I completely disagree.”
Fix: State your answer early and connect each main point to it. Ask yourself: “Why does this reason make my position convincing?”
Trap 5: answering a broader, easier question
The benefits of online learning do not automatically justify replacing all campus teaching. Similarly, explaining why public transport is useful does not prove that governments should spend money only on public transport.
Fix: Underline words such as all, only, more important, should and rather than. Check that your thesis, examples and conclusion address their meaning.
Common mistakes in discuss-both-views essays
Developing only the view you prefer
If you favour online study, writing both body paragraphs about its benefits leaves the campus perspective unexplained. Give the other view a genuine reason and show why its supporters find that reason persuasive.
Confusing fair discussion with equal agreement
You can represent both perspectives fairly while deciding that one is stronger. A discussion essay does not require you to remain neutral or end with a compromise.
Repeating the two views instead of giving an opinion
“Some people prefer online study, while others prefer campus teaching” summarises the debate. It does not fulfil the instruction to give your own opinion.
A judgement would be: “I favour a combined approach because it preserves flexibility without removing essential practical experience.” Develop that reasoning in the body.
Mentioning a view without explaining it
“Others prefer campus learning because it is better” names a preference but does not develop an argument. Explain what improves, how it improves and why it matters to learners.
A five-step planning method for either essay type
- Identify the instruction. Are you evaluating a claim or explaining two stated views?
- Define the scope. Identify the people, setting and limiting words in the question.
- Write your position in one sentence. Make it precise enough to guide the whole essay.
- Give each body paragraph a job. Write a short note explaining what it must demonstrate.
- Choose relevant support. Use an explanation, consequence or example that strengthens the point.
Before writing, check your plan against the instruction again. A relevant example should help answer the question, rather than simply mention the same topic.
For further language practice, explore our English for IELTS Writing Task 2 lessons.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between agree/disagree and discuss both views in IELTS?
An agree-or-disagree question asks you to judge a statement and justify your position. A discuss-both-views question asks you to explain two specified perspectives and give your own opinion when instructed.
Can I discuss both sides in an agree-or-disagree essay?
Yes. You can explain partial agreement or consider an objection to your position. Make clear what you accept, what you reject and why. Simply listing opposing arguments can leave your answer unclear.
Does “to what extent” mean I must partly agree?
No. You can agree completely, disagree completely or partly agree. “To what extent” asks how far you agree; it does not require a middle position.
Do both views need the same number of words?
No. Aim to explain each required view sufficiently. An exact word split is less useful than checking that both perspectives have clear reasoning and relevant support.
Do I need a separate opinion paragraph in a discussion essay?
No. You can state your judgement in the introduction, develop it through the discussion and reaffirm it in the conclusion. A separate paragraph is an option if it helps you explain your reasoning.
Can I use “I believe” or “in my opinion”?
Yes. These expressions help identify your judgement. Use them where they add clarity, then support your opinion with reasons rather than repeating the phrase.
Will these templates guarantee Band 7 or above?
No. Templates help organise an answer, but your result depends on the quality of the complete response, including idea development, organisation, vocabulary and grammar.
Before you finish: check your answer
- Have I answered the exact instruction?
- Have I addressed the whole claim, including limiting words?
- Is my position clear and consistent?
- If asked to discuss both views, have I explained each one?
- Does each main idea have relevant development?
- Does my conclusion follow from my argument?
For your next practice session, use the two online-learning questions above. Write an introduction and two paragraph topic sentences for each. Check whether your opinion plan justifies your degree of agreement and your discussion plan explains both views while supporting your judgement.