How to write a Task 2 discussion essay

How to write a Task 2 discussion essay: 

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  Introduction: paraphrase the question, state both points of view, make a thesis statement and outline your sentence. 
  
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  Main body paragraph 1: state the first viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or disagree and give an example to support your view.
  
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  Main body paragraph 2: state the second viewpoint, discuss it, state whether you agree or disagree and give an example to support your view.
  
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  Conclusion: summarise and state which viewpoint is better or more important.
  
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  Remember that each Task 2 essay requires a different structure. It is important to learn each structure and practise your writing at home.
  

Introduction
This lesson will help you answer IELTS Writing Task 2 discussion (or discuss both views and give your opinion) questions.
These particular questions require a different approach to opinion essays because you have to discuss both sides rather than argue in favour of one side.
This post will look at:

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  Identifying the question
  
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  Example Questions
  
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  Structure
  
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  Sample Answer
  
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  Task Achievement
  
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  Coherence and Cohesion
  
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  Lexical Resource
  

Many students fail to do well in these questions because they do not do what the question asks them to do and do not use an appropriate structure. This post will help you overcome these problems and give you a sample answer.

We will also look at ‘lexical resource’ and ‘coherence and cohesion’; two of the IELTS examiners’ marking criteria when marking your essays. Understanding the marking scheme will help you get inside an IELTS examiner’s head and give them exactly what they want.
Identifying the Question
Look at the three questions below and choose the one you think is a discussion question.

1. 
   Computers are being used more and more in education and so there will soon be no role for the teacher in education.
   

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

2. 
   Computers are being used more and more in education.
   

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your own opinion.

3. 
   Computers are being used more and more in education. Some people say that this is a positive trend, while others argue that it is leading to negative consequences.
   

Discuss both sides of this argument and then give your own opinion.
The first question is an opinion question, and we can tell this from the instructions ‘To what extent do you agree or disagree?’.
The second question is obviously an advantages and disadvantages question.
The third question is the discussion question. We can tell this from the typical instructions in the question, ‘Discuss both sides of the argument and then give your opinion’.
You may also be asked to ‘Discuss both views and give your opinion’ or ‘Discuss both sides of the argument and give your opinion’.
Each of these questions is asking us to do different things, and we, therefore, need a different structure for each question.