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Effective tips and tricks to write discussion and opinion essays in IELTS writing task 2

Since IELTS is a necessary exam that one has to clear to open up bigger opportunities. It includes four sections such as READING, LISTENING, SPEAKING, AND WRITING tasks. And, the IELTS Writing task comprises two categories. IELTS Writing Task 1 is the first part of the writing module that emphasizes the pie-chart, graphs, or any pictorial representation. Also, the second part asks for your viewpoints about any problem or social stigma and you have to jot down an essay in your answer. Remember, your texts should have formal language and include 250 words. Moreover, your goal is to complete your IELTS writing task 2 in just 40 minutes.

Moreover, knowing the form of answer that you are going to state is a MUST. Your writing task 2 may include a topic that asks for a discussion or an opinion or both. A candidate must be clear about what he needs to pen down on the answer sheet. Also, there lies a difference between discussing a topic and giving an opinion about the topic.

Let’s clear out this comparison in detail.

What Do You Mean By a DISCUSSION ESSAY?

Undoubtedly, a written piece of information that needs to analyze the dual sides of a problem or situation, and asks you which side you are in favor of, is called a discussion essay or against essay. Honestly, the term discussion is just like its ordinary significance where two persons are discussing a topic in numerous ways. Also, a simple and decent view is the foundation for a discussion essay. Because of this, the discussion essays vary from convincing content, that only holds one side of the argument. Moreover, a student must ensure to keep reality-based points separated from the assumptions when jotting down a discussion article.

IELTS Discussion Writing Format

Normally, the structure of writing an IELTS discussion essay is easy to understand and follow. The more you get well-versed with the format, style, and all the basics of writing an essay in task 2, the higher will be the scores. For the ones who look forward to achieving an IELTS score of 6.5, you must be clear about the essay writing pattern and know how to support your disagreements and viewpoints.

Introduction

The most crucial step of writing an essay is its INTRODUCTION. You must know that paraphrasing the topic is vital. Moreover, it is your responsibility to make your readers understand the reason behind writing a discussion article. Next, students have to state a minimum of two promising causes for the disagreements or contentions which will be discussed in the entire essay. Also, your introduction with respect to your own views on the argument will conclude the first section. Additionally, it is a must to mention in this section what you will discuss further throughout the essay. For instance, “this essay will discuss both views and state my own position”.

Main body
Under this section, you will be explaining your different opinions and instances to uphold both sides of the debate. One opinion must be illustrated at the end of the first paragraph.
On other hand, the second text of the essay must target the contradictory side of the argument. Moreover, candidates must ensure that they provide examples and illustrations to prove that their opinion holds strong support.
Conclusion
It is the last section of the essay that involves discussions on all the points and their distinct views. But, the most catchy part of the conclusions will be your own statement. Honestly, you ought to end up the arguments with your own opinion and carve the balance between the two contradictory opinions.

Now, let us head toward discussing the next type of writing essay which is an opinion essay.

Opinion Essays
Do you know Opinion-writing essays are also named ‘agree/disagree essays? It is because these essays want you to give a reality-based opinion with instances and pen down your response accordingly. Also, the opinion-demanding questions will involve the following phrases:
  • Agree or disagree
  • What is your opinion?
  • Give your opinion
  • To what extent do you agree or disagree?
  • Do you agree or disagree?
  • State your opinion.
When should you provide your opinions?

Some of the IELTS writing topics which need an opinion of the writer are below:
  • Some people believe that rich countries must help poor countries in terms of food, health, and items of clothing. To what extent, do you agree?
  • With transportation, developments come environmental damage. Do you agree or disagree with the above statement?
  • Corruption has brutally affected the economic reforms of the country. Do you think it is true or false? State your opinion.
  • Many kids prefer learning through the internet rather than reading books. For some people, it is the right way whereas others oppose it. Discuss both sides and tell your opinion.
    Now, you can clearly see that opinions have been asked in all the questions above. Hence these are opinion-writing topics. However, the last question is exceptionally different since it is also asking for a discussion. Therefore, candidates need to be very smart enough while writing the answer. They should clearly understand what the question demands from them.

Format of an Opinion-based Essay IELTS

The style and structure of all essays in IELTS writing task 2 are very similar. Now, we will be explaining the format precisely. It comprises an introduction, a body paragraph (phase 1 and phase 2), and a conclusion.

  • Introduction
This part involves the beginning of your writing essay and must be convincing enough to allure the reader to it. This section has to be ended up in no more than 5 lines. Also, the candidate has to paraphrase the question being asked. And, he must state his opinion in the statement, and denotes the argument that he supports throughout writing task 2. Furthermore, he must render two supporting reasons for his stance.

  • Main Body Paragraph 1
You are going to present the first reason for your argument along with valid proofs and explanations. Then, you may conclude the paragraph on a solid and strong note.
  • Main Body Paragraph 2
This part of the text works in the context of your previous paragraph. Here, you are going to highlight another reason in support of your answer in the beginning. You must give justified reasons and instances to support that idea. However, if you are unable to think of any appropriate instance then you can select to stretch the view ahead.
  • Conclusion
In this section, one has to talk about his opinions in brief. And, he must generate some crucial reasons in the view of his opinion.

Don’t forget the vocabulary part!

The most flexible way for achieving a good score is with the use of vocabulary in an IELTS exam. Using words, again and again, can impact your IELTS score. So, using synonyms can help you further. Hence, update your vocabulary for increasing your chances of getting good bands. 

Also read: How can you boost sentence formation in IELTS Writing?

IELTS Essay Writing Example For Two Views And Own Opinion


Verdict

In conclusion, the easiest way to pursue a good IELTS score is through practice only. Practicing repeatedly via IELTS online course can make the way easier. You just need to follow the exact format, brush up on opinion writing topics and learn the concepts thoroughly. A student must plan the essay format and observe the various questions before jotting down the essay. Due to this tricky structure, one needs to practice innumerable essays kinds, writing sample answers, and stating arguments. Last not least, you have to ensure that your viewpoint gets approved with the support of your examples and reasons.

Dr.Roma

Content Writer