How to Write an IELTS Discuss Both Views Essay: Paragraph Order, Conclusions and a Consistent Position (Part 2 of 3): Writing the Two Body Paragraphs, Keeping Your Position Consistent and My Five Essays Compared

IELTS · Task 2 Structure中文版　Updated 2026/11/09

In this post: How to write the two body paragraphs (one explains, the other persuades), why my Essay 1 scored only 6 because its position drifted, and my five Both views essays compared.

5. Writing the two body paragraphs: one explains, the other persuades

The side you do not support: explain only why some people think this

The job of this paragraph is to help the reader understand why people in this camp hold this view. So the topic sentence should be neutral, and the content should not slip in any rebuttal. Body 1 of Essay 4 does this well:

The topic sentence uses sometimes beneficial: it admits the view has a point, while sometimes leaves room. The two points that follow (it is easier to change career direction when the job market changes, and students can check whether they really like their main subject) both explain the reasons from the point of view of people who favour taking other subjects. Nowhere in the paragraph is there a rebuttal such as however, this is not true.

By contrast, this is the wrong way to do it (my own example):

This sentence mixes “introducing the view” with “rebutting the view”, so the paragraph loses its central idea. Save the rebuttal for the third paragraph and the conclusion.

The side you support: more specific examples, more complete reasoning

This paragraph should make the reader feel that “this side’s reasons are stronger”. Here is the first point of Body 2 in Essay 4:

Doctors, lawyers and teachers all need professional qualifications. Readers accept this example immediately, and it is more persuasive than the examples in Body 1. That is what “write more for your side” really means: not more words, but harder evidence. Unfortunately, the second point uses chief executives likes CEOs and CFOs always have solid academic backgrounds as its example. Always overstates the claim, and likes should be like, which weakens the paragraph.

FAQ

Can I support both sides? You can write both sides have merits, but in the end you must choose one (On balance…). The question says give your own opinion, so a conclusion that only says “both sides have a point” has not answered it.

Can I state my position in Body 1? The topic sentence of Body 1 can be neutral, such as Some people believe…; you do not need to state your position there. Your position goes in the second sentence of the introduction, at the start of Body 2 and in the conclusion. If those three places agree, that is enough.

Do I have to use “both sides have merits” in the conclusion? No, but it is the simplest way to show you have discussed both sides. I used it in Essays 3, 4 and 30. You can also paraphrase it, for example both views are supported by some reasons.

6. Keep your position consistent: why my Essay 1 got only 6

The easiest place to lose marks in a Both views essay is a position that “drifts” halfway through. Essay 1 is a textbook example.

The introduction said that accepting a bad situation has more disadvantages than advantages (I supported improving it). The topic sentence of Body 1 also said that accepting a bad situation seems rather disadvantageous:

But the two points that followed were: if you accept a worse situation, life is easier (less competition), and you have more free time. These are actually benefits of accepting a bad situation. The topic sentence says “disadvantageous” while the content describes “benefits”, so the reader has no idea which side this paragraph supports.

Compare this with the band descriptors: Task Response requires a clear position throughout the essay, and Coherence and Cohesion requires each paragraph to have a clear central topic. This paragraph breaks both, and I think that is the main reason TR and CC both stayed at 6. On top of that, the introduction used three template sentences (In the contemporary society… / Considerable public debates… / As for my perception…), the essay ran to 378 words, and the conclusion used based on the aforementioned. It was long but carried little information.

Rewrite: the introduction and Body 1 topic sentence of Essay 1

What changed: the introduction goes from three sentences to two and clearly states both views, so it no longer becomes an advantages/disadvantages essay. The Body 1 topic sentence becomes “why some people choose to accept it”, which matches the content (an easier life, more free time) exactly.

7. My five essays compared

Essays 3 and 4: TR 8, but only CC 6

Both essays had a clear position, so they got TR 8, but both got only CC 6. My own analysis:

• Essay 3: the Body 2 topic sentence, Other environmental problems get more attention due to several reasons, talks about “other problems getting more attention”, but the question asks which problem is more important. The topic sentence does not aim directly at the point being compared. The conclusion also used based on the aforementioned, and its last sentence, as I feel keeping the environment from being harmed is essential…, adds a new reason that was not developed earlier. When I submitted this essay, I asked at the end myself: “Can I write the new thing in the conclusion part?” The rule I follow now: a conclusion only wraps up; it does not add new reasons.
• Essay 4: sentences often join two long clauses with a semicolon. The very first sentence, for example, packs in both views plus “pursuing a certificate”, which makes it hard work to read. In the second sentence of the introduction, it is unclear whether their subjects in spending more time on their subjects means the main subject or all subjects. The conclusion mentions high paid jobs, but Body 2 talks about promotion, which is not quite the same thing.

These two essays reminded me that a clear position protects your TR score, but CC only goes up when every reference is clear and every topic sentence aims at the point the question compares.

Essay 30: why it reached 7.5

• The introduction has two sentences. The first uses Some individuals believe that…, while others claim that… to paraphrase both views side by side; the second previews both “I will discuss both sides” and “my position”. After the introduction, the reader knows how the whole essay will go, which is what the higher Coherence descriptors mean by logical overall organisation.
• Both body paragraphs are “topic sentence + two points”, with clear sequencers (The main one / Another factor; First and foremost / Furthermore).
• It is fair to the side I did not support: cooperation brings different ideas together and gives a sense of belonging to a team, both with specific situations (students from different majors working on a project together).
• The four-step conclusion is complete, and all its reasons come from the body paragraph on competition.

There are still small errors (motivates people to hard-working; dedicate to their work is missing themselves), so LR and GRA stayed at 7, but TR and CC were both 8.

Trial Essay 3: the right structure, pulled down by language

The introduction, paragraphs and conclusion of this essay were all structurally sound, and TR and CC both got 7, but LR and GRA got only 6. The errors are concentrated in basic grammar and spelling: it is frequently been ignored, Advertisements is, a person keep, people is, on a regular basic (basis), brillant, attact. The reason in the conclusion, advertising is a relatively cheap and available marketing tool, also introduces “cheap”, which neither body paragraph mentioned: another new reason in a conclusion.