cambridge discursive essay

Writing an essay

Topic outline.

The purpose of an essay is to present an argument or point of view and give examples or reasons to support it.

The topic will be a question or an issue which people generally have different opinions about.

The essay could present both sides of the argument, or just one, depending on the instructions given in the task. 

An essay should be written in a formal or neutral register and should be well organised, with an introduction, main body and a conclusion. It should include language appropriate for expressing opinions, agreeing and disagreeing. The vocabulary required will depend upon the topic.

• think about the audience that the essay is for
• the tone of most essays should be neutral or formal
• your essay should clearly present opinions related to the topic
• include a range of grammatical structures and related vocabulary
• avoid writing very simple sentences with the same grammatical structures and simple repetitive vocabulary.

An essay should be well organised, with an introduction, main body and a conclusion. It should include well-developed ideas.

You should use linking words/phrases which suit a more formal type of writing (e.g. furthermore, however, in conclusion, etc.) to link ideas in sentences and paragraphs.

One way to structure your essay is to have a balanced argument focusing on one side of the argument, then on the other side of the argument:

• Introduction – briefly outline the argument that the essay will discuss. Engage the reader to make them interested in the topic, for example, ask a rhetorical question to make a point and create a stronger effect.
• Present one side of the argument. Support your ideas with examples and/or reasons.
• Present the other side of the argument. Support your ideas with examples and/or reasons.
• Conclusion – this should briefly summarise what you have said and what you think about the argument. You can link your conclusion back to the beginning and/or encourage the reader to decide what they think about the same viewpoint.

Alternatively, an essay can be one-sided. You present one side of the argument, supported with examples and/or reasons. In this case, the organisation of your essay would be the same as above, with either one extended paragraph for the main body, or two or more shorter paragraphs each presenting a different reason to support your point of view.

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How to Write an Essay for B2 First (FCE) Writing

Luis @ kse academy.

• noviembre 24, 2019

As you probably know already, Cambridge English exams usually have some or all of the following parts: Reading, Writing, Use of English and Listening. In this post I am going to talk about the FCE Writing B2 part and, more specifically, about how to write an essay for FCE Writing . We will see a good example of an essay for FCE and you can check out a full FCE Writing Guide where you can find more examples of emails , letters and other types of writings.

Essay Sample Answer

Este artículo también está disponible en castellano.

What are the parts of the FCE Writing?

The First (FCE) Writing has only two parts. For each part, you must write a composition which will depend on the instructions you receive for each task. For the  first part , you will always be asked to  write an essay , as it is the only option provided. However, in the  second part , they allow you to choose one out of 3 options. These include  different types of writing , which are : letters/emails ,  articles ,  reviews and  reports . Each piece of writing must have between 140 and 190 words , approximately.

Since they are different types of writing , the language and structures to use will also differ. But that’s what I’m here for, to explain to you exactly how to write each part. And today, I’m starting with  how to write an essay .

How to Write an Essay for FCE Writing

An  essay is an opinion writing with which we analyse a topic , a situation or an issue from different points of view , providing different arguments and expressing our opinion about it. For this reason, an  essay must have the following features:

• Purpose: What we usually do with an essay is to analyse and assess a topic, situation or issue which, in some way, is interesting or controversial. It is normally set as a writing task after a class debate. In the exam, you have to imagine the debate, obviously.
• Tone and style: Given that you’re writing about a  serious or controversial issue , an essay is written in a formal style, so we must stick to an objective tone and style . Our language must be formal, thus avoiding words that are simply too common or generic (E.g.:  things, stuff, get,   etc.) and contractions (E.g.:  can’t, don’t, won’t,  etc.).
• Structure: Like every piece of writing,  an essay must present a defined structure . For starters, we can choose either to give it a title or not. Personally, I would say that it is more appropriate to have an essay with title . Then, the body must be divided into introduction, idea 1, idea 2, idea 3 and conclusion. This means that, in general,  essays must have 5 paragraphs ,   although it is not entirely necessary.
• Opinion:  There are countless ways of expressing your opinion in an essay, so you must choose the one that suits you best. However,  it is advisable to remain impartial throughout your writing and give your opinion only in the last paragraph , as a conclusion. But, as I say, it is optional. The most important thing is that you justify everything you say in your essay.
• Coherence: Coherence is essential in every type of writing, but especially in an essay. As it tends to be an argumentative text, you must avoid writing incoherent paragraphs that have nothing to do with one another. Your ideas must  follow a logical order and be well connected with appropriate linkers .

FCE Writing Essay Example

Now that we are familiar with the  characteristics of an essay for First (FCE) Writing , let’s take a look at an  example of an essay at B2 level , both at the task and at a sample answer.

Instructions of an Essay

In the following image you can see the instructions of an essay which involves a typical topic, that of the environment:

In these instructions, we must pay attention to the following:

• The  first paragraph introduces the topic: … different ways in which you can protect the environment.
• The  second sentence is usually the same in every task:  Write an essay using  all the notes…
• In the box , you are given the main topic as a question and they give you something to talk about:  recycle, using bicycles and walking, your own idea . As you can see, you have to come up with the third idea, something connected to the topic which is not provided in the exam task.

Given the model task above, each paragraph will correspond to a different idea, apart from the introduction and conclusion. Again, it is only natural to have 5 paragraphs. So, the best way to know how to write an essay for FCE Writing is to take a look at an  example of an actual essay for FCE Writing :

At first sight, the essay has  a title and 5 paragraphs (introduction + idea 1 + idea 2 + idea 3 + conclusion). And if we stop to read the essay more carefully, we’ll notice the following things:

• The paragraphs are visual and well defined , which is very important.
• The title summarises the topic  of the essay. Another option is to use the question ( What can people do to help protect the environment? ) as title. However, it usually tends to be too long, so I prefer to summarise it into a shorter heading.
• Introduction: it introduces the topic in a general way and it leads to the second paragraph (first idea).
• Paragraph 2: it deals with idea 1.
• Paragraph 3: it deals with idea 2.
• Paragraph 4: it deals with idea 3.
• Conclusion: we express our opinion to conclude and summarise the essay.
• It uses connectors to define the development of the essay:  firstly, second, finally, etc.
• It doesn’t use many contractions or pet words.
• One of the things that
• In the last few decades,
• For this reason,
• First, / Second, / Third,
• By doing so,
• For example,
• In conclusion,

This is a good example of an essay for FCE Writing . By the way, you must bear in mind that it has been written to simulate a strong B2 level, without reaching C1.

FAQ: Do I get penalised for writing over 190 words?

This is the most typical question in this part of the exam and the answer is « yes and no «. Let me explain myself. Cambridge English examiners don’t count the number of words and penalise you based upon that fact alone. There’s a rumour going around among teachers and pupils that says that for every 10 words over 190, they take «this many» points off, but it is not true. However, think about this: if you’ve written 50 or 100 words more than asked, you are probably including irrelevant information to the task , right? Now that’s a reason for losing points. In the same way that if you  write under 140 words you are probably missing essential information , don’t you think?

For this reason, I always recommend writing up to 10 or 20 words over the limit. In this way, you won’t lose any points for including irrelevant information.

FCE Writing Guide with examples (pdf)

Although I intend to write more posts on how to do each piece of writing for FCE, if you don’t want to wait any more, simply download the official KSE Academy FCE Writing Guide . In this guide you will learn:

• How to write an essay  and 3 examples.
• How to write an article  and 3 examples.
• How to write a review  and 3 examples.
• How to write a report  and 3 examples.
• How to write an email or letter  and 3 examples.
• Over 300 useful expressions for every FCE Writing .

Would you like to see a sample of this guide? Here it is!

Did you find this useful?  Why not share it with other teachers and students of English? Don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter and to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, y YouTube. 🙂

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20 Essay Writing Topics/Questions | C1 Advanced (CAE)

How to write an C1 Advanced (CAE) essay?

FCE, CAE, CPE

More than practice tests, c1 advanced (cae) essay: example topics / questions.

Below is a sample list of academic essay writing topics/tasks for C1-level (advanced) students. You can use them to practice writing English essays or to simplyy prepare for the Cambridge exam

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 1 | Advanced (CAE)

Your class has attended a panel discussion on the subject of TV shows that feature members of the public, such as reality TV shows and talent competitions. You have made the notes below.

Aspects of reality and talent TV shows

• entertainment for viewers
• influence on young people
• effect on participants

Some opinions expressed in the discussion:

‘These programmes are just harmless entertainment and there is nothing wrong with them.’ ‘The influence these programmes can have on young people can be very bad indeed.’ ‘People who take part in these programmes can be damaged by the experience.’

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the aspects in your notes. You should explain which aspect you think is the most important regarding these TV shows and provide reason s to support your opinion.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 2 | Advanced (CAE)

You have watched a documentary about what causes young people to start committing crimes. You have made the notes below.

Reasons why young people commit crimes

• lack of control by parents
• absence of opportunities in life
• influence of friends

Some opinions expressed in the documentary:

‘Without firm discipline from parents, some children are likely to get into trouble.” ‘It’s not surprising that young people who feel they have no chance of a good life turn to crime.” ‘The bad influence of people they mix with can cause some young people to take up crime.’

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the reasons in your notes. You should explain which cause you think is the most important for young people committing crimes and provide reasons to support your opinion.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 3 | Advanced (CAE)

Your class has attended a panel discussion on what are the greatest advantages of digital and computer technology for people in their everyday lives. You have made the notes below.

Advantages of digital and computer technology in everyday life

• communication
• access to information
• shopping and services

‘Being able to contact anyone at any time in any place is obviously the greatest advantage.’

‘The fact that people can instantly look up something and find out about it, or learn something new, is the greatest advantage.’

‘You don’t need to go out or spend a long time buying or paying for things and that’s the greatest advantage.’

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the advantages in your notes. You should explain which advantage you think is the greatest for people in their everyday lives and provide reasons to support your opinion.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 4 | Advanced (CAE)

Your class has been discussing whether school/college leavers should be forced to do unpaid work if no paid jobs are available. You have made the notes below:

Arguments for and against forcing young people into jobs that are not paid:

• it gives young people the chance to gain valuable work experience.
• it would benefit society if more young people worked for the local community.
• companies would be exploiting young people as a cheap source of labour.

Some opinions expressed during the discussion:

“If the job needs doing the company should be prepared to pay for someone’s labour.” “Such a scheme would build confidence in young people who would otherwise be idle” “It would force young people into dead-end jobs”

Write an  essay  discussing two of the arguments made for and/or against making young people do unpaid work. You should explain which argument is more important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 5 | Advanced (CAE)

You class has watched a documentary about the need for nations to fund space exploration. You have made the notes below:

Advantages of spending public money on space exploration:

• countries work together to further our understanding of the universe
• we may discover raw materials.
• possible new living space for the world’s growing population.

“It’s human nature to want to understand where we come from.” “We should stop exploiting natural resources.” “The world’s growing population needs further space to live.”

Write an  essay  discussing two of the advantages given for space exploration in your notes You should  explain which reason is most important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

Get Your (CAE) Essay Checked!

C1 - essay topic / question 6 | advanced (cae).

Your class has had a discussion about the importance of the Internet in our lives. You have made the notes below:

Reasons why the Internet has become so important:

• the opportunity it offers to buy and sell online.
• the ease with which we can keep in contact with friends or relations.
• its use as a study tool.

“Social media allows me to stay in contact with family members all over the country.” “You can shop around, read reviews and get good bargains on the web.” “The Internet offers me an enormous library to help with my studies.”

Write an essay discussing two of the reasons given for the importance of the Internet. You should explain which reason is most important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 7 | Advanced (CAE)

Your class has had a discussion about the negative effects of globalisation on local culture. You have made the notes below:

Effects of globalisation:

• the dominance of the western music/film industry.
• the loss of national identity.
• the undermining of values of local culture.

“We don’t want to see the same culture wherever we travel.” “People are free to enjoy whichever music, films or fashion they wish.” “Young people are losing the sense of values their parents had.”

Write an essay discussing two of the effects listed in your notes. You should explain which effect is more important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 8 | Advanced (CAE)

Your class has watched a documentary about the decline in the number of local buildings with historic interest. You have made the notes below: Factors behind the decline include:

• a lack of space within inner cities for commercial and residential developments.
• the fact that these buildings are not seen as worthy of preservation by town planners.
• insufficient public funds to support the preservation of these buildings.

“We need to preserve old buildings for future generations.” “Buildings with a local historical interest can be good for tourism.” “Some of these buildings no longer serve a purpose and should be replaced with modern alternatives.”

Write an essay discussing two of the reasons given for the decline in such buildings in your notes. You should explain which factor is more important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 9 | Advanced (CAE)

You attended a debate at a local community centre at which a proposal to launch a new local TV station was discussed. You have made the notes below:

What would be the benefits of a new local TV station?

• community events
• local businesses

Some opinions expressed during the debate:

“TV is dying. Everyone uses the internet.” “Will younger people engage with local television?” “TV service can’t just become a vehicle for wall-to-wall advertising!”

Write an essay , discussing two of the benefits in your notes. You should explain which benefit you think would be most important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 10 | Advanced (CAE)

You attended a college debate that discussed ways of encouraging more people to be more environmentally friendly in their energy use and production. You have made the notes below:

How can individuals protect the environment through their home energy policy?

• Subsidised solar panels
• Free insulation
• Replacement heating system

“Governments should be doing this, not individuals!” “Heating old, cold buildings helps nobody.” “Solar panels take decades to pay for themselves!”

Write an essay , discussing two of the ideas in your notes. You should explain which idea would help protect the environment most, giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 11 | Advanced (CAE)

You attended a lecture at a local business centre where the advantages of working from home were discussed. You have made the notes below:

How can working from home be beneficial?

• Effects on traffic
• Less office space required
• Happier employees

Some opinions expressed during the lecture:

“People working alone at home go crazy!” “Face-to-face meetings are crucial.” “Will everybody have this privilege?”

Write an essay , discussing two of the benefits in your notes. You should explain which benefit would be most important , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 12 | Advanced (CAE)

You attended a debate at the town hall which discussed how new government money for the town should be spent. You have made the notes below:

How should the new government money be spent locally?

• Reduce local taxes by 1%
• More sports facilities
• New books and teachers for schools

“We pay too much tax, a tax cut helps everyone!” “Having a healthier local population is more important than money.” “I don’t play sports, what’s in this for me?”

Write an essay , discussing two of the proposals in your notes. You should explain which proposal would help the town most , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 13 | Advanced (CAE)

You attended a meeting at a local school where possible new additions to the curriculum were discussed. You have made the notes below:

What subjects can we add to our school curriculum?

• computer programming
• home decoration and repair

Some opinions expressed during the meeting:

“We need to consider those who won’t go to university.” “Learn Latin and you’re halfway to learning any other language.” “We need to prepare our children for the modern world they live in!”

Write an essay , discussing two of the subjects in your notes. You should explain which subject would help students most , giving reasons in support of your answer.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 14 | Advanced (CAE)

You have listened to a radio discussion programme about what can be done to increase participation in sports by people of all ages. You have made the notes below.

Ways of increasing participation in sports

• advertising
•  famous sportspeople

“Campaigns involving famous sportspeople are very effective because they are role models for young people.” “If people know what is available to them, more of them might take facilities” “What people need to get started in sports is enough free or cheap up sports.”

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the ways in your notes. You should explain which way you think is likely to be the most effective for increasing participation in sports and provide reasons to support your opinion.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 15 | Advanced (CAE)

Your class has attended a lecture on what governments could do to minimise the use of fossil fuels, You have made the notes below.

Methods of minimising the use of fossil fuels

• increasing taxes on petrol
• increasing use of nuclear energy

“Is the technology for recycling adequately developed?” “Increased taxation will not be a sufficient deterrent.’ “Nuclear energy is too risky.”

Write an essay for your tutor discussing two of the methods in your notes. You should explain which method you think is more important for governments to consider, and provide reasons to support your opinion.

Entonces, comprar priligy generico online ¿funciona el priligy genérico? Si está leyendo este artículo, probablemente esté buscando respuestas sobre la eficacia de las farmacias online y los medicamentos genéricos.

Get Your (FCE) Essay Checked!

C1 - essay topic / question 16 | advanced (cae).

You recently heard a discussion about the benefits of school uniforms. These are the notes you took.

Pros and Cons:

• Shared identity.
• Expensive for parents.
• Discrimination

Notes on Opinions expressed:

• Could give students a positive identity boost.
• Some parents may not be able to afford them.
• Students with cheaper uniforms could face discrimination

Write an  essay  discussing  two  of the ideas in an appropriate style. You should  explain   which  idea you think is  more   important , giving reasons to support your opinion.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 17 | Advanced (CAE)

You recently heard a discussion about the behavioural problems of some children. These are the notes you took.

• Stricter teachers.
• Parental responsibility.
• Government action.
• Teaching is difficult if too strict.
• Parents should exercise control.
• Government should introduce Laws to make parents liable for their children.

Write an  essay  discussing  two  of the ideas in an appropriate style, using 220 – 260 words. You should  explain   which  idea you think is  more   important , giving reasons to support your opinion.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 18 | Advanced (CAE)

You recently heard a discussion about the low level of reading skills in schools. These are the notes you took.

• Extra reading work at school.
• Reading time with parents.
• Special teachers.
• No extra time available at school.
• Parents have very busy lives.
• Difficult to organise.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 19 | Advanced (CAE)

Your class has attended a panel discussion about the ‘race to space’ and who should be funding it. You have made the notes below:

Who should be funding the race to space?

• private companies
• the government
• we should not spend money on this
• In the future, we will need a new planet to live on
• The race to space is important for scientific development
• It’s a waste of money to explore space.

C1 - Essay Topic / Question 20 | Advanced (CAE)

You recently heard a discussion about bullying at school. These are the notes you took.

Responsibility:

Notes on opinions expressed:

• Teachers should control their environment.
• Students should be taught about the dangers
• The police should offer protection.

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How to Write a Discursive Essay: Tips to Succeed & Examples

So, you need to accomplish your discursive essay writing. The typical questions most students ask are: How do you write it? What is discursive essay?

A discursive essay is an academic paper that involves a discussion on a particular topic. It is usually assigned to college students. You may be required to write a paper wherein you have to do one of the following:

• argue for the issue or against it;
• present your points of view on both sides;
• provide your unprejudiced opinion on that matter.

Don’t panic!

Check out the tips from  Custom-writing.org  experts below. They will assist you in discursive writing and encourage you to examine essay examples. Moreover, in this article, you’ll also learn about different types of discursive essay, and its introduction, main body, and conclusion structure.

• ❓ What Is It?
• 🏁 Main Types

Introduction

• Basic Don’Ts
• ✏️ Frequent Questions

❓ What Is a Discursive Essay?

First of all, let’s figure out what the discursive essay is.

You may think it’s similar to the argumentative essay. Yes, but there’s a difference between them in the structure and purpose of these two types of assignments:

We will take a detailed look at how to structure a discursive essay later, and now let’s find out what are the types of this assignment.

Keep reading!

🏁 Discursive Essay: Main Types

You have to think more critically and more in-depth when reviewing all viewpoints and aspects of discursive writing. Check these three main types of essay writing:

• Opinion Essay  requires the author’s opinion on an issue which is stated in the introductory paragraph. It should be clearly presented and followed by reasons and supporting examples. Also, this essay paper should contain an opposing argument that comes before the conclusion. The writer must explain to readers why the mentioned argument is considered to be unconvincing. The writer’s opinion should be restated/summarized in the conclusion.
• For and Against Essay  provides readers with a thorough debate on the topic with the help of opposing points of view. Each point should be discussed objectively and described in details. The introductory paragraph puts the issue under consideration. The main body of this essay paper should present examples, reasons, and arguments supported by justifications. The author’s own opinion with balanced reflections on the topic should be stated only in conclusion.
• Essay Suggesting Solution to a Problem  discusses problems and finds the main solutions. The introduction paragraph explicitly declares a problem and analyses its causes and consequences. The main body of the essay should offer some suggestions for a possible solution to the problem and potential state consequences or expected results. In conclusion, author’s opinion should be distinctly summarized.

📑 How to Write a Discursive Essay

Well, it’s time to talk about the structure of a discursive essay. Like most of the assignments, a discursive paper starts with an introduction and ends with a conclusion:

The first question you may ask is how to start a discursive essay introduction. Simple!

• Give your readers a hook – something that would sound interesting to them.
• Provide a short explanation of the problem. You may use quotations, as well as rhetorical questions.
• Show your readers both sides of the arguments and sum up.

You may be wondering…

Is there something I should avoid in my discursive essay introduction?

Yes. No stereotypes and generalizations, please!

The next step under formal essay writing you should take is to compose the body.

There are a few points you should remember:

• First and foremost: stay unprejudiced . Assess all of the aspects of an issue. Leave your feelings behind or for another essay type.
• Second: build your argumentation . If you have several arguments for your viewpoint—provide them in separate paragraphs. This will help you to keep your essay comprehensible and distinct. Don’t forget to submit supporting evidence.
• Third: write the body of an essay in an alternate manner. What does it mean? If your first paragraph supports the paper’s argument, then in the second paragraph you should write something in the opposite of it. Such a combination of supporting and opposite paragraphs will make your essay look apparent, and well researched. Besides, it will help you to remain neutral.
• Fourth: include topic sentences and evidence . Write a summary of the argument at the beginning of the paragraph. It will allow the reader to easier understand what the paragraph is about. Provide evidence to show that you’re not making the facts up.

Well, you’ve almost finished your writing. Now you should focus on the last section. Keep reading, and you will learn how to write a conclusion for a discursive essay.

• In the last section, you should summarize your article including the main points, specified in the body paragraphs.
• You may also logically express your opinion. Remember: it should resonate with your evidence stated in the body paragraphs.
• Don’t repeat findings, just summarize them.

Keep it short. Your conclusion length should not exceed one paragraph.

👍 Do’s and Don’ts

Do you want more discursive essay writing tips? Fine! Just check them below:

Basic Do’s of a Discursive Essay

• Write in formal, impersonal style.
• Introduce each point in a separate paragraph
• Use topic sentences for each paragraph
• Write well-developed paragraphs
• Give reasons and examples for each point
• Use sequencing
• Use linking words and phrases
• Make references to other sources and make sure that you follow proper citation style
• Identify used sources

Basic Don’Ts of a Discursive Essay

• Don’t use short forms, like I’ll, don’t, they’ve
• Don’t use informal/colloquial language, for example: old as the hills, ain’t, gonna, etc.
• Don’t use very emotional language, since it might make your discursive article look prejudiced
• Don’t use over-generalizations. Extending the features of some elements from a group more than it is reasonable will lead to generous and inaccurate conclusions.
• Don’t express your personal opinion too insistently
• Don’t refer to statistics without proper referencing (check our citation guides )
• Don’t use personal examples, leave it for a personal experience essay

Well, now you know what discursive essay means, what are its main types, and how to structure it.

Discursive Essay Topics

• Discussion of risk factors that impact human health.
• Discuss the necessity of understanding cultural heritage to provide efficient health care.
• Analyze different opinions on withdrawing patients’ treatment.
• Examine different views on the Civil War. 
• Discuss what hostile emotional states are and how they impact human life.
• Discuss the meaning of metaphors used by Virgil in Aeneid .
• Describe different opinions on telehealth in nursing homes.
• The ethicality of stem cell technology.
• Explore the effectiveness of motivational interviewing .
• Discuss how people present themselves online .
• Discuss the reasons for Coca-Cola’s marketing success.
• Analyze the food safety issues and the ways to improve the situation.
• Examine the essential meaning of sleep for people’s physical and mental health.  
• Explore various complications of working with groups. 
• Discussion of the modern issues with virtue ethics .
• Describe different views on the definition of love .
• Give the for and against arguments considering food security technologies .
• Discuss how the concept of the American dream is presented in the film The Great Gatsby.  
• Analyze the influence of family problems on children and suggest ways to improve the situation.
• Present the various points of view on the ethical concepts of Buddhism. 
• Examine the attitudes towards the problem of homelessness and the suggested ways of its solution.
• Explore different opinions on the American revolution and its consequences.  
• Discuss various policies and views around the globe on abortion .
• Discussion of the history of food foraging in different communities. 
• Multiple thoughts on civility on the Internet .
• Analyze arguments on the effectiveness of hand sanitizers. 
• Discuss the importance of visual aids in learning.
• Present and evaluate the theories of international development .
• Discuss how to prevent the spread of the West Nile Virus (WNV).
• Is embracing renewable energy sources beneficial for both environment and the global economy?
• Examine the correctness of the statement that the ideology of pleasure is the foundation of social activism.  
• Discussion of the ethical dilemma of population control. 
• Discuss the ethics of experimental studies .
• Analyze the topic of gun violence and gun control laws.  
• Explore the reasons for opioid crises in the US.  
• Give arguments for and against random drug testing. 
• Discuss the problem of endangered species .
• Express your opinion on the necessity of parents to be included in children’s education .
• Present your attitude towards working in a bureaucratic organization. 
• Discuss the issue of the nursing shortage and suggest a solution.
• Give different viewpoints on the definition of beauty .
• Analyze the problem of police misconduct .
• Discuss the description of violence of African people in literature. 
• Examine the views on Gardner’s multiple intelligence theory .
• Describe the various opinions on mysticism and express your attitude towards it.  
• Discuss the diverse standpoints on spirituality. 
• Is nature protection an urgent problem?
• Analyze different ideas on physical privacy at work. 
• Discussion on the Jewish heritage in nursing.
• Examine the views on the meaning of life .

Good luck with your discussions and discursive essays! Be sure to check out the articles on our blog for more academic wisdom. By the way, on the Custom-Writing website, you may find the best essay topics for your academic writing.

And don’t forget to share your opinion in the comments below.

You might also be interested in:

• Friendship Essay: Writing Guide & Topic Ideas about Friendship
• Teamwork Essay: Quick Guide on How to Write a Good Paper
• Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Tips and Examples
• Transportation Essay: Writing Tips and Brilliant Topics

✏️ Discursive Essay FAQ

There is no one definitely correct answer to this question. Like any other essay, the text should have a clear structure with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The most important thing is that the overall book needs to be cohesive, persuasive, and exciting to read.

An example of a step by step guide is:

1. Take a closer look at the topic, think about the points to cover.

2. Choose the most relevant points and compose the Body of the essay.

3. Add an appropriate Introduction and Conclusion.

To write a good conclusion, you need to have the rest of the essay finished. Does the body of your essay present well-structured points? Great, then see what you can conclude based on that. If possible, make a connection between the introduction and the conclusion.

To ensure that your essay has a perfect structure, start with creating an outline. Based on such a plan, you can present your points step by step. Your text should have a relevant introduction, several points in the main body (with examples), and a logical conclusion.

🔗 References

• Writing an Opinion Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Easy Step-by-Step Guide: Master Class
• Ending the Essay: Conclusions: Harvard College Writing Center
• Academic Writing Style: University of Southern California
• Cite Your Sources: Library Guides at University of California, Santa Cruz
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Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE): How to Write an Essay

• Mandatory task : yes
• Word count : 240-280
• Main characteristics : summarising and evaluating main ideas
• Register : formal
• Structure : introduction, two topic paragraphs, conclusion

Introduction

An essay is usually written for a teacher. It should be well organised, with an introduction, clear development and an appropriate conclusion. The compulsory Part 1 essay question will involve reading two short input texts on a particular topic and summarising and evaluating the key points from these texts in the context of a coherent essay on the topic, including the candidate’s own views. The set text essay questions specify what particular aspect of the set text (development of character or significance of events) should form the content of the essay. Source: Cambridge English Assessment: C2 Proficiency Handbook for teachers

Essays are the first part of the writing test in Cambridge B2 Proficiency. The task is mandatory unlike the other possible types of text in Part 2 ( articles , letters , reports , reviews ) where you can decide which text type you would like to tackle.

Essays are easier than they might seem

When people hear the word essay, they typically think of this monstrosity of a text with hundreds of pages and lots and lots of academic language.

While this is true to some extend, essays in C2 Proficiency are actually not that bad. The good thing is that there is always a specific structure that you can apply no matter what the topic of a particular task might be and with a little bit of practice, you can become very good very quickly.

So, in this article, we are going on a journey together where I am you guide and I will show you everything you need in order to become more confident and well-equipped to write great essays.

What a typical essay task looks like

First of all, let’s check out at a typical task and you will see very quickly what you need to look out for when analysing it.

In every essay task, you have to read two short texts (about 100 words each) just like the ones above. Your challenge is to summarise and evaluate the key points of those texts and compare and contrast them . You also need to expand on these two texts and include some of your own ideas as well as give your opinion on the topic at the end of the essay.

The register should be formal as essays are usually part of academic writing. Formal English means that you shouldn’t use contractions (I’m, don’t, etc.), informal phrasal verbs, or colloquial expressions we would normally place in the realm of spoken English.

How to organise your essay

Considering the fact that there are two texts we need to work with, the limit of 240-280 words and the other conventions of essay writing, meaning that we need to include an introduction at the beginning and a conclusion at the end, I have found the following paragraph structure to be very useful for my own students:

• Topic paragraph 1
• Topic paragraph 2

This structure is not the only one you can apply to an essay task and I have seen many other ways of doing so throughout my career as a teacher, but this one just seems simple and easy to apply. There is no need to overthink. Just use the organisational pattern that gets you to a good essay the fastest.

Make a plan before you start writing

I’m a big fan of making plans and I hope you will become one as well. Underappreciated by many, a plan takes only a couple of minutes to put together and it can save you much more time and headaches once you write your essay .

Instead of having to worry about what you want to say next you can focus on how you want to say it and lean into using the right vocabulary and grammar because your plan already gives you the outline and main ideas for what you are going to say.

To devise a plan simply use the paragraph structure from earlier and fill it with life , meaning with some notes that help you remember the details you would like to talk about in each section. For our example task from before, a plan could look something like this:

• Introduction : social norms; collective vs individual; generation gap
• Topic paragraph 1 : intergenerational differences; What is acceptable?; dialogue is needed; OLDER GENERATIONS HAVE ALWAYS COMPLAINED; DIFFERENCES ARE NORMAL
• Topic paragraph 2 : individualism more important than the collective; innovation; well-being; INDIVIDUALS ONLY THRIVE IN A COMMUNITY
• Conclusion : social norms are important but ever-changing for the individual and society as a whole; need for dialogue

It took me about three minutes to come up with this plan. The capitalised parts in the topic paragraphs are my own thoughts which I’m planning to add to or weave into the ideas expressed in the two short texts. It is important to do this because the task asks you to include your own ideas and views.

Now that we have a structure, ideas for the content and the knowledge that an essay needs to be formal we can get into the nitty-gritty and go to work.

The different parts of an essay

As we said in the previous section, a good essay in Cambridge C2 Proficiency can be broken up into an introduction, a couple of topic paragraphs, each of which talks about one of the input texts, and a conclusion to round everything off. Now, let me go through each part so you can see how you can use these building blocks to create a nice little essay.

The intro in an essay for C2 Proficiency works slightly differently from, for example, the ones in a B2 or C1 essay. Here, you have a lot more freedom and many candidates keep it on the shorter side.

Whichever way you prefer doing it, you have to make sure that it becomes clear what the overarching theme is that you want to talk about in the text. Unlike in B2 First or C1 Advanced the tasks in C2 Proficiency give you very little context and not even a question that you could answer. You have to decide what you want to focus on and the best way of doing this is to find out what the topic is that the input texts talk about. Simply state that in your intro and you are ready to go.

An introduction for our example task could look something like the one below:

In our society, we live together based on certain norms that we all agree upon even though there is a lot of room for interpretation. For instance, what one person sees as perfectly acceptable might offend their parents or while western culture embraces personal freedom the question is where one’s own liberty collides with the interests of the collective.

I paraphrase the essence of the two texts , which sets the stage for my topic paragraphs. Make sure you use your own words instead of parroting what the task says. Also note, that from the beginning, I try to connect my ideas well by using a wide variety of cohesive devices (even though, for instance, while).

Topic paragraphs

The topic paragraphs convey the main ideas of your essay so they should be treated as the most important part. They should be the longest paragraphs and include all the ideas you want to talk about. Don’t add anything new in the intro or conclusion that you don’t discuss in the topic paragraphs.

The first step to a successful topic paragraph is a topic sentence . A good topic sentence makes it very clear for the reader what this specific section of the text talks about. From there, you elaborate on the topic and that’s it. Again, there is no dark magic involved, just a repeatable step-by-step process.

Going back to our example, here are two topic paragraphs I wrote:

Not only do we see these trends in the context described in the first text, but older generations also struggle with the ever-evolving use of language or specific behaviour such as seemingly disrespecting others by not offering their seat on public transport or using their gadgets even when spending time with family or friends. While it is easy to agree with the writer’s observations that only good communication leads to a better understanding, we need to keep in mind that societal changes are often more difficult for the parent generation and it has been that way since the dawn of civilisation. Another important aspect is the rise of individualism. The second text strongly argues that society as a whole greatly benefits from the vision and ambition of specific people and that societal rules only hinder progress. However, this line of thought neglects the fact that these individuals thrive within a collective framework that enables them to pursue their ideas and make them become a reality so we might argue that one can’t exist without the other.

I immediately connect the first topic paragraph to the introduction (these trends) and show that I’m going to talk about the first text (the context described in the first text). It is very clear for the reader what to expect here: my views on this first text. Mission “topic sentence” accomplished.

In these main paragraphs, it is important to include some further ideas instead of just talking about the examples from the texts. in the first topic paragraph, I only acknowledge the text in the topic sentence and then expand on the topic. All of this is in my plan so I knew that I was going to do it before I started writing.

The same process is repeated in the second paragraph. I clearly state the topic (the rise of individualism) and briefly paraphrase the writer’s opinion before contrasting it with my own ideas.

Note that I avoided using personal pronouns like I or we. Essays are formal and rather impersonal pieces of writing so I tried to keep the text as impersonal as possible. That doesn’t mean that you are prohibited from using this kind of language, but in my example, I managed without it.

It should go without saying that, at this level, you want to include a variety of vocabulary and grammatical structures appropriate for the topic given.

The conclusion brings everything together like a beautiful dessert after an already great meal. It summarises your arguments and reflects your opinion to finish the essay. Of course, it should all be based on what you’ve already discussed and, as I said earlier, you don’t want to introduce new ideas here.

All in all, humanity as a collective always changes due to the fresh ideas of younger generations. This is a constant of life and the essence of who we are as a species. Only with dialogue and the willingness to understand each other can we continue to prosper and use individual freedom to benefit all of society.

Nice and short, this conclusion rounds off my essay by restating the key ideas (change is constant, need for dialogue, individualism within a collective) and giving my final thoughts . That’s all you have to do and you’re done. Congratulations!

Now it’s time for some practice

And there you have it. Essays in Cambridge C2 Proficiency are really not that difficult if you know what you are doing. With the right structure, a good plan and appropriate language you basically can’t go wrong.

Now you can start practising. I offer writing feedback and classes here on my website if you are interested in working directly with me. Until then, all the best.

Lots of all,

Teacher Phill 🙂

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How To Stay Calm on Your Cambridge Exam Day

Are native speakers better language teachers, one comment.

Hi I am taking the proficiency exam on Novemeber 24th this year. ( I hope I got the date correct, it is in November anyway ) I would love to take online lessons with you. I leave my email below; and look forward to hearing from you shortly Regards Pamela

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• IELTS: Writing Part 2 – How To Write A Discursive Essay

• Posted on 05/02/2020
• Categories: Blog
• Tags: IELTS , Writing

When it comes to exams, preparation is the key to success – and the IELTS Writing Paper Part 2 is no exception! It is worth twice as much as Part 1 and is the longest part of the writing paper. So it’s important to perfect your technique before the big day.

We’ve put together some tips, examples, and useful language to help you prepare for Part 2 of the Writing Paper.

IELTS exam requirements

In both the General and the Academic papers, the IELTS Writing Task 2 requires you to write at least 250 words. You will be presented with a topic and tested on your ability to:

• Respond by discussing it
• Extend the ideas, giving an opinion
• Support that opinion with reasoned arguments

Three tips to get a great mark in Part 2

1. Read the question carefully

Don’t be tempted to rush this part: identifying the topic correctly is a crucial first step.

Remember, you are required to give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples from your own knowledge. That means it’s really important that you make sure you understand the essay question fully.

2. Brainstorm ideas

Organising your ideas is an important step in the process. Before you start writing, take some time to make a short plan of what you are going to write. Think about your response to the question:

• What are your opinions?
• Why do you have this opinion?
• What problems can you foresee ?
• What solutions can you suggest?

3. Don’t write too much

The more you write, the more chances there are that you’ll make mistakes. So don’t be tempted to write a long essay. In fact, structure and coherence are more important than length when it comes to marking. A good length to aim for is around 280 words.

You get an hour to complete the two tasks in the Writing Paper, but try to dedicate at least 40 minutes to Task 2, as it is worth twice as many points as Part 1 and you need to write a longer response.

Structuring your answer

The structure of your essay is important for the development of your ideas. Have a look at how we have answered the sample question, below. As you can see, the answer follows a clear structure. Bear in mind, your essay will need to be at least 250 words long, so try to dedicate at least 40 minutes to this task.

Here’s a sample essay question :

In some countries, it is thought advisable that children begin formal education at four years old, while in others they do not have to start school until they are seven or eight. How far do you agree with either of these views?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Beginning your essay

In the opening paragraphs , the main idea from the question is identified and developed, so the examiner can see that you have fully understood the essay question and can give a detailed summary with examples .

In this essay, the arguments surrounding early education and the best age to start school will be discussed .

One can see that education is different all over the world. In some countries, parents are content for their children to play and explore on their own, without the help of teachers. It’s considered normal for children to learn through play and they might not go to school, formally, until they are 7 or 8 years old.

In other countries, parents focus on academic education at a much earlier age. They put their children in pre-school programmes, try to help them learn songs, write simple things at home, and play educational games with them. This helps prepare them before they start attending their first school.

Writing the essay body

The following paragraph is the main body of the essay. It explains the student’s personal approach to the question and the way that they are qualifying their opinion . It extends their ideas and supports this approach with a relevant example . Finally, it ends with a concluding sentence which leads into the final paragraph.

In my view, I think a combination of the two approaches is the best answer. Learning through play is beneficial because students have fun and don’t ever find learning to be “boring.” Evidence suggests this method can lead to a life-long love of learning too: many students who start learning in this way go on to university and continue educating themselves for their whole lives. Nevertheless, there are drawbacks to this, such as a lack of direction, which might mean some children are unprepared for school. Having a professional teacher, who makes interesting, personalised lessons and follows a syllabus can solve this issue. In this way, through teacher-directed play, students are given equal opportunities to learn together and no child is put at a significant disadvantage.

Concluding your essay

The last paragraph is the conclusion, which presents an opinion and gives final supporting arguments .

To sum up, I would argue that students benefit from having a formal education at an earlier age. However, it seems to me that teachers should make play a priority because that is how children naturally learn.

By following this structure, you’ll produce a coherent and cohesive answer to the essay question, whatever it is.

You can see another sample answer for the question above here .

Useful language

While it’s not advisable to memorise entire sentences, it is good to have a stock of phrases that you can use to join ideas and make your writing flow more naturally. Here are some examples:

In the introduction:

This essay will outline _____

This essay seeks to ______

In this essay, the arguments surrounding _____ will be discussed.

When giving examples:

As can be seen from _____

Recent studies have shown that _____

One solution proposed by____ is _____

A good example of this is _______

Evidence suggests that _______

When sharing your opinion:

It seems to me _____

In my opinion _____

In my view _____

I would argue that _____

When giving an alternative perspective:

However, there are drawbacks to this, such as _____

Another approach is _____

However, it is important to consider _____

Having said that, _____

In spite of this, _____

In the conclusion:

To sum up, _____

Overall _____

In the end _____

Can you see any of these phrases being used in our sample answer above?

Can you see any of these phrases being used in our sample answer above?  

A few final reminders

Take a few moments to plan the structure of your essay before you start writing, it will help your ideas flow.

Avoid contractions: the language of the essay should be academic and formal in tone.

Keep an eye on the clock: it’s always a good idea to leave yourself a few minutes at the end to quickly read over your answer in case of any mistakes.

Are you taking an IELTS exam soon? Feeling nervous about the writing paper? This blogpost has some top tips and useful language to help you with part 1 of the writing paper.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Perfect (v): to make something perfect, to bring to its final form.

Crucial (adj): very important, essential.

Foresee (v): predict, see something before it happens.

Coherence (n): logic, intelligibility.

Fully (adv): completely.

Qualifying your opinion (exp): explaining their position, justifying.

Drawbacks (n): disadvantage.

Advisable (adj): a good idea, prudent.

adj = adjective

pv = phrasal verb

adv = adverb

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5 Unmissable Events at Oxford House in 2020

• By: oxfordadmin
• Posted on 29/01/2020

English Vocabulary For Going On A Date

• Posted on 12/02/2020

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Meaning of discursive in English

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• agent provocateur
• argue against something
• argue for something
• controversial
• controversialist
• no ifs or buts idiom
• no-platform
• no-platforming
• undiscussed
• war of words
• wash (something) up
• well argued

You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:

Examples of discursive

Translations of discursive.

Get a quick, free translation!

Word of the Day

to fasten the belt that keeps you in your seat in a car or a plane

Searching out and tracking down: talking about finding or discovering things

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C2 proficiency exam format.

C2 Proficiency is made up of four papers developed to test your English skills. You can see exactly what is in each paper below.

The formats below are the same for both the paper-based and computer-based exams and digital exams. Please note, during March 2024 we will be moving from our current computer-based exam delivery to Cambridge English Qualifications Digital, which will offer you even more benefits. Information on the switch and what this means for you can be found on our Cambridge English Qualifications Digital page.

• openbook Reading and Use of English
• compose Writing
• playlist Listening
• megaphone Speaking

openbook What’s in the Reading and Use of English paper?

The C2 Proficiency Reading and Use of English paper has different types of text and questions. In one part, you may have to read one long text or three or more shorter, related texts.

Part 1 (Multiple-choice cloze)

Part 2 (open cloze), part 3 (word formation), part 4 (key word transformations), part 5 (multiple choice), part 6 (gapped text), part 7 (multiple matching), compose what’s in the writing paper.

In the two parts of the C2 Proficiency Writing paper, you have to show that you can write different types of text in English.

Removal of set text questions in C2 Proficiency Writing

From January 2024 we are removing the optional set text questions in the C2 Proficiency Writing papers. The reason for this change is that only a few candidates choose those questions and often do not perform to the best of their ability.

Set texts for C2 Proficiency January 2022 – December 2023:

• Jane Austen: Northanger Abbey (any edition) Teachers may choose to prepare candidates for questions on this set text by studying the film directed by Jon Jones (2007) as well as, or instead of, the novel.
• David Nicholls: Us (any edition) Teachers may choose to prepare candidates for questions on this set text by studying the BBC television mini-series directed by Geoffrey Sax (2020) as well as, or instead of, the novel.

Candidates should not attempt the optional set text question in Part 2 unless they have the necessary understanding of the text to answer the task.

Teachers are best placed to judge which, if any, of the set texts and/or film/television versions may be appropriate and stimulating for a given teaching situation.

playlist What’s in the Listening paper?

The C2 Proficiency Listening paper has four parts. For each part you have to listen to a recorded text or texts and answer some questions. You hear each recording twice.

Part 1 (Multiple choice)

Part 2 (sentence completion), part 3 (multiple choice), part 4 (multiple matching), megaphone what’s in the speaking paper.

The C2 Proficiency Speaking test has three parts and you take it together with another candidate. There are two examiners. One of the examiners (the interlocutor) conducts the test and the other examiner (the assessor) listens to what you say and takes notes.

Part 1 (Interview)

Part 2 (collaborative task), part 3 (long turn and discussion).