To learn English discursive essay writing quickly and correctly, begin with a question that deserves more than a simple yes or no. A discursive essay explores different views, reasons, benefits, drawbacks and conditions so that the reader can understand the issue. For example, a question about using digital rather than printed textbooks involves convenience, access, learning preferences, screen use and cost. These English Quick Notes teach a balanced method for planning, comparing perspectives and reaching a measured conclusion, with an original model and ten practice questions with explanations.
- Understand the issue: define the question and the people or situations involved.
- Find meaningful perspectives: discuss distinct reasons and concerns rather than writing empty “pros and cons.”
- Give evidence and explanation: show why a view might be reasonable and what supports it.
- Compare on shared criteria: examine access, effectiveness, cost or another relevant dimension on both sides.
- Qualify the discussion: explain when an advantage might hold and when it might not.
- Conclude thoughtfully: synthesise the discussion rather than announce an unsupported winner.
Teaching step 1 — unpack the question into real considerations. Consider “Should schools use digital textbooks instead of printed textbooks?” Start by asking who would use them, what the learning tasks require and what resources are available. A digital textbook may offer search and adjustable text display on compatible devices. A printed textbook does not depend on a charged screen. These are relevant differences, unlike claiming one format is automatically best for everyone. Write a few criteria before drafting paragraphs so the essay stays focused.
Teaching step 2 — explore both positions without inventing a false balance. You might explain that digital books can offer quick navigation and sometimes additional accessibility tools, while printed books remain usable without batteries and may be easier for some readers to annotate or handle. A fair discussion can recognise that the strength of each point depends on the actual device, book design and learner. If reliable evidence strongly favours one approach for a specific task, report that evidence accurately; balance does not require pretending every position is equally well supported.
Teaching step 3 — reach a conclusion that follows from the conditions. Rather than writing “Digital books are always better” or “Printed books are clearly perfect,” you could conclude: “A combination of formats may be practical because accessibility, cost and reader preference vary. Schools should choose resources according to the learning purpose and available support.” This is a measured conclusion, not indecision. It responds to the factors discussed and explains why a single universal answer may not fit the issue.
What is a discursive essay?
A discursive essay examines an issue by exploring relevant arguments, viewpoints and evidence. Its purpose is often to help the reader understand the complexities before reaching a conclusion. School conventions vary: some discursive essays ask for a personal position at the end, while others emphasise balanced exploration without a strong one-sided thesis. Read the task instructions and marking expectations. The shared skill is to represent perspectives accurately, compare them using relevant criteria and avoid superficial claims.
Discursive versus argumentative writing
- Discursive: “How useful are digital and printed textbooks for different learners?” It examines several considerations.
- Argumentative: “Schools should retain printed textbooks as a core option.” It defends a particular conclusion.
- Overlap: both use reasoning, examples, evidence and fair treatment of objections.
- Key difference: discursive writing foregrounds exploration and weighing; argumentative writing foregrounds defending a position.
- Rule: follow the exact question, because “Discuss” and “To what extent do you agree?” may be assessed differently.
Start by defining the scope
A question such as “Is technology good for learning?” is extremely broad. You could narrow it within the task: “This essay discusses the role of digital learning resources in secondary-school reading and revision.” The scope should not quietly change the question to a more convenient topic. If the assignment concerns younger pupils, do not discuss only working adults. If it asks about reading comprehension, a paragraph focused entirely on entertainment apps may be irrelevant.
A practical planning chart
- Issue: printed versus digital textbooks.
- Criterion 1 — access: device requirements, power, availability and possible reading accommodations.
- Criterion 2 — learning tasks: searching, annotating, reading diagrams and revisiting sections.
- Criterion 3 — cost: purchase, maintenance, licensing and replacement conditions.
- Criterion 4 — user needs: different abilities, preferences and school circumstances.
- Evidence check: which points are verified facts, and which need a cautious “may” or “can”?
Use the chart to build paragraphs that compare the same issue across alternatives. Avoid comparing the cost of digital materials with the cover colours of printed books: that creates a list, not a meaningful discussion.
A simple discursive essay structure
- Introduction: introduce the issue and why it deserves consideration.
- Perspective or criterion A: examine one important possible benefit with explanation.
- Perspective or criterion B: consider a distinct drawback, constraint or competing benefit.
- Further analysis: compare conditions, uncertainties or alternatives when useful.
- Conclusion: bring the evidence together and present a qualified answer or remaining question.
You do not need to alternate “for, against, for, against” mechanically. A point-by-point approach often gives stronger analysis because it compares the same criterion. For a long task, thematic headings can help plan, but use the essay format required by your course.
Write a genuinely open introduction
A weak introduction announces, “There are advantages and disadvantages to everything in life.” That says almost nothing. A useful introduction might be: “Digital textbooks provide tools unavailable in ordinary printed books, but the need for compatible devices raises practical questions. Whether one format is preferable depends on access, the kind of learning required and the needs of the reader.” It gives the reader a question and meaningful criteria without promising a premature universal answer.
Examine benefits rather than merely list them
“Digital books can be useful” is too vague. A developed point explains the mechanism: “Searchable digital text can help a learner locate a particular term quickly when reviewing a long chapter.” Then add a limitation: “However, the usefulness of the feature depends on the document’s design and the reader’s access to a suitable device.” Each detail helps explain where the benefit arises and where it may be reduced.
Examine drawbacks with the same care
“Screens are bad” is a sweeping generalisation. A better point is: “A digital resource depends on a device, access arrangements and sometimes an internet connection. Technical problems or insufficient devices may interrupt use.” This describes a plausible practical issue and avoids asserting that every digital book always requires a live internet connection. Different applications have different offline capabilities.
Use evidence with appropriate certainty
A real study may report differences in reading behaviour or comprehension under specified conditions. If you use such findings, identify the study accurately and avoid suggesting that one experiment settles every educational setting. If you have no verified study, use examples as examples rather than pretending they are measurements. Discursive writing earns trust by being precise about what the available information does and does not establish.
Different perspectives are not automatically equally supported
Balanced discussion means representing genuine alternatives and examining the evidence fairly. It does not mean giving the same paragraph length to any claim simply because someone could express it. If one claim contradicts reliable evidence, explain that limitation. Similarly, if two preferences depend on different legitimate needs, show why each may matter. Fairness is not the same as false equivalence.
How to compare using shared criteria
Consider convenience. A digital textbook may be convenient because many resources can be carried on one device; a printed book may be convenient because it can be opened without charging. The term convenience describes different features here. The essay becomes stronger when it explains the trade-off: one reduces physical bulk, while the other reduces dependency on technology. Readers can then judge which matters most in a particular situation.
Concession and qualification
A concession recognises that a view has merit: “Digital texts can make searching easier.” A qualification explains its limits: “This benefit depends on the quality of the search function and the user’s access.” You can write a balanced paragraph without weakening your central message. If a task asks you to choose, the qualifications help justify the conditions of your choice.
An original model introduction
Illustrative question: Should schools prefer digital textbooks to printed textbooks?
Model: “Digital textbooks have changed how many readers access and search learning material. Their features can make some tasks easier, yet printed books remain practical for pupils who prefer paper or have limited access to devices. Choosing between the formats requires considering accessibility, the work pupils must complete and the resources schools can provide.”
This introduction sets up a discussion rather than attacking either group of readers. It does not claim that all schools already have the same technology.
An original model body paragraph: access
Model paragraph: “Access is an important consideration. Digital textbooks can make a large collection available on one supported device, and some readers benefit from adjustable font sizes or other accessibility tools. On the other hand, a pupil without reliable access to the required device may find an ordinary printed book easier to use. The best choice therefore depends partly on the resources and support available to the learner.”
The paragraph considers both formats under one criterion and avoids universal statements. It is stronger than listing “digital books are modern, printed books are old.”
An original model body paragraph: learning activities
Model paragraph: “Different learning activities can favour different features. A search function may help pupils revisit a concept in a lengthy digital chapter, while a printed page may suit pupils who prefer to mark passages by hand. Neither method guarantees understanding. Teachers and learners still need useful explanations, practice and feedback, regardless of the format in which the material appears.”
Here the discussion moves beyond the object itself to the actual learning task. This avoids confusing ownership of a device with educational success.
An original model conclusion
Model conclusion: “Digital and printed textbooks offer different practical advantages. Rather than treating one format as universally superior, schools should assess the needs of pupils, the activities being taught and the cost of maintaining access. Where feasible, preserving suitable options may help teachers choose the format that best serves a particular lesson.”
This ending synthesises the criteria and gives a qualified answer. It does not introduce new unsupported research results or claim that every school must implement an identical policy.
Do you need to give your opinion?
Check the task wording. “Discuss the advantages and disadvantages” may invite a balanced overview and a measured closing assessment. “To what extent do you agree?” typically expects you to evaluate the claim and make the degree of agreement clear. Both require fair consideration, but the latter more explicitly asks for your position. If unsure in a classroom assessment, follow your teacher’s guidance on the expected response.
Useful linking language for a balanced discussion
- Introduce a perspective: “One consideration is…”
- Contrast: “However…” or “In contrast…”
- Compare: “Both approaches…”
- Concede: “Although this may be helpful…”
- Qualify: “Under certain conditions…”
- Synthesise: “Taken together, these considerations suggest…”
Do not use “On the other hand” without describing another meaningful side. Avoid placing however after a comma that joins two independent clauses. Correct: “The first format offers quick search tools. However, it depends on a supported device.”
What a fair conclusion should do
A discursive conclusion should tell the reader what the discussion adds up to. You may identify circumstances where each option works, explain an unresolved evidence gap or state a carefully justified preference. Simply repeating “There are pros and cons” is too empty. Give a usable insight: for instance, a decision should consider both accessibility and the type of learning involved.
Avoid confusing complexity with indecision
Recognising trade-offs is not a failure to think critically. A good essay may conclude that two tools are appropriate for different purposes. But if the task explicitly asks for a recommendation, give one with its conditions. “It depends” is only useful when followed by what it depends on and how those criteria would affect the choice.
Six common discursive essay mistakes
- Generic introduction: “Everything has good and bad points” instead of naming the issue.
- Unbalanced exploration: a whole essay merely repeats one favourite opinion without considering serious alternatives.
- False balance: treating an unsupported claim as equally evidenced.
- Different criteria for each side: comparing cost on one side and colour on the other.
- Invented statistics: a plausible percentage presented as real research.
- Empty conclusion: “It depends” without naming the relevant conditions.
- Confused essay type: not noticing that the question specifically requires a position.
Quick practice: discuss rather than merely list
- 1. Rewrite “Digital books are good and printed books are good” into a useful discussion question.
- 2. Give one possible advantage of searchable digital text.
- 3. Give one practical reason a printed book may be preferable in some circumstances.
- 4. What shared criterion could compare both formats fairly?
- 5. Why is “Every digital book needs the internet at all times” unsafe?
- 6. Write a concession beginning with “Although”.
- 7. How does a discursive essay differ in emphasis from an argumentative essay?
- 8. Is giving equal space to a false claim always required for balance?
- 9. Write a conclusion that names at least two criteria for choosing a format.
- 10. What must you add after writing “It depends”?
Model answers and explanations
- 1. “Which kinds of reading tasks benefit from digital or printed textbooks?” A focused question.
- 2. Readers can locate particular terms in a long document quickly, if the search feature is available.
- 3. A printed book may be usable without a charged device.
- 4. Access, cost, learning task or reader need. Use the same feature for both.
- 5. Some digital texts work offline. The claim overgeneralises.
- 6. “Although digital books may offer quick search tools, they still require suitable device access.”
- 7. Discursive essays emphasise weighing several perspectives; argumentative essays emphasise defending a thesis.
- 8. No. Fairness requires examining evidence, not manufacturing equal support.
- 9. “Schools should weigh pupil access and the learning tasks involved before choosing which textbook format to use.”
- 10. Name the conditions and explain how they influence the decision.
A five-minute discursive writing routine
- Minute 1: write the issue as a clear question.
- Minute 2: select two or three relevant criteria.
- Minute 3: examine at least two perspectives using the same criteria.
- Minute 4: identify important qualifications and any evidence gap.
- Minute 5: write a conclusion that explains the conditions behind your assessment.
Frequently asked questions
Does a discursive essay need two sides?
It normally examines competing views or multiple aspects, but not every issue divides neatly into two sides. Some questions require discussion of several options or complex conditions. Follow the prompt.
Can I express a preference in the conclusion?
Yes, if the task permits or requires it. Make the reasoning and conditions clear; do not abandon the balanced analysis at the last moment.
Must both perspectives have equal evidence?
No. Explain the evidence accurately and fairly. Where information is uncertain, acknowledge it rather than pretending all positions are equally established.