Start practising

Discussion (Discuss both views) Society Task 2

Some people are happy to spend their whole life living in the same place or in India. However, others prefer to live in many different areas over their lifetime. Discuss both views and give your opinion

A full IELTS Writing Task 2 answer to this question, with a paragraph plan and what this question type is asking you to do.

The question

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some people are happy to spend their whole life living in the same place or in India. However, others prefer to live in many different areas over their lifetime. Discuss both views and give your opinion

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

Write at least 250 words.

How to read this question

You are given two opposing views and asked to discuss both before giving your own. The single most common Band 6 cause here is discussing both sides but never stating your own opinion, or stating it only in the conclusion.

Paragraph plan

Introduction — Paraphrase the topic, briefly introduce both views, and state your opinion clearly.

Body 1 — Present the first view with a clear reason and a specific example or elaboration.

Body 2 — Present the second view with a clear reason and a specific example or elaboration.

Body 3 — Explain your position clearly, acknowledging when either view may apply depending on circumstances.

Conclusion — Summarise both views briefly and restate your balanced opinion.

Model answer

Model answer

456 words

Where a person chooses to live is one of the most personal decisions they will make. Some people find deep satisfaction in spending their entire lives in the place where they were born, surrounded by familiar faces and long-established routines, while others believe that moving to different cities or even different countries enriches life in ways that staying put never could. In my view, although both lifestyles have genuine merit, living in a variety of places over one's lifetime tends to offer broader personal development.

Those who remain in the same location throughout their lives often benefit from deep social roots and a strong sense of identity. When people grow up alongside the same neighbours and maintain friendships over decades, they build a support network that provides real emotional security, particularly during difficult times such as illness or financial hardship. In many traditional societies, remaining close to one's extended family is not simply a preference but a source of practical help — from childcare to shared resources — that would be difficult to replicate by relocating frequently. This sense of belonging and continuity is something that genuinely improves wellbeing for many individuals.

On the other hand, those who live in multiple different places over their lifetime gain a breadth of experience that tends to foster adaptability, cultural awareness, and self-reliance. Adjusting to new environments — learning local customs, building new friendships, and navigating unfamiliar systems — develops a flexibility of mind that staying in one place rarely demands. A professional who has lived in, for example, both a small rural community and a large international city will likely have a far wider perspective on how societies function and what different groups of people value. This expanded worldview can be professionally advantageous and personally enriching in equal measure.

In my opinion, the better choice depends significantly on a person's stage of life and individual priorities. For younger adults who are still forming their identity and building their careers, experiencing life in different places can accelerate personal growth in ways that no single location can offer. However, for those raising children or caring for elderly relatives, the stability and community ties that come with staying in one place may be far more important. Neither approach is inherently superior; rather, the value of each depends on what a person needs at a given point in their life.

In conclusion, living in one place offers emotional security and deep community ties, while living in multiple places broadens experience and builds adaptability. Both are valid paths to a fulfilling life, and the right choice ultimately depends on a person's circumstances and values. Ideally, people should feel free to move when growth demands it and to stay when stability serves them best.

Model answers written and reviewed by The English All-in-One IELTS team. They are teaching models showing what each band looks like, not real candidate scripts.

This is a discussion (discuss both views) question. The model answer above shows you what a strong answer looks like when it is finished. What it cannot show you is how to get there from a blank page in forty minutes.

That is what our Writing Study Library is for: the structure we teach for this exact question type, the paragraph pattern that goes with it, and the sentence openers for each stage — so the essay is planned before you start writing rather than assembled as you go.

See the structure for this question type →

Write your own answer

Draft your response below and get it marked against all four IELTS criteria — free, no account, one check a day.

0 words Check my answer

Answers checked here may be published on this page, without your name, to help other learners. Nothing else about you is stored.