- Items
- 1
- Time
- About 10 minutes
- Length
- At least 100 words
- Tone
- Academic but natural
What the task looks like
The professor asks an open question, for example whether cities should ban cars from their centres. Two students reply with different views. Your job is to contribute, not to summarise. Repeating a classmate’s idea in new words earns little credit.
A structure that fits in ten minutes
- 01Your view in one sentence, answering the professor directly.
- 02A brief link to one classmate: agree or disagree, in one line.
- 03Your new reason, explained in two or three sentences.
- 04A specific example that supports it.
- 05A one-line conclusion.
Professor: Should universities require all students to take a course in personal finance? Anna says yes, because many graduates have debt. Ben says no, because students can learn it online for free.
I believe universities should require a short personal finance course. Ben is right that the information is free online, but most students never look for it until they already have a problem. A required course would reach everyone at the moment they start making real financial decisions, such as signing a lease or taking a loan. For example, my cousin took an optional budgeting class in her first year and was the only one of her friends who graduated without credit card debt. A single required course could give that advantage to every student.
It answers in the first line, responds to Ben, then adds a new reason (timing) that neither classmate mentioned, backed by a concrete example.
Phrases for joining the discussion
| To | Write |
|---|---|
| Agree | I agree with Anna that… / Anna makes a good point about… |
| Disagree politely | I see Ben’s point, but… / While Ben is right that…, … |
| Add an idea | Another reason that has not been mentioned is… |
| Give an example | For instance, … / A clear example of this is… |
| Conclude | For these reasons, … / Overall, … |
Common mistakes
- Restating both classmates and adding nothing new.
- A general example ("many people think…") instead of a specific one.
- Writing 250 words with no time to check grammar.
- Sitting on the fence. Pick one side and defend it.
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