In this task, you're shown a professor's discussion question along with two short posts from classmates, and you have about ten minutes to write your own contribution. The goal isn't to summarize what's already been said — it's to add something of your own to the discussion.
Your very first sentence should state your view plainly — don't spend your limited time building up to it. A grader (and a real classmate) should know exactly where you stand from sentence one.
The most common weakness in this task is a response that restates the question in different words without actually explaining why you hold your position. Aim for at least one specific example or a clear line of reasoning — "because," "for example," "this matters since" — rather than a general statement standing alone.
The stronger version takes a position, engages with a specific classmate's point, and adds a genuinely new idea — exactly what this task is designed to reward.
There's no strict minimum, but responses under roughly 100 words rarely have enough room to state a position and develop it with reasoning. Spend the first minute planning your one main point before you start writing — it's easy to ramble without a plan in a timed, single-paragraph response.
Practice real discussion prompts with a score breakdown on content, development, and grammar.
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