Balance a health and nutrition discussion
Plan a balanced 300–400-word AS discursive response on a health, food or wellbeing issue using linked reasons and a qualified conclusion.
Exam scope and assessment notes
StudyForA lessons and questions are original and are not Cambridge materials. Answers to language and literature responses are examples for self-review, not Cambridge marks or grades; ask a qualified Arabic teacher to review extended writing and interpretation. This route is not a full timed specimen paper. The 9865 grammar-and-structures list is a separate, non-exhaustive Cambridge document and has not yet been reconciled item by item. Literature set-text passages are not reproduced; use the correct books and pages for your examination year. Cambridge has not yet published past papers, examiner reports or example candidate responses for this new qualification.
Before you begin
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
Which plan better fits «Should schools provide more time for sport?»
What you will learn
- Present both sides of a question in a clear sequence.
- Develop reasons with relevant examples rather than a list of opinions.
- Use Arabic connectors to signal contrast, cause and conclusion.
Let the question set the balance
Paper 2 Section A is a 300–400-word discursive essay on an AS topic. It asks for a balanced examination, so represent both sides before reaching a reasoned conclusion.
Plan two developed points on each side. For each point, explain why it matters and add a relevant example, such as cost, access, school policy or evidence quality.
Make transitions carry meaning
Useful original connectors include «من جهة ... ومن جهة أخرى ...» (on one hand ... on the other), «لأن» (because), «مع أن» (although), «لذلك» (therefore), and «في الختام» (in conclusion). Use each only where the logic fits.
A conclusion should answer the question and reflect the discussion. Avoid adding a new claim in the final line.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
What should «مع أن» introduce?
Worked example
Question: «هل ينبغي أن تتحمل المدارس مسؤولية التغذية الصحية للطلاب؟» Give a balanced plan.
Show the worked solution
- For: schools can make nutritious choices visible and teach food literacy.
- Against or limit: budgets, family preferences and local food access differ.
- Evaluate shared responsibility and give a conditional conclusion.
Answer A balanced conclusion could support school action on information and affordable options while recognising that schools cannot control every meal or replace family and public-health roles.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Write a three-point plan for: «هل تكفي النصائح الصحية لتحسين عادات الطعام؟»
Give me a hint
Include information, practical constraints and a conclusion about shared responsibility.
Compare my reasoning
- Give one reason advice can help.
- Give one reason access or cost also matters.
- State what a balanced response should conclude.
Plan: advice can improve understanding of nutrition; price, time and local availability can constrain choices; information is useful but works best alongside affordable, accessible food.
Look for these in your work
- Answers the exact question
- Includes both perspectives
- Concludes from the reasons
Draft a topic sentence in Arabic that introduces the argument that leisure time matters for wellbeing.
Give me a hint
Keep the claim focused and supportable; «من المهم أن ...» is one possible frame.
Compare my reasoning
- Name the issue.
- State one clear claim.
- Leave room to explain a reason and qualification.
Example: «من المهم أن يحصل الطلاب على وقت كافٍ للراحة، لأن التوازن بين الدراسة والحياة اليومية قد يدعم صحتهم النفسية.» This is a reasoned claim, not proof that every student responds identically.
Look for these in your work
- Uses clear MSA
- Gives a relevant reason
- Avoids an absolute outcome
Turn the claim «رياضة أكثر تعني صحة أفضل» into a more careful argument sentence.
Give me a hint
Keep the possible benefit but name one condition that affects it.
Compare my reasoning
- Replace the absolute cause-and-effect wording.
- Name access, safety or individual needs.
- Keep the sentence readable and focused.
«قد تسهم ممارسة الرياضة بانتظام في تحسين الصحة، إذا توافرت أنشطة آمنة ومناسبة لاحتياجات المشاركين.»
Look for these in your work
- Qualifies causation
- Names a relevant condition
- Uses topic vocabulary accurately
Common mistakes
- Writing only the side you already agree with
- Repeating a claim without giving a reason or example
- Using «لذلك» when the second idea does not follow from the first
What can you explain now?
What makes a Paper 2 Section A response discursive?
Compare with the explanation
It examines both sides and reaches a reasoned view
The syllabus describes a balanced examination of a subject.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
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Make it stick
In a discursive essay, where should a counterargument appear and what should you do with it?
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.