Write the AS discursive essay
Plan and revise the compulsory 300–400-word balanced discussion for Paper 2 Section A using one AS topic and clear Modern Standard Arabic.
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 supports a balanced discussion?
What you will learn
- Present both sides of the question within 300–400 words.
- Develop content, organisation and accuracy as separate writing goals.
- Review a response against the 10/5/5 mark categories without claiming an official mark.
Know the task
Paper 2 lasts two hours and is worth 40 marks. Section A is a compulsory 300–400-word discursive essay on AS Topics 1–4.
Cambridge allocates 20 marks per response: content (10), linguistic range and organisation (5), and language accuracy (5). StudyForA does not award these marks; use the categories as a review checklist.
Plan before you draft
Write the question as a decision or debate. Note the strongest reason on each side, evidence or examples, and what condition affects the conclusion.
Organise paragraphs around one point each. Use connectors deliberately, and leave a final pass for verb agreement, spelling, punctuation and repeated vocabulary.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
What does the content category ask you to review?
Worked example
Question: «هل ينبغي أن تكون وسائل النقل العام مجانية؟» Design a four-paragraph argument.
Show the worked solution
- Introduction: explain the issue and set a criterion such as access.
- Paragraph 1: explain a benefit and give an example.
- Paragraph 2: consider funding, service quality and a counterargument.
- Conclusion: state a position with a condition.
Answer A strong plan answers the question throughout and lets the final judgement follow from the access and funding evidence. It does not need to present every side as equally persuasive.
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.
Plan a response to: «هل يجب أن تفرض المدارس وقتاً يومياً للقراءة؟» Give one argument for and one concern.
Give me a hint
Consider literacy and enjoyment alongside student choice and timetable time.
Compare my reasoning
- Give a possible learning benefit.
- Give a concern or alternative.
- State what a balanced recommendation might require.
A daily reading period can give students regular practice and access to books. A fixed period may not suit every learner or schedule, so offer choice of text and protect time for other needs. A good response would explain why the benefits justify the arrangement.
Look for these in your work
- Answers both sides
- Develops each point
- Connects the conclusion to conditions
Draft a concluding sentence in Arabic for an essay supporting school nutrition education but not a single compulsory menu.
Give me a hint
Summarise the position and preserve choice or local context.
Compare my reasoning
- Restate the main benefit.
- Reject or qualify the over-broad policy.
- End with a practical condition.
Example: «لذلك ينبغي للمدارس تعليم الطلاب أسس التغذية الصحية، مع مراعاة اختلاف الاحتياجات والظروف المحلية عند توفير الطعام.»
Look for these in your work
- Follows from the argument
- Keeps the conclusion balanced
- Uses a clear connector
Review a draft that uses many connectors but offers only one reason. What should you improve first?
Give me a hint
Prioritise content development before polishing transitions.
Compare my reasoning
- Identify the missing side of the discussion.
- Add a developed reason with an example.
- Then check whether each connector expresses the real logic.
Add a serious counterpoint and develop it with a reason or example. Then keep only connectors that show a genuine relationship; more transitions cannot substitute for missing argument content.
Look for these in your work
- Prioritises the main gap
- Develops a point
- Uses connectors meaningfully
Common mistakes
- Writing outside the word range without a plan
- Treating two unrelated opinions as a balanced argument
- Using complex grammar that obscures meaning
What can you explain now?
What are the three categories used for each Paper 2 response?
Compare with the explanation
Content, linguistic range and organisation, and language accuracy
Each response is judged across all three categories in the syllabus.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Make it stick
What should you check before spending your last minutes polishing vocabulary?
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.