To Discuss or Discuss About? Which expression is correct in standard English? The correct choice is discuss something, without about. For example, say “We discussed the issue,” not “We discussed about the issue.” However, “We talked about the issue” is also correct because talk about follows a different grammatical pattern.
The difference lies in how each verb connects to its topic. Use these two simple rules to remember the correct usage:
- Discuss + topic: We discussed the problem.
- Talk about + topic: We talked about the problem.
Understanding the difference between to discuss or discuss about will help you avoid common grammar mistakes in everyday conversations, academic writing, and professional emails.
Is It Correct to Say “Discuss About”?
In standard English, “discuss about something” is generally considered nonstandard when about introduces the topic directly after discuss. Instead, place the topic immediately after the verb.
Compare these examples:
- Generally nonstandard: We discussed about the issue.
- Correct: We discussed the issue.
- Also correct: We talked about the issue.
The first sentence adds an unnecessary preposition. The other two follow standard English grammar.
You may encounter discuss about in everyday speech or informal writing. Nevertheless, if you want to follow conventional standard English, especially in academic and professional contexts, choose discuss something.
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Why Does “Discuss” Not Need “About”?
Understand the Direct Object After “Discuss”
A direct object identifies the person or thing that receives the action of a verb. With discuss, the direct object names the subject that people consider or talk over.
For example:
- We discussed the plan.
- She discussed her concerns.
- The students discussed the question.
- They discussed the new proposal.
In each sentence, the topic follows discuss directly. Therefore, you do not need about between the verb and its object.
By contrast, talk about uses a preposition to introduce the topic:
- We talked about the plan.
- She talked about her concerns.
- The students talked about the question.
Both patterns express similar ideas, but they use different grammatical structures.
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Learn the Correct Sentence Pattern for “Discuss”
The verb discuss is transitive, which means it can take a direct object. Its basic sentence pattern is:
Subject + discuss + topic
Consider these examples:
- I discussed the problem.
- Maria discussed her idea.
- The team discussed the budget.
- We discussed the final decision.
- The committee discussed the proposal.
You can also add details about time, place, or participants:
- We discussed the proposal yesterday.
- We discussed the proposal during the meeting.
- We discussed the proposal with our manager.
Notice that the topic follows discuss directly in every example. You can add other details without inserting about before the topic.
Why Do English Learners Say “Discuss About”?
One common reason is the influence of familiar expressions such as talk about, learn about, and think about.
For example:
- We talked about the project.
- We learned about the project.
- We thought about the project.
Because these expressions use about, learners may apply the same pattern to discuss. However, English verbs do not always follow identical grammatical rules, even when their meanings overlap.
To avoid this mistake, learn each expression as a complete pattern: discuss a topic, but talk about a topic.
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Discuss vs. Talk About: What Is the Difference?
Both discuss and talk about describe communication about a subject. However, they differ in grammatical structure and sometimes in tone.
When Should You Use “Discuss Something”?
Use discuss when you want to examine a subject, consider an issue, or exchange ideas about a particular matter. Place the topic directly after the verb.
Examples:
- We discussed the homework after class.
- The manager discussed the new schedule with the team.
- The researchers discussed their findings.
- Let’s discuss your proposal before making a decision.
Although discuss often suits academic and professional settings, you can also use it naturally in everyday conversation.
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When Should You Use “Talk About Something”?
Use talk about when describing a conversation on a particular subject. Here, about introduces the topic.
Examples:
- We talked about our weekend plans.
- She talked about her new job.
- They talked about the movie after watching it.
- I want to talk about something important.
This expression works well in casual conversation, although you can also use it in formal situations. Choose the wording that best fits your meaning and tone.
Compare “Discuss” and “Talk About” in Similar Sentences
| Using discuss | Using talk about |
| We discussed the new policy. | We talked about the new policy. |
| They discussed their plans. | They talked about their plans. |
| Let’s discuss the problem. | Let’s talk about the problem. |
| She discussed her concerns. | She talked about her concerns. |
Both constructions can communicate similar ideas. However, discuss often suggests a more focused examination of a subject, while talk about can describe a conversation more generally. The exact meaning depends on the context.
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Correct and Incorrect Examples of “Discuss About”
The easiest way to remember this rule is to compare common mistakes with their standard corrections.
Common Incorrect Sentences and Their Corrections
| Generally nonstandard | Correct standard English |
| We discussed about the meeting. | We discussed the meeting. |
| She discussed about her experience. | She discussed her experience. |
| They discussed about the problem. | They discussed the problem. |
| We need to discuss about this issue. | We need to discuss this issue. |
| The teacher discussed about the lesson. | The teacher discussed the lesson. |
| I want to discuss about your idea. | I want to discuss your idea. |
In these examples, the correction is simple: remove about when it appears directly between discuss and the topic.
How to Use “Discuss” Correctly in Everyday English
The verb discuss can introduce a noun, a noun phrase, or a clause. Here are several common patterns.
Discuss a topic
- We discussed the new course.
- They discussed the travel arrangements.
Discuss an issue with someone
- I discussed the problem with my colleague.
- She discussed her concerns with the teacher.
Discuss something during a meeting
- The team discussed the budget during the meeting.
- We discussed the next steps at the conference.
Discuss whether something is necessary
- We discussed whether the event should be postponed.
- They discussed whether the proposal was practical.
In each example, the topic follows discuss directly. You do not need about before a noun or clause that serves as the topic.
Can You Say “Discuss Something With Someone”?
Yes. “Discuss something with someone” is correct standard English. In this pattern, with identifies the other person participating in the discussion.
The structure is:
Discuss + topic + with + person
For example:
- I discussed the proposal with my manager.
- She discussed her options with her family.
- We discussed the assignment with our teacher.
- Daniel discussed the project with his colleagues.
Compare the following sentences:
- Correct: I discussed the proposal with my manager.
- Generally nonstandard: I discussed about the proposal with my manager.
In the second sentence, with my manager is correct. The problem is the unnecessary about before the topic.
You can change the sentence structure for emphasis, too. For example, “I discussed the proposal with Sarah” sounds more natural in most everyday situations than “With Sarah, I discussed the proposal.”
How to Use “Discuss” in Questions and Requests
Questions and requests follow the same grammatical rule. Place the topic directly after discuss.
Examples:
- Can we discuss the issue?
- Could you discuss the plan with me?
- When will they discuss the proposal?
- May I discuss an important matter with you?
- Can we discuss whether this change is necessary?
For a professional email, you could write:
Could we discuss the revised schedule at our next meeting?
This wording makes a polite, clear request without adding an unnecessary preposition.
Is “Discussion About” Grammatically Correct?
Yes. “A discussion about something” is grammatically correct because discussion is a noun, whereas discuss is a verb. These two related words follow different grammatical patterns.
What Is the Difference Between “Discuss” and “Discussion”?
Use discuss to describe the action of examining a subject or exchanging ideas.
- We discussed the project.
- They discussed the new policy.
Use discussion when referring to the conversation or exchange of ideas itself.
- We had a discussion about the project.
- They had a discussion about the new policy.
The noun discussion can naturally take about to introduce its topic. However, that pattern does not mean you should place about directly after the verb discuss.
Correct Examples of “Discussion About”
Here are some natural examples:
- We had a discussion about the project.
- The discussion about climate change continued.
- They held a discussion about the new policy.
- Our class had a discussion about the novel.
- The manager started a discussion about workplace expectations.
You can also use discussion of in many contexts:
- We had a discussion of the proposal.
- The report includes a discussion of the results.
Both discussion about and discussion of can be correct. The most suitable choice depends on the sentence and context.
“Discuss the Topic” vs. “Have a Discussion About the Topic”
These expressions often communicate the same general idea:
- Verb: We discussed the topic.
- Noun phrase: We had a discussion about the topic.
The first expression is shorter and more direct. The second presents the discussion as an event or exchange of ideas.
Both are correct. The important point is to distinguish the verb discuss from the noun discussion rather than applying the same preposition rule to both.
How to Use “Discuss” in Academic and Professional English
Whether you are writing an essay, participating in a meeting, or composing an email, use discuss directly before the topic.
In academic writing
- The essay discusses the causes of climate change.
- The students discussed the main themes of the novel.
- This section discusses the advantages and limitations of the method.
In classroom conversations
- We discussed the assignment after the lecture.
- The teacher asked us to discuss the question in pairs.
In business meetings
- The team discussed the quarterly budget.
- We will discuss the proposed changes tomorrow.
- The department discussed ways to improve customer service.
In professional emails
- I would like to discuss the details of the project.
- Could we discuss the proposal during our next meeting?
- Please let me know when you are available to discuss the revised plan.
For standard professional writing, avoid phrases such as “The report discusses about the results.” Instead, write “The report discusses the results.” Likewise, use “I would like to discuss the proposal,” not “I would like to discuss about the proposal.”
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Using “Discuss”
Keep these four points in mind when checking your writing:
- Adding about after discuss: Write “discuss the problem,” not “discuss about the problem,” in standard English.
- Assuming similar verbs follow identical patterns: Say “talk about the problem” but “discuss the problem.”
- Confusing the verb with the noun: “Discuss the plan” and “have a discussion about the plan” are both correct.
- Adding an unnecessary preposition: When the topic follows discuss directly, you generally do not need another preposition before it.
When proofreading, identify the verb first and check its usual grammatical pattern. This approach helps you choose the right construction instead of relying only on how a sentence sounds.
Quick Grammar Guide: Discuss or Discuss About?
Use this table as a quick reference when writing or proofreading.
| Expression | Standard usage | Example |
| Discuss something | Correct | We discussed the results. |
| Discuss about something | Generally nonstandard | Write “discuss something” instead. |
| Talk about something | Correct | We talked about the results. |
| Discuss something with someone | Correct | I discussed it with Sara. |
| A discussion about something | Correct | We had a discussion about the results. |
| A discussion of something | Correct | The report includes a discussion of the results. |
The main distinction is straightforward: discuss takes its topic directly, whereas talk about uses a preposition. Remembering these patterns will help you avoid the most common mistake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Can I use “discuss about” in an English exam?
It is best to avoid “discuss about” in an English exam. Use “discuss the topic” or “discuss the issue” to follow standard English grammar.
Q2. Can “discuss” be followed by a question word?
Yes. You can use discuss before a clause beginning with words such as whether, how, or why.
Examples:
- We discussed whether the plan would work.
- They discussed how to solve the problem.
Q3. Can I say “discuss with me”?
Yes, but the meaning depends on the sentence. For example, “Please discuss the matter with me” is correct. When naming the topic, place it after discuss and before with me.
Q4. Is “discuss on a topic” correct?
In standard English, use “discuss a topic” without on. For example, write “We discussed the topic in class,” not “We discussed on the topic in class.”
Q5. Is “discussing about” grammatically correct?
When discussing introduces a topic directly, omit about. For example, write “We are discussing the problem,” not “We are discussing about the problem.”
Q6. What prepositions can follow “discuss”?
The topic usually follows discuss directly, but other prepositions can appear later when they serve a different purpose. For example, “We discussed the proposal with our manager” identifies a participant, while “We discussed the proposal during the meeting” gives a time context.
Conclusion
When choosing between “discuss” and “discuss about,” use “discuss + topic” in standard English. Write “We discussed the issue” rather than “We discussed about the issue.” If you prefer to use about, choose “talk about the issue” instead.
Remember that “a discussion about the issue” is also correct because discussion is a noun. Learning these patterns will help you write more naturally and avoid common grammar mistakes in everyday conversations, academic work, and professional communication.