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Writing Task 2 Sample

IELTS Writing Task 2 ( also known as IELTS Essay Writing ) is the second task of your IELTS Writing test. Here, you will be presented with an essay topic and you will be scored based on your ability to respond to the topic.

You need to write at least 250 words and justify your opinion with arguments, discussion, examples, problem outlining, proposing possible solutions and supporting your position. You will have approximately 40 minutes to finish your Essay Writing. IELTS Writing Task 2 carries more weights than Writing Task 1.

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IELTS Writing Samples: 100 Practice Questions

Below you’ll find more than 100 IELTS Writing sample questions updated for 2019. Each of these essay questions has been taken from a real IELTS past paper and will give you an idea of what to expect on your exam day.

These sample questions can be separated into five main Task 2 question types:

• Opinion 
• Advantages and Disadvantages
• Problem/Cause and Solution
• Two-part questions

They are also divided amongst 13 of the most common IELTS essay topics that have appeared regularly over the last few years. IELTS is always changing, but these common topics can help you prepare more effectively if you improve your ability to use the vocabulary related to them.

These sample IELTS questions are all for Writing Task 2. For Task 1 questions, follow this link.

Feel free to print out these IELTS Writing samples and use them when you prepare for IELTS at home!

Or better yet, why not answer one of them in the comments below and gain feedback from your peers?

If you need feedback on your essays from an IELTS teacher, you can read about my essay correction service here .

Criminal Justice

Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment.

Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some people believe that capital punishment should never be used. Others, however, argue that it should be allowed for the most serious crimes.

Some people believe the purpose of prison is to punish, while others would argue that rehabilitation is its primary role.

Some people feel unsafe when they are in public and at home.

What are the possible causes of this and what are some possible solutions?

Some people say that excessive noise should be a criminal offence, while others say they should be free to make noise without limitation.

Some people say that the best way to improve public health is by increasing the number of sports facilities. Others, however, say that this would have little effect on public health and that other measures are required.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

In some countries levels of health and fitness are decreasing and average weights are increasing.

What do you think are the causes of these problems and what are some possible solutions?

Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any other experiences we may have in our life.

Which do you consider to be the major influence?

Schools should do more to teach students about their health and wellbeing.

Do you agree or disagree?

More and more schools allow fast-food restaurants to sell their products to their students.

Is it a positive or negative development?

University students must pay all tuition fees, because it benefits mostly them individually, rather than the society as a whole.

Do you agree or disagree?

Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school subjects, especially at the primary level.

Some people believe that studying history is very important and we must study the past to understand the present. Others say that it is useless and should not be studied at all.

Some teachers tend to reward students who achieve high academic results. Others, however, support and reward students that show the most improvement.

Giving lectures in halls to large numbers of people is an outdated method of teaching. With the technology available today, there is no justification for it and everything should be done online.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In most universities students focus on specialised subjects, however, some people believe that universities should encourage students to study a wider variety of subjects.

It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician.

Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer.

What, in your opinion, should be the main function of a university?

Some parents think that childcare centres provide the best services for children of pre-school age. Other working parents think that family members such as grandparents will be better carers for their kids.

Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports.

Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children).

Some people think that it is better to educate girls and boys in separate schools. Others, however, believe that boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools.

Some people think that parents should teach children how to be good members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the place to learn this.

Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject.

In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults.

Some people believe that children are given too much free time. They feel that this time should be used to do more academic work.

How do you think children should spend their free time?

In many countries schools have severe problems with student behaviour.

What do you think are the causes of this?

What solutions can you suggest?

University students should pay in full for their own education instead of the society funding their studies. The reason is that individuals tend to benefit after graduation more than society.

To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion.

Some people believe that students should be allowed to evaluate and criticise their teachers to improve the quality of education. Others think this is disrespectful to teachers.

Discuss both views, give your opinion and include relevant examples.

Youth Crime

Nowadays many young people deliberately damage public places.

What are the causes and solutions?

Some people believe that a person’s criminal record should be removed when they reach the age of 18.

More and more young people are using drugs and alcohol and as a result, breaking the law.

What are the causes of this problem?

What are some possible solutions?

Children should never be put in prison with adults no matter how serious their crime.

Being a celebrity – such as a movie star or professional athlete – brings problems as well as benefits.

Do you think that being a celebrity has more benefits or drawbacks?

Some people feel that entertainers (e.g. film stars, pop musicians or sports stars) are paid too much money.

Which other types of job should be highly paid?

Successful sports professionals can earn much more money than people in other important jobs. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair.

Environment

There is a growing demand for fresh water nowadays and this is becoming a global problem.

Many people think that too much attention and resources are given to the protection of wild animals and birds.

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems.

What other measures do you think might be effective?

Nowadays we are producing more and more waste.

What are the causes of this?

What can be done to help reduce the amount of waste we produce?

Many people believe that companies and individuals should pay to clean up the environment in proportion to the amount of pollution they have produced.

Global warming is the biggest threat we face today.

Children today are too dependent on computers and electronic entertainment. It would be better to encourage them to spend more time outside playing sports and games.

Some people say that public libraries are an important public resource and should be free. Others say that they are just a waste of public money.

Some people think that excessive use of smartphones badly affects teenagers’ literacy skills.

The internet contains a lot of information that can help people, however, sometimes the information is inaccurate or wrong.

Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology.

In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships people make?

Has this become a positive or negative development?

Computers have made the world a better place to live in.

Some people believe that the use of mobile phones in public is as annoying as smoking and should be banned.

Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women.

Nowadays more and more people have to compete with young people for the same jobs.

What problems does this cause?

Women and men are commonly seen as having different strengths and weaknesses.

Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?

As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual wellbeing.

What factors contribute to job satisfaction?

How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?

Some people think that people in senior positions alone should make decisions in a business, while others think that employees should be involved in the decision-making process too.

Nowadays many people work part- or full-time from home. Some people say that working from home has many benefits while others disagree.

For some people a high salary is the most important criterion when choosing a new job while others are satisfied if the job contributes to society.

Globalisation

In many places, traditional food has been replaced by international fast food. This has adverse effects on individuals and society.

More and more people are visiting historic sites and sometimes tourists damage these ancient sites. The number of people visiting these places should be strictly limited.

Shopping has developed from a necessary activity to a kind of entertainment.

Many small businesses are being forced to close because they are unable to compete with multinational corporations.

What problems does this cause and how can those problems be solved?

Multinational companies are becoming increasingly common in developing countries.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?

Government Spending

People prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced ones.

Why do you think this happens? Should the government support local filmmakers financially?

Some people think that governments should invest more in public services instead of wasting money on arts such as music and paintings.

Some people believe that the government should pay for and offer to house people who lost their homes or cannot afford them.

Some people think that the government should fund music, dance and art lessons for children. Others think that they should be funded by private businesses or by children’s families.

Many people think that the government should spend money to explore outer space, while others think that it’s a waste of public money.

Some people think that mothers should spend most of their time raising their family, and therefore the government should support them financially.

Development

In some countries, the numbers of children aged 15 and younger are increasing dramatically.

What are the current and future effects of an ever-increasing population?

A recent study showed that people in developed countries are not as happy as they were before development.

What are the causes of this and what are some possible solutions?

Sometimes celebrities get invited to international aid events.

Do you think that such events deviate from their main purpose by inviting famous people?

Some people believe that richer countries should give poorer countries more financial assistance.

Some people believe that no aid should be given to developing countries that have poor human rights records.

Public Transport

Some people think that a car is the best way to travel in cities while others believe a bicycle is a better way to commute.

Many cities have serious problems with traffic congestion.

What are the causes of these problems and what are some possible solutions?

Growing numbers of cities are making their centres pedestrian-only zones.

What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Some people believe that the best way to reduce traffic congestion is to increase the price of petrol.

Every year several languages die out. Some people think that it is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

It is becoming increasingly popular for people to travel to tourist destinations during public holidays.

What solutions are there to these problems?

Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold.

Some people believe that visitors to other countries should follow local customs and behaviour. Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome cultural differences.

At present, the media affects people’s lives significantly.

What impact does this have on society? Is it a negative or positive development?

Young people say that travelling to different countries benefits them and society.

Do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion.

These days, more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers go out to work.

What are the main reasons for this? Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

IELTS Writing Sample Essays

Now that you know what kind of essay questions to expect, feel free to browse my collection of IELTS Writing Sample Essays here: Band 7+ IELTS Writing Sample Essays

However, it’s important that you use them wisely. Simply reading through them won’t improve your skills or your score. When using IELTS Writing sample essays, I always recommend following my ___ step strategy:

• Start off by reading the question – NOT the answer.
• Attempt to answer the question under exam conditions.
• Compare your letter with the sample answer.
• Improve your original answer by using some of the elements you noticed in the sample letter. Eg. how did the writer use structure, vocabulary and grammar?

If you do try this strategy, make sure to leave a comment letting me know what you thought of it. Or better yet, leave your response in the comments below!

What I Learned Correcting 10,000 IELTS Writing Task 2 Essays

Over the years, I have corrected more than 10,000 IELTS Task 2 essays.

To help you learn from the mistakes of my students, I made a video which revealed the 5 key things you must to do to score a Band 7+ in IELTS Writing:

For detailed help with improving your essay-writing skills, you should sign up to our IELTS Fundamentals Course. It’s completely free of charge and will give you exclusive access to:

• Never-seen-before IELTS videos;
• Practice questions for each section of the test;
• Answer sheets to help you identify your mistakes.

Learn more about it and sign up here: IELTS Fundamentals.

As always, please reach out in the comments below or via email if you need anything: [email protected]

About Christopher Pell

My name is Christopher Pell and I'm the Managing Director of IELTS Advantage.

I started IELTS Advantage as a simple blog to help 16 students in my class. Several years later, I am very humbled that my VIP Course has been able to help thousands of people around the world to score a Band 7+ in their IELTS tests.

If you need my help with your IELTS preparation, you can send me an email using the contact us page.

Join us at My IELTS Classroom today for our video courses, marking service, 1-2-1 lessons and so much more…

100 IELTS Essay Topics for IELTS Writing

Let me start by saying that by far the best resource for authentic IELTS essay topics are the Cambridge 1 – 13 books. These are real past IELTS exam papers and, therefore, provide students with the highest quality questions for all parts of the test. However, what do you do if you have finished the Cambridge books? Or you struggle with one particular type of question and want a lot of that specific type of practise?

Well, until now, people have relied on questions that were “memorised” by test-takers(often incorrectly), or written by well-meaning teachers who have no specific education in test creation. As a result, many of the “IELTS questions” on the Internet are worded incorrectly. And, as a professional exam writer ( yes, I work creating academic exams for universities ), I know how damaging it can be if even one word in a question is changed.

So, today I am sharing my list of 100 IELTS writing topics. Some are taken from old exam papers, a few are from the Cambridge books, but most are from my own course .  More importantly, I can guarantee that each of these questions is as “authentic” as a question can be.  Have fun (and let me know your favourite question in the comments!) 

If you are new to IELTS, then check out my FREE  Introduction to Writing Task 2  👈 video lesson. It contains everything you need to know to get started on your IELTS journey   🚀

IELTS Discuss Both Views and Give your Own Opinion Writing Topics

• Some people think that illegal Internet downloads are having a negative effect on the music   industry . Others feel that they have little or no impact on artists. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
•   Some people think that exams are a good way of assessing a student’s level . Other people believe that they put unnecessary pressure on young learners and tell us very little about their actual ability.  Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Successful sportsmen can earn a great deal more than people in other important professions. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people feel that there should be a fixed punishment for each type of crime . Others feel that the circumstances of an offence should be taken into account when deciding on a punishment. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people believe that all children should learn a foreign language  from the time they start school, while others believe it is better to wait until a child is at secondary school. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people believe that in the near future there will be no borders between countries , while others feel that national borders will always remain. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people feel that the cost of space exploration  is far too high for the benefits it brings while others argue that we space programmes should continue no matter what the cost. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people believe that advertising has a strong effect on a person’s decision-making process. Others feel that it has little or no real impact. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people believe that every human can create art . Other people think that art can only be created by people with special talents. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
• Some people feel that the media has the strongest impact on people’s lives . Others feel that it is politicians who have the most control over the way people lives. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people feel that the primary function of a university should be to prepare students for the working world. Others argue that the purpose of a university education is to provide knowledge for knowledge’s sake. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest times of most people’s lives . Others think that adult life brings more happiness in spite of greater responsibilities. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, prefer to take risks and think that change is a positive thing. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people think that boys and girls should attend school together . Others feel that they should be educated separately. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
• Some people feel that  global warming should be dealt with by governments. Others feel that it is the responsibility of individuals in society to solve the problem. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like . Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people think that a sense of competition should be encouraged in children . Others believe that children who are taught to cooperate rather than compete become more useful adults. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people think that economic development is the only way to end poverty  while others believe that it is causing damage to the environment and so should be stopped. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
• Some people think that new houses should be built in the same style as the older houses in an area . Others believe that the government should allow people to build houses in the style they want. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
• Some people like to spend their leisure time with their colleagues . Others think it is better to keep their private life separate from their work life. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Want to know how the examiner will apply the band descriptors when marking your IELTS essay?

Th en download a copy of our FREE e-book, which explains how each of the four marking criteria is applied and includes the most common errors made by test-takers. Just click here for your copy.

  T o What Extent Do you Agree or Disagree Writing Topics

• University education s hould be free for all students. To what extent do you agree or disagree
• Men and women are capable of doing all jobs  equally well. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people believe that nowadays we have too much choice . To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Advertising that targets children  should be banned from our televisions. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people say it is important to keep your home and your workplace tidy , with everything organised in the correct place. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• In some countries it is common for school leavers to take a year off  between finishing school and starting university. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this practice?
• Open plan offices offer a better working environment for staff than a normal office. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students  in every subject. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• The recent popularity of online shopping will result in the end of high street shops. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• International sporting events promote peace between countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people think it is a good thing for senior managers to have much higher salaries than the other workers in a company. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• People who read for pleasure in their free time have a better imagination than those who prefer to watch TV. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people believe that children who are given pocket money every week have less problems managing money when they become adults. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people believe that eventually all jobs will be done by artificially intelligent robots . What is your opinion?
• Nowadays environmental problems are too big for individual countries or people to solve. We have reached the stage where we need cooperation on an international level to protect the environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people say that  a person’s success is as a direct result of the way they were brought up by their parents. Do you agree or disagree?
• Some people think that plastic shopping bags should be banned because they contribute to land and sea pollution. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later, and so it is often argued that these are the best people to talk to teenagers about the dangers of committing a crime. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Some people believe that children should be taught how to manage money at school. Do you agree or disagree?
• Some people believe that in order for a hobby to be enjoyable , it needs to be difficult. Do you agree or disagree?

Looking for an IELTS school run by native speakers who have a proven track record of helping students achieve their potential in IELTS? Then come join the students at  My IELTS Classroom  who are using our unique video courses, live lessons and marking service to maximise their scores. 

Best Way IELTS Essay Topics

•   One of the biggest problems facing the world today is growing enough food to feed the ever-expanding population .  Genetically Modified foods are the best way to solve this issue . To what extent do you agree or disagree?
•   The main cause of global warming   is pollution from cars.  To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Playing computer games   only has negative effects on children.  To what extent do you agree or disagree
• The main reason for the high sale of consumer goods in today’s society is advertising .  To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Good marketing is the key to running a successful business .  To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• The best way to tackle the problem of obesity   is to educate people about healthy eating.  To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• The most important factor in job satisfaction is salary .  To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Many people use  customer reviews on the Internet to make decisions about what they  buy. A re customer reviews the most useful tool to use when making a purchase ?
• Many governments think that economic progress is their most important goal . Some people, however, think that other types of progress are equally important for a country.  Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
• Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is in order to travel to or work in a foreign country . Others say that these are not the only reasons why someone should learn a foreign language.  Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

When you are writing an IELTS essay, it is important to always think about how your answer will satisfy the IELTS Band descriptors. Don’t know what they are or how the examiner uses them to check your work?  Watch my free video lesson to find out how you can use the band descriptors to achieve a high score.

Cause / Problem / Solution IELTS Essay Topics

• The increase in the number of privately-owned cars is having a negative impact on both our towns and the environment .  What can individuals and the government do to reduce this problem?
• Many people play sport when they are young, but then stop when they become adults. Why do so many adults stop doing physical exercise ? What can be done to solve this problem?
• Fewer people today visit museums than in the past. Why is this? What can be done to encourage more people to visit museums in the future?
• Many animals today are being hunted to the point of extinction. What can be done to tackle this problem?
• In many countries today,  the average weight of people is increasing . What has led to this situation? What can be done to solve it?
• Global warming is one of the most serious issues facing the world today. What are some of the causes of global warming? What can governments and individuals do to solve the problem?
• The gap between the rich and poor  is growing. What difficulties does this cause? How can these problems be overcome?
• More people are stressed  today than ever before. What are the causes of this stress? What can be done to address this problem?
• Many young people today are leaving their homes in the countryside to move to cities . Why is this happening? What can be done to encourage young people to stay in rural areas?
• Many people today are choosing to stay in rented apartments rather than hotels  when they travel. What led to this change? What problems could it cause the travel industry?
• Children today spend a lot of time on social media . What potential problems could this cause and how could they be addressed?
• Many young people today will never be able to afford to buy a house . What has led to this situation? What can be done to remedy it?
• In many countries, the tradition of having family meals together is disappearing. Why is this happening? What will the effects of this be on the family and society?
• Nowadays we are producing more and more rubbish . Why do you think this is happening? What can the government do to help reduce this amount of rubbish produced?
• In many countries, the level of crime is increasing. What do you think are the main causes of crime? How can we deal with those causes?
• People today are spending more and more time outside of the home . What are the reasons for this trend? What effects is it having on individuals and society?
• In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry . Why is this the case? What can be done about this problem?
• People today know fewer of their neighbours  than in the past. Why is this? What can be done to solve this problem?
• The quality of life in many large cities is currently becoming worse. Why is this? What measures can be introduced to tackle this issue?
• Many people have jobs that involve working shifts (i.e. working at night). What are some of the problems that shift workers might face? What can be done to solve them?

IELTS Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics

• Thanks to low-cost airlines , many people can travel abroad.  What advantages and disadvantages do tourists bring to the countries they visit?
• People today are able to take out loans from the bank or get a credit card very easily. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this practice?
• Many people use the Internet as their main educational resource . What are the advantages and disadvantages of this practice?
• In some countries, teenagers have part-time jobs while they are still at school. What benefits does this bring a child? Are there any drawbacks?
• Schools in some countries require their students to wear a uniform . What are the positives and negatives of this rule?

One of the most important things you should do in an IELTS essay is support your argument with relevant examples. But what are good examples for an IELTS essay ? – well, let me give you a clue: they do NOT include fake statistics and they are NOT personal! 

Outweigh Advantages and Disadvantages Essay Topics

• Being a celebrity – such as a film star or singer – brings problems as well as benefits. Do you think that being a celebrity brings more benefits or more problems?
• As a country develops, more people are able to purchase a car . Do you think that the positive for the individual outweigh the negatives for the environment?
• Many museums charge an admission fee  while others are free. Do you think that the advantages of charging admission to museums outweigh the disadvantages?
• Today, it is common to see famous sports people advertising sports products . Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
• More and more people are choosing to eat ready-made meals rather than freshly cooked food. Does this trend have more advantages than disadvantages?

Positive or Negative Development IELTS Essay Topics

•   Many parents today employ private tutors   to teach their children after school hours.  Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
• Today, more people are waiting until their thirties to get married and have children .  Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
• In recent years, many small local shops have closed   because customers travel to large shopping centres or malls to do their shopping.  Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
• Countries are becoming more and more similar   because people are able to buy the same products anywhere in the world.  Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
• Nowadays  many people communicate using social media .  Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Most IELTS blog posts are full of advice about how to paraphrase. Me? I’m the opposite – I want to encourage people NOT to paraphrase? Why? Read my blog post on the Dangers of Paraphrasing to find out! ☠️

IELTS Direct Question Writing Topics

• Some students who perform badly at school   go on to have very successful lives as adults. What qualities are needed to do well at school? Are these the same qualities that help people succeed later in life?
• 100 years ago, it was felt that the human race was making progress in all areas of life . Nowadays, there is less certainty that this is the case. In what areas do you think that the most progress has been made so far?  In what area are more things needed to be done?
• Many people believe that globalisation is leading to the culture of individual countries being lost . What can be done to protect a society’s traditional values?
• Children often complain that history lessons are boring because they are about a past that is dead. How can schools bring history alive for pupils?
• Some people think that the government is responsible for looking after the elderly . Others believe that it should be family members. Who do you think should take responsibility?

Don’t know what a complex sentence is or how to write one? Well my friend, you are in the right place! Watch the lesson voted the #1 most useful by my students here (you really don’t need to be afraid!)

IELTS Two-Part Question Essay Topics

• More and more people today are moving from the countryside .  Why is this happening?  Do you think it is a positive or a negative development?
• People spend a major part of their adult life at work, and job satisfaction  is an important part of individual well-being. What contributes to a person feeling satisfied at work? How realistic is it for all people to feel satisfied?
• Many people have problems managing money . What skills does a person need to manage their money well? Who should teach children these skills?
• Technology has changed the way that people interact with each other. In what ways has technology changed the types of relationships that people make? Has this been a positive or negative development?
• Children have to be punished  to learn the difference between right and wrong. To what extent do you agree or disagree? What sort of punishments should parents be able to give their children?
• Thanks to developments in technology, many people today have lost basic skills such as how to repair clothes, etc. Why is this happening? Do you think that this is a negative development?
• Some people think that governments should try to reduce air traffic  by taxing it more heavily, Do you agree or disagree? What other methods could be used to reduce air traffic?
• Some people feel that schools should teach children how to become a good parent.  Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? What skills do people need to be a good parent?
• Nowadays, men’s sport is given far more attention in society than women’s sports. What are the reasons for this? Do you think this is a positive or a negative situation?
• Advances in technology mean that many people today work from home . What has led to this change? Is it a positive or negative development?

So, those were 100 IELTS essay topics you can use to practice your IELTS skills. I hope you found them useful. You can find out how to write every one of these 100 essay in My IELTS Classroom – the interactive writing course with 33-hours of lessons that will prepare you for any IELTS  question 🚀

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IELTS practice Academic Writing test - Task 2

How to approach academic writing task 2.

In the actual IELTS Academic Writing test, you will have one hour to complete the two questions or tasks: 20 minutes for the first task and 40 minutes for the second. So, you should expect to spend a little longer on practice Task 2 than you did on practice Task 1.

While you shouldn’t put yourself under too much pressure when practicing, it’s a good idea to set a timer or alert, so you can keep a track of your progress and how close you are to the time limit.

An easy reminder…

Q: How long should I spend on IELTS Writing Task 2?

A: We suggest 40 minutes.

Q: How many words for IELTS Writing Task 2?

A: 250 words is about the right length, but don’t be afraid to go a little over.

Q: Should I be formal or conversational in style?

A: You should write in a formal style, suited to an academic environment.

Task 2 - Write about the following topic:

You should give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge to support your response.

What should I do next?

Once you’ve finished, you can download the model answer for Writing Task 2 and see how your work compares.

Remember, you don’t have to agree with the opinion expressed in the model answer; this Task 2 sample is a guide to illustrate the style, content, level of detail, structure, length and so on. A good way to improve is to spend some time reflecting on how your answer compares to the model answer - and keep practicing, of course.

If you want to see an example of an actual answer sheet for the IELTS Academic Writing test (‘on paper’ version), you can download a sample copy below.

• IELTS practice Academic Writing test - Task 1

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20 Common Essay Topics for IELTS Writing Task 2

Below is a list of the 20 most common IELTS essay topics that appear in writing task 2 with subtopics.  Although the essay questions change, the subject of the essays often remains the same. Each topic is divided into subtopics which you should prepare.

You should practice developing ideas for all common essay topics used by IELTS so that you can write your essay within the given time limit. Follow this link to get over 100 IELTS essay questions for the topics below.

Common Essay Topics with Subtopics

• censorship of art and artists
• art at school
• the benefits of art for individuals and society
• small vs large business
• international business
• family run business
• management and leadership
• success in business
• business and technology
• skills vs knowledge for business
• materialism and consumerism
• technology and communication
• family and communication
• face to face vs long distance communication
• types of communication
• the development of character and personality
• innate or developed personalities
• female / male characters
• prisons vs rehabilitation
• capital punishment vs other types of punishment
• criminals – what makes a criminal
• major vs minor crime
• crime and technology
• teenagers and crime
• role of policemen
• men and women in law enforcement
• cash vs credit cards
• saving vs spending
• globalisation and economy
• world economic issues
• economic progress and success
• children and education
• relevant subjects
• education and technology
• role of teachers
• discipline and rules in school
• single-sex schools
• educational aid to poorer countries
• protection of endangered species
• environmental problems
• saving the environment & solving problems
• government vs individual roles
• family roles
• family size
• the generation gap
• role models
• family and education
• health diets
• education of diet
• traditional vs modern diets
• children and diet
• prevention vs cure
• health and education
• poor countries and rich countries
• dealing with global epidemics
• hospitals and treatment
• exercise and health
• having only one language in the world
• methods of language learning
• travel and language
• the disappearance of languages
• language and culture
• censorship, control and freedom of speech
• advertising methods
• children and advertising
• media and technology
• news & reporting
• Space Exploration
• Water and Oceans
• Change or Moving vs Stability and Constancy
• paper books vs ebooks
• children and reading
• books in education
• reading and leisure
• controlling the internet
• socialising online
• children and technology (safety)
• the change in society
• letter vs email
• storing data
• safety of personal information
• development of infrastructure
• comparing forms of transport
• problems with modern forms of transport
• environmental issues
• culture and travel
• understanding people and travel
• living in a global world
• overpopulation
• homeless people
• crime on the streets
• modern life styles
• budget spending
• public services
• professionals vs amateurs
• sport and learning
• sport as a school subject
•  men vs women in sport
• types of sport
• women in work
• types of jobs (blue collar / white collar)
• children and exploitation
• part time work
• work and technology

IELTS Recent Exam Topics

To get a list of recent essay questions as well as recent topics and question from all other sections of the IELTS test, follow this link: Recent IELTS Exam Questions & Topics

IELTS Writing Task 2

Get model essays, tips, free video lessons and practice exercises for IELTS writing task 2: IELTS Writing Task 2

100 IELTS Essay Questions

Get over 100 IELTS essay questions for free. The essay questions are organised into topics and also into different types of essays: 100 IELTS essay questions

IELTS Vocabulary

Develop your vocabulary for some of the above topics: IELTS vocabulary page .

Main IELTS Pages Develop your IELTS skills with tips, model answers, lessons, free videos and more. IELTS Listening IELTS Reading IELTS Writing Task 1 IELTS Writing Task 2 IELTS Speaking Vocabulary for IELTS IELTS Test Information (FAQ) Home Page: IELTS Liz

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Hi Liz.. I really appreciate your good work here and pray that God will give you more strength to continue this your great work to humanity..

My question is on writing task 2 about the way they use to ask their questions.. For example,In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone is becoming increasing common. Does this development have more advantages or disadvantages? My question now, should I just choose one and give my reasons or should I elaborate on both the advantages and disadvantages and conclude with the one that has more advantage?..

Secondly,some will ask you to what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sounds like you need my advanced lessons which take you step by step through the different types of essays. This is a link to my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Why are you not active in youtube. When can we see new video of yours there ?

This is due to a serious health problem that has prevented me from making videos for many years.

Breaks my heart to here this. I’m sure everybody’s wish here is same as me and that we all hope you recover soon.

Thanks. That’s very kind. I hope that next year my health will be more stable and if so, I’ll try to make some new videos 🙂

Hi Liz, Hope your great.

Just need your opinion about increasing overal writing from 6 to 7 or above. Even though how hard i tried my writing score is not increasing beyond 6. Would be happy if you could give your overal opinion on how to increase it. Thanks in advance

This is not a simple task to explain in just a short message on my website. For this reason, I created advanced writing task 2 lessons and e-books in my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . You can buy them individually so you can see if one of them helps you. If they do help, you can consider getting more.

I need your help in understanding this question in Task 2- writing. Some people think educated people are more valuable than people who learned skills through experience. Do you think educated people are the most valuable to society? What kinds of skills can people through experience that can benefit society? In this question, does education mean Hard Skills or formal education such a degree/ certification and skills through experience means soft skills? Thanks for your support.

Education refers to formal educational. This is about education or skills – not about different types of skills.

I’m new to this website, although reading the few comments here makes me feel secured. I hope to get the best from here. Thanks

Hello Liz You have some great content. It is extremely helpful when preparing for IELTS. Recently I came across an essay topic for GT that seemed quite vague. ‘In some areas of the US, a curfew is imposed, in which teenagers are not allowed to be out of doors after a particular time at night unless they are accompanied by an adult. What is your opinion about this?’ This is from a credible practice material. What is a good response to this?

Which sources did you get this from? IELTS essay questions do not relate to only one country. However, the topic of curfew is possible. With such a topic, you would write about freedom of movement, learning independence and learning about safety, against protecting children for various reasons.

I love the way you answered a question. Thank you Liz for your tutoring. Tan from Vietnam

Nice to meet you, Tan from Vietnam

Hi Liz, Is there any difference in essay topics that can appear for general and academic writing task 2? If yes, can you categorize them accordingly? Is there any difference in writing essay for academic and general ielts?

The topics are basically the same although it is unlikely GT candidates will get Space Exploration as a topic (but they could easily get this topic in the Speaking test part 3). For this reason, all candidates should prepare all topics. As for differences in the writing test, see this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-gt-academic-writing-differences/

Your trainings are very useful. For those writing the general ielts test (Not Academic), are the essay topics limited to specific areas ? Would the topics be selected from the different essay types such as opinion essay, discussion essay, solution essay, direct questions etc ?

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-gt-academic-writing-differences/ . If you use the RED MENU BAR at the top of the website, you’ll find links to all key pages on this site.

Hi liz, I am a trainer of IELTS. Your lessons are much beneficial for me. But I have a question that while getting training I heard from trainers that we are not allowed to use personal words like we, us, he, she, him, her, our as well as words like etc. and too, too much as it effect our writing bands. So can you tell me that is it put any effect on our band of writing or not? Thank you

“etc” is an abbreviation of “et cetera”. When you give examples, choose the number of examples to give rather than use “etc”. When you explain something, be specific rather than using “etc”. It is completely fine to use pronouns, but some pronouns are used more than others. For example, the pronouns “we” and “us” are not commonly used. Also the pronouns “he/him” or she/her” are also not used a lot because we are mostly writing about people in general rather than specific people. The word “too” is used whenever it is needed. So, you see, there are no IELTS rules about this. It is just about what the likely to be used based on the aims of the essay. I have a chapter on Pronouns in the Grammar E-book which covers this.

Task 2 academic topic: Date: August 6, 2020 Some people believe that old customs and traditions should be given up, as people do not use them now. To what extent you agree and disagree?

Hi Liz,, I would like to thank you for the great effort put in this website,, really useful. Regarding writing task 2,, what should I do if I did not get the meaning of the essay topic?!!

If you can’t understand the meaning fully, hopefully you can understand the meaning partially. Of course, it will affect your score for Task Response, but not for the other marking criteria. However, most essay questions are written quite simply so you can understand. Also, your preparation should involve reviewing all common topics and over 100 essay questions.

Hi Liz, I hope you’re doing well. I have encountered some problems in giving correct points in writing task 2. Here is the question of the task which I selected for your website. Some schools are very strict about their school uniforms and the appearance of their pupils, while other schools have a very relaxed dress code. May I know ‘strict about their school uniforms’ simply means having the same dress codes/school uniforms? Looking forward to your reply. Thank you so much

Strict implies that they follow the dress code precisely and have very specific dress codes. For example, they have very precise rules for the length of a girls skirt and they make sure these rules are followed. In South Korea, they are even strict about the length of a girls hair and if a teacher thinks the girls hair is longer than permitted, they get a pair of scissors and cut it. That is a very strict rule about appearance. However, in the school I went to, girls had to wear ties, but the ties could be tied in any way the girl wanted. There were also rules about how short a skirt could be. But, in fact, the girls often looked very sloppy with ties in a mess and skirt very short. So, my school had rules but didn’t enforce them properly. So, struct dress codes applies to both the rules and the enforcing of those rules.

Hi Liz, thank you for the very clear and informative explanation. I’ve bought your E-books and advanced lessons and I’ve noticed my improvement after following exactly what you mention in the books and the lessons. All in all, I’m more than happy that I found your website and I would highly recommend to anyone who wishes to score in IELTS follow every note and advise at your website. Thank you and stay safe.

I’m pleased you are improving 🙂

Hello Liz, I have been reluctant to send you a comment since I don’t know if you would be free to reply. I am planning to take the GT exam whenever the quarantine is over but until then, I have been practicing the writing task. my questions is: Can you have a glance at my essays and just let me know if what I am doing is right or not? I just need to know if my answering steps are in place, if I am starting my essay in the correct way and how much will I approximately score if I continued practicing in this manner. Thank you in advance and stay safe!

Unfortunately I don’t offer a marking service at present. However, I suggest you get my Advanced Writing Task 2 Lessons which take you step by step through each paragraph and will ensure you use the right techniques. I’m running a discount from about May 5th on those lessons as well as for my new Grammar E-book which will released then. Wait for that time to purchase.

Is there any important topics for GT essay? Could you please assume frequently asked essay?

There is no difference between GT essays and Academic essays except that the GT essays are easier with slightly easier essay questions, So, ALL the lessons and tips for writing task 2 on this site are for both GT and Academic Writing Task 2. If you want ideas for topics, get my Ideas for Topics E-book which you can find in my online store. Click here: Liz’s Online Store

I just started ielts preparation so please share ielts materials.

This whole website contains hundreds of page of lessons, tips etc. Go to the HOME page and read how to access them.

Hello Liz, I have a question to ask about agree or disagree essay. “In the future, it seems more difficult to live on the Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching other planets to live, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree?” My essay goes like this: 1. Intro: disagree, money should be spent on saving the Earth rather than doing researches on other planets 2. Body 1: no certainty about life on other planets => could waste money 3. Body 2: saving the Earth is more important => reasons 4. Conclusion Is it ok if I write like that? Thank you in advance!

You have the right approach. However, your third body paragraph is not needed. That forms part of body paragraph 1 = Earth is more important which is why more money should be spent on research.

Dear Liz, do we have to practice all the subtopics to get a good band in writing? Or working on only one subtopic will be enough?

The more you prepare, the better your chances of getting a specific question you have prepared. You can use this page for questions: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ and this page is a link to my Ideas for Essay Topics E-book in my online store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/

Hi Liz, Thank you for your effort in providing excellent resources. I have a strange question. If I get a question which I dont know at all in task 2, can I write something general related to that.For instance, if they asked about the importance of preserving historic places, can i just talk about history and can still get good bands for the other three criteria except for task achievement. Secondly, If I dont talk about anything about history,and I completely write offtopic, do they still consider my answer by giving 0 for task achievement,but giving appropriate band scores for the other three criteria.Thank u

1. If you don’t write about history at all, you might get band 0 for a memorised answer. Don’t change the topic because you prefer a different one. 2. If your topic is obviously off topic because you chose that – the above might apply. 3. You should always stick as close to the topic as possible. Yes, being on or off topic, only affects Task Response score – unless the above applies. 4. If you got my e-book “Ideas for Essay Topics” this is an unlikely situation: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . In fact, preserving old buildings and also the importance of history are both given in my e-book which actually covers over 150 common essay topics. I hope this helps 🙂

Hey Liz, Greetings. Can I agree on the first half and express my disapproval on the second half for the same essay?

For the same point? You would say “I agree in free education” and then in the next paragraph you would say “I don’t agree with free education”? This means you have confused the reader. In an opinion essay, the requirement of a high score is that you maintain a clear position throughout – this means one position from start to finish. This is clearly stated in the band score descriptors that IELTS have published to the public.

I think what you are talking about it actually a partial agreement (a balanced approach) to an opinion essay. You should only try this if you have been trained. See my Advanced Writing Task 2 Lessons which you can purchase on this page: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/ . Otherwise, stick to a one sided approach – it’s easier.

it depends on the plan followed in an essay as well as question asked. for illustration, if you are asked to give only your views then you can,,or if you are asked to discuss both pros and cons of notion.In the case,you are discuss give only one side so you have to go on one side either in favour or not. MAY YOU FIND THIS HELPFUL

Dear Liz Thanks a million for all the unconditional help and support you have given us during these years to improve our English. I have a question regarding Agree/Disagree essays. In the following essay question are we supposed to write about both positive and negative effects if we think there are more positive aspects? I mean in these types of questions we must explain both sides even if we think there are more advantages? Below is the question. In the last 20 years there have been significant development in the field of IT. However, these developments are likely to have more negative effects than positive in future. To what extent do you agree with this view? Best regards Mona

You need to look at how it is phrased: more X than Y. If you think there is more X, you will also think there is less Y. This means you will explain both from your point of view. Do you see what I mean?

MAM A Huge Thanks for providing theses topics! I have almost gone through every topic in detail and now when i check latest questions from your website, i feel like i can write ay of those tasks easily.

I have just one doubt. While studying about poverty i found that every cause of it is totally related to other one, and in this situation it becomes difficult to write two separate reasons or body paragraphs about poverty. Overpopulation, for instance, is the reason of lack of resources or services that include education, but education can be a different reason. In the similar way unemployment is another cause of pooverty, and unemploymet is also due to overpopulation.

You have plenty of ideas and that’s great. Now it is your task to select and organise. You can’t put all your ideas in your essay – you need to decide which ones to use. If the essay is about poverty (lack of money), then resource depletion isn’t really relevant. However your point about limited education is a good point. You do not need to link lack of good education to overpopulation – that isn’t necessarily connected. So, one cause is – lack of good education which helps create professionals who will pull a country out of poverty. Your second point is lack of employment – this is a clearly connected to poverty and that is a another good cause. You can add as a supporting point that overpopulation leads to too much competition for jobs that are scarce in the first place. So, you see, you need to filter your ideas and cut out any point that isn’t directly related. IELTS essays are short – only 280 words on average – you can’t list everything. So, we have cut out “resource depletion” and we have decided that “overpopulation” is a supporting point which adds problems to the lack of employment. The two main causes will be: limited education and lack of jobs, which together cause poverty both for the country, for families and for individuals. Do you see how you need to plan more after you have brainstormed. Once you have ideas, sift through them to choose only two causes that you will use. This of course is advice for a cause/solution essay where you shouldn’t have more than two causes. I hope this helps.

Thanks for clearing my doubts mam You are so generous and humble. I can’t express my gratitude towards you in words.

I wish you healthy and happy life!!!

Dear Lucia, Thank you so much. It took me about 2 month to improve my skills and to be honest, I spent most of my time reading different topics. Based on Topic’s complexity and range of questions, each topic took me between 1 to 4 days to study at first.

Hi Dear Liz, I didn’t know where to say my words so i Chose this page. I just wanted to extremely express my appreciation for your great website and your efforts to help people pass the IELTS exam. I have centered around my study time on your website and I went through all the 100 essay topics and latest speaking questions in all three parts. I have succeeded in the exam with L:8.5, R:8, S:7.5, W:7.5 while my previous scores were: L:8.5, R:8.5, S:6.5 W:6 and your website was the one main way that made my dream come through. I again want to thank you a lot and I am referring your website and your courses to all the people who ask about my success path here in Iran. I hope all people understand and appreciate your hard work and thanks for all the positive energies. Regards, Danial

I’m really pleased for you, Danial. It’s great to see your scores improving so much – well done 🙂

hi liz there is no written topic about globalisation…. can u please provide

See the topic of society on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/

Hi Danial, I am also happy for you that you got that such a brilliant score.. Could you please share how you make it? I also following Liz’s website which is very helpful fo me.. But i wondering about how long did you prepare to get that much improvement?and how many topics of writing did you do everyday?

Thank you in advance

Hi Danial, What exactly you did to improve your skill by this website?

Dear Liz, I just want to know that in agree or disagree type of essay, the body paragraph should be based on one side either agree or disagree or it should be 80:20 ratio? Please guide me, I will be very thankful to you.

There are no such rules. No rules at all like that in IELTS. You decide your own personal opinion when you read the essay question.

Are calculators allowed in the IELTS exam? Thanks!

IELTS requires no calculations and, therefore, you need no calculator.

Hlo mam can u please provide last 3 months essay topics

See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Hello Liz, I had this question, I saw several times in videos that while question asks about “advantages and disadvantages”, tutors write one example of for each advantage and disadvantage. I was wondering, is it OK to do so on test day? thanks in advance!

It is your choice how you expand and explain your ideas. You can use or not use examples – it’s your choice.

I had a question and would appreciate if you could kindly clarify. The below essay statement falls under which category? and Why? To me it looks like an opinion essay where we need to choose a side either positive or negative and then give points to support the view in 2 paragraphs. Is that right?

Essay Question: Some universities offer online courses for students. Do you think it is a positive or negative development for students?

The question is listed under sample essay questions on this website.

Thank you, Soumen

This is listed under the category of direct questions. It requires you to answer one question only and present your opinion. You can find a model for this on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

Please give me last six months essay topics which came in a ielts exam..

http://www.ieltsliz.com/recent-ielts-questions-and-topics

I’m Ali , from iran and I have to say THANK YOU ! May God bless you

Advertisement reflects the power of renowned consumer products in which celebrities are act as a crowd puller by doing advertises on television screen. Youngsters attract easily due to their favourite film stars , singers advertisevent. However, it is true argument that reduces the substancial real needs of the society in which they sold their goods.

Throughout the years, the scenario has been changed due to development of technology worldwide that helps the advertise companies to launch their products efficiently. Although, there is no actual need of that goods but individual purchase it through online website for instance, http://www.amazon.com /www.eBay.com etcetera that leads to wastage of currency and also grown-ups foster their guardians for that unworthy things. Besides this, companies provide lot of benefit and offer on goods to influence the public but it might have palpable effect that create skin infection , elergy problems due to the usage of cosmetica, medicines or protein powders that are consumed to gain or lpose weight . So , generally unhealthy for people.

On the other hand, there are various aspects against this argument. It is a people’s choice to take decision to buy goods . Advertising may be not a cause of consumer’s buying habits .individuals have their own spending habits . If they have got enough disposable income then they have right to purchase that product . Before buying consumer goods they should evidently aware about it positives and negatives.

To conclude , it is quit inconvenient to say everyone is swayed by advertising. Compared with other product companies , the sensitive areas of business such as toys industries that should be curtail to advertise because children have not enough mature to judge about good or bad.

Sory I don’t comment on writing.

Hi Liz, your website is very helpful,no doubt :). My ielts test day is 15th dec and i am really confused… i wanted to ask that what i ought to do if i have no knowledge about the question in writing task 2. waiting for your response.. Thanks.

You will have a problem if you have not prepared ideas for common topics in writing task 2. See this page for a list of more topics: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/ . You can find ideas from model essays online and debate websites.

hi Liz, today I have elaborately studied marking criteria of writing task 2. Could you please explain me these three things- 1)coherence 2)cohesion 3)referencing

looking forward to your reply thanks in advance 🙂

You can find detailed information about the writing task 2 band scores on this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ . Coherence is about your language being easy to understand with a logical flow of ideas. Cohesion is about how ideas connect to each other (ie linking). Referencing is about referring back in grammar by using “it” or “they”.

thank you : )

I have been looking for site to know writing task 2 topics with sub-topics,thanks to ieltsliz because its made my task easy.

You can find more here: https://ieltsliz.com/100-ielts-essay-questions/

You might have no idea how MANY DOCTORS around the world are thankful for your help in learning English! On behalf of all white coat wearing people, THANK YOU!.

I read many FB med group chat’s comments and other social networks, where many who want to come to the UK to practice medicine get together , and many of them recommend watching your videos.

Thousands of them, mostly from developing countries, show their gratitude to you.

we need above 7.5 in total and above 7 in each.

Personally, I have given IELTS 5 times, in 6 years. Unfortunately, I have not received the required score yet. BUT, I have received in Speaking 8, reading 7, Listening 7.5, and most horrible part-writing 6.5

Those numbers were different in each time, I just compiled them in the best shape, to show the greatest achievement I could get in those hardest ever my exams. I never got any bad marks during my 8 years of medical exams. I graduated from medical school with Honors yet ENGLISH- is my weak point.

I am proactive and will try for the 6th time, I believe it will be my last time of giving IELTS, I will achieve the required and even more band.

I have never really practice writing exactly at it is given in your explanation. But this time I WILL.

from Central Asia.

Thanks so much for your comment. I’m aware of the issues doctors face hitting their required score and am glad my site helps 🙂 I have actually replied to you at length via email using the email address you have used to post this message. Take a look as I’ve given you some extra tips and a gift. Good luck 🙂

Thank you . You are not wise only, generous and have real concerns for your students.

Heavenly rewards for your tremendous work.

Advance Merry Christmas!

Many new adventures in coming year 2017!

Thank you!!!

Merry Xmas 🙂

Thank you Liz for your help so much! I know you have probably heard it many times before but I really do appreciate your great work. In my case especially, your study materials are priceless. I am a mother of a 9 months old baby girl so you can only imagine how challenging for me is studying and taking care of her at the same time. Actually, now at the moment I am burning the midnight oil to study for my IELTS exam (Academic) which is coming in the beginning of December 2016. My English is far from being perfect and my dream is to get band 8+. I am full of doubts and totally bushed, worried about my final results but I know that I just simply cannot give up. I think many people are having the same thoughts and worries as I do. But you are here, for us and that’s amazing. I am sending my warmest greetings from Finland.

Coming soon 🙂

Thank you very much for your stunning site and I really like and benifited from it.I am a student of IELTS. My asking to you, how can I guess Argumentative written or narrative written. Some time I make mistake it . May you give me any easy way to identify it. Thank you

See the free information video on this page which explain the five types of IELTS essays: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

4 in reading

really love your website. It’s very interactive.

In my speaking test had to speak about the last story I had watched on TV, with whom I watched and what did I liked about it and why.

Thanks for sharing 🙂 I’m glad my site is useful.

Hi, In most of the GT writing test part II in the introduction paragraph, its mentioned that “In this essay I will be describing or I explained about…..bla bla

Similarly, In conclusion part,”I/we discussed and explained so and so…….”

My question is that is it right to use I and We the way I used in the above example or generalised statement will be given more weightage.

None of the phrases you have listed are advisable to use. I suggest you see my advanced writing task 2 lessons: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

Hi Liz Thank you for your great and wonderful lessons and tips that is really valuable to us. i bought your Advanced IELTS Writing task2 for different types of essay questions and its amazing,v.thanks. “people should work a fixed number of hours per week,and employers should not ask anybody to work more than this” give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples. what is this type of essay?and how to deal with it?and if any advices you can give it to me regarding my question. thank you.

That question is not complete. Where did you find it?

Cambridge 10 general training test2

Sorry..test1

That’s so badly written for an IELTS question. It’s an opinion essay. You need to comment on the opinion given by giving your own opinion. You need to explain what you think of people working a fixed number of hours in a week.

Hello mam, i done my best in ielts exam …i follow format similar trend which should be followed but unfortunately i overall got 5.5 band in writing ..Can u suggest me something ..now I’m going for it again.

See my advanced lessons: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore

I am going to give general ielts test and I need your advice before giving the test please give me some tips for general ielts test and which lessons is are good for general test from your lessons

All writing task 2 lessons are also for GT. On the writing task 1 page, you will find tips for letter writing.

I am preparing for Ilets Academic exam, It is on 31st March, I have started my preparation on 19th March 🙁 My goal is to achieve 6.5 band in writing, i am doing quite well in other sections. But i am not feeling confident in writing, kindly give me some tips on writing

Hey Liz, I know you are taking some time off. However, I have a question for you in regard to Task 1. When the question is asking you to write a letter to your friends and in your letter, thank them for the photos and for the holiday you spent overseas. Since, no names were given, how would you suggest addressing this letter ? Would you suggest simply using imaginary names? Thanks

https://ieltsliz.com/liz-notice-2015-2016/

Thank you for sharing valuable information for IELTS exam.

After going through your tips, I am a bit confused about how to write an essay for the question ‘To what extent do you agree’?

For example, “Most artists receive low salaries and should therefore receive funding from the government in order for them to continue their work. To what extent do you agree?” – – Can I disagree with the statement or I have to agree only? As I can say here that government has other priorities as well. – In addition to funding, can I write something like additional unemployment benefits for artists etc to further help artists. – Furthermore, If I agree (partially or fully) or disagree, two body paragraphs which I make, I have to justify my statement given in introduction only or can I discuss other side as well (may be in second para)? – I am getting confused over this type of question (To what extent) so please provide me with some resources on it as I have my exam on 23rd Jan.

Hi, Do you have any solve essay so that I can see all the method.

What is your opinion on giving a Title to the Essay before we begin writing it. Will that have a positive or negative impact? Please advice.

Thanks, Vijay

You should not write a title. Liz

hi madam I bit confuse about what I write in this topic some sports make use of steroids in order to boost their performance as it easy to obtain legal drugs through a medical prescription . suggest some possible measures to check such unethical practices ielts task 2 …Please reply me as soon as possible because my exam is on 7 November. .Thanks

This can be checked by regular urine and blood tests. It can also be dealt with by having harsher penalties for people using drugs to enhance their performance. This issue has been in the news a lot so you can read up on google. Good luck Liz

I can’t remember where I found an essay question that really stressed me out. It was something along the lines of “Some people believe the government should spend more money on defense while others believe social benefits should be favored. Discuss both sides.” I really can’t remember what it was exactly, but it concerned defense and social benefits and I honestly had no idea what I could write about on that topic. Would you have tips?

Thank you so much,

This is a current issue in many countries. Should a country aim to protect itself or should it spend money on providing benefits for its citizens. Defense is essential in order to ensure the security of a country and its citizens. Without defense, a country would be open to attack from terrorists or other countries. It is in the interest of the citizens to provide strong defenses. However, if many of a country’s citizens are in poverty or sick, the government has a responsibility to provide benefits and extra money to support them. Without these benefits, they might end up living below the poverty line. I hope some of these ideas help. Feel free to share your views. Liz

Thank you so much for your answer !

Also, I read that each paragraph should have one controlling idea. However, on subjects such as “Some believe a good salary is more important, others believe an enjoyable job is more important. Discuss both views and give your opinion” (something along those lines, I shortened it of course). I’m struggling on two things :

1. Is it ok if I write two paragraphs, one about good salary and the other about enjoying the job but with more than one idea for both? (ie. I wouldn’t have one single controlling idea). 2. Do I have to give my opinion in the intro or can I give it in the conclusion?

Thank you for your time!

You must put your opinion in the introduction, body and conclusion. You could have two body paragraphs and join your opinion with one of them or you could put your opinion separately. Have a think about getting one of my advanced training lessons for essay writing – they are very detailed and will help a lot: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore All the best Liz

i think you are right this will help us and our country and their would not be any problem.

The writing task 2. I came across in my IELTS general exam was

Some people thinks that radio is much more interesting and entertaining than Tv. To what extent do you agree? Or disagree?. Discuss with relevent examples.

Thanks for sharing 🙂

Hello there ! Liz, I tried writing this topic and I’m trying the For-and-Against approach, and my opinion stated at the last paragraph. However, I can’t come up with any ideas as to how is radio more entertaining? How is it more entertaining than TV? Could you please help me out?

I am not clear what topic you are referring to – you need to write it in full in your message. Also I don’t know what you mean about the “for-and-against” approach. Are you talking about the discussion essay? Liz

Oh, I’m sorry, I completely forgot to mention which essay I was talking about. I was referring to “Some people think that radio is much more interesting and entertaining than TV. To what extent do you agree/disagree?” And what I meant by “for-and-against” was that I handle those type of questions like a discussion essay. I would first write the reasons why some people think it IS better than TV, and in the next paragraph I would list the reasons why others think it IS NOT. At the end I give my own opinion. However, I couldn’t think of any ways in which radio is more interesting, so I thought I would ask you for some ideas.

Thank you for the fast reply!

It is ESSENTIAL that you follow the instructions. The instructions do not say “discuss both sides”. This is an opinion essay, you decide your opinion in the introduction and explain it in the body paragraph. Never add any information which is not your opinion. If you fail to follow instructions 100%, you will get a low mark. See my opinion essay lesson from my online course for detailed training: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore All the best Liz

Do you teach online ?

At the moment, these are the only extra lessons I offer: http://subscriptions.viddler.com/IELTSLizStore All the best Liz

Hi Liz, I found your blog very useful, I have my exam in a week time, I m looking to improve my scores in Reading and Writing Section of ielts, I m good enough in English I would say, What tips you would help me on this.

Listening: As I m from Asian, And you mentioned that on your video that most of the foreigners have issues when it comes to listening to Plurals. with S. any way i can differential or improve on identify it. if so

Reading for General: Ii have experienced issue with matching question type and matching of heading or where you have lists of headings to choice or pick from like for example ( i, ii, iv) or the case of matching with the paragraph ( A, B, D,H). one where of the problem i fixed was with use of Synonyms in passage vs question., with the crunch of time . Are the Any Traps.. to look out for or tips that can help me to do well with this kind of questions apart from skimming the text and identifying the main idea of the paragraph…

Writing: I have issue with sentence construction or paragraph building i have ideas or points in mind when i end up reading up a task question.

Speaking: I plan on using diverse vocabulary words. towards my topic, but how would be able to know when should i use , Could be/ Should be / Would be any differences on those, I m sure i m likely loose points on misuse of words in context or when it comes to pronounciation of words. is that the case

I don’t have time to give you all tips but here are some. For speaking, the issue you are talking about is not vocabulary, it is grammar. The use of the correct modals (should, could etc) and the use of conditional sentences all relates to your grammar accuracy and range. You will find a grammar website recommended on my useful website page in the IELTS Extra section. For writing, the key is preparing ideas for all common topics and also planning your essay so that each paragraph has a central point. If you mix your ideas up in paragraphs, you will not get a good mark for coherence and cohesion – so plan your ideas and then plan how to put them into paragraphs. After that, plan how to support them. All that should be done before you start writing. All the best Liz

Would you recommend to have a balanced view? Or single sided view? If I will choose a balanced view, I think I still need to state clearly which side I preferred. Is that correct? Thanks

You can get a good score with either approach. A one sided approach choose one side (either agree or disagree). The balanced approach is a specific opinion which doesn’t fully agree or fully disagree. I’ll soon be releasing a video to buy which explains in detail how to do both approaches for the opinion essay. I’ll post a link when it’s ready. Liz

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Pass IELTS with expert help.

IELTS writing topics and answers

IELTS writing topics are extensive, and consistently finding answers for them takes practice. Below I share how I produce an essay, including thinking of ideas , building paragraphs and planning.

For these ideas and sample answers, I usually use the latest latest writing task 2 topics seen by our own students when they do the exam. 

IELTS writing task 2 topics (academic) often require simple ideas that are easy to communicate, rather than complex ideas with difficult grammar. 

Get the IELTS essay topics with answers pdf here .

Extract text from PDFs, scanned docs, and images effortlessly. Create digital copies for easy access here .

Tutorial contents

• IELTS essay topics and answers: education

IELTS essay topics and answer: globalisation

Ielts essay topics and answer: travel and transport, ielts essay topics and answer: employment, ielts essay topics and answer: employment (skills).

• IELTS essay topics and answer: gender issues
• IELTS topic and answer: education
• IELTS topic: gender issues (career)

IELTS essay topics and answer: technology

• IELTS essay topic and answer: health
• IELTS essay topics and answer: society
• Quick presentation on the topics and answers

Common IELTS writing task 2 topics (list)

Below is a list of the most common IELTS essay topics for task 2 questions . Click the topic to get a sample essay, vocabulary list, and a Ted Talk video (to help learn the vocabulary in context). You can also find an in-depth tutorial about IELTS vocabulary and lexical resource here.

Sport Employment Law Health Technology Politics Education Language and culture Crime Environment

IELTS essay topics, answers and ideas

Some people think that robots are important for human’s future development. Others think that robots have negative effects on society. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Ideas: Definitely important, true, big advances, productivity, intelligence, machine learning, artificial intelligence, etc

Can have negative effects – Unemployment – automation – loss of jobs – safe nets need to be in place – welfare system etc Even death of citizens – Tesla accident autonomous driving –

Conc: there are too many advantages to ignore, we cannot forego these advances however more precaution and govt. Legislation could be wise.

Some people think that new houses should be built in the same style as older houses in the local area. Others disagree and say that local authorities should allow people to build houses in the styles of their own choice. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Yes, should be in the same style, keep property values higher, uniformity, conformity, and cohesion –

EG certain villages in prosperous parts of England such as Cheshire, The Cotswolds, and Howarth have extreme rules because the areas have immense cultural heritage. To place a modern MacDonald’s style restaurant in one of these areas would be tantamount to architectural vandalism .

-Great idea! Innovates an area, and introduces new flavours, styles, and ideas into stale and old areas. Your house can reflect your personality. You can make it more environmentally friendly. You can install technical innovations. Solar panels, or even solar cells in roof tiles, are available from Elon Musk’s company.

Conc: both are viable and fair, the caveat is that the law should be clear from the beginning and be permanent – changing it would be extremely unfair.

Some people spend a lot of money attending cultural or sports events. Is it a good or a bad thing? Give your opinion and examples from your own experience.

Body paragraph 1

Definitely a good development, gives something for people to aspire to. It also most likely begets higher revenues for the performers and promoters , which should ultimately lead to even more events. This undoubtedly leads to greater monetary and cultural wealth for a society.

Take for example the English Premier League (EPL), this entertainment spectacle has brought considerable wealth into cities such as Manchester, Liverpool, and London. Higher ticket prices lead to better wages for football stars, which leads to more quality players wanting to play in the EPL, leading to a considerable increase in high net-worth individuals residing in these cities.

There has undoubtedly been a positive self-fulfilling cycle of improvement and quality, fuelled by increasing prices. Furthermore, high prices will most likely mean higher tax revenues for the government, this is definitely beneficial for society.

P2 – Same, but apply to a cultural event – ballet – opera???

IELTS essay topics and answer: education

Do you think it is better for students to work before their university studies? Why?  Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice.

MY ANSWER: YES! –  One position, easier to write, easier to read. 

PARAGRAPH 1 Practical experience, contacts, on the job skills. EG: Studies from the UK Government show graduates with work experience are twice as likely to find employment…..

PARAGRAPH 2 Better preparation, the chance to improve social skills, close the gap between academia and private sector, helps the student decide on future before committing long term, EG 1/6 students will change their higher education course while at uni….

Many people believe that it’s better to learn something in a group rather than individually. Do you agree or disagree?

Paragraph 1 Agree – learning in a group has many advantages Elements of teamwork can be adopted A group can utilize each person’s skill and expertise

Paragraph 2 Disagree – Individualism is better Self reliant, own the result, not dependent on others More mature way, more responsible No laggards

For the full podcast, click here

IELTS essay topics and answer: education (child)

Some people believe that children should do organised activities in their free time while others believe that children should be free to do what they want to do in their free time. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

MY ANSWER: YES! –  One position, easier to write, easier to read.   

PARAGRAPH 2 Better preparation, a chance to improve social skills, close the gap between academia and private sector, helps the student decide on future before committing long term, EG 1/6 students will change their higher education course while at uni…. 

Many people believe that it’s better to learn something in a group rather than individually. Do you agree or disagree? 

Paragraph 1 Agree – learning in the group has many advantages Elements of teamwork can be adopted Group can utilize each person’s skill and expertise

Paragraph 2 Disagree – Individualism is better self-reliant, owning the result, not being dependent on others, being more mature way, and being more responsible. No laggards. 

Many people say that globalization and the growing number of multinational companies have a negative effect on the environment. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

PARAGRAPH 1 -DEFINITELY DAMAGING THE ENVIRONMENT -Increased interaction between countries -Increase in goods and services traded -this means more production and, therefore more resources. EG China ‘workshop of the world’ – In many places air pollution masks are needed.

PARAGRAPH 2 -MULTINATIONALS / PROBS WITH GLOBALISATION -YES increase pollution – (this decision taken for simplicity) -Globalisation requires global solutions -these can have drastic consequences if accidents happen -EG BP Gulf of Mexico, oil spill , destroyed the local ecosystem…

Scientists believe that in order to protect the environment, people must use less energy in their daily lives. However, most people have not changed the way they live. Why do you think many people have not taken individual action? What could be done to encourage them to take action?

Ideas for body paragraph 1

Not taken individual action because: – Danger not immediately or directly facing them – Tragedy of the commons – Collective problem – easier to shirk responsibility

Ideas for body paragraph 2

What could be done to encourage them to take action? – Media campaigns by the government – Tax or financial incentives EG In Tokyo ……

Some believe that is the responsibility of people to take care of the environment. Others say it is the government that should take care of the environment. Discuss both views and state your opinion.

Paragraph 1 People should take care of the environment because: We are the consumers, we vote with our wallets, Throw away culture become considerably too prevalent – consumers are causing horrendous damage (Pacific Garbage Patch)

Paragraph 2 The government should take care of the environment because: They have the power to legislate Can impose fines and taxes on polluters Supposed to be guardians of the country, which means collectively they are guardians of the earth… but not true in reality

Conclusion Both should be doing more!

Some people say that protecting the environment is the government’s responsibility. Others believe that every individual should be responsible for it. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Ideas for body paragraph 1 – Yes: Government’s responsibility – Policies govt could do, then country-specific example

Ideas for body paragraph 2 – Yes individual responsibility also – Action individuals could take + examples. 

Conclusion –  MY OPINION: Such a mess, such a disastrous state, such a shame, so much so that all parties need to step up and take responsibility for the state of affairs we have landed ourselves in.

In many countries, small shops and town centers are going out of business because people tend to drive to the large out-of-town stores. This results in an increase in car use, and it also means that people without cars have limited access to out-of-town stores. Do you think the advantages of such development outweigh its disadvantages?

The advantages of out-of-town shopping centres are very limited… – Slightly cheaper prices – but huge new developments contribute to the urban sprawl of cities… This reduces investment in city centres … which are much more than just places for shopping EG Vienna regularly has art exhibitions in the city centre…

– For example: those without transport are disenfranchised – Traffic on the roads – ALSO (MAIN POINT) -Some might argue they create jobs .. but really it is probably just shifting employment from one area to the other…

Parents want to achieve balance between family and career but only a few manage to achieve it. What do you think is the reason? Discuss possible solutions and provide examples.

Paragraph 1 – The reason for the imbalance The reason is work-life balance, increased competition in the workplace, changes in society, increase in the amount of working mothers puts strain on the family, EG Studies in the US show that families with two full-time parents are more likely to separate. -therefore this shows that finding the balance is incredibly difficult.

Paragraph 2 – Possible Solutions? -Regulations from the government, increasing maternity leave, more flexible working practices, reduced working week, EG France had a 35-hour working week …

Some people believe that employees should stay in the same job for the rest of their lives. Others think they should switch jobs at least once during their career. To what extent do you agree/disagree?

Click here for the band 6.5 – 7 essay graded by an ex-IELTS examiner (from our team of essay correctors!)

IELTS essay topics, answer,s and ideas: gender issues

Nowadays both men and women spend a lot of money on beauty care. This was not so in the past. What may be the root cause of this behaviour? Discuss the reasons and possible results.

Paragraph 1 -Marketing. Beauty market for women is worth millions, consumer goods companies see similar potential for the male market. Therefore developing new ranges, e.g. Loreal for Men Expert. Therefore main reason is the potential opportunity.

Paragraph 2 -Results? -Difficult to say the results because it is still early, however general trend is in this direction, – Deodorant was considered unnecessary before the 1950s. -Market will probably grow and it will be completely normal in the future.

Some people think that men are naturally more competitive than women. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Paragraph 1 Agree – Men are more competitive Look at sporting fans, globally most are male A lot of sports historically only men participate in F1, Boxing, MMA, etc. Psychological drivers of men include: dominance, control

Paragraph 2 Agree – Men are more competitive Although it is difficult to say without sounding sexist Is it nature or nurture – difficult to say

IELTS essay topics and answer: education (student reward)

Students perform better in school when they are rewarded rather than punished.To what extent do you agree or disagree? Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

IELTS writing essay structure:

Intro: Paraphrase the question and state your side/argument.

Idea / Paragraph 1: they perform better in schools -definitely better Types of reward – certificate, recognition, positive reinforcement, Studies show children are sensitive and easily influenced when younger, therefore positive environment probably better…

Idea / Paragraph 2: they perform better when punished – works but too harsh for Childhood Possibly does work, but it’s old fashioned, potentially dangerous – could discourage a student for life

Conclusion: Positive better and more modern.

In today’s very competitive world, a worker has to possess multiple skills to succeed. Among the skills that a worker should possess, which skill do you think is more important, social skills or good qualifications? Explain the reasons and provide specific examples to support your answer.

Paragraph idea 1: Social skills are more important – no man is an island – idiomatic expression correctly used i.e in context We need people around us – Lacking social skills could seriously disrupt, demotivate, and damage a team. – a big list of great vocab for Lexical Resource score there.

Paragraph idea 2: Good qualifications, certificates very useful, extremely useful in certain fields such as medicine, but in general, less technical areas, social skills triumph – less common vocabulary “triumph”

Conclusion:

Consider both, but give more weight to sociability.

IELTS essay topics and answer: employment (business)

Do you think businesses should hire employees who will spend their entire lives working for the company? Explain why you agree or disagree. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Paragraph idea 1: Very bad idea to have lifetime permanence- almost zero incentive to improve, Not fair to employees because the company may pledge allegiance to the company but then the company relocates to Asia. Horrible.

Paragraph idea 2: The employee may become a burden for the company. Employees may become a cost that damages the company, lots of companies suffer because of contractual arrangements made in boom times. British Airways is a perfect example of expensive pension contracts made , only for the entire industry to change and render the contracts a massive headache.

Freedom should be given to employees to “ cherry-pick ” their career destiny.

IELTS essay topics and answer: gender issues (career)

Some people think women should be given equal chances to work and excel in their careers. Others believe that a woman’s role should be limited to taking care of the house and children. Which opinion do you agree with and why? Include specific details and examples to support your choice.

Paragraph idea 1: Women should of course be given equal rights to perform to the best of their ability (good collocation) in the market place Generous provisions and allowances should be made into law to encourage this behaviour and allow females to also fairly take time out from the career ladder to pursue a family.

Paragraph idea 2:  another good reason why I think the first point: Making legal structures to facilitate this transition would not only help to improve the worker’s happiness and wellbeing but also improve the health of society as a whole. Japan has a rather bleak future due to the low fertility rate, perhaps this kind of future could be avoided with more generous legislation.

Conclusion: Definitely should pursue a career and definitely fulfill the traditional family role also. The government should help make both objectives possible.

Do you think that technological advancement has brought more harm than good? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

What technologies did you use to help you in your studies? Describe how it has helped you. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

With the latest technological advancements, dating is now possible online. Would you recommend online dating for your single friends? What are the advantages and disadvantages of online dating? Site some examples to support your answer.

In the developed world, technological progress is increasing. What problems will this cause for individuals and society? Suggest some measures that could be taken to reduce the impact of radical technological advancements.

At the present time, artificial intelligence of some technologies is advancing rapidly, especially in the driving sector. Do the advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages?

Films and computer games which contain violence are very popular. Some people believe they have a negative effect on society and so should be banned. Other people, however, say they are just harmless and help people to relax. Discuss both these points of view and give your own opinion. Ideas for body paragraph 1

Some people believe they have a negative effect on society and so should be banned. – No strong scientific study – Present globally but clearly only the US has issues regarding gun violence. – Banning usually has the direct opposite of its intentions

…harmless and helps people to relax. – Playing with toy guns never seemed to be a problem, these are a modern interpretation of toy guns – With every new development of a generation the older generation is usually worried… EG This happened with the Beatles, with heavy metal and Us hip hop..

These days, mobile phones and the internet are very important to the ways in which people relate to one another socially. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

Paragraph 1 It is more advantageous to relate socially to others via the phone Possible to give more frequent contact and support Possible to find others similar to you, useful for those with obscure or specialist interests

Paragraph 2 Disadvantages Cyberbullying is becoming a reality Teenagers becoming addicted to phones, even labeled screenagers Phenomenon called Instagram reality which shows the real-life pictures without the filters…

Some people are fond of buying new gadgets, phones, or laptops. Is this a good or bad thing? Discuss your opinion.

I can write it’s an entirely bad thing, or I can write it’s an entirely good thing. 

Ideas for body paragraph 1 – Good: New tech, drive innovation, tech development, job creation etc. – Example: new investment in tech to stay competitive – Sony – manufactures a new chip plant in Korea for PlayStation 5. 

Ideas for body paragraph 2 – Bad: C onsumerism, waste, unnecessary, planned obsolescence – Example: Research showed searches for the phrase “slow iPhone” peaked a few weeks before the launch of new iPhone models. This is an extremely worrying development because people might be manipulated into buying new gadgets and finding exaggerated happiness in their new products. 

Conclusion – Pros and cons: I think in the past it was fantastic, nowadays with the environment in such a dire state consumerism needs to be upgraded somehow.

Some parents think it is good to have mobile phones for their children, others disagree with it. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. Ideas for body paragraph 1

– Agree: Good idea because can stay in contact with parents, is safer, and can be used for better enriching a child’s life. – Example: algebra app, language learning app, … recent studies showed students learned 26% faster when using the IELTS Podcast Android app.

– Phones are bad: Undoubtedly bad detrimental. Teenagers are quickly and swiftly becoming screenagers, missing out on physical interactions and games. – Social media has a negative impact on confidence and contributes to cyberbullying… and other trends such as Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD). For example ….

Topic and answer: health

Many doctors say that people in today’s world do not do enough physical exercise. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions are there to this problem?

Cause of not doing enough physical exercise – Joke: no natural predators nowadays, nature would have solved this problem,… in the past wild animals would have eliminated those out of shape…. JOKE – Sedentary lifestyle in the office – Lack of time for sport in a lot of modern lifestyles (40 hours/week + commuting etc)

What solutions are there to this problem? – Media campaigns by the government – Tax or financial incentives EG In Tokyo ……

Topic and answer: society

Weddings are more expensive in many countries nowadays when compared to the past. What is the reason behind this? Is this a positive or a negative development?

Paragraph 1 The reason behind this is probably social media Vapid attempts at self-promotion and “keeping up with the joneses”. Now it can be really publicised Ideas here need to be organised a little before starting the essay.

Paragraph 2 Definitely a negative development Although it’s a memorable day and should be cherished – the fact is, large amounts of cash are being spent, Most families have a considerable financial mountain ahead – babies, mortgage, etc

Nowadays consumer goods have become the most important part of people’s lives. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?

Ideas for body paragraph 1 – Advantage:  Understandable – a car – can be the most important if you need it for work, family, etc Advantages are mobility, freedom, independence…  

Ideas for body paragraph 2 – Disadvantage:  When you fawn over a new product, it has been said the product owns you rather than you owning the product. For example: with an expensive phone, you are constantly worried about the screen smashing, or leaving it on a table, or in a taxi — the worry associated can be stressful. 

Conclusion –  Although it is understandable they are vital components of modern life, it must not be forgotten , that our lives are so much more than consumer durables.

Some people believe that if people are allowed to work after the age of 60, it will cause some problems. Do you agree or disagree? Ideas for body paragraph 1

– Yes:  lots of problems, – Sight, attention, technology gap, especially machinery… blue-collar work… – In some countries, senior citizens are required by law to retake their driving exam….

– Disagree: The elderly can be better qualified at the job, have more life experience, more insight, and more wisdom… – Pension burden if not allowed to work after 60. For example: most Western countries have a serious demographic deficit of an aging workforce . A country simply cannot prosper if all its wealth goes towards a pension.

Conclusion – For some sectors, it should be illegal, or at least the worker should be medically tested, but for other jobs, especially white-collar work, it should be okay.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are the main topics of writing task 2.

Think about question types rather than topics – advantages/disadvantages, discuss both sides (and sometimes give your view), opinion essay or agree/disagree, causes/problem/solution/result essays, and two-part essays. Practice all those with common topics to be confident in IELTS.

What are the most common topics in IELTS writing Task 2?

There are many examples to look at and it’s great to do practice tests. In general, common topics are related to work, education, social issues (citizenship, the elderly, government support, healthcare, transportation), technology, globalization, and the environment. Start with those!

How do you get 8 in writing Task 2?

Make sure your essay answer is well organized into paragraphs with a clear introduction and conclusion, topic sentences, and supporting arguments. You must use formal language, fully address the task and make hardly any grammar or word choice errors.

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• Academic practice
• General practice
• Task 1 Academic
• Task 1 General
• Task 2 (essay)

Essay samples with tips and answers

Sample 1 ("Violence in media") Presenting opinion

Sample 2 ("Working students") Suggesting a solution

Sample 3 ("Death penalty") Pros & cons

Sample 4 ("Loss of bio-diversity") Cause/solution

Sample 5 ("Obesity") Causes and effects

Sample 6 ("Salary vs. job satisfaction") Agree/disagree

Sample 7 ("Sedentary lifestyle") Problem/solution

More IELTS Writing task 2 questions >

IELTS Writing task 2 - Essay

Here you can find all the essential information about IELTS Writing essay .

IELTS Writing task 2 (or IELTS essay ) is the same task for Academic and General IELTS . You will be presented with a specific topic and asked to write an 250-word essay about it. You should normally spend 40 minutes on IELTS Writing task 2.

On this page you will see :

IELTS Writing task 2 question sample

• Types of IELTS essay questions
• How to answer these questions
• More IELTS Writing task 2 questions and answers

You can get a lot of different topics for your IELTS Writing task 2. You can be asked to give your opinion, to state solutions to some problem, to describe advantages and disadvantages of something and so on.

Here's an example of how your IELTS Writing task 2 may look like :

Immigration has a major impact on the society.

What are the main reasons of immigration? To what consequences can it lead?

Write at least 250 words.

You can find the band-9 answer here >

More IELTS Writing task 2 questions & topics >

How to write IELTS Essay?

1) Determine your opinion on the topic

• Giving your opinion
• Agree/disagree
• Suggesting a solution
• Pros and cons

Depending on the topic, decide what is your opinion on it and why. Have a clear position, don't hesitate between two opinions! Then find examples you will use for this task. You should spend a few minutes on planning.

2) Write an answer using the following structure:

Note that this description is very general. To learn more specific answering strategies, look at the different question types .

3) Style your essay

Use various words and structures , linking devices and avoid repetition.

Use some words from academic word list .

Do not use informal style and avoid irrelevant information, you will receive less points for your work.

Also, don't forget to write at least 250 words, writing less will affect your mark negatively. You should aim at 260-280 words. You won’t get more points for a longer essay.

Other things that might affect your mark:

• Fluency : if your handwriting is not illegible for the examiner and he/she can’t read it properly, you are likely to lose points.
• Unoriginal answer : if you learnt a topic by heart and wrote it, you might get a low score for your essay. IELTS examiner assesses only your own thoughts and opinions.
• Limited answer : if you only answer half of the question and don’t expand your opinion, you will not get more than a band score 5 for the task.
• Information about IELTS Writing test
• Top 10 IELTS Writing tips
• Writing vocabulary

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IELTS Essay Questions for 2022: Top IELTS Writing Topics for Preparation

The IELTS writing section is neither tough or easy. It all depends upon your practice of writing essays. If you master the writing part, you can easily score a good IELTS score. In this article, we have listed the most common IELTS essay questions for the 2022 IELTS exam. Take 1-2 topics a day to get better in the writing section. Now, let’s get started.

IELTS Essay Questions for 2022

Below you will find sets of IELTS essay topics for 2022 IELTS preparation:

IELTS Essay Questions for 2022 Set 1

It is not necessary for people to travel to another place to learn about the culture. We can learn as much from books, films, and the Internet. To what extent do you agree or disagree? As mass communication and transport continue to grow, societies are becoming more and more alike leading to a phenomenon known as globalisation. Some people fear that globalisation will inevitably lead to the total loss of cultural identity. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? The government should control the amount of violence in films and on television in order to decrease violent crimes in society. To what extent do you agree or disagree? In some countries, young people are not only richer but also safer and healthier than ever before. However, they are often less happy and more agitated in actions and behaviours. What do you think are the reasons for this and what can be done to help?

Also Read: IELTS Writing Task 2 Samples: Exam Questions & Answers to Target Minimum Band 8

IELTS Essay Questions for 2022 Set 2

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems. Discuss both views and give your opinion. In some countries, more and more people are becoming interested in finding out about the history of the house or building they live in. Give a reason and how people can research it. Some people say that men are naturally more competitive than women, while others believe that there is no difference in the competitiveness of men and women. Discuss both points of view and give your opinion. Some people argue that globalisation has been a great benefit to people around the world, while others believe that it is the cause of many of the problems we see today. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience. Write at least 250 words.

IELTS Essay Questions for 2022 Set 3

Students perform better in school when they are rewarded rather than punished. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Discuss both views and give your own opinion. It is becoming increasingly popular for school leavers to take a year off (a gap year) before going to university. Do the advantages of this outweigh any disadvantages? Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation such as an unsatisfactory job for the shortage of money others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations discuss both these views and give your own opinion Being a celebrity, such as a famous film star or sports personality, brings problems as well as benefits. Do you think that being a celebrity brings more benefits or more problems? It is often said that we live today in a “throwaway society” in which people buy things and soon after throw them away. What are the causes of the “throwaway society”? What problems could the “throwaway society” create?

IELTS Essay Questions for 2022 Set 4

Development in technology has brought various environmental problems. Some believe that people need to live simpler lives to solve environmental issues. Others, however, believe technology is the best way to solve these problems. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Some countries are considering imposing curfews in which teenagers will not be allowed outdoors at night unless they are accompanied by an adult. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this policy In the past, lectures were the traditional method of teaching large numbers of students in a classroom. Nowadays new technology is increasingly being used to teach students. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this new approach in teaching? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge. Some people believe that women should play an equal role as men in a country’s police force or military force, while others think women are suitable for these kinds of jobs. Discuss both views and give your own opinion?

Also Read: IELTS Essay Topics 2021: Best Essay Writing Topics for IELTS Task 2

IELTS Essay Questions for 2022 Set 5

Lack of fresh water is becoming a global issue of increasing importance. What problems does this shortage cause? What measures could be taken to overcome these problems? Some people think that in this modern world people are getting dependent each other, while others think that this world makes them more independent of each other Discuss both views and give your own opinion Some people claim that the government should provide free healthcare. Others think that the government will not provide the most innovative methods of treatment and it’s better to invest those funds in education and culture. What is your opinion? The world of work is changing rapidly. Working conditions today are not the same as before and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible causes for these changes and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for work in the future

We hope this post has been helpful in your IELTS preparation. If you take 1-2 topics from this post and practice daily, you will most likely score a higher band in this section.

By stepping onto the right platform, the dream can become a reality. The IELTS Ninja webpage is the best option for you because the specialists will help and guide you tremendously in all aspects of the IELTS exam.

Also Read: Does the IELTS Essay Question Repeat? Here’s all about the IELTS Writing Task 2

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Madhurjya Chowdhury, a web content writer in Ufaber EduTech has a very strong passion for writing and alluring the readers. You can find him writing articles for the betterment of exam aspirants and children. With immense interest in research-based content writing and copywriting, he likes to reach out to more and more people with his creative writing style. On the other side, he is an Electronics and Communication Engineer from LPU, Jalandhar. In his leisure time, he likes to play badminton or read about space discoveries. Apart from this, he is a pro gamer on PC, PS and Mobile gaming platforms.

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IELTS Essay Questions

IELTS essay questions based on types of essays in IELTS for writing task 2.

It is essential to understand the structure you need to follow while writing an essay. Read model answers

Essay Links:      Discussion essays       Agree Disagree Essays       Problem Solution Essays       Advantage Disadvantage Essays       Opinion Essays       Positive or negative development essays       Direct question essays    

Discussion essay questions.

Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information, such as their hobbies and interests, and whether they are married or single. Some people say that this information may be relevant and useful. Others disagree. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part in organised group activities in their free time. Others say that it is important for children to learn how to occupy themselves on their own. Discuss these views and give your own opinion. Model answer By Prema Australia

Some people say that now we can see films on our phones or tablets there is no need to go to the cinema. Others say that to be fully enjoyed, films need to be seen in a cinema, Discuss both views and given your own opinion. Model answer .

Some people think it is better to impose a tax on companies which produce pollution while others think that there are other solutions. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Model Answer .

Some people say History is one of the most important school subjects. Other people think that, in today’s world, subjects like Science and Technology are more important than History. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation, such as an unsatisfactory job or shortage of money. Others argue that it is better to try and improve such situations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people believe that it is good to share as much information as possible in scientific research, business and the academic world. Others believe that some information is too important or to valuable to be shared freely. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

In a number of countries, some people think it is necessary to spend large sums of money on constructing new railway lines for very fast trains between cities. Others believe the money should be spend on improving existing public transport. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices on everyday matters (such as food, clothes and entertainment) is likely to result in a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes. Other people believe that it is important for children to make decisions about matters that affect them. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people say that the only reason for learning a foreign language is in order to travel to or work in foreign country. Others say that these are not the only reasons why someone should learn a foreign language. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Many governments think that economic progress is their most important goal. Some people, however, think that other types of progress are equally important for a country. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people think that all university students should study whatever they like. Others believe that they should only be allowed to study subjects that will be useful in the future, such as those related to science and technology. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. 

Some people say that the best way to improve public health is by increasing the number of sports facilities. Others, however, say that this would have little effect on public health and that other measures are required. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people think that the teenage years are the happiest time of most people’s lives. Others think that adult life brings more happiness, in spite of greater responsibilities. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people think that parents should teach children how to be good members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the place to learn this. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people think that it is better to educate boys and girls in separate schools. Others, however, believe that boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and others are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people believe that there should be fixed punishments for each type of crime. Others, however, argue that the circumstances of an individual crime, and the motivation for committing it, should always be taken into account when deciding on the punishment. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal of more money than people in other important professions. Some people think this is fully justified while others think it is unfair. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people believe that visitors to other countries should follow local customs and behaviour. Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome cultural differences. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. 

Some people prefer to spend their lives doing the same things and avoiding change. Others, however, think that change is always a good thing. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Some people work for the same organisation all their working life. Others think that it is better to work for different organisations. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Sugar is harmful to the body. Some people say that the government is responsible for limiting the amount of sugar from people’s food. Others think that individuals should take responsibility for limiting the sugar they take. Discuss both views and give your opinion.( 10 April 2020 IDP )

Some people say that modern technology has made shopping today easier, while others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Model Answer

Some people think that climate change reforms will negatively effect businesses. Other feel it is an opportunity for them. Discuss both views and give your opinion. Model Answer

Agree disagree essay questions

Some people say that in all levels of education, from primary schools to universities, too much time is spent on learning facts and not enough on learning practical skills. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people say that it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothes. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people believe that governments should not provide international aid when they have unemployment and homelessness in their country. Do you agree or disagree? Model Answer .

Some people think that having a set retirement age(e.g 65 years) for everybody, regardless of occupation, is unfair. They believe that certain workers deserve to retire and receive a pension at an earlier age. Do you agree or disagree? Which types of workers do you think should benefit from early retirement?

Rising university fees and scarce employment prospects for graduates have led some people to say that universities should not teach arts subjects, like philosophy and history, and only offer practical degree courses that maximise chances of employment. Do you agree or disagree?

Living in a country where you have to speak a foreign language can cause serious social problems, as well as practical problems. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? 

Some people believe that nowadays we have too many choices.Do you agree or disagree with this statement?  

Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Governments should spend money on railways rather than roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

It is important for children to learn the difference between right and wrong at an early age. Punishment is necessary to help them learn this distinction. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? What sort of punishment should parents and teachers be allowed to use to teach good behaviour to children?

Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children). To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Every year several languages die out. Some people think that this is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic or pollution problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree? What other measures do you think might be effective?

Some people feel that entertainers (e.g film starts, pop musicians or sports stars) are paid too much money. Do you agree or disagree? Which other types of job should be highly paid? 

Today, the high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of society  in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Creative artists should always be given the freedom to express their own ideas (in words, pictures, music or film) in whichever way they wish. There should be no government restriction on what they do. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Popular events like the football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easing international tensions and releasing patriotic emotions in a safe way. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them alive. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people believe that children’s leisure activities must be educational, otherwise they are complete waste of time. Do you agree or disagree?

Fatherhood ought to be emphasised as much as motherhood. The idea that women are solely responsible for deciding whether or not to have babies leads on to the idea that they are also responsible for bringing the children up. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Out of country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventive measures. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Without capital punishment (the death penalty) our lives are less secure and crimes of violence increase. Capital punishment is essential to control violence in society. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The position of women in society has changed markedly in the last twenty years. Many of the problems young people now experience, such as juvenile delinquency, arise from the fact that many married women now work and are not at home to care for their children. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

In some countries, an increasing number of people are suffering from health problems as a result of eating too much fast food. It is therefore necessary for governments to impose higher tax on this kind of food. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The continued rise in the world’s population is the greatest problem faced by the humanity at the present time. What are the causes of this continued rise? Do you agree that it is the greatest problem faced by humanity?

It is sometimes said that people should be encouraged to get married before they are 30, as this is best both for the individual and society. Do you agree or disagree?

The excessive use of television, mobiles and computers is inhibiting the development of children, which is proved by recent researches. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Eating a healthy diet is the most important step towards living a disease free life. Do you agree or disagree?

In the future, more people will choose to go on holiday in their own country and not travel abroad on holiday. Do you agree or disagree?

Some people believe that their family members will always be more important than their friends. Do you agree or disagree? (31 October 2020 IDP)

The education of young people is highly prioritised in many countries. However, educating adults who cannot write or read is even more important, and the government should spend more money on this. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Model Answer

Problem solution essay questions

Many working people get little or no exercise either during the working day or in their free time, and have health problems as a result. Why do many working people not get enough exercise? What can be done about this problem?

In spite of the advances made in agriculture, many people around the world still go hungry. Why is this the case? What can be done about this problem?

In some countries, the average weight of people is increasing and their levels of health and fitness are decreasing. What do you think are the causes of these problems and what measures could be taken to solve them?

Nowadays we are producing more and more rubbish. Why do you think this is happening? What can government do to help reduce the amount rubbish produced?

In many countries, schools have severe problems with student behaviour. What do you think are the causes of this? What solutions can you suggest?

It is generally accepted that families are not as close as they used to be. Give some reasons why this has happened and suggest how families could be brought closer together.

Car ownership has increased so rapidly over the past thirty years that many cities in the world are now ‘one big traffic jam’. How true do you think this statement is? what measure can governments take to discourage people from using their cars? 

Some people get into debt by buying things they do not need and cannot afford. What are the reasons for this behaviour? What action can be taken to prevent people from having this problem?

Nowadays many people complain that they have difficulties getting enough sleep. What problems can lack of sleep cause? What can be done about lack of sleep?

Some people believe that it is impossible to live a comfortable life in big cities. What problems do people face in big cities? What solutions can solve these problems?  (21 November 2020 IDP)

The demand for fresh water is increasing, but its level is decreasing in many countries. What are the causes of this problem? How the government and individuals can solve it? (15 January 2022 IDP) Model Answer

Some old people think that retirement life is happier, but it is not as happy as imagined when they retire. What are the reasons for this? Suggest some solutions. Model Answer

Advantage disadvantage essay questions

Today more and more tourists are visiting places where conditions are difficult, such as the Sahara desert or the Antarctic. What are the advantages and disadvantages for tourists who visit such places?

Many young people regularly change their jobs over the years. What are the reasons for this? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Model Answer.

Solar energy is becoming more and more popular as a source of household energy in many countries around the world. Why is this? What are the advantages and disadvantages of solar energy?

Nowadays many people choose to be self-employed, rather than to work for a company or organisation. Why might this be the case? What could be the disadvantages of being self-employed?

At the present time, the population of some countries includes a relatively large number of young adults, compared with the number of older people. Do advantages of this situation outweigh the disadvantages?

Many museum charge for admission while others are free. Do you think the advantages of charging people for admission to museum outweigh the disadvantages?

Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with. What are the advantages and disadvantages for the child of having a large number of toys?

Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school rather than secondary school. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantage?

Being a celebrity- such as a famous film start or sports personality- brings problems as well as benefits. Do you think that being a celebrity brings more benefits or more problems?

Some people prefer to live in a house, while others feel that there are more advantages to living in an apartment. Are there more advantages than disadvantages of living in a house compared with living in an apartment?

In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.

One of the consequences of improved medical care is that people are living longer and life expectancy is increasing. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? 

Nowadays technology is increasingly being used to monitor what people are saying and doing (for example, through cellphone tracking and security cameras). In many cases, the people being monitored are unaware that this is happening. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?

In the past, when students did a university degree, they tended to study in their own country. Nowadays, they have more opportunities to study abroad. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this development?

The ownership of private vehicles is increasing day by day. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this development.

In many countries, paying for things using mobile phone apps is becoming increasingly common. Does this development have more advantages or more disadvantages? 

Due to increasing world demands for oil and gas energy, people need to look for new sources of energy in remote and untouched natural places. Do the advantages of locating these sources outweigh the disadvantages of damaging such places? (12 December 2020 IDP Academic)

Opinion essays questions

News stories on TV and in newspapers are very often accompanied by pictures. Some people say that these pictures are more effective than words. What is your opinion about this?

In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside. Some people believe it is more important to protect the countryside and not build new homes there. What is your opinion about this?

In some areas of the US, a ‘curfew’ is imposed, in which teenagers are not allowed to be out of doors after a particular time at night unless they are accompanied by an adult. What is your opinion about this?

Some people say it is important to keep your home and your workplace tidy, with everything organised and in the correct place. What is your opinion about this?

Learning English at school is often seen as more important than learning local languages. If these are not taught, many are at risk of dying out. In your opinion, is it important for everyone to learn English? Should we try to ensure the survival of local languages and, if so, how?

It is generally accepted that exercise is good for children and teenagers. Therefore, physical education and sports should be compulsory for all students in all schools. What do you think? 

Some people claim that not enough of the waste from homes is recycled. They say that the only way to increase recycling is for governments to make it a legal requirement. Do you think laws are needed to make people recycle more of their waste?

Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer.  What, in your opinion, should be the main function of a university?

In many countries, children are engaged in some kind of paid work. Some people regard this as completely wrong, while others consider it as valuable work experience, important for learning and taking responsibility. What are your opinions on this?

In some cities, historical buildings are destroyed to create space for new homes. What is your opinion about this? ( 17 September 2020 B.C. )

In many countries today, crime novels and TV crime dramas are becoming more and more popular. Why do you think these books and TV shows are popular? What is your opinion of crime fiction and TV crime dramas. 

Positive or negative development essays questions

In recent years, many small local shops have closed because customers travel to large shopping malls to do their shopping. Is this a positive or a negative development? Model Answer.

Most people accept that we now live in a globalised world but not everyone agree that this is beneficial. Is globalisation a positive or negative development. Model Answer .

Countries are becoming more and more similar because people are able to buy the same products anywhere in the world. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology. In what way has technology affected the type of relationships people make? Has this become a positive or negative development? 

In many countries, people decide to leave their parent’s homes once they finish school. They start living on their own or sharing a home with friends. Is this a negative or positive development?  Model Answer .

Direct question essays

In many countries, the amount of crime is increasing. What do you think are the main causes of crime? How can we deal with those causes? Model Answer

Today more people are travelling than ever before. Why is this the case? What are the benefits of travelling for the traveller?

As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual well-being. What factors contribute to job satisfaction? How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?

Research indicates that the characteristics we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any experiences we may have in our life. Which do you consider to be major influence?

Some people believe that children are given too much free time. They feel that this time should be used to do more school work. How do you think children should spend their free time?

Happiness is considered very important in life. Why it is difficult to define? What factors are important in achieving happiness?

Millions of people every year move to English-speaking countries such as Australia, Britain or America, in order to study at school, college or university. Why do so many people want to study in English? Why English such an important international language?

Should wealthy nations be required to share their wealth among poorer nations by providing such things as food and education? Or is it the responsibility of the governments of poorer nations to look after their citizens themselves?

We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in business, hospitals crime detection and even to fly planes. What things will  they be used in the future? Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?

Many people like to wear fashionable clothes. Why do you think this is the case? Is this a good thing or a bad thing?

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IELTS Writing Practice Tests

Practice makes perfect when it comes to IELTS Writing. Luckily, we have a huge selection of IELTS Writing practice questions for you on this site.

There are two tasks in the Writing section of IELTS: Task 1 requires you to write 150 words describing a diagram or set of data; Task 2 is a discursive essay of 250 words. You must complete both tasks in one hour and you will be give a score of 0-9 on these four attributes: Task Achievement, Coherence and Cohesion, Grammar, and Vocabulary.

Each of these IELTS writing practice questions comes with a Band 8 or 9 model answer and my explanation of how it achieves that score. Time to get started!

Full list of IELTS Writing practice questions and sample answers

Ielts writing task 1: process.

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IELTS Writing Task 1: Line Graph

Ielts writing task 1: bar chart, ielts writing task 1: diagram, ielts writing task 1: cycle, ielts writing task 1: process (extra hard), ielts writing task 1: map, ielts writing task 1: natural process, ielts writing task 1: table, ielts writing task 2: opinion essay, ielts writing task 2: argument essay, ielts writing task 2: problem/solution essay, ielts writing task 2: two-part question, ielts writing task 2: discuss both views, ielts writing task 2: positive or negative, download a practice version of the ielts writing answer sheet.

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• IELTS Essay

How to Write an IELTS Essay

In this introductory lesson you will find some guidance on how you should write an  IELTS essay .

There are then more lessons on the following pages for different types of essay and different questions, with lots of tips and strategies for achieving a high score. 

You can also watch a video of this lesson:

Essay Types

It is important to learn about IELTS essays because there are different essay types, and these will require different ways to answer them.

However, as you will see from the guidance on this page, they can all follow the same basic structure.

These are some of the types of IELTS essays you can get in the test: 

• Agree / disagree
• Discuss two opinions
• Advantages & disadvantages
• Causes (reasons) & solutions
• Causes (reasons) & effects
• Problems & solutions

Not every essay will fit one of these patterns, but many do.

You may get some of these tasks mixed up. For example, you could be asked to give your opinion on an issue, and then discuss the advantages or disadvantages of it.

The golden rule is to  ALWAYS read the question very carefully  to see exactly what you are being asked to do.

The second lesson explains more about analysing essay questions. 

How do I Write an IELTS Essay?

In order to answer this, lets first look at a sample question:

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

In the last 20 years there have been significant developments in the field of information technology (IT), for example the World Wide Web and communication by email. However, these developments in IT are likely to have more negative effects than positive in the future.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own experience or knowledge.

Write at least 250 words.

An IELTS essay is structured like any other essay; you just need to make it shorter. There are three key elements:

• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs

We will look at each of these in turn, using the essay question above as an example.

1) Introduction

You should keep your introduction for the IELTS essay short. Remember you only have 40 minutes to write the essay, and some of this time needs to be spent planning. Therefore, you need to be able to write your introduction fairly quickly so you can start writing your body paragraphs.

You should do just two things:

• State the topic of the essay, using some basic facts (that you may be able to take from the question)
• Say what you are going to write about

Here is an example introduction for the above essay question about IT:

The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people's lives are affected by IT, with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, I strongly believe that these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.

As you can see, the first sentence makes sure it refers to the topic (IT) and uses facts about IT taken from the question. Note that these are paraphrased - you must not copy from the rubric!

The second part then clearly sets out the what the essay will be about and confirms the writers opinion (some questions may not ask for your opinion, but this one does). The writer clearly agrees as he/she thinks there will be more negative impacts.

View this lesson for more advice on writing IELTS essay introductions.

2) Body Paragraphs

For an IELTS essay, you should have 2 or 3 body paragraphs - no more, and no less.

For your body paragraph, each paragraph should contain one controlling idea, and have sentences to support this.

Lets look at the first paragraph for the essay about IT. The essay is about the benefits and drawbacks of IT, so these will need to be discussed in separate paragraphs.

Here is the first body paragraph:

On the positive side, email has made communication, especially abroad, much simpler and faster. This has resulted in numerous benefits for commerce and business as there is no need to wait weeks for letters or take time sending faxes, which was the case in the past. Furthermore, the World Wide Web means that information on every conceivable subject is now available to us. For example, people can access news, medical advice, online education courses and much more via the internet.  These developments have made life far easier and more convenient for many.

The controlling idea in this first paragraph is the 'benefits of IT', and there are two supporting ideas, which are underlined. No drawbacks are discussed as the paragraph would then lose coherence.

Most of the essay will focus on the negative aspects of IT, as the writer says there are more negative effects in the introduction. So the next two paragraphs are about these.

The topic sentence in the next paragraph therefore tells us we are changing the focus to the negative points:

Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people's basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.

The final body paragraph gives the last negative effect:

In addition, the large size of the Web has meant that it is nearly impossible to regulate and control. This has led to many concerns regarding children accessing unsuitable websites and the spread of computer viruses. Unfortunately, this kind of problem might even get worse in the future at least until more regulated systems are set up.

3) Conclusion

The conclusion only needs to be one or two sentences, and you can do the following:

• Re-state what the essay is about (re-write the last sentence of your introduction in different words)
• Give some thoughts about the future

Here is an example:

In conclusion, developments in IT have brought many benefits, yet I believe that these are outweighed by the drawbacks. In the future these will need to be addressed if we are to avoid damaging impacts on individuals and society.

The Full IELTS Essay

The last two decades have seen enormous changes in the way people's lives are affected by IT, with many advances in this field. However, while these technological advances have brought many benefits to the world, I strongly believe that these developments in IT will result in more negative impacts than positive.

Nevertheless, the effects of this new technology have not all been beneficial. For example, many people feel that the widespread use of email is destroying traditional forms of communication such as letter writing, telephone and face-to-face conversation. This could result in a decline in people's basic ability to socialize and interact with each other on a day-to-day basis.

(290 Words)

The IELTS essay introduction talks in general about the increasing use of IT, thus introducing the topic well. The thesis then clearly sets out the writers opinion.

The following paragraph mentions the present benefits of these developments, but the opening sentence in the third paragraph is a qualifying statement (Nevertheless, not all the effects... ), so the writer can now focus on the negative elements.

The fourth paragraph provides two other negative examples (lack of regulation, viruses). Both paragraphs suggest that these problems will continue in the future.

The essay concludes with a clear opinion that agrees with the statement.

Overall, it is a well-balanced text that mentions the present situation ( ...this has made life.. .) but importantly, also refers to the future of IT (. ..likely to increase..., might get worse. ..).

Now you know the basics of writing an IELTS Essay, you can go on and look at further sample essays or if you prefer, check out the next lessons for Writing Task 2.

More Task 2 IELTS Lessons:

Using Substitution in IELTS to Improve Writing Coherency

You can use substitution in your IELTS essays in order to improve coherency and coherence.

IELTS Task Response - 25% of your essay grade

The IELTS Task Response criteria in the scoring makes up 25% of your band score for your essay.

Can you use Personal Pronouns in Essays for IELTS?

Learn how to use personal pronouns in essays for IELTS correctly. Can you use "I", "we" and "you"?

IELTS Music Essay: Understanding a Complex Question

An IELTS essay about music is used to show you how to answer a more complex IELTS essay question that does not have a clear 'task' given to you.

The 3 Types of IELTS Opinion Essays in IELTS

IELTS opinion essays in IELTS can be placed into three types. This lesson explains the different types and how to analyse these essay questions.

Requirements for IELTS Band 7 in Writing

Getting to an IELTS Band 7 is a struggle for many candidates. This lesson explains exactly what you have to do to reach this band score.

Writing an IELTS Essay Conclusion

The IELTS essay conclusion is the final part of your IELTS essay. This lesson guides you on how to write a conclusion quickly but effectively.

Transitional Phrases for Essays

Learn transitional phrases for essays to get a band 7 or higher in your IELTS writing for coherence and cohesion.

Writing an IELTS Essay Introduction

Tips on how to write an introduction for an IELTS essay introduction in a quick and easy way.

Using Pronouns to Improve IELTS Essay Coherency

Find out how to use pronouns to improve your coherency for IELTS task 2 essays.

Tips on How to Score IELTS Band 8 in Writing and Speaking

To score IELTS Band 8 you need to understand exactly what is in the IELTS Band Descriptors for an 8 for writing and speaking first.

How to use brainstorming and planning to generate essay ideas.

Brainstorming and planning is a key step in developing your IELTS essay. This lesson has tips on how to coming up with ideas and organising them.

Thesis Statement Tips for IELTS Essays

Your thesis statement in an IELTS essay should be written quickly and concisely. Use these tips to do that.

How to Identify the Topic of an IELTS Essay Question

In IELTS you must identify the topic of your essay as this is a key to making sure your essay is on topic.

IELTS Problem Solution Essay Strategies and Tips

In IELTS problem solution essays you have to discuss a particular issue and present ideas to solve that problem.

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2

Generating ideas for IELTS essays for writing task 2 can be difficult but complex ideas are not expected.

How to Identify the Task in an IELTS Essay

Learn how to identify the task in an IELTS task 2 essay question. This is one of the most important steps in responding to an essay question.

Improving Writing Coherence for IELTS essays

25% of the writing grade is on how you organise your essay so this lesson shows you how to improve your writing coherence.

IELTS Advantage Disadvantage Essay Tips and Strategies

An advantage disadvantage essay is one type of essay that you may get in the test. This lesson shows how to write a pros cons essay.

Paragraph Writing for IELTS: Building strong arguments

This paragraph writing lesson provides tips on constructing the best paragraphs for your IELTS essay.

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8+ IELTS Essay Topics for IELTS with Answers, Writing Task 2 Samples

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The IELTS writing section is one of the essential components of the IELTS exam as it evaluates your ability to express yourself effectively in written English.

Consisting of two tasks, Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2 , this section aims to measure your skills in presenting information and opinions, as well as your capacity to organise and articulate ideas coherently.

As a result, it's important to know the most common essay topics for IELTS that are likely to come up.

In this guide, we will discuss the latest IELTS essay topics for 2024 and give you some tips on how to approach them.

Table of Contents

Ielts writing task 2 for academic, 1. opinion essays, 2. discussion essays, 3. solution essays, 4. advantage or disadvantage essays, 5. direct question essays, 1. education, 2. technology, 3. environment, what are the topics for ielts writing, what is the most important essay for ielts, what are the common essay topics for ielts task 2, can i write 400 words in an ielts essay, is 7.0 a good ielts writing score, what happens if i don't write 250 words in ielts, what are the 3 essay types in ielts writing.

These topics are often repeated in IELTS exams , so make sure you are prepared for them!

Read also: IELTS tips and tricks to score high

IELTS Writing Task 2 for Academic assesses your ability to present and support an argument or opinion on a specific topic related to academic subjects or general issues. 

It consists of 2 tasks:

• IELTS Writing Task 1: It assesses your ability to interpret and describe visual information accurately. In this task, you are presented with a graph, chart, table, diagram, or process, and are required to write a short report summarising the information presented.
• IELTS Writing Task 2 : It assesses your ability to present and support an argument or opinion on a specific topic related to academic subjects or general issues. It requires you to express ideas coherently, use relevant examples, and maintain a well-structured essay format.

Types of IELTS essays

IELTS essays are divided into 5 main categories. These are:

Opinion essays require you to express your viewpoint on a given topic. You need to clearly state whether you agree or disagree with a statement and support your opinion with relevant arguments and examples.

“You say if you agree or disagree, back it up with good reasons.”

Sample IELTS essay writing topics:

• In your opinion, should the government invest more in space exploration or environmental conservation?
• Do you believe that social media has a positive impact on mental health?
• Some people argue that zoos are essential for animal conservation. What is your opinion on this matter?
• Is it better to raise children in a single-parent family or a two-parent family? Give reasons for your opinion.
• In your opinion, should school uniforms be mandatory for all students?
• Do you think that violent video games contribute to aggressive behavior in children?
• Some people believe that professional athletes are overpaid. Do you agree or disagree with this view?

Discussion essays demand a balanced analysis of a topic by exploring both sides of an argument. You need to present the main points for each perspective and provide a thoughtful discussion.

“You need to show both sides of a topic and talk about them fairly.”

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using renewable energy sources over fossil fuels.
• What are the benefits and drawbacks of online education compared to traditional classroom learning?"
• Examine the impact of globalisation on local cultures and traditions.
• Discuss the pros and cons of the growing popularity of online shopping.
• Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city versus living in a rural area.
• Examine the impact of technology on interpersonal communication in today's society.
• Discuss the positive and negative effects of immigration on a country's economy.

Solution essays require you to identify a problem and propose effective solutions to address it. You need to analyse the causes of the issue and present practical remedies.

“You talk about a problem and give practical ideas to fix it.”

• What are the main causes of traffic congestion in urban areas, and what measures can be taken to alleviate it?
• Discuss the steps that can be taken to reduce the use of plastic and promote eco-friendly alternatives.
• Explain how governments can encourage citizens to adopt healthier eating habits and combat obesity.
• What can be done to address the issue of unemployment among young people?
• "Discuss the measures that can be implemented to reduce air pollution in major cities.
• How can governments promote renewable energy adoption and decrease reliance on fossil fuels?
• Explain the steps that individuals can take to reduce their carbon footprint and combat climate change.

Advantage or disadvantage essays involve analyzing the positive and negative aspects of a particular subject or situation.

“You look at the good and bad parts of something.”

• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using artificial intelligence in various industries.
• What are the pros and cons of globalisation on the economies of developing countries?
• Examine the benefits and drawbacks of studying abroad for higher education.
• Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using social media for personal communication.
• What are the positive and negative effects of tourism on local communities and the environment?
• Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using nuclear power as a source of energy.
• Discuss the benefits and drawbacks of the increasing reliance on online banking and digital transactions.

Also read: 12 best books for IELTS exam preparation

Direct question essays consist of several direct questions related to a specific topic. You need to answer these questions comprehensively.

“You answer specific questions about a topic.”

• Should governments invest more in public transportation or road infrastructure? Why?
• Do you believe that the use of animals for scientific research is justified? Why or why not?
• What are the key factors that contribute to job satisfaction? How can job satisfaction be improved?
• Should children be given access to smartphones at a young age? What are the potential consequences?
• Do you think that the death penalty should be abolished worldwide? Why or why not?
• What are the challenges of an ageing population, and how can societies address them?
• Should fast-food advertising be restricted to combat the rise in obesity rates among children? Why?

Also read: List of IELTS vocabulary words

8 Common IELTS Essay Topics

Here are the common IELTS essay topics

• Environment

IELTS essays can cover a wide range of topics, but some topics often appear in the exam. Let's explore The 8 most common IELTS essay topics:

Education is one of the most popular and influential topics for IELTS essays.

Education can take many forms, from formal education in a classroom to informal education through life experiences.

For example, in an essay about education, you could discuss the importance of formal education, the benefits and drawbacks of different types of schooling or teaching methods, or even the impact of technology on education.

Education is a complex and interesting subject. When writing an education-related essay, make sure you research different education systems around the world and provide examples to support your assertions.

Additionally, consider how education can affect different aspects of life, such as economic development or social mobility.

Depending on the question prompt and your personal opinion, you can craft compelling essays that make strong statements about education in general or focus more narrowly on particular aspects, such as technology's role in modern classroom settings.

Additionally, it helps to have a few concrete examples for supporting evidence so that your argument is convincing and well-rounded. Education is a broad topic, but with careful thought, any student can write an essay that impresses the IELTS examiners.

🎥 Watch our IELTS Lessons Playlist on YouTube . Our expert instructor covers all modules: Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking.

Technology is one of the ten common IELTS essay topics and is becoming increasingly relevant in modern society.

Technology-related essays ask you to discuss the potential impact of technological solutions on an issue or analyze how technology has been used for progress in a particular field.

Technology can be used as both a positive and negative force, so it's important to consider both sides when tackling these types of IELTS essays. Be sure to explore various opinions and provide reliable evidence to support your points.

Technology should also be discussed regarding its implications for the future, particularly within the context of global development goals. In any case, keep in mind that technology should always be analyzed with a critical eye and thoughtful insight into its impacts on society.

When writing IELTS essays on technology, always use clear and thoughtful language that considers the future implications of this dynamic force.

By understanding the various facets of technology and approaching essay topics with an open mind, you'll be well-prepared to tackle any tech-related IELTS essay you encounter.

The environment is a popular topic for IELTS essays, and it's no surprise why.

Environment-related issues are growing in importance due to the impacts of climate change, pollution, and resource depletion.

As such, there are various IELTS essay topics that may focus on these issues. Examples include:

• Discussing ways to protect our environment from pollution
• Identifying strategies for reducing waste
• Examining the effects of global warming
• Studying methods of sustainable development
• Exploring how to conserve natural resources
• Investigating approaches to preserving biodiversity
• Analyzing the impact of climate change
• Evaluating renewable energy sources
• Proposing solutions to environmental problems
• Comparing environmental protection strategies in different countries.

It is important to keep up with current events and research related to environmental protection to provide relevant examples when writing your essays.

With the right preparation, you can ensure that your IELTS essay stands out from the crowd!

Work is an important topic in both Work & Study essays, which are commonly seen on IELTS exams.

Work can refer to any job or career someone has chosen to pursue, whether they are paid or unpaid. Work essays typically end with a discussion of future trends related to the topic. It would be best if you explored both sides of this issue before concluding.

Work-related topics that often appear in IELTS essays include globalization and its effect on labour markets, automation and technological advances in the workplace, new forms of employment such as freelancing or gig economy jobs, part-time or flexible working, and the ethical implications of unpaid labour.

Brainstorming different perspectives on these topics is important to develop a well-rounded essay.

Work is an interesting and often contentious topic that many students are passionate about, so it's important to ensure your arguments are clear and persuasive. Work essays require much thought and research to earn a high score on IELTS exams.

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Culture is a popular IELTS essay topic due to its broad scope and complexity.

Culture can include anything from national traditions, customs, lifestyles, artwork, holidays, and cuisine. Culture also reflects a country's history and values, making it an important topic of discussion in the IELTS exam.

Essays on culture may ask you to discuss how culture affects society or how particular cultural aspects have changed over time. In addition, you may be asked about your own cultural experiences or views on certain cultures worldwide.

To prepare for this type of essay, you should research different cultures and be familiar with key elements such as language, religious beliefs, values, and rituals.

Being able to draw examples from various countries will help demonstrate your understanding of the complex nature of culture.

Crime is a popular topic among IELTS essay questions.

Crime involves any behaviour that goes against social norms and laws, such as robbery, theft, murder, assault or even drug trafficking.

Therefore, it is important to consider both sides of an argument when writing about crime; for example, looking at both the benefits and drawbacks of harsher punishments or greater law enforcement.

Crime essay topics may include discussing the causes and effects of crime, how to tackle it, or its impact on society.

Examples of crime essay questions could involve researching the increase in juvenile delinquency, discussing effective strategies to reduce cybercrime, or providing solutions for tackling alcohol-related offences.

It is also important to provide evidence from reliable sources to support your opinion and make a compelling argument. The more informed you are about current issues concerning crime, the better prepared you will be when tackling this question type.

Ensure that your conclusion summarizes your views on crime and provides reasoned arguments that support them.

Related article: IELTS preparation books

Health is a common topic in IELTS essays, as health and well-being are integral parts of our lives.

You might be asked about health services, health care systems, health promotion, or health education. You may also be asked to discuss the causes and effects of public health issues such as obesity.

To answer these questions successfully, you need to understand health policies and current global health trends.

You should also include sound arguments explaining why certain approaches should be used to address health problems. Citing examples from your own experience or research can help strengthen your essay and make it more convincing.

Moreover, if you can provide health-related statistics, this can also help to illustrate the seriousness of health issues.

Health is an important topic in IELTS essays, and by properly researching and understanding health policies and global health trends, you can write effective essays on the subject.

You might also like: Score high on IELTS Speaking Exam

Family is another common IELTS essay topic.

Addressing issues such as nuclear versus extended families, parenting styles, gender roles in the home, or traditional versus modern family dynamics are all valid approaches when writing about this topic.

In any case, make sure you use relevant examples to illustrate your point and develop a logical and well-structured argument.

Family can be explored from different angles, ranging from exploring changes in family structure and values to discussing the roles of parents and children within the family dynamic.

It is also possible to write about how families interact with society or how they have adapted over generations to produce a unique culture.

Another important issue to consider when writing about family is how it has been affected by technological and social advancements. Exploring topics such as technology's impact on family life or how a changing society has led to different expectations of parents can provide interesting insights into the topic of family.

With such a wide range of possibilities, family can make for an interesting and thought-provoking essay topic on the IELTS exam.

The IELTS essays cover a wide range of topics and have been designed to test students' writing abilities.

These above-mentioned topics are the eight most common for IELTS essays, but many other potential topics could come up in your exam.

With practice and commitment, any student can become skilled in writing compelling content for the IELTS exam.

Frequently asked questions

IELTS writing topics cover a wide range of subjects, including education, health, technology, environment, society, work, and more. 

Both Task 1 and Task 2 essays hold importance in IELTS writing. However, Task 2 is often considered more crucial as it contributes more to your overall writing score and requires you to present and support your viewpoint on a relevant topic.

Common IELTS Task 2 essay topics include subjects like climate change, technology's impact, education systems, health, social issues, and cultural diversity.

While there's no strict word limit, it's advisable to aim for around 250 to 300 words for Task 2 essays. Writing excessively, such as 400 words, might lead to less focused and coherent content. It's essential to prioritize clarity and quality over word count.

A writing score of 7.0 in IELTS is generally considered good and reflects a strong level of language proficiency. 

Not meeting the recommended word count of around 250 words in Task 2 essays could potentially lead to a lower score. 

The three main essay types in IELTS writing Task 2 are opinion essays, discussion essays, and solution essays.

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Writing test preparation resources

Now you can see exactly what you need to do to achieve your IELTS writing goals.

We are excited to launch a series of videos to explain the key criteria for how the Writing tests are scored. This will help you achieve your IELTS goals sooner.

Examiners use assessment criteria to award a score for each of the following four criteria:

• Task achievement (for task 1) and task response (for task 2)

Coherence and cohesion

Lexical resource.

• Grammatical range and accuracy.

Each task is assessed independently. The criteria are weighted equally and the score on the task is the average. The assessment of Task 2 carries more weight in marking than Task 1.

Find out more about the key assessment criteria and how examiners assess the Writing section .

Watch the following series about how your IELTS Writing test is marked for useful information to help you prepare.

General introduction to IELTS Writing

Learn about the IELTS Writing test and get an overview of what will be assessed. This video introduces the Writing tasks and marking criteria, which be covered in more detail in the following videos.

Task achievement for Writing task one – Academic

Discover what to cover in your answer to this task. This video includes the selecting and highlighting of key features as well as providing sufficient detail to illustrate these features. It also discusses using an appropriate format, presenting an overview and reporting information accurately.

Coming soon

Task achievement for writing task one – general training.

Find out about the key areas to cover in your letter. This video discusses addressing the bullet points, explaining the purpose of the letter and using an appropriate format and tone.

Task response (Writing task two)

Learn about the key areas to cover in your essay. This video discusses writing in an appropriate format and providing a clear opening and position as well as a logical conclusion. It also emphasizes the importance of including relevant main ideas, which are extended and supported.

Learn how the organisation of your information and ideas is assessed. This video covers paragraphing, logical sequencing within paragraphs, substitution, referencing and linking devices.

Discover how your vocabulary is assessed. This video covers topics such as vocabulary range, precision, appropriacy and accuracy as well as spelling and word formation errors.

Grammatical range and accuracy

Learn how your grammar is assessed. This video covers sentence forms, grammatical errors and punctuation.

Preparation resources

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NPR suspends veteran editor as it grapples with his public criticism

David Folkenflik

NPR suspended senior editor Uri Berliner for five days without pay after he wrote an essay accusing the network of losing the public's trust and appeared on a podcast to explain his argument. Uri Berliner hide caption

NPR suspended senior editor Uri Berliner for five days without pay after he wrote an essay accusing the network of losing the public's trust and appeared on a podcast to explain his argument.

NPR has formally punished Uri Berliner, the senior editor who publicly argued a week ago that the network had "lost America's trust" by approaching news stories with a rigidly progressive mindset.

Berliner's five-day suspension without pay, which began last Friday, has not been previously reported.

Yet the public radio network is grappling in other ways with the fallout from Berliner's essay for the online news site The Free Press . It angered many of his colleagues, led NPR leaders to announce monthly internal reviews of the network's coverage, and gave fresh ammunition to conservative and partisan Republican critics of NPR, including former President Donald Trump.

Conservative activist Christopher Rufo is among those now targeting NPR's new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the network. Among others, those posts include a 2020 tweet that called Trump racist and another that appeared to minimize rioting during social justice protests that year. Maher took the job at NPR last month — her first at a news organization .

In a statement Monday about the messages she had posted, Maher praised the integrity of NPR's journalists and underscored the independence of their reporting.

"In America everyone is entitled to free speech as a private citizen," she said. "What matters is NPR's work and my commitment as its CEO: public service, editorial independence, and the mission to serve all of the American public. NPR is independent, beholden to no party, and without commercial interests."

The network noted that "the CEO is not involved in editorial decisions."

In an interview with me later on Monday, Berliner said the social media posts demonstrated Maher was all but incapable of being the person best poised to direct the organization.

"We're looking for a leader right now who's going to be unifying and bring more people into the tent and have a broader perspective on, sort of, what America is all about," Berliner said. "And this seems to be the opposite of that."

Conservative critics of NPR are now targeting its new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the public radio network last month. Stephen Voss/Stephen Voss hide caption

Conservative critics of NPR are now targeting its new chief executive, Katherine Maher, for messages she posted to social media years before joining the public radio network last month.

He said that he tried repeatedly to make his concerns over NPR's coverage known to news leaders and to Maher's predecessor as chief executive before publishing his essay.

Berliner has singled out coverage of several issues dominating the 2020s for criticism, including trans rights, the Israel-Hamas war and COVID. Berliner says he sees the same problems at other news organizations, but argues NPR, as a mission-driven institution, has a greater obligation to fairness.

"I love NPR and feel it's a national trust," Berliner says. "We have great journalists here. If they shed their opinions and did the great journalism they're capable of, this would be a much more interesting and fulfilling organization for our listeners."

A "final warning"

The circumstances surrounding the interview were singular.

Berliner provided me with a copy of the formal rebuke to review. NPR did not confirm or comment upon his suspension for this article.

In presenting Berliner's suspension Thursday afternoon, the organization told the editor he had failed to secure its approval for outside work for other news outlets, as is required of NPR journalists. It called the letter a "final warning," saying Berliner would be fired if he violated NPR's policy again. Berliner is a dues-paying member of NPR's newsroom union but says he is not appealing the punishment.

The Free Press is a site that has become a haven for journalists who believe that mainstream media outlets have become too liberal. In addition to his essay, Berliner appeared in an episode of its podcast Honestly with Bari Weiss.

A few hours after the essay appeared online, NPR chief business editor Pallavi Gogoi reminded Berliner of the requirement that he secure approval before appearing in outside press, according to a copy of the note provided by Berliner.

In its formal rebuke, NPR did not cite Berliner's appearance on Chris Cuomo's NewsNation program last Tuesday night, for which NPR gave him the green light. (NPR's chief communications officer told Berliner to focus on his own experience and not share proprietary information.) The NPR letter also did not cite his remarks to The New York Times , which ran its article mid-afternoon Thursday, shortly before the reprimand was sent. Berliner says he did not seek approval before talking with the Times .

NPR defends its journalism after senior editor says it has lost the public's trust

Berliner says he did not get permission from NPR to speak with me for this story but that he was not worried about the consequences: "Talking to an NPR journalist and being fired for that would be extraordinary, I think."

Berliner is a member of NPR's business desk, as am I, and he has helped to edit many of my stories. He had no involvement in the preparation of this article and did not see it before it was posted publicly.

In rebuking Berliner, NPR said he had also publicly released proprietary information about audience demographics, which it considers confidential. He said those figures "were essentially marketing material. If they had been really good, they probably would have distributed them and sent them out to the world."

Feelings of anger and betrayal inside the newsroom

His essay and subsequent public remarks stirred deep anger and dismay within NPR. Colleagues contend Berliner cherry-picked examples to fit his arguments and challenge the accuracy of his accounts. They also note he did not seek comment from the journalists involved in the work he cited.

Morning Edition host Michel Martin told me some colleagues at the network share Berliner's concerns that coverage is frequently presented through an ideological or idealistic prism that can alienate listeners.

"The way to address that is through training and mentorship," says Martin, herself a veteran of nearly two decades at the network who has also reported for The Wall Street Journal and ABC News. "It's not by blowing the place up, by trashing your colleagues, in full view of people who don't really care about it anyway."

Several NPR journalists told me they are no longer willing to work with Berliner as they no longer have confidence that he will keep private their internal musings about stories as they work through coverage.

"Newsrooms run on trust," NPR political correspondent Danielle Kurtzleben tweeted last week, without mentioning Berliner by name. "If you violate everyone's trust by going to another outlet and sh--ing on your colleagues (while doing a bad job journalistically, for that matter), I don't know how you do your job now."

Berliner rejected that critique, saying nothing in his essay or subsequent remarks betrayed private observations or arguments about coverage.

Other newsrooms are also grappling with questions over news judgment and confidentiality. On Monday, New York Times Executive Editor Joseph Kahn announced to his staff that the newspaper's inquiry into who leaked internal dissent over a planned episode of its podcast The Daily to another news outlet proved inconclusive. The episode was to focus on a December report on the use of sexual assault as part of the Hamas attack on Israel in October. Audio staffers aired doubts over how well the reporting stood up to scrutiny.

"We work together with trust and collegiality everyday on everything we produce, and I have every expectation that this incident will prove to be a singular exception to an important rule," Kahn wrote to Times staffers.

At NPR, some of Berliner's colleagues have weighed in online against his claim that the network has focused on diversifying its workforce without a concomitant commitment to diversity of viewpoint. Recently retired Chief Executive John Lansing has referred to this pursuit of diversity within NPR's workforce as its " North Star ," a moral imperative and chief business strategy.

In his essay, Berliner tagged the strategy as a failure, citing the drop in NPR's broadcast audiences and its struggle to attract more Black and Latino listeners in particular.

"During most of my tenure here, an open-minded, curious culture prevailed. We were nerdy, but not knee-jerk, activist, or scolding," Berliner writes. "In recent years, however, that has changed."

Berliner writes, "For NPR, which purports to consider all things, it's devastating both for its journalism and its business model."

NPR investigative reporter Chiara Eisner wrote in a comment for this story: "Minorities do not all think the same and do not report the same. Good reporters and editors should know that by now. It's embarrassing to me as a reporter at NPR that a senior editor here missed that point in 2024."

Some colleagues drafted a letter to Maher and NPR's chief news executive, Edith Chapin, seeking greater clarity on NPR's standards for its coverage and the behavior of its journalists — clearly pointed at Berliner.

A plan for "healthy discussion"

On Friday, CEO Maher stood up for the network's mission and the journalism, taking issue with Berliner's critique, though never mentioning him by name. Among her chief issues, she said Berliner's essay offered "a criticism of our people on the basis of who we are."

Berliner took great exception to that, saying she had denigrated him. He said that he supported diversifying NPR's workforce to look more like the U.S. population at large. She did not address that in a subsequent private exchange he shared with me for this story. (An NPR spokesperson declined further comment.)

Late Monday afternoon, Chapin announced to the newsroom that Executive Editor Eva Rodriguez would lead monthly meetings to review coverage.

"Among the questions we'll ask of ourselves each month: Did we capture the diversity of this country — racial, ethnic, religious, economic, political geographic, etc — in all of its complexity and in a way that helped listeners and readers recognize themselves and their communities?" Chapin wrote in the memo. "Did we offer coverage that helped them understand — even if just a bit better — those neighbors with whom they share little in common?"

Berliner said he welcomed the announcement but would withhold judgment until those meetings played out.

In a text for this story, Chapin said such sessions had been discussed since Lansing unified the news and programming divisions under her acting leadership last year.

"Now seemed [the] time to deliver if we were going to do it," Chapin said. "Healthy discussion is something we need more of."

Disclosure: This story was reported and written by NPR Media Correspondent David Folkenflik and edited by Deputy Business Editor Emily Kopp and Managing Editor Gerry Holmes. Under NPR's protocol for reporting on itself, no NPR corporate official or news executive reviewed this story before it was posted publicly.

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