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IELTS Task 2 writing Topics

Below are some of the most common essay topics for the IELTS Writing Task 2 exam.

• Education
• Globalisation
• Equality
• Environment
• Technology
• Travel and transport
• Health
• Law and order
• Language and culture
• Government and society
• Sports and pastimes
Recent Writing Task 2 Questions: July 2023
Some people think the government should support artists like painters, musicians, and poets, while others
believe this wastes money. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
Earlier technology developments brought more benefits and changed the lives of ordinary people more
than recent developments ever will. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Although countries with long average working hours are economically successful, this often has some
negative social consequences. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
These days more and more people are going to other countries for a significant period of time either to
find a job or study. There are clearly many benefits to doing this, but people who live abroad can also face
some difficulties.Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of living and working in a foreign country. Give
reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Nowadays online shopping is extremely popular. Discuss the impact of it on the environment and on
people who lost their jobs because of it.
In some countries the government promotes public transport as the primary means of transportation, and
discourages private vehicle ownership. Do you think the advantages of this policy outweigh the
disadvantages?
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Nowadays, most children prefer to spend several hours playing with electronic devices over doing more
traditional leisure activities.What problem does this cause? What do you think are possible solutions?
It is believed that secondary school children should study international news as one of their school
subjects. Others think that this is a waste of valuable school time. Discuss both views and give your
opinions.
Some people think it’s better to choose friends who always have the same opinions as them. Other people
believe it’s good to have friends who sometimes disagree with them. Discuss both these views and give
your own opinion.
Fast food is a part of life in many places. Some people think this has bad effects on lifestyle and diets. Do
you agree or disagree?
Recent Writing Task 2 Questions: April 2023
Some people encourage watching sports as a way of learning about teamwork and strategy, while others
believe that one can learn these skills only through playing sports. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.
New technologies have changed the way children spend their free time. Do you think the advantages of
this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
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.
Although parents are responsible for raising a child, outside influence plays a key role in their
development. To what extent do you agree or disagree
Movies and tv shows are a good way to study history despite their lack of historical accuracy at times. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
Nowadays, instead of locally sourced produce, many supermarkets sell a variety of foods imported from
countries all across the world. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
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. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give a reason
for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
In some parts of the world, traditional festivals and celebrations have disappeared or are disappearing.
Why is this happening? What measures could be taken to ensure they do not disappear?
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Some people believe that using taxpayer funds to look for life on other planets is important. Others,
however, think that it is a waste of public money because there are many more important issues requiring
funding on our own planet. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Recent Writing Task 2 Questions: January 2023
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the relationship between equality and personal
achievement. Some people believe that individuals can achieve more in egalitarian societies. Others
believe that high levels of personal achievement are possible only if individuals are free to succeed or fail
according to their individual merits. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.
Our personalities are predetermined as a result of our genes before we are born and there is nothing that
can be done to change our character traits. To what extent do you agree?
Some people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development while others think it
is important for children to go to school. Discuss both the advantages of each method and give your own
opinion
As the number of cars increases, more money has to be spent on road systems. Some people think the
government should pay for this. Others, however, think that drivers should cover the costs. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.
Some people suggest that a country should try to produce all the food for its population and import as
little food as possible. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Museums and art galleries should concentrate on local works rather than showing the cultures or artworks
from other countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Online currencies have become more common in recent years. Why is this? Is this a positive or negative
development?
Many customs and traditional ways of behaviour are no longer relevant to the modern life and not worth
keeping. Do you agree or disagree?
Some think secondary and high school students should be allowed to choose academic courses leading to
university or practical courses leading to careers such as carpenters. To what extent do you agree or
disagree？
Some people say that to prevent illness and disease, governments should focus more on reducing
environmental pollution and housing problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
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Recent Writing Task 2 Questions: October 2022

Nowadays, distance-learning programs have gained popularity, but some people argue that online courses
can never be as good as those taken at a college or university in person. To what extent do you agree or
disagree?
The increase in the production of consumer goods results in damage to the natural environment. What
are the causes of this? What can be done to solve this problem?
Some people think international events such as the Olympic Games are important and can bring nations
together. Others, however, think that they are a waste of money as the money could be spent elsewhere
on more important issues. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
Some people think that dangerous sports should be banned. Others, however, believe that people should
be free to choose sports activities. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
In today’s world, people spend a lot of money on appearance because they want to look younger. Why
does this happen? Do you think this is a positive or negative development?
In many countries, people now wear western clothes such as suits and jeans rather than traditional
clothing. Why is this the case? Is this a positive or negative development?
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 visual images, such as photographs and videos, can most accurately inform people
about a news story. Others believe they are not reliable sources of information. Discuss both views and
give your own opinion.
These days, older people who have retired often choose to spend money on themselves (for example on
holidays) rather than save money for their children. Is this a positive or negative development?
Advanced technology has brought many beneficial changes to the world. However, some old people today
struggle with the use of technologies such as mobile phones and the Internet. How can the elderly benefit
from using advanced technologies? How can the elderly be encouraged to use consumer electronics more
often?
Recent task 2 questions: July 2022
Recent advances in medicine have resulted in an increase in life expectancy over the past four years. Do
you think that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
The best way to make the road transport of goods safer is to ask drivers to take a driving test each year. To
what extent do you agree or disagree?
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Although, it is generally illegal corporal punishment continues in many countries. Others argue that
parents should have the right to punish their children in this way. Do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Listen to the sample answer to this question here.
The increasing demand for oil and gas has made it necessary to look for these energy sources in remote
and untouched natural places. Do you think the advantages of locating oil and gas in these areas outweigh
the disadvantages of damaging these places?Listen to the sample answer to this question here.
Some people think the primary purpose of schools is to turn children into good citizens and workers, rather
than to benefit them as individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
Some people think it is a better way to leave their home country to improve their work and living
opportunities, while others think staying in their own country is a better choice. Discuss both views and
give your own opinion. Listen to the sample answer to this question here.
In many cities, planners tend to arrange shops, schools, offices, and homes in specific areas and separate
them from each other. Do you think the advantages of this policy outweigh the disadvantages?
It’s more important for school children to learn about their local history than world history. To what extent
do you agree or disagree？
Nowadays many people prefer to buy famous brands of clothes, cars and other items. What are the
reasons for this? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?
In many workplaces, online communication is becoming more commonplace than face-to-face meetings.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Listen to the sample answer to this question
here.
January to March 2022 Recent Task 2 Questions
Some people believe that violence in the media, such as in television programs and films, directly results
in violent behaviour. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
In the future, all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless. The only people travelling inside these vehicles
will be passengers. Do you think that the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the disadvantages?
In many countries, children are becoming overweight and unhealthy. Some people think that the
government has the responsibility to solve this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
In some countries, there has been an increase in the number of advertisements that try to persuade
children to buy snacks, toys, and other goods. Some people claim this is unfair as parents feel under
pressure to buy these kinds of things for their children. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
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Some believe that younger family members should be legally responsible for supporting older family
members when they become physically, mentally and financially unable to look after themselves. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
In the 21st century, contact between many different parts of the world has developed rapidly through air
travel and telecommunications. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
Weddings are getting bigger and more expensive. What is the reason for this? Is it a positive or negative
development?
Educating young people is naturally important. However, some think governments ought to invest more
in education for adults in need. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
In some places, old age is valued, while in other cultures youth is considered more important. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.
A rise in the standard of living in a country often only seems to benefit cities rather than rural areas. What
problems can this cause? How might these problems be reduced?
Some people think that personal happiness is directly related to economic success. Others argue that
happiness depends on different factors. Discuss both views and give your opinion.