IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics and Questions: 84 Essay Questions by Topic

Looking for IELTS Writing Task 2 topics and questions to practise with? On this page you will find 84 practice questions on 14 common topics, from education and technology to crime, health and the environment. Every question is written in the style of the real test and labelled with its essay type, so you know which structure to use.

The same topics come up again and again in the exam, but the exact question is always new. So do not learn essays by heart: learn ideas and vocabulary for each topic, and practise answering different types of question about it.

How to use these questions

IELTS Writing Task 2 topics

• Education→
• Technology→
• Environment→
• Crime and punishment→
• Health→
• Advertising and media→
• Work and careers→
• Family and society→
• Government and money→
• Tourism and travel→
• Sport and leisure→
• Art and culture→
• Food and diet→
• Language and globalisation→

Education essay questions

Schools, universities, teachers, exams and how young people should learn.

1. OpinionSchools should teach practical life skills, such as cooking and managing money, instead of some academic subjects. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. DiscussionSome people think university education should be free for all students, while others believe students should pay for at least part of it. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
3. Advantages & disadvantagesMore and more students are taking their whole degree online rather than attending a university in person. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
4. Two-part questionMany students today find it hard to concentrate in class. Why is this? What can teachers do to help?
5. OpinionExams are not a fair way to measure what a student has learnt. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. Problem & solutionIn some countries, fewer young people want to become teachers. What are the reasons for this, and what can be done to attract more people to the profession?

More education essay questions with sample answers →

Technology essay questions

Smartphones, artificial intelligence, the internet and how they change daily life.

1. OpinionArtificial intelligence will create more jobs than it destroys. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Advantages & disadvantagesMany people now do most of their shopping, banking and communication through a smartphone. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
3. DiscussionSome people believe children should not own a smartphone until they are teenagers, while others think phones help children stay safe. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
4. Two-part questionPeople today share a lot of personal information online. Why do they do this? Is it a positive or negative development?
5. Problem & solutionMany older people find it difficult to use new technology. What problems does this cause, and how can they be solved?
6. OpinionGovernments should control what large technology companies can do with users’ data. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

More technology essay questions with sample answers →

Environment essay questions

Climate change, pollution, waste, energy and who is responsible for protecting nature.

1. Problem & solutionPlastic waste is polluting oceans and beaches around the world. What are the main causes of this problem, and what can be done about it?
2. OpinionAir travel should be made more expensive to reduce its impact on the environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. DiscussionSome people think protecting the environment is the job of governments and large companies, while others believe ordinary people must change how they live. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
4. Advantages & disadvantagesSome cities have banned private cars from their centres. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
5. Two-part questionMany people throw away clothes, phones and furniture that still work. Why does this happen? What can be done to encourage people to keep things longer?
6. OpinionEating less meat is the most effective thing an individual can do to help the environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

More environment essay questions with sample answers →

Crime and punishment essay questions

Punishment, prisons, the police and why people break the law.

1. OpinionThe best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Problem & solutionCrime committed by teenagers is rising in many cities. What are the causes, and what can be done to prevent it?
3. DiscussionSome people think criminals should do unpaid work in the community instead of going to prison, while others think prison is the only fair punishment. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
4. Advantages & disadvantagesIn many cities, security cameras now watch streets, shops and public transport. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
5. Two-part questionOnline fraud is becoming more common. Who is most at risk, and how can people protect themselves?
6. OpinionPolice officers should not carry guns. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

More crime and punishment essay questions with sample answers →

Health essay questions

Diet, exercise, health care, mental health and who should pay for it.

1. Problem & solutionMore children are overweight today than in the past. Why is this happening, and what can parents and schools do about it?
2. OpinionUnhealthy foods, such as sugary drinks and fast food, should be taxed more heavily. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. DiscussionSome people think it is better to prevent illness through a healthy lifestyle, while others believe more money should be spent on treating disease. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
4. Advantages & disadvantagesMany people now use apps and smart watches to track their sleep, steps and heart rate. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
5. Two-part questionStress at work is a growing problem in many countries. What are the causes? What can employers do to reduce it?
6. OpinionDoctors should be allowed to refuse treatment to patients who do not try to live a healthy life. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Advertising and media essay questions

Adverts, news, social media and their influence on what people think and buy.

1. OpinionAdvertising aimed at children should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Two-part questionMany people now get their news from social media rather than newspapers or television. Why is this? Is it a positive or negative development?
3. Advantages & disadvantagesCompanies increasingly pay social media influencers to promote their products. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
4. DiscussionSome people think the media should focus on good news, while others believe it is the media’s duty to report problems and disasters. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
5. Problem & solutionFalse information spreads quickly online. What problems does this cause, and how can it be stopped?
6. OpinionFamous people have a responsibility to set a good example for young people. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Work and careers essay questions

Jobs, working hours, remote work, salaries and choosing a career.

1. Advantages & disadvantagesMore people now work from home for at least part of the week. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
2. OpinionA four-day working week would benefit both employees and employers. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. DiscussionSome people choose a job for the salary, while others look for work they enjoy, even if it is less well paid. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
4. Two-part questionMany young people change jobs several times in their first ten years of work. Why do they do this? Is it a good thing?
5. Problem & solutionIn some industries it is hard to find enough skilled workers. What are the reasons, and what can be done?
6. OpinionMen and women should receive the same salary for the same work, and companies should be made to publish what they pay. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Family and society essay questions

Parents and children, older people, cities and how communities are changing.

1. Two-part questionIn many countries people are having fewer children or none at all. Why is this? What effects does it have on society?
2. OpinionParents, not schools, are responsible for teaching children how to behave. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. Advantages & disadvantagesMore elderly people now live alone rather than with their families. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
4. Problem & solutionMany people say they feel lonely, even in large cities. What are the causes, and what can be done to help?
5. DiscussionSome people think young people should leave home as soon as they finish school, while others think it is better to stay with their parents for longer. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
6. OpinionPeople are less polite to each other today than in the past. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Government and money essay questions

Taxes, public spending, laws and what the state should pay for.

1. OpinionGovernments should spend more money on public transport than on building new roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. DiscussionSome people believe governments should pay for museums and theatres, while others think this money should go to health care and education. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
3. Two-part questionIn some countries, people with high incomes pay a much higher rate of tax. Is this fair? What other ways are there to reduce the gap between rich and poor?
4. Problem & solutionThe cost of housing in many cities has risen much faster than wages. What problems does this cause, and what can governments do?
5. Advantages & disadvantagesSome governments are giving every adult a fixed monthly income, whether or not they work. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
6. OpinionVoting in elections should be compulsory. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Tourism and travel essay questions

Mass tourism, travelling abroad, local culture and the cost of travel.

1. Advantages & disadvantagesInternational tourism has grown rapidly in recent decades. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
2. Problem & solutionSome popular cities and beaches receive far more visitors than they can cope with. What problems does this cause, and how can they be solved?
3. OpinionVisitors to historic sites should pay much more than local people. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
4. DiscussionSome people prefer to travel on organised tours, while others would rather plan every part of a trip themselves. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
5. Two-part questionWhy do people enjoy travelling to other countries? Is it necessary to travel abroad to understand other cultures?
6. OpinionYoung people should spend a year travelling or working abroad before starting university or a job. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sport and leisure essay questions

Professional sport, exercise, free time and big sporting events.

1. OpinionProfessional athletes are paid far too much. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. DiscussionSome people think hosting a major sporting event, such as the Olympic Games, benefits a country, while others think it is a waste of public money. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
3. Two-part questionFewer adults take part in sport than in the past. Why is this? What can be done to encourage them?
4. OpinionPhysical education should be a compulsory subject at every level of school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
5. Advantages & disadvantagesMany people now spend most of their free time playing video games. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
6. Problem & solutionChildren spend much less time playing outdoors than earlier generations. What are the causes, and what can be done?

Art and culture essay questions

Museums, music, traditions, historic buildings and the value of the arts.

1. OpinionArt and music are as important at school as maths and science. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. DiscussionSome people think old buildings should be protected at all costs, while others believe they should be replaced with modern buildings. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
3. Two-part questionMany traditional skills and crafts are disappearing. Why is this happening? Does it matter?
4. Advantages & disadvantagesFilms, music and fashion are becoming more similar around the world. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
5. OpinionMuseums and art galleries should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. Problem & solutionFewer young people read books for pleasure. Why is this, and how can they be encouraged to read more?

Food and diet essay questions

Fast food, cooking, where food comes from and changing eating habits.

1. Two-part questionFewer people cook meals at home than in the past. Why is this? Is it a positive or negative development?
2. OpinionSchools should only serve healthy food, and sweets and fizzy drinks should not be sold on school premises. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. Advantages & disadvantagesSupermarkets now sell food from all over the world at any time of the year. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
4. Problem & solutionA large amount of food is thrown away by shops, restaurants and families. What are the causes, and what can be done to reduce food waste?
5. DiscussionSome people think we should only buy food produced in our own country, while others believe importing food is necessary. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
6. OpinionMeat grown in laboratories will replace farmed meat in the future. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Language and globalisation essay questions

Learning foreign languages, English as a global language and disappearing cultures.

1. OpinionChildren should start learning a foreign language at primary school. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Advantages & disadvantagesEnglish is becoming the main language of business, science and the internet. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
3. Two-part questionMany small languages are disappearing. Why is this happening? Should anything be done to protect them?
4. DiscussionSome people believe translation apps mean that learning a foreign language is no longer necessary, while others disagree. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
5. OpinionImmigrants should be required to learn the language of their new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. Problem & solutionInternational companies are replacing small local shops in many towns. What problems does this cause, and what can be done?

Which essay type is it?

The last sentence of the task tells you the essay type. Once you know it, you know how to organise your paragraphs:

New to Task 2? Start with our guide on how to write an IELTS Writing Task 2 essay, then come back and practise with the questions above.