60 IELTS Writing Task 2 Practice Questions by Topic

Task 2 questions come from a limited set of themes: education, technology, environment, health, work, society, government and culture. Practising across all of them means you will rarely meet a topic you have never thought about.

All 60 questions below are original practice questions written in the IELTS style. Each one is labelled with its essay type so you can practise the right structure:

O: opinion (to what extent do you agree?); see the opinion essay model
D: discuss both views; see discussion essays
A: advantages/disadvantages; see advantages and disadvantages
P: problems/causes and solutions; see problem and solution
T: two-part (direct) questions

Education

(O) Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
(D) Some people think that schools should teach practical skills such as cooking and managing money, while others believe academic subjects are more important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(A) More and more students take a gap year before university. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(T) Many students today choose online degrees instead of attending university in person. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?
(O) Homework should be banned for primary school children. To what extent do you agree?
(P) In many countries, fewer young people are choosing to become teachers. What are the causes, and what can be done?
(D) Some believe that children learn best in single-sex schools; others prefer mixed schools. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(O) Learning a foreign language is a waste of time now that translation apps exist. Do you agree or disagree?

Technology

(A) Artificial intelligence is increasingly used to make decisions in hiring and lending. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(T) Many people now spend several hours a day on their phones. What are the reasons for this? What effects does it have on relationships?
(O) Social media companies should be legally responsible for the content their users post. To what extent do you agree?
(D) Some people think technology has made life more complicated, while others believe it has made life easier. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(P) Online fraud is increasing rapidly. What problems does this cause, and how can individuals and governments reduce it?
(O) Children under 12 should not be allowed to own a smartphone. Do you agree or disagree?
(A) Cashless payment is replacing cash in many countries. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Environment

(O) Governments should ban single-use plastic products completely. To what extent do you agree?
(P) Many cities suffer from air pollution. What are the causes, and what measures could be taken?
(D) Some people believe individuals can do little to protect the environment, while others think individual action is essential. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(T) Fewer people in cities grow their own food than in the past. Why is this? Should people be encouraged to grow food at home?
(A) Some countries are building large numbers of wind and solar farms in the countryside. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(O) Air travel should be taxed more heavily to reduce its environmental impact. Do you agree?
(P) Many species of wild animals are in danger of extinction. What are the causes, and what can be done?

Health

(O) Governments should tax unhealthy food and drinks to improve public health. To what extent do you agree?
(P) Obesity among children is increasing in many countries. What are the causes, and what are the solutions?
(D) Some say health is the responsibility of individuals; others believe governments should play the main role. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(T) People today live longer than ever before. What problems does this cause for society? How can they be solved?
(A) Many companies now offer their employees free gym memberships. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(O) Healthcare should be completely free for everyone. To what extent do you agree?
(P) Mental health problems among young people are becoming more common. Why is this, and what can be done?

Work and economy

(D) Some people believe working from home benefits both employees and employers, while others think it harms productivity. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(O) A four-day working week should be introduced for all employees. To what extent do you agree?
(A) More young people are choosing to be self-employed rather than work for a company. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(T) Many people change careers several times during their lives. Why is this happening? Is it a positive development?
(O) Salaries for top executives should be limited by law. Do you agree or disagree?
(P) In some countries, many university graduates cannot find jobs that match their qualifications. What are the causes, and what can be done?
(D) Some think job satisfaction is more important than salary; others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Society and family

(T) In many countries, people are getting married and having children later in life. Why is this happening? Is it positive or negative?
(O) Older people should continue working rather than retire at a fixed age. To what extent do you agree?
(D) Some believe children should be raised mainly by their parents, while others think grandparents and childcare centres play an equally important role. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(P) Many elderly people live alone and feel isolated. What problems does this cause, and how can they be solved?
(A) Some families choose to move to another country for better opportunities. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(O) Parents should limit the time their children spend playing video games. Do you agree?
(T) Fewer people know their neighbours today than in the past. Why? What can be done to build stronger communities?

Cities and transport

(P) Housing in big cities has become unaffordable for many young people. What are the causes, and what are the solutions?
(O) Private cars should be banned from city centres. To what extent do you agree?
(A) More people are moving from rural areas to cities. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(D) Some say public transport should be free; others believe users should pay. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(T) Many old buildings in cities are being replaced by modern ones. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?

Government, crime and law

(O) Prison is not the best way to reduce crime. To what extent do you agree?
(P) Youth crime is rising in some areas. What are the causes, and what can be done?
(D) Some think governments should spend money on space exploration, while others believe it should be spent on problems on Earth. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(O) Voting in national elections should be compulsory. Do you agree or disagree?
(A) Some countries use cameras with facial recognition in public places. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

Culture, media and tourism

(O) Museums and art galleries should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree?
(T) Many traditional skills and crafts are disappearing. Why is this happening? Should they be preserved?
(D) Some believe international tourism promotes understanding between cultures, while others think it damages local traditions. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
(A) Many people now get their news from social media rather than newspapers. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
(O) Famous athletes and entertainers earn far too much money. To what extent do you agree?
(P) Many languages are disappearing. What are the causes, and what can be done to protect them?
(T) Advertising aimed at children is increasing. What effects does this have? Should it be restricted?

How to practise with these questions

Week 1: plan five questions in 5 minutes each, without writing the full essay. Planning is a separate skill.
Week 2 onwards: write one full essay every two days in 40 minutes with our writing timer.
Get feedback: paste your essay into the AI feedback tool and note the repeated mistakes.
Rewrite: improve one paragraph using the feedback. Rewriting teaches more than writing a new essay.

Tip: don't memorise essays on these topics. Examiners recognise memorised language, and a small change in the question makes a memorised essay off-topic. Learn ideas and vocabulary for each theme instead, using our vocabulary by topic guide.