IELTS Writing Task 2 topics are topics of general interest, which the official General Training format page illustrates with questions on children's leisure activities, environmental problems and smoking in public places. Candidates write an argument of at least 250 words, spending no more than 40 minutes on the task, and the subject can come from any everyday area of public life. Because the range is wide, preparation tends to work best when it builds ideas and vocabulary across common areas such as education, work, technology, environment, health, cities, media and society.
Sixteen original practice questions, each labelled by question type, sit alongside a quick method for finding two or three ideas, ways of learning topic vocabulary as collocations and a routine for checking answers against the four published criteria. Because Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score, the time given to it usually repays itself, and a steady order of practice makes that time easier to use well.
What topics does Writing Task 2 use?
Writing Task 2 uses topics of general interest. The official examples include whether children's leisure activities should be educational, how environmental problems can be solved and whether smoking should be banned in public places. Each prompt asks for a clear, relevant, well-organised argument, supported by evidence or examples and written with accurate language, so the reasoning and the wording are what receive marks.
IDP's guidance on frequent subjects lists health and healthcare, environment, education, technology, travel and tourism, family, sport, globalisation, government and society, and crime and punishment, and it notes that topics have increasingly reflected current events and social issues. Work, cities and media sit alongside those headings as common themes, so the practice set below covers eight areas that together touch most of the list.
Which question types does Task 2 use?
Task 2 questions usually fall into five types: discussion, problem and solution, opinion (agree or disagree), two-part question, and advantages and disadvantages. Recognising the type before planning matters because Task response assesses how accurately, appropriately and relevantly the response covers the task requirements.
An opinion question needs a clear position held from the introduction to the conclusion; a two-part question needs both parts answered with similar weight. A discussion question needs both views covered before a personal view is given, and a problem and solution question needs solutions that match the problems named. Underlining the instruction words in the question is the quickest way to see which of these applies.
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Enquire about this tutorWhat are some practice questions for each topic area?
The sixteen questions below are original, grouped in pairs by area, and each carries a type label so the plan can be matched to what the question demands. Working through one area at a time builds a bank of ideas and vocabulary for that subject, and returning to the same area with the other question type shows how one topic can be asked in different ways.
- Education (Discussion): Some people think universities should teach only job-related skills, whilst others believe a broader education benefits students more. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
- Education (Advantages and disadvantages): Many adults return to study part-time later in life. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
- Work (Advantages and disadvantages): More employees work from home for part or all of the week. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
- Work (Two-part question): Many people change career several times in their working lives. Why is this, and is it a positive development?
- Technology (Opinion): Some people argue that children should not be given smartphones until they are teenagers. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Technology (Problem and solution): Automated systems are replacing human workers in many jobs. What problems does this cause, and what can be done about them?
- Environment (Problem and solution): Plastic waste is damaging rivers and oceans. What are the causes of this, and what measures could reduce it?
- Environment (Discussion): Some say individuals can do little about climate change and that only governments can act. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
- Health (Two-part question): In many countries people eat more processed food than in the past. What are the reasons for this, and what effects does it have?
- Health (Opinion): Some believe governments should tax sugary drinks to improve public health. Do you agree or disagree?
- Cities (Problem and solution): Traffic congestion is a growing problem in large cities. What are the causes, and what solutions can you suggest?
- Cities (Discussion): Some people prefer to live in a city centre, whilst others prefer the suburbs or the countryside. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
- Media (Opinion): Many people get their news from social media instead of newspapers or television. Is this a positive or negative development?
- Media (Opinion): Advertising aimed at children should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Society (Problem and solution): In some countries people are living longer and families are smaller. What problems might this cause for society, and how could they be addressed?
- Society (Advantages and disadvantages): Some believe community volunteering should be compulsory for young people. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
How can two or three ideas be brainstormed quickly?
A few minutes of structured questioning is enough to find two or three usable ideas, and the questions are always the same: who is affected, what changes for them, and what would a reasonable person object to. Taking the work-from-home question as an example, individuals gain commuting time but may feel isolated, employers save on office space but may find teamwork harder, and the objection shapes the counter-argument.
Choose the two or three strongest ideas, and attach one concrete example to each, since the task asks for evidence or examples to support ideas. Each idea then becomes a paragraph or a clear part of a paragraph, with the plan written as short notes and the position stated in a single line. Two ideas developed fully usually give Task response more to reward than four ideas that are only named.
How can topic vocabulary be built in collocations?
Topic vocabulary is most useful when stored as collocations, meaning words that naturally occur together, because Lexical resource assesses the range of vocabulary and how accurately and appropriately it is used. A single impressive word often sits awkwardly in a sentence, whereas a pair such as raise awareness or sedentary lifestyle arrives already correct.
Keep a notebook with one page for each topic area, and record verb and noun pairs, adjective and noun pairs, and a short sentence for each. A learner's dictionary with example sentences helps confirm that a pairing is natural before it is used in an answer. Examples to start with are listed below.
- Environment: tackle climate change, reduce carbon emissions, raise awareness, tighter regulation
- Education: compulsory education, vocational training, tuition fees, academic achievement
- Work: work-life balance, job security, flexible hours, career prospects
- Health: balanced diet, sedentary lifestyle, public health campaign, preventive care
- Cities: public transport, traffic congestion, affordable housing, urban planning
Why do memorised essays fail?
Memorised essays fail because Task response is judged on how accurately, appropriately and relevantly the answer covers the requirements of the question set on the day, and a prepared text rarely matches a new question closely. A memorised introduction about technology, for example, will not answer a question that asks for problems and solutions, and the mismatch shows in the argument.
The same applies to language. Lexical resource looks at whether vocabulary is used appropriately, and Coherence and cohesion looks at how clearly ideas are organised, so a pasted paragraph that sits oddly between original sentences tends to weaken both. Memorising flexible frameworks and useful phrases for functions such as giving examples or conceding a point keeps the benefit of preparation, and every idea is then fitted to the question in front of the candidate.
How should practice answers be checked against the criteria?
Practice answers are checked against the four published criteria: Task response, Coherence and cohesion, Lexical resource, and Grammatical range and accuracy. A sensible order starts with analysing the question and naming its type, moves to planning ideas without writing, then to writing an untimed answer, and finally to a full answer within 40 minutes of at least 250 words.
After each answer, ask four questions. Did every part of the question receive a direct answer with examples? Is the organisation clear, with one main idea in each paragraph? Are the collocations accurate and varied? Are the sentences accurate, and is there a mix of simple and complex structures? Recording the weakest criterion in a log and choosing the next question to target it keeps each practice session focused.
Related guides
- What is IELTS? Format, versions and scoring
- Discuss both views essay
- Advantages and disadvantages essay
- Problem and solution essay
- IELTS Speaking test format
- IELTS Speaking Part 1 questions
- IELTS Speaking Part 2 cue cards
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Frequently asked questions
- Is it possible to predict which Writing Task 2 topic will come up?
- The official format pages give no list of topics, only examples on the General Training page. Covering several broad areas, such as education, work, technology, environment, health, cities, media and society, prepares ideas and vocabulary that transfer to unseen questions. Practising with varied question types matters as much as topic coverage, because the same subject can be asked in several ways.
- Does writing more than 250 words help?
- Going over the minimum carries no penalty, but the official format page warns that a very long answer may leave no time for checking and may include ideas that are not directly relevant. A focused answer that meets the minimum, develops each idea with an example and leaves a few minutes for proofreading is usually a safer plan.
- Is specialist knowledge needed to write about a topic?
- Topics are of general interest, and the task asks for evidence or examples to support ideas. Examples can come from everyday life, public services, your own country, or situations you have read about. Precise statistics are not required and are risky if remembered inaccurately.
- Does an unfamiliar topic change how the essay is marked?
- The same four criteria apply to every topic: Task response, Coherence and cohesion, Lexical resource, and Grammatical range and accuracy. An unfamiliar topic is best handled by using the brainstorming questions to find ideas and by writing in plain, accurate vocabulary, since Lexical resource rewards words used accurately and appropriately.
- Which question type should be practised first?
- Starting with the type that feels least comfortable usually brings the quickest improvement, and the opinion type is a common first choice because it needs a single clear position. After that, rotate through discussion, problem and solution, two-part and advantages and disadvantages questions so that planning each type becomes routine.
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