IELTS Writing Task 2

Common Topics

Source: IELTS Achieve

In this post, we will look at the common topics that are seen again and again in the IELTS writing task 2 test. Students often ask if the questions are repeated year after year and the answer is no, but the topics are. There are so many questions written each year, you may find you practice answering various questions on different topics. For example, you could write essays to answer questions about education or the environment, which benefits you because you learn vocabulary associated with those topics and develop ideas that can help you in your writing test.


Practicing writing IELTS task 2 essays on a range of topics is a great way to learn new vocabulary for those topics, but also to practice your essay structures. You begin to develop your ideas around those topics, thinking of examples and giving your opinions.

WRITING TASK 2 COMMON TOPICS

The list below shows you the common topics that are seen every year.

There is quite a range of writing task 2 topics, with many subtopics. Take a look at the list below and look for questions in each area when you are completing your IELTS preparation 

Environment

• Government legislation
• Environmental problems
• Climate Change
• Animals

Health

• Obesity
• Hospitals
• The elderly
• Funding
• Poor countries vs rich countries
• Health education
• Exercise

Education

• The rise of technology
• Subjects/curriculum changes
• Uniforms
• The role of teachers
• Discipline
• Funding
• Rules

Government

• Change to laws
• Rules that affect groups of individuals
• International laws
• Benefits to individuals and society
• Funding

Society

• Poverty
• Overpopulation
• Homelessness
• Modern lifestyles
• Funding
• Public services

Crime

• Youth crime
• Punishment
• Repeat offenders
• Major vs minor crimes
• Prisons

Technology

• The role of technology in our lives/in society
• The internet
• Social media
• Children online / safety measures
• Hacking/data protection

Economics

• World spending
• Cash vs credit cards
• Economic progress and success

Communication

• Technology
• Family
• Social media
• Types of personalities
• Characters in society

Work

• Women in the workplace
• The role of the employee
• Employer vs employee issues
• Types of jobs
• Salary
• Equality

Family and Children

• Family roles
• Family size
• Role models
• Discipline (parents to children)
• Education

Transport

• Different forms of transport
• Comparisons
• Problems
• Environmental issues

Travel

• Culture differences
• Travelling benefits/drawbacks
• Meeting people
• Forms of travel

There are many other topics that you can also prepare for, including art, business, marketing, sport, reading, language and food/diet.

1. Before writing an essay, you must know its basic structure. A book about essay writing might show you this.
2. Do Task 2 first, because it is worth more marks and is easier.
3. Don’t waste too much time on Task 1. Learn all the specific writing structure for each type of task 1. In the real test, you just have to apply that structure with new data and suitable verb tenses. Read sample essays and take note of the ones with good structure to have a wide range of academic structures for task 1. Some structures might be used in the task 2 as well.
4. You must complete both tasks. I don’t care how difficult the test is, I don’t care how little time you have got. You MUST complete your test at any cost. If you don’t, you will be penalized.
5. Again, practice writing. Do both 2 tasks in one hour. You can focus only on task 1 or task 2, but before the test, you should practice writing both tasks to get familiar with time limits.
6. Practice makes perfect. In writing, this statement is completely true. But it is better if there is someone to check your writing for you and so you can learn from your mistakes.
7. Writing requires wide academic vocabulary. You also have to buy a dictionary to work on and enrich your vocabulary.
8. Avoid all informal ways of writing. There are some rules of writing you should follow. For example: no abbreviations, no 1st and 2nd pronoun or possessive (I, you, me, my, your), except in conclusion where you have to state your opinion.
9. Each body paragraph has to include: the topic sentence, supporting sentences (2-3 sentences), development sentences (evidence: example, experience, data). In many languages (English included), there are many ways to develop a body paragraph, which results in a situation where that topic sentence is not the first sentence. But you are advised to put the topic sentence at the beginning of each body paragraph. Don’t be creative in this case.