IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics 2026: Recent Questions by Theme
IELTS Writing Task 2 always asks you to write at least a 250-word essay answering a question on a general-interest topic. The good news is that the topics are not random. They repeat across a predictable set of themes, and the questions come in five recognisable types. Learn the themes and the types, and no Task 2 question can surprise you on exam day.
Below you will find the most common IELTS essay topics for 2026, grouped by theme, with representative Task 2 questions for each and a short band 9 approach. Use them to plan and write practice essays in the weeks before your test.
An honest note. These are representative questions written in the current IELTS style to show you the themes and patterns that recur. They are not leaked or guaranteed exam-day questions, and no website can honestly promise those. Practising across these themes is what prepares you for whatever the real question turns out to be.
The 5 IELTS Writing Task 2 question types
Every Task 2 question is one of five types. Before you write a single word, identify the type, because it decides your essay structure. Answering the wrong question type is the fastest way to lose marks on Task Response.
Opinion (agree or disagree)
Typical wording: “To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
State your position in the introduction, then give two body paragraphs of reasons that support it. Pick one side and defend it. A clear, consistent opinion scores higher than a vague balance.
Discussion (both views)
Typical wording: “Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
One body paragraph for each view, then make your own opinion clear in the introduction and conclusion. You must cover both sides, but you must still take a position.
Advantages and disadvantages
Typical wording: “Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?”
One paragraph on the advantages, one on the disadvantages, and a verdict on which is greater. If the question asks whether they outweigh, you must answer that directly.
Problem and solution (causes and solutions)
Typical wording: “What problems does this cause, and how can they be solved?”
One paragraph on the problems or causes, one on the solutions. Link each solution to the specific problem it solves rather than listing random fixes.
Two-part (direct) question
Typical wording: “Two direct questions to answer.”
Answer each question in its own body paragraph. The most common mistake is answering only one of the two, which caps your Task Response score.
The most common IELTS Task 2 topics in 2026, by theme
These ten themes cover the large majority of Task 2 questions. For each one you get three representative questions across different question types, plus the band 9 approach that examiners reward. If you can plan a confident answer to two or three questions in each theme, you are ready for the real test.
1. Education
- Some people think children should start school at a very early age, while others believe they should not start until they are six or seven. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- University students should pay the full cost of their own education. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Many students find it difficult to concentrate on study. What are the reasons, and how can the problem be solved?
Band 9 approach: Stay concrete. Use one named education example (a country's policy, a real funding model) per body paragraph rather than vague claims about all students everywhere.
2. Environment and climate
- Some believe environmental problems are too big for individuals to solve, while others think individuals cannot do anything at all without governments. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- The best way to reduce pollution is to increase the price of fuel. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Many species of animals and plants are becoming extinct. What are the causes, and what can be done about it?
Band 9 approach: Separate the individual action argument from the government policy argument clearly, then say which carries more weight and why, instead of sitting on the fence.
3. Technology and the internet
- Some people think that the internet has brought people closer together, while others believe it has made people more isolated. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- The use of social media is replacing face-to-face interaction among young people. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
- As technology develops, more people work and study from home. What problems does this cause, and how can they be solved?
Band 9 approach: Name a specific technology (a platform, remote-work tools) rather than writing about technology in general, which examiners read as vague and unfocused.
4. Health and lifestyle
- Some people say governments should spend money on public health campaigns, while others think the money is better spent on medical treatment. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- Modern lifestyles mean many people do not get enough exercise. What are the causes, and what can governments and individuals do to solve this?
- Prevention is better than cure. Out of a country's health budget, a large proportion should be spent on preventive measures rather than treatment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Band 9 approach: Distinguish what individuals can do from what governments can do, and weight your answer toward whichever the question is really asking about.
5. Crime and punishment
- Some people believe that long prison sentences are the best way to reduce crime, while others think education and rehabilitation are more effective. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- The main purpose of prison should be to punish offenders, not to rehabilitate them. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- In many countries the level of youth crime is increasing. What are the causes, and what measures can be taken to address it?
Band 9 approach: Use the deterrence-versus-rehabilitation contrast as your structure, and back each side with a clear cause-and-effect chain rather than opinion alone.
6. Work and careers
- Some people think it is better to spend your whole career with one employer, while others believe it is better to change jobs frequently. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- More and more people are working past the traditional retirement age. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?
- Many employees now work long hours and have little work-life balance. What problems does this cause, and how can they be solved?
Band 9 approach: Tie each point to a clear stakeholder (the worker, the employer, the economy) so your reasoning has a visible cause and effect.
7. Society, family and culture
- Some people think that the family has the greatest influence on a child's development, while others believe friends and society matter more. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- In many countries the number of older people is rising. Do the advantages of an ageing population outweigh the disadvantages?
- Traditional skills and ways of life are disappearing. Why is this happening, and is it a positive or a negative development?
Band 9 approach: Avoid sweeping cultural generalisations. Anchor claims to a clear social trend such as smaller families or higher life expectancy.
8. Globalisation and travel
- Some people think globalisation has mainly benefited large companies, while others believe ordinary people have benefited too. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- International tourism has brought both benefits and problems to many destinations. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
- As countries become more connected, local cultures and languages are being lost. What are the causes, and what can be done to protect them?
Band 9 approach: Balance an economic argument with a cultural one, and make sure your opinion explicitly answers which outweighs the other.
9. Government and public spending
- Some people think governments should spend money on public services such as health and education, while others believe spending on the arts and sport is just as important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- Governments should make public transport free for everyone to reduce traffic and pollution. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Many cities are becoming overcrowded. What problems does this cause, and how can governments solve them?
Band 9 approach: Frame spending as a trade-off. Acknowledge what is given up when money goes to one area, which is exactly the critical thinking examiners reward.
10. Media and advertising
- Some people believe advertising has a positive effect on the economy, while others think it encourages people to buy things they do not need. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- The news media pays too much attention to celebrities and not enough to important issues. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Children are exposed to a large amount of advertising. What problems does this cause, and how can they be reduced?
Band 9 approach: Keep the economic effect and the social effect in separate paragraphs so your essay does not blur two different arguments together.
How to structure a band 7+ Task 2 essay
Whatever the topic, a high-scoring Task 2 essay uses the same four-paragraph shape. Examiners reward a clear position, developed ideas, and controlled paragraphing far more than long, complicated sentences.
- Introduction (2 to 3 sentences). Paraphrase the question, then state your position or what the essay will do. Do not copy the question word for word.
- Body paragraph 1. One main idea, explained, then supported with a specific example. One idea developed well beats three ideas listed quickly.
- Body paragraph 2. A second main idea, or the opposing view, developed the same way.
- Conclusion (1 to 2 sentences). Restate your position. Add no new ideas here.
To see this structure filled in with full essays, read our Band 9 Task 2 sample essays. For the connectors and topic vocabulary that lift your Lexical Resource and Coherence scores, use our linking words for Task 2 and the topic vocabulary pages.
How to practise these Task 2 topics
Reading topics is not the same as being ready for them. Turn this list into real practice:
- Plan first, every time. Spend 5 minutes choosing your position and two main ideas before you write. Most low Task Response scores come from essays that were never planned.
- Write to time. Give yourself 40 minutes for Task 2 and aim for 260 to 280 words. Practising untimed hides the real problem.
- Cover every theme. Write at least one essay from each theme above so no topic feels unfamiliar on test day.
- Get your writing scored. You cannot mark your own band reliably. Submit a free IELTS Writing practice test and get feedback on each of the four official criteria, so you know exactly what to fix next.
Conclusion
IELTS Writing Task 2 rewards preparation, not luck. The themes repeat, the five question types are fixed, and the band 7+ structure is the same every time. Work through the questions above theme by theme, plan a confident position for each, and write to time. Do that and you walk into the exam knowing you have already practised something very close to whatever question you are given.
Pick one theme, write a full essay today, and get it scored. Then repeat until every theme feels familiar.