IELTS Writing Task 2 Topics 2026 (with Practice Questions)
Updated 2 August 2026
IELTS Writing Task 2 questions recur within stable topic families — education, technology, environment, health, work, society, family, crime, media and transport — asked through six task frames: opinion, discussion, advantages/disadvantages, problem/solution, positive/negative development and two-part questions. Practise one prompt per family and frame and nothing on test day will feel unfamiliar.
What types of question does Task 2 ask?
Almost every Task 2 prompt fits one of six frames, and each frame demands a specific essay structure. Identify the frame before you plan a single sentence.
| Frame | Typical wording | How to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Opinion | "To what extent do you agree or disagree?" | State a clear position in the introduction and defend the same position in every paragraph. |
| Discussion | "Discuss both views and give your own opinion." | Give one body paragraph to each view, then make your own position explicit. |
| Advantages & disadvantages | "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?" | Cover both sides and, if asked "outweigh", deliver a clear verdict. |
| Problem & solution | "What problems does this cause? What solutions are there?" | Devote one paragraph to causes/problems and one to workable solutions, linked logically. |
| Positive or negative | "Is this a positive or negative development?" | Judge the trend explicitly — positive, negative or mixed — and justify the judgement. |
| Two-part question | Two direct questions in one prompt. | Answer both questions fully — one body paragraph each — or Task Response is capped. |
Which topics should I practise?
The families below cover the themes Task 2 keeps returning to. Every question linked is a real, free practice prompt from our Writing bank — open one, write under timed conditions, and compare against the model answer.
Education
University funding, school subjects, homework and how technology is changing the classroom.
Technology
AI, smartphones, social media and the shift to a digital-first society.
Environment
Plastics, renewable energy, endangered species and who should pay for the clean-up.
Health
Fast food, sedentary lifestyles, prevention versus cure and public-health policy.
Work & careers
Remote work, the gig economy, four-day weeks and youth unemployment.
Government & society
Public spending priorities, individual versus state responsibility, ageing populations.
Family & relationships
Changing family structures, later marriage, caring for relatives and daily routines.
Crime & law
Punishment versus rehabilitation, surveillance and community approaches to crime.
Media & advertising
Advertising ethics, celebrity culture and trust in the news.
Cities & transport
Congestion, public transport funding and the pull of city life.
Tourism
Overtourism, fragile environments and what travel does to places.
Culture, language & globalisation
Global English, disappearing languages and traditions in a globalised world.
Want the full list? Browse every prompt in the free IELTS Writing question bank.
Task 2 topics FAQ
What topics come up most in IELTS Writing Task 2?
Task 2 questions recur within a stable set of topic families: education, technology, environment, health, work and careers, government and society, family, crime and law, media and advertising, cities and transport, tourism, and culture and globalisation. The wording changes from test to test, but the underlying themes repeat.
What are the types of IELTS Writing Task 2 questions?
Six task frames cover almost every Task 2 prompt: opinion (agree/disagree), discussion (discuss both views), advantages and disadvantages, problem and solution, positive or negative development, and two-part (double question). Learning to recognise the frame tells you exactly what structure the essay needs.
Are Task 2 topics different for Academic and General Training?
The essay format, timing and marking criteria are identical. General Training prompts tend to be slightly more everyday and community-focused (neighbours, shops, family routines), while Academic prompts lean more abstract (policy, technology, global issues) — but the topic families overlap heavily.
Can I predict my exact Task 2 question?
No — memorising "predicted" essays is a known trap that caps your score, because examiners spot rehearsed answers. What you can do is practise one prompt from each topic family and each task frame, so no combination on test day feels unfamiliar.
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