IELTS Writing Task 2 Practice Questions: 40 Prompts by Question Type

Below are 40 IELTS Writing Task 2 practice questions, organised by the five question types the exam actually uses, across more than twenty common topic areas — education, technology, environment, work, health, media and the rest. Each section explains what the question type demands from your answer before you write.

Two honest notes before the list. First, these are original prompts written in the official exam style — not leaked or recycled past papers. Practising with authentic formats is what matters; hunting for "real" questions is both pointless (they won't repeat for you) and against the exam's rules. Second, in the exam every Task 2 question ends with the same fixed instruction, so read it once here and assume it after every prompt below: "Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge. Write at least 250 words."

If you're not sure how your answers will be judged, read how IELTS Writing is scored first — every strategy note below refers to those four criteria.

Opinion questions (agree or disagree)

What the type demands: one clear position, stated early and sustained to the end. The classic phrasing is "To what extent do you agree or disagree?"; a close variant asks whether a trend is "a positive or a negative development". Both are marked the same way: Task Response rewards a position that every paragraph visibly serves, and punishes essays that drift into "some people think X, others think Y" without ever committing.

1. Education. Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. Health. Some people think that governments should make healthy food cheaper than unhealthy food in order to improve public health. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
3. Environment. Some people believe that the most effective way to reduce pollution is to make people pay much higher taxes on activities that harm the environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
4. Crime. Some people believe that prison is the most effective way to deal with people who commit crimes. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
5. Work. Some people believe that employers should not be allowed to contact their employees about work matters outside of normal working hours. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. Technology. An increasing number of companies are using artificial intelligence to perform tasks that were once done by human employees. Is this a positive or a negative development?
7. Society. People in many countries are living longer, and the proportion of elderly citizens in the population is rising steadily. Is this a positive or a negative development?
8. Language. Universities in many non-English-speaking countries increasingly teach their courses in English rather than in the local language. Is this a positive or a negative development?

Discussion questions (discuss both views)

What the type demands: three things, explicitly — a fair account of view A, a fair account of view B, and your own opinion. The most common failure is discussing both views and forgetting to commit to one; the second most common is giving one view a paragraph and the other a sentence. Balanced coverage plus a clear verdict is the whole game, which also makes this type excellent Coherence and Cohesion practice.

1. Work. Some people think that the main purpose of a job is to earn money. Others believe that job satisfaction is more important than a high salary. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
2. Education. Some people believe that children learn most effectively when lessons are made entertaining and enjoyable. Others argue that real learning requires discipline and hard work, even when the subject is not enjoyable. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
3. Technology. Some people think that relying on smartphones and computers weakens our ability to remember information. Others believe that these devices free the mind to focus on more important kinds of thinking. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
4. Media. Some people think that social media platforms have made people more connected than ever before. Others believe that these platforms have left people more isolated and lonely in their daily lives. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
5. Urban life. Some people believe that living in a large city offers far greater opportunities than living in the countryside. Others argue that life in the countryside is calmer and healthier than life in a busy city. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
6. Crime. Some people believe that the main purpose of prison should be to punish those who break the law. Others argue that its main purpose should be to help them return to a normal life. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
7. Economy. Some people believe that a country's success is best measured by the strength of its economy. Others argue that the health and happiness of its people is a far better measure. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
8. Food. Some people think that governments should tax unhealthy food in order to improve public health. Others believe that what people choose to eat should be entirely their own decision. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Advantages and disadvantages questions

What the type demands: careful reading, because it comes in two variants with different obligations. "What are the advantages and disadvantages?" asks you to cover both sides — no verdict required. "Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?" asks for both sides plus a judgement, and essays that never answer the "outweigh" question cap their Task Response score no matter how elegant the writing is.

1. Work. More and more people are choosing to work from home rather than commuting to an office. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
2. Education. A growing number of universities now deliver their courses entirely online rather than through in-person classes. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
3. Technology. Many everyday activities, such as shopping and banking, can now be done online. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
4. Travel. International tourism to popular destinations has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
5. Economy. Some companies have introduced a four-day working week without reducing their employees' pay. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
6. Government. Some governments provide university education free of charge to all of their citizens. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
7. Transport. Self-driving vehicles are being tested and gradually introduced on public roads in some countries. What are the advantages and disadvantages?
8. Health. In some countries, patients can now consult a doctor online by video call instead of visiting a clinic in person. What are the advantages and disadvantages?

Problem and solution questions

What the type demands: two developed halves — the problems (or causes) and the measures that address them — with a visible link between them. A solution that doesn't match any problem you described reads as a memorised list. This type rewards tight paragraph logic: problem → consequence → measure that targets exactly that consequence. Some variants ask for causes rather than problems; the structure is the same.

1. Urban life. In many large cities, traffic congestion has become a serious problem. What problems does this cause, and what measures could solve them?
2. Media. False and misleading information now spreads quickly and widely online. What problems does this cause, and what measures could solve them?
3. Technology. Many people now spend a large part of their day looking at screens on phones, computers and other devices. What problems does this cause, and what measures could solve them?
4. Economy. Many young adults today find it harder than previous generations to obtain secure, full-time employment. What problems does this cause, and what measures could solve them?
5. Health. Rates of obesity among children have risen sharply in many countries in recent decades. What are the causes, and what measures could address them?
6. Environment. Many regions of the world are experiencing serious shortages of clean, fresh water. What are the causes, and what measures could address them?
7. Education. A growing number of qualified teachers leave the profession within a few years of starting their careers. What are the causes, and what measures could address them?
8. Food. Large amounts of food are thrown away every day in shops, restaurants and private homes. What are the causes, and what measures could address them?

Two-part questions

What the type demands: two distinct questions, each answered fully — usually one explanatory ("why is this happening?") and one evaluative or propositional ("is it positive?", "what could be done?"). The trap is spending 80% of your words on the first question and improvising a closing sentence for the second; examiners read that as an incomplete response. Plan one body paragraph per question before you start writing.

1. Media. Today many people get most of their news from social media rather than from traditional newspapers. Why has this change happened? Is it a positive or a negative development?
2. Work. In many countries, people now change careers several times during their working lives. What are the reasons for this trend? Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?
3. Economy. In many countries, young people find it increasingly difficult to buy their own home. Why is this happening? What could be done to help them?
4. Family. In many countries, elderly relatives are increasingly cared for in care homes rather than by their own families. Why has this become more common? Is this a positive or a negative development?
5. Government. In some countries, fewer and fewer people vote in national elections. Why might this be happening? What measures could encourage more people to take part?
6. Language. Many people now learn foreign languages using apps rather than in a classroom. Why has this become popular? Do the benefits outweigh the drawbacks?
7. Environment. Despite growing public concern about climate change, the overall consumption of single-use plastic products continues to rise in many places. Why does this contradiction occur? Who should be mainly responsible for addressing it, individuals or governments?
8. Transport. Despite advances in technology, many people still spend long hours travelling to and from work. Why does this continue to happen? What could be done to reduce the time people spend commuting?

How to use these questions well

Don't binge them. The list is a menu, not a to-do list — the improvement comes from the cycle around each essay, not from the count. A routine that works:

1. Pick the type you avoid. If you always write opinion essays, your next essay is a two-part question. The exam doesn't take requests.
2. Write one essay under exam conditions — 40 minutes, 250+ words, no tools. (Full setup in our guide to practising at home.)
3. Review it against the four criteria before touching the next prompt.
4. Rotate topics too. If every essay you've written is about technology, the vocabulary demands of a health or environment question will surprise you.

Every question above is also available inside the free practice environment, where you write it under a real timer and get an honest, examiner-calibrated band score with a per-criterion breakdown when you finish — so each prompt teaches you something concrete about where you stand.