IELTS Writing Task 2 essay topics for 2026. As usual, topics are trending topics, predicted topics, and repeated common topics. IELTS nearly always basis their essay topics on current world issues. This essay list is applicable to both GT and Academic IELTS.
On this page, you will find:
- IELTS Essay Types Overview
- Essay Topics & Questions List for 2026
- Useful Links for IELTS Writing Task 2
IELTS Essay Types in 2026
There are five types of essay questions in IELTS Writing Task 2. You will not know which type of essay you will be given. So, you must prepare for all types. You must be prepared that essay questions that are recycled might be reworded or be a different types of essay, for example what was a discussion essay might one day be presented as an opinion essay.
- Opinion Essay – agree/disagree/ partial agreement
- Discussion Essay – discuss both sides
- Advantage / Disadvantage – includes outweigh essay
- Cause / Problem / Solution Essays
- Direct Question Essays – Positive . Negative Development / one question / two question / three question essays
Sometimes, when essay questions are recycled, the instructions might change. While the topic is the same, the instructions will result in you writing a very different essay. Here is an example:
- Some people think that art is no longer important and funding should be diverted to the development of science and technology. Do you agree or disagree?
- Some people think the funding for art should be diverted to science and technology, but others disgree. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Some people think that art is no longer important and funding should be diverted to the development of science and technology. Do you think art is important? Should art still be funded as much as it is?
So, keep this in mind when you prepare the essay topics below. Learn about how instructions can be written and how to spot which type of essay you have: IELTS Essay Types. To see model essays for each type of essay, click here: IELTS FREE MODEL ESSAYS AND MORE TIPS
IELTS Essay Topics for 2026
I’ve organised the IELTS essay questions according to main topic. Also remember that IELTS mostly chooses topics that are trending in the world today so follow the news and keep up to date with current world issues.
Art Essay Topic
- Art is not as important in today’s world as science. To what extent do you agree?
- International art and literature is esssential in today’s world. Do you agree?
- Many people support the arts. Why is that?
- The goverment should spend more money supporting the arts, while others think funding should go on health care and education. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Traditional arts should be preserved better. Do you agree? How can this be done?
- Many people believe the arts should be censored. Do you agree?
- Social media is changing the way we appreciate art. Is this a positive or negative trend?
- Art is a healthy hobby and more people should be encouraged to take it up as a hobby. What is your opinion?
Books & Reading Essay Topics
- Schools and parents should encourage children to read more.
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of e-books?
- The government should stop supporting public libraries because most information is available online.
Business & Money Essay Topic
- It is better to work for youself than for a company. What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing so?
- Many people are spending money rather than saving it. Is this a positive or negative trend?
- Small local business are being threated by large chain stores. Why is this? What can be done about it?
- People should be encouraged to buy only domestic products, not foreign products. Other people think we should be able to buy what we prefer. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- No children should learn school without learning how to manage money. Do you agree?
- Many people go into personal debt. Why is this? What can be done about it?
- Many people spend too much money on luxury goods and special events. Why is this? Is it a positive or negative trend?
- Having a good product is the best way to be successful in business. Do you agree?
- Many companies use open-plan office spaces. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Character & People Essay Topic
- Some people work harder than others. Why is this? Can someone learn how to work hard?
- Old people have a better understanding of life. To what extent do you agree?
- Old people are becoming less respected by society and by the younger generation. Why is this happening? What can be done about it?
- Some people follow trends, while other people set them. Why do you think this is? Do you think it is better to set trends or follow them?
- Some people are born to be successful. Do you agree?
- Do you think character is innate or something we can cultivate? How can we develop our character?
- Should schools encourage individuality or conformity? Which one is most beneficial for a child’s future?
Crime & Punishment Essay Topic
- It would be quicker if there was the same punishment for the same crimes, but some people think this is not a good policy because circumstances should be considered. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Too many criminals leave prison only to reoffend. Why is this? What measures can be introduced to solve this problem?
- Crime rates are increasing in many cities. Why is this? How can this be tackled?
- Some people think violent films encourage criminal behaviour. To what extent do you agree?
- Some teenagers commit serious crime. Some people think they should get the same punishment as adults, while others disagree. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Why are crime shows so popular on TV? Do you think this is a positive or negative trend?
- Is personal safety a government responsibility or the responsibility of the individual?
Culture & Tourism Essay Topic
- Nearly all cities have museums or art galleries. Some people think they are a waste of funds, others disagree. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Social media has brought with it globilisation. Do you think it is a positive or negative trend?
- Traditional lifestyles are slowly being forgotten. Do you think this is a bad thing? What can be done about it?
- Tourism to remote areas in the world is becoming more popular. Why is this? What impact does this have on local cultures?
- Some people think the world will one day have only one language. To what extent do you agree? Would this be a good thing?
- All countries around the world celebrate national holidays. What role do they play? How important are they?
- People should be encouraged to take holidays in their own country to boost the economy. To what extent do you agree?
Education Essay Topic
- Schools should do more to instill discipline in students. How should this be done? Do you think the parents should take some responsibility for this?
- Some people think children should be grouped together into classes, others do not agree. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- More and more people are choosing to educate themselves online? What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
- Some people think that traditional subjects at school are a waste of time because soft skills and experience are more important to get a good job? Do you agree?
- Some people think the best way to get a good job is to have a university education. To what extent do you agree?
- Schools should give children more homework to help their academic learning. Do you think this is a good idea?
- As children grow up they spend time both at school and at home. Do you think parents or teachers influence a child most?
- Some people think schools should teach children right from wrong, while other people think this responsibility should fall on the parents. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Education should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree?
- Some people think that history is a useful subject to learn, while others think it is a waste of time. What do you think?
- Education in rural areas is often not as good as in cities. Why is that? What do you think can be done about it?
- Many children think school is boring which impacts their ability to focus and negatively impacts their academic performance. What causes this problem? What solutions can you suggest for this problem?
- Having a gap year between school and university is a popular choice for many students. Do you think this is a positive trend?
Environment, Nature & Wildlife Essay Topic
- Many species are become extinct. Do you think this is a problem? What can be done about it?
- Do you think it is the government’s or the individual’s responsibility to protect the environment?
- Many people throw litter on to the streets or in green spaces. Why is this a problem? What solutions can you suggest?
- Many drug companies and make up companies test their products on animals. Do you think this is right?
- Beauty spots are often tourist attractions. What problems does this cause? What can be done about it?
- Many people are concerned about Climate Change. What problems does it cause? What solutions are there?
Family Essay Topic
- Children have less respect for their elders than in the past. Why is this? What can be done about it?
- Some people think grandparents have a lot to teach their grandchildren, while others think they are too out of date to connect with them. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Some people think the government should take care of the elderly, while others think the family should. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- In the modern world, fewer families are eating their meals together. Why is this? Is it a positive or negative trend?
- Many families do not spend much time communicating with each other. What are the reasons for this? What can be done about it?
- Some women choose not to have children. Why is this? Is it this a positive or negative trend?
- Some people think parents should be strict, but others think children need more freedom to make their own choices. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Food Essay Topic
- Traditional food is becoming less popular. Do you think this is a problem? What can be done about it?
- More and more children are eating junk food. What are the reasons for this? What can be done to solve this?
- Some people eat only organic food. What is the reason for this? Do you think it is a positive or negative trend?
- Some people think cooking should be taught in schools, while other people think children should learn this at home. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
Health & Exercise Essay Topic
- Schools should increase the number of sports and exercises class to help children develop into health adults. What is your opinion?
- It is the schools responsibility, not the parent’s responsibility to teach children what healthy food is. To what extent do you agree?
- Too many children are spend most of their free time using screens. Why is this a problem? What solutions can you suggest?
- Many schools teach team sports in schools. Why is this?
- More and more adults are starting to prioritise their mental health? Why is this? Do you think this is a positive or negative trend?
- Many people commute to work by car or public transport, but not by cycling or walking. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
- The government should spend less money on trying to cure illnesses and more money on preventing them. Do you agree?
- Health care should be free for all people? To what extent do you agree?
- Some sports professionals earn more money than doctors or nurses. Do you think this is right?
- International sporting events are very popular. Why is this?
- Hobbies are healthy activities all adults should have. Do you agree?
Language & Communication Essay Topics
- More and more people are doing business and conducting meetings through video call online. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
- Globalisation has brought the world closer together. Some people think countries will eventually become very similar. To what extent do you agree?
- The world will one day have only one language. To what extent do you agree?
- Children should all learn a foreign language to thrive in today’s modern world. Do you agree?
Media & The Internet Essay Topics
- The internet has changed the way we shop. Do you think this is a positive or negative trend?
- Has the internet made our world less safe? What is your opinion?
- More people are watching Netflix and other streaming services online. Why is this? Do you think this is a good change?
- Some people get their news from the internet, while other people do not trust the news they read online. Discuss boths side and give your opinion.
- Some people think newspapers will one day die out in favour of online news. To what extent do you agree?
- More people are becoming famous because of reality shows. Do you think this is a positive or negative trend?
- Many young children look up to actors and actresses as role models. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
- Children enjoy socialising online. Is this a positive of negative trend?
- Many celebrities complain about their lack of privacy from the media. Do you think celebrities have the right to privacy?
- Many celebrities have cosmetic surgery. Is this a positive or negative trend?
- Adverts for products often entice people to buy products their do not need. Why is this? Is this a problem?
Technology Essay Topic
- Some people think that teachers will one day be replaced in the classroom by technology. To what extent do you agree?
- Some people think that the more technology develops, the few jobs there will be. To what extent do you agree?
- Most people own a smart phone. What are the benefits of a smart phone? Are there any disadvantages?
- Some images and videos online are created by AI. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
- Some people think that AI will one day dominate humanity. To what extent do you agree?
- Some countries spend a lot of money on space exploration. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
Transport Essay Topic
- More and more cities are struggling with air pollution. Why is this? What solutions can you suggest?
- Budget air travel has become increasingly popular. What problems has this caused?
- Electric cars are the way forward to a cleaner world. Do you agree?
- City centres often have traffic congestion. What problems does this cause? How can traffic congestion be resolved?
- Some countries invest more money on public transport, while other countries invest more money on expanding roads for private vehicles. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
World Issues & Social Issues Essay Topics
- Poor countries need financial aid from richer countries. Do you think rich countries have an obligation to financially support poorer countries?
- People are living longer than in the past. Why is this? What problems does this cause?
- Some schools encourage children to do volunteer work. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
- In some countries, many people are moving out of cities to the countryside. Why is this? Is this a positive or negative trend?
- The government should focus on building new housing for the growing population, not renovating existing old buildings. To what extent do you agree?
- Due to the growing population, some people think that companies should be relocated to the countryside. Do you agree?
- In some countries, many workers move to the city to find work. Is this a positive or negative trend?
- Many major cities have a problem with homelessness. How can this be solved?
- migration of workers from rural to urban areas.
Work Essay Topic
- Working hard is the only way to be successful. Do you agree?
- Why do so many people prefer working remotely from home or elsewhere? Are there any downsides to this?
- Many people around the world work very long hours. Why is this? Do you think this is a good thing?
- Some people do work they love, others do work solely for money. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- Some companies seek people who are team players, while other companies prefer people who are independent workers. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
- In many families, both parents work. How does this impact their children? Is this a positive or negative trend?
Was this list useful to you?
Share your test experience and tips with others.
Hi, Liz.
First of all thank you for the all free resources and opportunities. Hopefully, you are doing well both personally and professionally.
I registrated for IELTS and only a week left. However, I am sceptical about my reading, writing and speaking skills. People around me told to mock test daily while others said I should reread all passages I have done for reading. For writing, should I read only samples? I feel scared now, because it is my second attempt. What should I do? I will be looking forward to get your response. By the way, your website is helping me a lot.
For reading, doing test after test is only a way to test yourself – it doesn’t develop skills or develop your own awareness of your problems. So, you should focus on one question type, practice it, analyse why you got some answers wrong and other right, and then do a practice test. You only do full practice tests after you’ve developed in a particular area.
For writing task 1 and task 2, divide your learning in question types and then analyse model answers. Just because you find a model answer online doesn’t mean it is safe to learn from. So, use safe models only – my website contains safe models. You don’t need to read many, you need to analyse deeply – content of paragraphs, oganisation, linking, key features for task 1 (academic), sentence structures etc etc. I also have some advanced lessons in my store: https://elizabethferguson.podia.com/. And don’t forget to prepare ideas for topics.
A week is not long. You should never book another test until you feel you have developed a lot between tests. But still, it is 7 days and you can learn a lot in 7 days. Divide your time into the areas you need to focus on most depending on your own personal strengths and weaknesses. Lots of luck 🙂
Hi Liz,
Hoe you are doing well
Your IELTS materials are always real and reliable. Please keep making them more!
Thanks. I hope to get a listening lesson for section 4 made soon. I also hope to get a new youtube video lesson made soon as well. It just depends on my health and strength. I’m so glad you find my lessons useful. I love making them 🙂
Hello Liz.,
First of all, thank you very much for all the free resources. You are truly a legend.
I would like some guidance on writing, especially for IELTS Task 2 essays. I can generate ideas, but I often feel that they are not very strong or perfect, even though they are relevant to the question. Does that matter?
Another issue I face is developing examples. How can I create strong examples if I do not know any real life scenarios? Is it acceptable to make them up for example by writing “A recent study shows that…” even if I do not know an actual study?
I understand your concerns. Let me put your mind at rest. Ideas are only marked on how relevant and developed they are. Whether they are interesting or not makes no difference to your score. I don’t know what you mean by “strong or perfect” ideas because you haven’t given any examples. But a strong idea for an IELTS essay is one that is highly relevant and well explained. A weak idea is one that isn’t so relevant and not well explained.
Examples are simply illustrations of the main point and you only need to give them when relevant. So, if you don’t have any particular examples, it doesn’t matter as long as the main point is well explained and fully relevant. The examiner isn’t marking your knowledge of the topic. This isn’t an academic essay for college or university. University essays require information that has come from either primary or secondary resources, such as studies and research. An IELTS essay is just a formal essay for IELTS, and it doesn’t require such examples or information. If you are explaining why traffic congestion occurs in cities, you are not required to present research data, but just to explain your point. And examples comes from your experience of the world (not from your friends or family), but from the world in general, people in general. So, instead of writing “according to research, 85% of all adults own a car”, you can just write “the overwhelming majority of adults are car owners”. IELTS writing task 2 doesn’t require statistics or research. If you go to this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/, you’ll see all my model essays, and you will see essays without examples and some with examples. This will help you grasp your options and also see how examples are presented.
Hi Liz.
Thank you so much for your efforts, it’s very much appreciated!
I was informed today that IELTS made some changes to the exam, do you have new versions for writing that we can practice from? they said that the questions got more deep and specific. Also, do you have any recommendations for their new updates, things to focus on and how to practice better?
I truly enjoy learning from your page and watching your videos on Youtube.
Thank you,
Joanne Bisharat
Did you get the information from IELTS Official? Doubtful. The test has not changed. The questions are not deeper – there have always been a variety of questions given – some more general and some more specific. IELTS always varied the question types and paraphrasing for questions. The marking has not altered. The band score requirements have not altered.
I’ve heard all the rumours online the same as everyone else. This isn’t coming from IELTS officially, nothing has official changed. For example, someone said that IELTS is less likely to accept memorised answers or ideas that lack depth – this has always been the case. This isn’t new. The more you explain your ideas with details, the higher your score will be. This was the same last year, five years ago, ten years ago etc. So, what you hear online are people who try to guess and predict likely questions or likely trends in the test. It is their guess, not official changes at all. So, prepare for IELTS as normal. Learn more about the range of questions, learn more about the marking criteria, never memorise answers, and also explain your ideas clearly. I’ve been teaching this for nearly 20 years.
I am very much grateful to you
I’m glad it’s useful 🙂
Dear Liz,
I hope you are doing well and in good health!
I am an IELTS trainer with over 25 years of teaching experience.
I would like to talke this opportunity to thank you for all the work you have put in creating this website. It has been a godsent for all my students! I always recommend they check your content and the feedback is unanimous – they have found it extremely helpful and decisive in helping them succeed!
Thank you so so very much and all the best for 2026!
I’m so pleased they’ve all found it useful 🙂