IELTS Writing Task 2 questions and subjects: read the question first
IELTS Writing Task 2 is an essay of at least 250 words in about 40 minutes, on a point of view, argument or problem. The subject can be anything of general interest, so the skill that matters is reading the question: finding the aspect it picks out and counting the parts it asks you to answer.
This page is about reading a Task 2 question well. It shows how IELTS describes the task in Academic and General Training, the subjects IDP says come up, how to stay on the aspect you are given and how to count the parts, with a drill and answer key of our own. It is a study guide, and the owner's page decides every rule.
Task 2 in Academic and in General Training
The essay is at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. The focus of the question differs.
Task 2 is the essay, and the task is described in nearly the same words in both tests. IELTS says what you are given and how much to write.
"In Task 2, you are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss. You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes."
The difference is in the style and in the focus of the question. This table sets the two side by side.
| Item | IELTS Academic | IELTS General Training |
|---|---|---|
| Style | You should write in an academic or semi-formal/neutral style. | You need to write a semi-formal/neutral discursive essay of a minimum of 250 words. |
| What the task says | In Academic Writing Task 2, you are given a topic to write about. Your answer should discuss the most relevant issues. | You will need to write about a topic of general interest, such as whether smoking should be banned in public places. |
| Skills tested (in IELTS' list) | present a solution to a problem; present and justify an opinion; compare and contrast evidence, opinions and implications; evaluate and challenge ideas, evidence or an argument. | provide general factual information; outline a problem and present a solution; present and possibly justify an opinion; evaluate and discuss ideas, evidence or an argument. |
IDP puts the difference between the two in a single line of its own.
"The question type is the same, but the difference is in focus. General Training questions tend to be broader and touch more on social issues, while an Academic question looks at a topic more specifically or with a narrower focus."
Our reading: in Australia you may sit either test depending on the purpose, so check which one your visa, course or professional body asks for before you choose your practice. Our Academic or General Training page explains how to decide. The essay skills below work for both.
"You should spend no more than 40 minutes on this task. You must write at least 250 words."
"Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score."
Stay on the subject you are given
A subject is a wide area. The question picks one aspect, and your essay should stay on it.
The most useful line on this subject comes from IELTS's own Academic page. It says what to do when the question is about a part of a larger topic.
"In Academic Writing Task 2, you are given a topic to write about. Your answer should discuss the most relevant issues. You must read the task carefully so that you can write a full answer that is relevant. For example, if the topic is a particular aspect of the wider topic of computers, you should focus on this aspect only in your answer. You should not simply write about computers in general."
"You should remember that you will be penalised if what you write is not related to the topic. You will also be penalised if your answer is not written as a whole piece of connected text (i.e. you must not use notes or bullet points). You will be severely penalised if your writing is plagiarised (i.e. copied from another source)."
"Answer what you have been asked in the question. Don’t produce an essay that is close to a topic you have previously prepared. Make sure your examples and ideas are relevant. If you generalise too much and are not specific enough this will affect how your ideas are presented to the examiner."
"Check to see if the statement is referring to more than one idea (e.g., individuals and the society) and make sure you refer to both in your response."
That is the whole idea of this section. The subject is the wide area, such as computers, and the aspect is the part the question picks out. A question about the subject can be answered by memorised ideas. A question about an aspect cannot.
One subject, three different essays
The table below is ours. Each subject has three questions that need three different essays. Read each question, name the aspect, then check the last two columns. If you can name what drifts off topic, you are less likely to do it.
| Subject | Question (ours) | The aspect to stay on | What drifts off topic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bicycles in cities | Cities should spend more on cycle lanes than on new roads. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | How a city spends its money. | Writing about the health benefits of cycling in general. |
| Bicycles in cities | Many people say cycling in a city is too dangerous. What are the causes of this, and what can be done? | Danger, and the road design or rules that cause it. | Writing about why cycling is good for the environment. |
| Bicycles in cities | Bicycle-sharing schemes are becoming common. Do the advantages of these schemes outweigh the disadvantages? | Sharing schemes, not cycling as a whole. | Writing about owning a bicycle. |
| Sleep | Many teenagers get less sleep than they need. What are the causes? What can schools do about it? | Teenagers and what schools can control. | Writing about sleep problems in adults. |
| Sleep | Employers should let workers sleep during working hours if they need to. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Sleep at work, and how an employer would manage it. | Writing about how much sleep adults need. |
| Sleep | Some people think shops and offices should close at night so that everyone can rest. Others think 24-hour services are needed. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | Closing hours and services, from both sides. | Writing about sleep habits. |
| Languages | Children should start learning a second language at primary school. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | The starting age, at primary school. | Writing about why languages are useful. |
| Languages | Many languages are disappearing. Why is this happening, and does it matter? | Language loss: the reasons and the cost. | Writing about how to learn a language. |
| Languages | Translation apps mean that learning a foreign language is no longer necessary. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Apps as a replacement for learning. | Writing about technology in general. |
| Food waste | Supermarkets should be required to give unsold food to charities. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Supermarkets and the requirement. | Writing about hunger in general. |
| Food waste | Households throw away a large amount of edible food. What are the causes, and what can individuals do? | Households, and actions for individuals. | Writing about what governments should do. |
| Food waste | Food waste can only be reduced by changing how food is produced and sold, not by changing how people eat. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | Producers and sellers versus eaters. | Writing only about household habits. |
A habit to build
Before you plan, underline two things in the question: the subject and the aspect. Then write one sentence that begins This essay is about and includes the aspect. If the sentence could fit a different question on the same subject, it is too wide.
Count the parts: a drill with an answer key
Plurals, the word and, and two groups of people are where the hidden parts live.
IDP says to count the parts of a question before you write, and gives two quick checks.
"You must read the question carefully and decide how many parts are in it. You must answer all parts of the question to reach a band 6 or higher."
"Watch for plurals. If you are asked to give ‘advantages’, you must present a minimum of 2"
"Watch for ‘and’. You may need to comment on more than one element"
Our reading: those lines are a short course in reading a question. Plural words and the word and are where hidden parts live. A second trap is a question that names two groups of people, which means each part must be answered for each group.
The drill
Do these before you look at the table. For each question, write down how many parts it has and whether it asks for your opinion. The eight questions are ours.
- Public libraries are closing in many towns. Why is this happening, and what could replace them?
- Some people say tourists should not be allowed into certain natural areas. Others say everyone has a right to visit. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
- Young people spend more time online than older generations did. What problems does this cause, and what can parents do about it?
- Many people believe that company directors earn too much compared with other workers. What are the reasons for this, and is it fair?
- Cities are becoming more crowded. What problems does this create for residents and for city governments?
- It is better to buy goods made in your own country than goods made abroad. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- In many countries, young people are leaving rural areas for cities. What are the advantages and disadvantages for the young people and for the rural areas?
- Some people think the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentences. Others think it is better to deal with the causes of crime. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
The answer key
The answers are ours too. A count of parts is a judgement, and some teachers would count a little differently. What matters is that you can say which jobs the question has set.
| No. | Parts | Opinion needed? | The easy slip |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | No, but you must say what could replace them | Giving reasons and no replacement. |
| 2 | 3 | Yes | Treating both views, then forgetting your own. |
| 3 | 2 | No | Writing about what schools or governments can do. |
| 4 | 2 | Yes, on the question of fairness | Explaining the reasons and never judging. |
| 5 | 2 groups | No | Covering residents and ignoring governments. |
| 6 | 1 | Yes | Giving reasons without ever saying to what extent you agree. |
| 7 | 2 groups, 2 sides | Not asked | Writing only advantages for the young people. |
| 8 | 3 | Yes | Giving only one view proper space. |
When you can do the drill in under a minute each, take ten of your own practice questions and count their parts before you plan. Many learners find the counting becomes quicker with practice.
The subjects that come up
Education, technology, health, environment and spending are the ones IDP names.
IDP says no one can tell you the exact question, but it does describe the kinds of subject that come up.
"While you can never predict the questions you will encounter in Writing Task 2 of the IELTS test, certain recurring themes are worth exploring when practising sample questions. Here is a compilation of common Writing Task 2 topics and some strategies to familiarise yourself with the test."
"While the specific topics can vary, the content generally revolves around real-life situations."
"Common themes include education, technology, health, environment, society, work and travel."
IDP's article on common Task 2 topics describes five of them in a sentence each.
| Subject | What IDP says |
|---|---|
| Education | Education is among the most popular topics that may be included in Writing Task 2. |
| Technology | Technology's profound influence on our contemporary world makes it a prevalent theme in IELTS Writing Task 2. These questions often explore the impact of technology on various aspects of our lives. |
| Health | Given the ongoing advancements in health care, health-related topics are commonly featured in IELTS Writing Task 2. These questions may touch upon healthcare practices, access and individual responsibilities. |
| Environment | The global environmental crisis is a subject that impacts everyone and is a popular topic of Writing Task 2 questions. |
| Government spending | Government expenditure touches the lives of all citizens, leading to strong opinions on how funds should be allocated. Writing Task 2 questions may address various aspects of government spending. |
"Stay informed by reading the news to become familiar with these recurring themes and associated vocabulary."
Our reading: the subject list matters less than the habit it points to. For each subject, prepare three kinds of idea, not a script: who is affected, what it costs or what it risks, and what could be done. Those three kinds fit almost any aspect of almost any subject. Our writing topics page has a bank to work through.
A 40-minute plan and the marks
Five minutes to plan, thirty to write and five to check.
IELTS says to spend no more than 40 minutes on Task 2, and says how it is marked.
- Task achievement (for task 1) and task response (for task 2)
- Coherence and cohesion.
- Lexical resource.
- Grammatical range and accuracy.
"Each task is assessed independently. The criteria are weighted equally and the score on the task is the average. The assessment of Task 2 carries more weight in marking than Task 1."
IDP says Task Response is ‘worth 25% of your band score’. Read that as 25% of your Task 2 score: IELTS says the four criteria are weighted equally within each task, and that Task 2 carries more weight than Task 1 (twice as much), so Task Response is a smaller share of the whole Writing score.
"Before writing your essay, consider spending a few minutes brainstorming some ideas to include in your body paragraphs."
"For an essay length of at least 250 words, it is common to include 2 or 3 body paragraphs as a way of covering all parts of the question prompt."
Our own use of the 40 minutes follows from those lines.
| Minutes | What you do | Output |
|---|---|---|
| 0 to 5 | Underline the subject and the aspect. Count the parts. Decide your position. Jot four to six ideas and keep the best ones. | A plan of four or five lines. |
| 5 to 35 | Write the introduction, two or three body paragraphs and the conclusion. | At least 250 words, with an opinion that stays the same throughout. |
| 35 to 40 | Read the whole answer. Check each part was answered. Fix endings, tenses and repeated words. | A clean answer with every part covered. |
If the plan takes more than five minutes, your question was probably wider than the aspect. Narrow it, then write.
"Support your ideas with relevant examples from your own knowledge and experience (not made up statistics and research)"
Where to see real Task 2 questions and scripts
IELTS publishes sample questions, and responses with examiner comments.
IELTS.org publishes a sample Academic Task 2 and a document of responses with examiner comments.
"In Part 2, you are asked to write an essay in response to a point of view, argument or problem."
"Responses to Sample Part 2 with band scores and examiner comments (PDF 492 KB - 5 pages)"
Read the sample question, write your own answer under timed conditions, then read the responses and the comments. For our own model essays and a structure to follow, see IELTS essay samples and Task 2 structure.
Looking for Speaking Task 2?
The long turn in the Speaking test is Part 2, not Task 2.
IELTS calls the sections of the Speaking test Part 1, Part 2 and Part 3, not Task 1 and Task 2, which are the Writing tasks. IELTS says the Speaking test has three parts.
"In Part 1, you answer questions about yourself and your family. In Part 2, you speak about a topic. In Part 3, you have a longer discussion on the topic."
The long turn, where you speak for a while from a card, is Speaking Part 2. It has its own page: IELTS Speaking Part 2. This page is about the written essay only.
Common questions
In Task 2, you are given a point of view, argument or problem which you need to discuss. You need to write at least 250 words in about 40 minutes. That is IELTS's description, and it is the same in Academic and General Training.
IDP says the common themes include education, technology, health, environment, society, work and travel. It also says you can never predict the questions you will encounter, so prepare the skills rather than a list.
IDP says the question type is the same, but the difference is in focus. General Training questions tend to be broader and touch more on social issues, while an Academic question looks at a topic more specifically or with a narrower focus.
Read what the question picks out, not just its subject. IELTS's Academic page gives the example: if the topic is a particular aspect of the wider topic of computers, you should focus on this aspect only in your answer.
Count them before you write. IDP says: You must read the question carefully and decide how many parts are in it. Watch for plurals and for the word and, where parts can be hidden.
IELTS says: You should spend no more than 40 minutes on this task. You must write at least 250 words.
Yes. IELTS says: Task 2 contributes twice as much as Task 1 to the Writing score.
No. The Speaking test has three parts, and in Part 2 you speak about a topic. IELTS says: In Part 1, you answer questions about yourself and your family. In Part 2, you speak about a topic. In Part 3, you have a longer discussion on the topic.