IELTS Academic Writing Task 2

Academic IELTS Essay of 2016 (Sept Oct)

1. Many people believe that international tourism has negative implications on their countries.
What are the reasons for it? What can be done to change the negative attitude towards
international tourism?

2. People prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced ones. Why do you think this
happens? Should the government support local film makers financially?

3. Modern technology has a great impact on our environment. Some say that people should adopt
a simple lifestyle to solve this problem, while others argue that the technology itself should
provide a solution. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

4. Some people think that governments should invest more in public services instead of wasting
money on arts such as music and paintings. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

5. Some people say that having many TV channels is good, while others argue that it reduces the
quality of programs. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

6. Some people believe that the radio is the best way to get news, while others believe that TV is
better for this purpose. Discus both views and give your opinion.

7. Some people believe that students should be allowed to evaluate and criticise their teachers to
improve the quality of education. Others think this is disrespectful to teachers. Discuss both
views, give your opinion and include relevant examples.

8. Nowadays in some countries the numbers of children aged 15 and younger are increasing. What
are the current and future effects of ever increasing population?

9. Some people think that teenagers who commit crimes should be treated the same way as adult
criminals. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

10. All around the globe every year many animal species become extinct. However, some people
feel that governments should be concerned more with solving the problems of human life.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.

11. Some people say the most important thing about being rich is that it gives you the opportunity
to give back to the society. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give
reasons for your answer.

12. Nowadays more and more older people compete with younger people for the same jobs. What
can be the reason for this? What would you suggest as a solution?

13. Some teachers tend to reward students with high academic results. Others, however, support
and reward students that improved their grades. Discuss both approaches. Give your opinion
and provide examples.
14. Internet contains a lot of information, however, sometimes this information is inaccurate or
wrong. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

15. Some people think that excessive use of mobile phones and computers badly affects teenagers
writing and reading skills. Do you agree or disagree with the statement? Give your opinion.

16. Some people think that children should learn to obey and do as parents and teachers say.
Others think that this kind of upbringing will not prepare our children for real life. Discuss both
views and give your opinion.

17. Some people believe that history is very important and we must study the past to understand
the present. Others say that it has little or no use at all. Discuss both views, give your opinion
and support it with relevant examples.

18. Some people consider sport to be their carrier and role in the society. For others it is mostly a
workout to keep fit. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

19. Sometimes celebrities get invited to international aid events. Do you think that such events
deviate from their main purpose by inviting famous people?

20. Some parents think that childcare centres provide the best services for children of pre-school
age. Other working parents think that family members such as grandparents will be better
carers for their kids. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

21. Some people say that public libraries should be free, otherwise they are just a waste of money,
especially because modern technologies and the internet allow easy access to resources. Discuss
and give your point of view.

22. A recent study showed that both developed and developing countries prosper because of the
economic growth. People from developing countries are happier than before while people from
developed countries are not as happy as they were in the past. Why is this happening? How can
this situation be improved? Give your opinion including relevant examples and your own
experience.

23. Some people believe that the government should pay for and offer housing to people who lost
their homes or cannot afford them. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own
opinion. Use specific reasons and examples to support it.

24. In many countries there are people with extremely high income. Some say it is good for the
country, while others claim that governments should limit salaries. Discuss both views and give
your own opinion.

25. Some people believe that the use of mobile phones in public is as annoying as smoking and
should be banned, similarly to smoking. Give your opinion and examples from your own
experience.

26. Some people say that noise made by people should be strictly controlled while others say they
should be free to make noise without limitation. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
27. Some people say that mobile phones should be banned in public places such as libraries, shops
and public transport. Do you agree or disagree?

28. Many people think that too much attention and resources are given to protection of wild
animals and birds. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?

29. Some people think that children should have some classes outside their schools, visiting local
companies or public enterprises for some real life experience. To what extent do you agree or
disagree? Give your opinion.

30. Museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists, not the local people. Why is this so?
What could be done to encourage more local visitors? Please include relevant examples from
your own knowledge and experience.

31. Most leaders or directors generally belong to an older age group, but some people believe that
young leaders are better. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion.

32. Some people think that the government should fund music, dance and arts lessons for children.
Others think that they should be funded by private businesses or by childrens families. Discuss
both views and give your own opinion.

33. Nowadays scientists and tourists can travel to remote natural environments such as the South
Pole. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of this development?

34. Some schools agree that fast food restaurants and supermarkets can promote their products in
school and that schools benefit from it. Is it a positive or a negative development?

35. Some people are reducing their walks, however many health experts say that walking is the best
exercise to maintain health. Why do people walk less? What might encourage people to walk
longer distances?

36. Some people think that they can make as much noise as they want, while others think that the
amount of noise people make should be strictly controlled. Discuss both views and include your
own opinion and examples.

37. Many people think that the government should spend money to explore life in the outer space,
while others think that its a waste of public money. Discuss both views and include your own
opinion and examples.

38. What are the benefits of living in big cities, as opposed to rural areas? What are the problems of
rural areas and how can they be solved?

39. Some children start school when they are seven years old, while others start at the age of four.
What could be the advantages and disadvantages of starting early (age four)?

40. Some people think that hard working and determination are the key factors for being successful
in the life, other people feel that other factors are important. Discuss both sides, what is your
opinion?
41. Nowadays for many people the Internet is replacing regular books. What do you think will happen
in the future and what is your opinion about this trend?

42. It is more important for school children to learn about local history than world history. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?

43. Nowadays, more and more people read news on the internet. However, newspapers have most
of important information sources of news. Give your opinion from your experience and give
examples.

44. Some people believe government should spend money on building train and subway lines to
reduce traffic congestion. Others think that building more and wider roads is the better way to
reduce traffic congestion. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

45. More and more young people from wealthy countries are spending a short time in communities
in poorer countries doing unpaid work such as teaching or building houses. Why? Who benefit
more from this, the community or these young people?

46. In recent years, the family structure has changed, as well as family roles. What types of changes
are occurring? Do you think these changes are positive and negative?

47. Some people say that humanitarian subjects such as philosophy, history and literature that people
study in universities have no value for their future career. To what extent do you agree or disagree
with this statement? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.

48. Nowadays the differences between countries are becoming less evident because we see the same
TV shows, advertisements, fashion and follow the same brands. To what extent the advantages
of this trend outweigh its disadvantages?

49. Many people believe that schools should teach children to become good citizens and workers
rather than independent individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own
opinion and relevant examples.

50. Students in schools and universities learn more from their teachers than through other means
such as the Internet, libraries and TV. To what extent you agree or disagree?

51. Some people believe that anyone can create art such as painting, poetry, music and so on. Others
think that a person should have special abilities to create art. Discuss both views and give your
opinion.

52. It is impossible to help all people in the world, so governments should only focus on people in
their own countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
53. In the future, it seems more difficult to live on the Earth. Some people think more money should
be spent on researching other planet to live, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or
disagree with this statement?

54. Nowadays, more and more people decide to have children later in their life. What are the
reasons? Do advantages of this outweigh disadvantages?

55. Some people think that there is a great influence of news media on peoples lives and this is a
negative development. Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your opinion and
relevant examples.

56. Some people say that computer games are bad for children by all means, others believe that these
games are contributing to childrens development. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

57. Nowadays businesses face problems with new employees who just finished their education and
lack some interpersonal skills such as the ability to work in a team. What do you think is the main
cause of the problem? How can it be resolved?

58. Some people think that governments must insist on preserving traditional appearance of old
buildings undergoing renovation or redevelopment. To what extent do you agree or disagree with
the statement?

59. It is observed that in many countries not enough students are choosing to study science subject.
What are causes? And what will be effects on society?

60. In developing countries, children in rural communities have less access to education. Some people
believe that the problem can be solved by providing more schools and teachers, while others think
that the problem can be solved by providing computers and Internet access. Discuss both views
and give your own opinion.

61. Nowadays, young people admire media and sports stars though they often do not set a good
example. Do you think this is a positive or negative development?

62. Some people say that when children under 18 are committing a crime they should be punished,
while others believe they should be educated. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this
statement? Give your own opinion.

63. Nowadays university education is very expensive. Some people say that universities should reduce
their fees, especially for the less fortunate students or those coming from rural areas. To what
extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

64. Some believe buildings should be built in a way that serves their purpose rather than just look
beautiful. Others, however, say buildings should represent art too. Discuss both views and give
your own opinion.
65. Nowadays many people go shopping in their free time. Shopping has replaced many other
activities that people used to choose as their hobby. What are the reasons for this? Is this a
positive or negative development?