20 Common Essay Topics for IELTS Writing Task 2

The 20 most common IELTS essay topics with subtopics can be found in the list below. The essay topics often remain the same even though the essay questions do. There are subtopics for each issue, which you should research.

 

You should practice coming up with ideas for all of the typical recent IELTS essay topics so that you can complete your essay within the allotted time. 

Common Essay Topics with Subtopics

Art

  • censorship of art and artists

  • creativity

  • art at school

  • the benefits of art for individuals and society

  • funding

Business & Money

  • small vs large business

  • international business

  • family run business

  • management and leadership

  • success in business

  • business and technology

  • skills vs knowledge for business

  • materialism and consumerism

Communication & Personality

  • technology and communication

  • family and communication

  • face to face vs long distance communication

  • types of communication

  • the development of character and personality

  • innate or developed personalities

  • female / male characters

Crime & Punishment

  • prisons vs rehabilitation

  • capital punishment vs other types of punishment

  • criminals – what makes a criminal

  • major vs minor crime

  • crime and technology

  • teenagers and crime

  • role of policemen

  • men and women in law enforcement

Economics 

  • cash vs credit cards

  • saving vs spending

  • globalisation and economy

  • world economic issues

  • economic progress and success

Education

  • children and education

  • relevant subjects

  • education and technology

  • role of teachers

  • discipline and rules in school

  • single-sex schools

  • uniforms

  • funding

  • educational aid to poorer countries

Environment

  • animals

  • protection of endangered species

  • zoos

  • environmental problems

  • saving the environment & solving problems

  • government vs individual roles

Family & Children

  • family roles

  • family size

  • the generation gap

  • discipline

  • role models

  • family and education

Food

  • health diets

  • education of diet

  • traditional vs modern diets

  • fast food

  • children and diet

Health

  • prevention vs cure

  • funding

  • health and education

  • poor countries and rich countries

  • health aid

  • dealing with global epidemics

  • hospitals and treatment

  • obesity

  • exercise and health

Language

  • having only one language in the world

  • methods of language learning

  • travel and language

  • the disappearance of languages

  • language and culture

Media & Advertising

  • censorship, control, and freedom of speech

  • advertising methods

  • children and advertising

  • media and technology

  • news & reporting