Most IELTS Writing Task 2 questions come from the same 10 topic areas — and this has been true across every Cambridge test series from Book 1 through to Book 20. Knowing them does not mean you can predict the exact wording, but it does mean you can prepare roughly 80% of the arguments, vocabulary, and examples you will need before you even enter the exam room. This article maps all 10 categories, gives you real sample questions for each one, and tells you exactly what to build into your preparation.
1How to Use This Topic List (Without Memorising Answers)
The goal is not to memorise pre-written essays. IELTS examiners read thousands of responses every week and can identify recycled content immediately — a memorised answer that does not fit the specific question will tank your Task Response score regardless of how well-written it is. Instead, use this list to build three things for each topic: a vocabulary bank of 15–20 topic-specific words and collocations, a set of strong argument frameworks (causes, effects, solutions, both-sides), and two or three reliable real-world examples you can adapt to different questions. When the actual question arrives, you use these as raw materials and shape them to the prompt — you do not reproduce them verbatim. Candidates who prepare this way consistently report feeling genuinely ready rather than hoping the right topic comes up. That shift matters more than people realise.
21. Technology and Society
This is the single most tested topic area in modern IELTS. Expect at least one technology question in any test sitting. Sample questions: 'Many people believe that technology has made modern life more complicated rather than simpler. To what extent do you agree or disagree?' — 'Some argue that artificial intelligence will eventually replace most human workers. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.' — 'Social media has had a largely negative impact on society. Do you agree or disagree?' What to prepare: arguments for and against technological progress; the automation and employment angle; social media's effects on communication, mental health, and democracy; digital privacy and surveillance. Key vocabulary: automation, algorithm, artificial intelligence, digital literacy, surveillance, data privacy, technological disruption. Two examples worth knowing cold: the role of social media in political polarisation (Cambridge Analytica case, Brexit referendum) and the displacement of lower-skilled workers by automation (self-checkouts replacing retail cashiers, Amazon warehouse robots).
32. Education
Education questions appear in almost every test series and come in several distinct forms. Sample questions: 'Some people think that children should begin studying a foreign language at primary school. Others argue this is better started at secondary school. Discuss both views.' — 'University education should be free for all students. To what extent do you agree?' — 'Vocational training is more valuable than a university degree for most people in modern society. Do you agree or disagree?' What to prepare: the debate between traditional and progressive teaching methods; university funding and accessibility; early vs late foreign language learning; vocational qualifications vs academic degrees. Key vocabulary: curriculum, pedagogy, tuition fees, vocational training, academic achievement, formative years, critical thinking. Examples worth knowing: Finland's education system (no standardised testing, consistently top global rankings); the student debt crisis in the US and UK; Germany's dual apprenticeship system, which combines classroom learning with structured workplace training and has kept youth unemployment significantly lower than comparable economies.
43. Environment and Climate Change
Environment questions have appeared in virtually every Cambridge test series since Book 1. They are among the most predictable topic areas. Sample questions: 'Some people argue that individuals have a duty to reduce their carbon footprint. Others believe governments and corporations bear primary responsibility. Discuss both views.' — 'Many species of plant and animal life are becoming extinct. Some people say little can be done to stop this. Others believe effective conservation is possible. Discuss.' — 'The best way to solve environmental problems is by increasing the price of fossil fuels. To what extent do you agree?' What to prepare: the individual versus collective responsibility debate; renewable energy transition; biodiversity loss and conservation; deforestation; international climate agreements. Key vocabulary: carbon footprint, fossil fuels, renewable energy, biodiversity, deforestation, emissions targets, sustainability, habitat destruction, conservation. Examples: the Paris Agreement (195 countries, 2015); the link between palm oil demand and deforestation in Indonesia and Malaysia; Norway's electric vehicle adoption (over 90% of new car sales in 2023) as a model policy success.
54. Health and Lifestyle
Health questions frequently combine individual behaviour with government policy — prepare for both angles. Sample questions: 'Governments should tax fast food heavily to reduce obesity. To what extent do you agree?' — 'Some believe healthcare should be entirely state-funded. Others argue private healthcare produces better outcomes. Discuss both views.' — 'Rising stress and mental health problems in modern working life are a more serious public health issue than physical illness. Do you agree?' What to prepare: the causes and costs of obesity; universal vs private healthcare; mental health in modern workplaces; preventive vs reactive medicine; the role of schools in teaching healthy habits. Key vocabulary: sedentary lifestyle, preventive healthcare, obesity epidemic, universal healthcare, pharmaceutical industry, mental health, nutritional policy. Examples worth using: Mexico's sugar tax introduced in 2014 (led to measurable reduction in sugary drink consumption); the UK's NHS as an internationally studied model of state-funded healthcare; Japan's remarkably low obesity rate (under 4%) attributed to school lunch programmes and cultural dietary norms.
65. Work and Employment
Work questions span economics, gender, technology, and sociology — they are rarely simple. Sample questions: 'In many countries, people are working longer hours than ever before. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?' — 'Some employers now offer remote working permanently. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for employees.' — 'Women remain significantly underrepresented in senior leadership roles in most industries. What are the causes of this, and what can be done?' What to prepare: work-life balance and overwork; remote and hybrid working; gender inequality in the workplace; youth unemployment; the gig economy. Key vocabulary: gig economy, remote working, work-life balance, gender pay gap, maternity leave, overwork, precarious employment, productivity. Examples: Japan's overwork culture and the legally recognised phenomenon of karoshi (death by overwork); the Stanford University study finding remote workers were 13% more productive than office-based counterparts; Scandinavia's parental leave policies, where both parents are entitled to substantial paid leave, as a model for closing gender career gaps.
76. Crime, Law and Society
Candidates who skip crime topics because they find them uncomfortable leave an easy opportunity on the table — the vocabulary is learnable and the arguments are predictable. Sample questions: 'Some people think that longer prison sentences are the most effective way to reduce crime. Others believe alternative approaches are better. Discuss both views.' — 'CCTV cameras in public spaces are an unacceptable invasion of privacy. To what extent do you agree?' — 'Poverty is the primary cause of crime in most societies. Do you agree?' What to prepare: the debate between punishment and rehabilitation; the death penalty (useful for opinion essays); surveillance and civil liberties; root causes of crime including poverty, inequality, and lack of education. Key vocabulary: rehabilitation, recidivism, deterrence, incarceration, surveillance, white-collar crime, juvenile delinquency, civil liberties. The single most powerful example in this category: Norway's prison system, which focuses on rehabilitation rather than punishment and records the lowest reoffending rates in the developed world — under 20% within two years of release, compared to over 60% in the United States.
87. Globalisation, Culture and Immigration
This category frequently generates the most intellectually interesting questions. Sample questions: 'Globalisation is gradually destroying local cultures and traditions. To what extent do you agree?' — 'The world would be a better place if everyone spoke a single common language. Discuss.' — 'Immigration brings more benefits than drawbacks to the economies of receiving countries. Do you agree or disagree?' What to prepare: cultural homogenisation versus hybridisation; the dominance of English globally; the economic contributions and social tensions of immigration; brain drain from developing countries. Key vocabulary: cultural homogenisation, linguistic diversity, brain drain, multicultural society, assimilation, cultural identity, diaspora, skilled migration. Examples: the global dominance of English as the language of business, science, and aviation; Japan as a case study in cultural hybridisation (Western influences absorbed without losing distinct identity); the UK's reliance on skilled migrants in the National Health Service — roughly 30% of NHS doctors are internationally trained.
98. Government and Individual Responsibility
This theme cuts across almost every other category and is worth preparing as a standalone framework because it can be applied anywhere. Sample questions: 'Some argue governments should take greater responsibility for citizens' wellbeing. Others believe individuals must take more personal responsibility for their own lives. Discuss both views.' — 'It is the duty of governments, not individuals, to protect the natural environment.' — 'Governments should have the right to limit freedom of speech when it threatens social stability. To what extent do you agree?' What to prepare: the welfare state versus individual autonomy; paternalism; freedom of speech and its limits; tax and public spending; state censorship. Key vocabulary: civil liberties, welfare state, paternalism, autonomy, fiscal policy, censorship, public expenditure, individual freedom, collective responsibility. Examples: Sweden's extensive welfare state as the most studied model of high-tax, high-outcome governance; the ongoing debate around content moderation on social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta as a new form of censorship; Singapore's restricted press freedom alongside its high standard of living as a counter-argument to the freedom-outcomes link.
109. Media, Advertising and Communication
Media questions have become increasingly relevant as digital platforms dominate news consumption. Sample questions: 'Advertising manipulates consumers into buying things they do not need and should be more strictly regulated. To what extent do you agree?' — 'The media has too much power and influence over modern society. Do you agree or disagree?' — 'More and more people get their news from social media rather than traditional sources. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of this trend.' What to prepare: media bias and ownership concentration; advertising targeting children; the decline of print media; misinformation and fake news; the filter bubble effect of social media algorithms. Key vocabulary: media bias, misinformation, filter bubble, clickbait, editorial independence, propaganda, advertising revenue, digital journalism, algorithmic curation. Examples: the Facebook News Feed algorithm and its documented role in creating political filter bubbles; the Cambridge Analytica scandal and targeted political advertising; the collapse of local newspaper revenue in the UK and US, reducing accountability journalism at a community level.
1110. Urban Issues and Transport
Urban and transport questions appear regularly and are often underprepped. Sample questions: 'Traffic congestion in cities is becoming an increasingly serious problem. What are the main causes of this, and what measures can be taken to reduce it?' — 'Many people are moving from rural areas to cities. Why is this happening? Is this a positive or negative development?' — 'Governments should invest in public transport rather than building more roads. To what extent do you agree?' What to prepare: causes and solutions for traffic congestion; urbanisation and rural depopulation; public transport investment versus private car use; housing affordability in cities; sustainable city planning. Key vocabulary: urbanisation, congestion charging, public transport infrastructure, urban sprawl, affordable housing, carbon emissions, sustainable development, rural depopulation. Examples: London's Congestion Charge, introduced in 2003, which reduced traffic in central London by roughly 30% — widely cited as a successful model; Singapore's Certificate of Entitlement system, which limits car ownership by requiring buyers to pay for the right to own a vehicle, as an extreme but effective approach to managing urban traffic; China's rapid urbanisation (over 60% urban population by 2020, up from 20% in 1980) as the defining case study in rural-to-urban migration.
🎯 Key Takeaway
These 10 topic areas cover roughly 90% of what appears across any IELTS test series. The preparation method that works is simple but requires consistency: build a vocabulary bank per topic, identify two or three specific real-world examples per topic, and write one full timed essay on each category. That is 10 essays at 40 minutes each — under seven hours of actual writing practice. Most candidates spend more time than that passively reading about IELTS without producing a single written response. The difference between Band 6 and Band 7 is almost never knowledge of English — it is the habit of writing under pressure, repeatedly, across all 10 topic areas, until the structure and language come automatically.