IELTS WRITING TASK 2 ESSAY QUESTIONS

When my students take their IELTS test, I ask them to come and see me so we can debrief about the test. My classroom is very close to two of the main testing centres in Sydney Australia. One is IDP Australia and the other is at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). When they come to see me, I ask them to remember the essay writing questions. Then I try to find an official published test question to match their memory or I change their question to make it as clear as possible. Here is a collection of those test questions as my students remember them.

OPINION DISCUSS BOTH VIEWS

• ART - Anyone can create art or do people need special abilities to create it?

• ENVIRONMENT - Who is responsible for the environment? Individuals or governments

• TECHNOLOGY - Making friends face to face is better than online.

• TRANSPORT - Governments should spend on more roads to ease congestion

AGREE / DISAGREE

• SOCIETY - Living in a foreign country and speaking a new language is difficult

• EDUCATION - Mathematics and philosophy are too difficult to learn

• TECHNOLOGY - Modern technology gives us more free time

PROBLEMS / SOLUTIONS

CAUSES / EFFECTS

QUESTION 1 / QUESTION 2

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ENVIRONMENT

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some people believe that it is the responsibility of individuals to take care of the environment. Others say it is the government responsibility.

Discuss both views and state your opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

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ART

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

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.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

You should write at least 250 words.

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TECHNOLOGY

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

The prediction that people living in 21st century will have more free time because of the improvements in technology has come true.

To what extent do you agree.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

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TRANSPORT

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Some say that due to heavy traffic governments need to build more roads in metropolitan cities, while others argue this isn't the right solution.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.