The topics in the IELTS writing test vary each year, but they generally fall within key areas such as crime, education, the environment, culture, technology, health, society, government, the economy, work, and employment. These recurring themes are summarized in “The Frequently Tested Themes and Question Types in IELTS Writing.” For candidates looking to better understand past IELTS writing questions, a list of these questions is provided below. If time allows, you can quickly review them, focusing on the core arguments and the writing strategies relevant to each topic.
Year 2015
| # | Month | Writing Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | The leaders or directors of organizations are often older people. But some people say that young people can also be a leader. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 2 | January | Some people think that the amount of noise people make should be controlled strictly, while other say that people are free to make as much noise as they wish. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 3 | January | It is possible for scientists and tourists to travel to remote natural environments, such as South Pole. Do you think the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 4 | January | Some people argue that too much attention and too many resources are given to the protection of wild animals and birds. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 5 | February | Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists, not local people. Why? What can be done to attract local people? |
| 6 | February | Some people think that the age limit for driving should be increased in order to make driving safer. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 7 | February | The use of mobile phone is as antisocial as smoking. Smoking is banned in certain places so mobile should be banned like smoking. To what extend do agree or disagree? |
| 8 | February | Some students take one year off between finishing school and going to university, in order to travel or to work. Do you think advantages outweigh disadvantages? |
| 9 | March | Some people think that it is more important to plant more trees in open area in towns and cities than build more housing. To what extend do agree or disagree? |
| 10 | March | Some working parents think child care Centre can provide their children best care. While others think family members such as grandma will experience can give children best care. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 11 | March | Some people believe famous people’s support towards international aid organizations draws the attention to problems, while others think celebrities make the problems less important. Discuss both views and give your opinions. |
| 12 | March | Some people think that the increasing use of computers and mobile phones for communication has had a negative effect on young people’s reading and writing skills. Does the advantage outweigh the disadvantage? |
| 13 | April | Older people who need employment have to compete with younger people. What problems will be caused? And what are the solutions? |
| 14 | April | Some people believe that only students with best academic should be reward, some other people think it is more important to reward students with improvement. Discuss& Give your opinion. |
| 15 | April | Young people who commit serious crimes, such as a rubbery or a violent attack should be punished in the same way as adults. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 16 | April | An American writer think that tomorrow is more important. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 17 | May | Governments should focus spending only on public services, not waste on the arts. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 18 | May | Health experts claim that walking is the best exercise. However, people are walking less on a daily basis. What has made it happen and how to deal with this? |
| 19 | May | People continue to commit crimes even after being punished for it. Why do you think this happens? How can crime be stopped? |
| 20 | May | Some people think computers and the Internet are more important in child’s education. Others believe that schools and teachers are essential for children to learn. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 21 | June | More and more people want to study at university, so competition of university places is increasing. Why do more people want to study at university? Is it positive or negative? |
| 22 | June | University students should pay for the full cost of education fees because university education benefits themselves rather than the society. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 23 | June | We should return to traditional and older values of respect for family and community. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 24 | June | Some people think it is important to protect all wild animals. Others think that it is only important to protect part of them, not all of them. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 25 | July | Old people have their own ideas of how to think, behave and live, and it is not suitable for young people in preparing their modern life, discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 26 | July | In modern life it is unnecessary to teach children the skill of handwriting, do you agree or disagree? |
| 27 | July | Some people say that when dividing how taxes should be spent, the government should prioritize health care. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 28 | July | Some people think that sport has an important role in society. Others think it is only a leisure activity for some people. Discuss both views and give your opinions. |
| 29 | August | The proportion of elderly people in some societies is increasing rapidly. Do you think the negative effect of such trend outweigh the positive effect? |
| 30 | August | Nowadays people tend to travel long distance to work every day. What are the reasons and suggestions? |
| 31 | August | International travel make people prejudiced more than board-mind, why? How to improve the understanding of countries they visit? |
| 32 | August | Some people believe that university education should focus on the skills of employment for the future. Others think should focus academic study only. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 33 | September | People are afraid to leave their homes for fear of crimes. Some people believe that more action should be taken to prevent crimes while others think that little could be done. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. |
| 34 | September | In some countries old people are highly valued, while in some cultures young people are highly valued. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 35 | September | Educationalists think that the program of international exchange visits would benefit all students. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 36 | September | Some people claim that many things that children are taught at school are a waste of time. Other people argue that everything study at school are useful at some time. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 37 | October | In some countries, secondary schools aim to provide a general education across a range of subjects. In others, children focus on a narrow range of subjects related to a particular career. which is appropriate in today’s world. |
| 38 | October | These days,there is no needs to go out for a live performance (show,concert), because watching it at home on TV or computer screen is better. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 39 | October | Should people use mobile phones in public places? |
| 40 | October | Some people say that everyone can create art, but others think only those who are talented or have special skills can create art. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 41 | November | Some people think that the news media have much more influential in people’s lives and that this is a negative development. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 42 | November | Economic growth in in recent years made some people in both developed countries and developing countries richer. However, research showing that while people in developing countries are happier, people in developed countries seems no happier than before. Why? What can we learn from it? |
| 43 | November | Machines have replaced physical work in many industries. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 44 | November | Some people believe that parents should take punishments for the crime of their children. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 45 | December | Interview is the basic form of selecting procedure for most large companies. Some people think it is unreliable and there are some other better methods. Discuss and give your own opinion. |
| 46 | December | There is an increasing amount of anti-social behaviour and lack of respect for others. What are the causes of this problem and what are your solutions? |
| 47 | December | Reading story books is better for children than watching television or playing computer games. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 48 | December | Some people think that cultural traditions will be destroyed as they are used as money-making attractions, while others think it is the only way so save them. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
Year 2016
| # | Month | Writing Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | Difference between countries are becoming less evident recently. People can see the same films, brands, fashion, advertisements and TV channels. To what extent do disadvantage outweigh advantages? |
| 2 | January | Some people think government should invest more money in teaching science than other subjects in order for a country to develop and progress. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 3 | January | A recent newspaper article reports that a 14-year-old boy who seriously destroyed his school got a punishment to clean streets instead of sent to the prison, do you think this is right, or the young criminals should be sent to the jail? |
| 4 | January | News media has become more influential in people’s lives. Others believe it is a negative development. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 5 | January | In some countries, the government has tried to reduce traffic. For instance, they imposed a congestion tax during rush hour. Do you think this development is positive or negative? |
| 6 | February | In some countries, there has been an increase number of parents who educated their children themselves at home instead of sending them to school. Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 7 | February | Human activities have negative effects on plant and animal species. Some people think it is too late to do anything about this problem. Others believe that effective measures can be taken to improve this situation. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 8 | February | Nowadays a large amount of advertising aiming at children should be banned because of the negative effects. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 9 | February | In many countries women are allowed to take maternity leave from their jobs during the first month after the birth of their baby. Does advantage outweigh disadvantages? |
| 10 | March | We can get knowledge from news. But some people even think we should not trust the journalists. What do you think? And what do you think are the important qualities that a journalist should have? |
| 11 | March | In modern life, it is no longer necessary to use animals as food and in other products like clothing and medicines. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 12 | March | Some people think health care should be free for everyone, while others think they should pay medical costs for themselves. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion. |
| 13 | March | Today many children spend a lot of time playing computer games and little time on sports. Why is it? Is it a positive or negative development? |
| 14 | April | Multicultural societies, where people of different groups live together, can bring more benefits than drawbacks to a country. To what extent do you agree and disagree? |
| 15 | April | When new towns are planned, it is important to build more public parks or sports facilities than shopping centers for people to spend their free time. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 16 | April | The increase in the production of consumer goods results in damage to the natural environment. What are the causes of this? What can be done to solve this problem? |
| 17 | April | People’s shopping habits depend more on the age group they belong to than any other factor. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 18 | May | Some people think teaching children with different abilities benefits everyone, while others think intelligent children should be taught separately and given special treatment. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 19 | May | Now, in many countries women are able to join the armed forces on the equal basis of men. However, some people think only men should be members of the army, navy and Air Force. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 20 | May | Some people argue that countries should have a moral obligation to help each other; on the other hand, some people argue that a large amount of aid money does not reach the poor of the world. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 21 | May | New parents should attend parenting courses to learn how to bring up their children well. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 22 | June | Many schoolchildren and students are taught to push themselves and try hard to be better than their classmates, rather than work together for everyone’s benefits. Do the disadvantages of training students to be competitive outweigh the advantages? |
| 23 | June | Some people believe that the country would benefit a lot from more young people entering into university; however, others think that the large number of people receiving college education only leads to graduate unemployment. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 24 | June | It is the responsibility of schools to teach good behavior in addition to providing formal education. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 25 | June | It is known to all that the technological and scientific advances have made greater changes to the range and quality of our food. Some people regard it as an improvement while others believe that the change is harmful. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 26 | July | In some countries, advertisers increase the amount of advertising which try to persuade children to buy snacks, toys, and other goods. Parents object to such pressure on children. But some advertisers claim that there is useful information in these advertisements. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 27 | July | People still value artists in the age of advanced science and technology. What are the reasons? Are arts as important as science and technology? |
| 28 | July | Some people think instead of preventing climate change, we should find ways to live with it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 29 | July | Some people think that the government should decide the subject for students to study in university. Others believe that students should be allowed to apply for the subject they prefer. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 30 | August | Some people think traveling abroad is necessary while others think that is not necessary because TV and the internet can give the same information. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 31 | August | In many countries, people can eat a wide variety of food today. As a result, they eat food from other regions than local food. Do you think the advantages of the development outweigh disadvantages? |
| 32 | August | Some people believe that charity organizations should give aid to those in greatest need, wherever they live. Some people believe that the charity organizations would better concentrate on helping people who live in own country instead. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 33 | August | Some people think that it is more important to plant more trees in open areas in towns and cities than provides more housing. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 34 | September | Some people argue that they would have more choices if the number of TV channels increases, but some would think that it would lead to poor TV programs. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 35 | September | Many customs and traditional ways of behavior are no longer relevant to the modern life and not worth keeping. Agree or disagree? |
| 36 | September | More and more people buy and use their own car.do you think the advantages of this trend for individuals overweigh the disadvantages for environment? |
| 37 | September | These days, people in many cities know little about their neighbors and do not have a sense of community. What do you think are the causes and what solutions can you suggest? |
| 38 | October | Some people think that the library is a waste of money and the computer technology is replacing its function. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 39 | October | Some people believe there are intelligent life forms existing on other planets and it is better to send messages to them, but others think it is a bad idea because it is very dangerous to do this. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 40 | October | In some countries, the criminal trials are shown on the TV and the general public can watch them. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 41 | October | It is a good thing for people in senior management positions to get a higher salary than other workers in the same company. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 42 | November | It is a good thing for people in senior management positions to get a higher salary than other workers in the same company. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 43 | November | Some people think individuals are more and more dependent on each other. Some people think individuals are more and more independent. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 44 | November | In some countries, more people choose to live by themselves in recent years, why is it case? Is it a positive or negative development for society? |
| 45 | November | People believe that using mobile phones and computers to communicate. Therefore, people are losing the ability to communicate with each other face to face. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 46 | December | Some countries achieve international sporting success by building specialized facilities to train top athletes instead of providing sports facilities that everyone can use. Do you think it is a positive or negative development? |
| 47 | December | Some people think they have the right to use as much fresh water as they want, while others believe governments should tightly control the use of fresh water as it is a limited resource. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 48 | December | Some people think international cooperation has brought benefits to world environment protection, while some people think more benefits have been brought to international business. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 49 | December | Some people think getting old is entirely bad, but other people do think it’s much better for old people to live now than in the past. Please show your idea with explanation, examples and your knowledge. |
Year 2017
| # | Month | Writing Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | Art subjects like painting and drawing are important to students’ development and should be made compulsory in high school. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 2 | January | Many cities have vehicle-free day, which encourages citizens to take bus, cycle or take taxi to go out. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 3 | January | Some people think job satisfaction is more important than job security. Others believe a permanent job is more important. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. |
| 4 | January | The best way for government to solve traffic congestion is to provide free public transport 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 5 | February | Ambition is an important character for people who want to be successful in life. How important do you think it is for people who want to succeed? Is it a positive or negative character? |
| 6 | February | Some people think “vertical” city is the best, where people live and work in tall buildings. Others think “horizontal” city is better, where there are few tall buildings. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. |
| 7 | February | Technology makes our life too rich, and we should live a simple life without using the technology. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 8 | February | Some people think government should spend money looking for life on other planets, while others think it is a waste of public money as there are many problems on earth. Discuss both these views and give your view. |
| 9 | March | Many young people leave school with a negative attitude. What are the reasons? How can they be encouraged to study? |
| 10 | March | Children can learn effectively by watching television. They should be encouraged to watch TV regularly both in school and at home. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 11 | March | Teachers used to convey information, but now students have access to a wide resources of information, there is no role for teachers to play in modern education. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 12 | March | In the past, people stored knowledge in books. Nowadays, it is stored on the Internet. Do the benefits of this development outweigh the drawbacks? |
| 13 | April | In some countries around the world men and women are having babies late in life. What are the reasons? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 14 | April | In the past, most people lived in the same place for all their life. But now it is more common for people to change the place where they live several times during their life. What are the reasons? Is it positive or negative development? |
| 15 | April | Some people think advertisement has positive economic effects, while others think it has negative social impacts because individuals are not satisfied with who they are and what they have. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. |
| 16 | April | Children find it difficult to concentrate on or pay attention to their study in school. What are the reasons? How can we solve this problem? |
| 17 | May | Young people who commit serious crimes, such as robbery or violent attacks should be punished as adult. To what extent you agree? |
| 18 | May | In some countries, people can get variety food transported from other countries. To what extent the benefits outweigh the drawbacks? |
| 19 | May | Government should control the amount of violence in film and on television in order to decrease the level of violent crimes in society. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 20 | May | Detailed descriptions of crimes are often given in the newspaper or on TV. Some people think it has bad consequences on society and should be restricted. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 21 | June | Living in big cities is bad for people’s health. To what extent do you agree or disagree. |
| 22 | June | Some people believe theoretical subjects (mathematics, philosophy, and economy) should not be taught in universities because they should focus on practical subjects (marketing, computing, programming, accounting). To what extent do you agree of disagree? |
| 23 | June | Some people believe a country can benefit a lot from university education. Others believe sending a large number of young people to university leads to unemployment. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 24 | June | Government funding for universities should only be provided for top students as scholarships. All other funding should be collected from tuition fees and private organizations. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 25 | July | In many parts of the world, children have more freedom than they used to. Do you think it is a positive or negative development? |
| 26 | July | Some people think it is important for parents to spend time reading or telling stories to children, while others think children can read through a variety of sources, such as books, TV and the Internet by themselves. Discuss these views and give your own opinion. |
| 27 | July | In recent years, responsible tourists have paid attention to the preservation of both culture and environment of the places they visit. However, some people say it is impossible to be a responsible tourist. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 28 | July | In many cities, planners have located schools, homes, shops and offices in specific areas, which are widely separated from each other. Do the advantages of this policy outweigh the disadvantages to the city residents. |
| 29 | August | Students in university education should develop specialist in one subject area rather than develop a wider range of different subjects. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
| 30 | August | Some people think people have benefited from modern communication technology, while others think some people have not benefited at all. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 31 | August | In recent years, the pressure of students in both schools and universities has increased. They are pushed to work hard at a young age. Do you think it is a positive or negative development? |
| 32 | August | Full time university students should take a lot of time to study, but it is also essential to be involved in other activities. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 33 | September | Some people think government money spent on supporting artists would be better than supporting other important things. |
| 34 | September | An increasing number of people change their career and place of residence several times during their lives. Is it a positive or negative development? |
| 35 | September | Some people think that governments should do more to make their citizens eat a healthy diet. Others, however, believe that individuals must take responsibility for their own diet and health. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. |
| 36 | September | In some countries the widespread use of Internet has given people more freedom to work or study at home instead of traveling to work or college. Do the advantages outweigh disadvantages? |
| 37 | October | It is not necessary to travel to other places to learn about culture and people, because people can learn from books, films or the Internet. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 38 | October | Some people believe the purpose of education is to prepare people to be useful members for society. Others say that the purpose of education is to achieve personal ambitions. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 39 | October | Some people think young people are not suitable for important positions in the government, while other people think it is a good idea for young people to take on these positions. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 40 | October | Nowadays people can live and work wherever they want because of the development of communication technology and transport. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 41 | November | Some people believe that it is a good idea to continue to work at their old age. Do you agree or disagree. |
| 42 | November | Some people say that government should spend money on measures to save languages that are used by few speakers, while others believe that it is a waste of financial resources. Discuss both these views and your own opinion. |
| 43 | November | Online shopping is replacing shopping in stores. Is it a positive or negative development? |
| 44 | November | As major cities around the world are growing fast and many problems occur. What are problems that young people living in cities have to face? What solutions do you suggest? |
| 45 | December | People think that old buildings should be knocked down and give way to the new buildings. DO you agree or disagree? How important are old buildings to us? |
| 46 | December | A rise in the standard of living in a country often only seems to benefit cities rather than rural areas. What problems might this difference causes? How might these problems be reduced? |
| 47 | December | In some countries, more and more fathers are staying at home to look after children, while mothers work full-time. What are the reasons and is it positive or negative? |
| 48 | December | Social networking sites have a huge negative impact on both individual and society, to what extent do you agree or disagree |
Year 2018
| # | Month | Writing Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | In many countries, more and more people buy a wider range of household goods like television, microwave oven and rice cooker. Do you think this is a positive or negative development? |
| 2 | January | Some people believe that employers should not be concerned about the way their employees dress, but the quality of their work. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 3 | January | Lectures were used in the past with many students. With modern technology available for education, there is no justification for this way of teaching. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 4 | January | People are now surrounded by advertising. This both affects what people think is important and has a negative impact on people’s lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 5 | February | Some countries have an ever-increasing proportion of population who are aged 15 and younger. What is your opinion of the current and future effects it may have in those countries? |
| 6 | February | The restoration of old buildings in major cities in the world costs numerous governments' expenditures. Some people think this money should be used in new housing and road development. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
| 7 | February | Some people believe that people who read books can develop more imagination and language skills than those who prefer to watch TV. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? |
| 8 | February | As countries develop, more and more people buy and use their own cars. Do you think the advantages for individuals outweigh the disadvantages for the environment? |
| 9 | March | In most countries, prison is the most common solution to the problem of crime. However, the more effective solution is to provide people with better education so that they do not become criminals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 10 | March | Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve the growing traffic and pollution problems. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 11 | March | Some countries spend a lot of money preparing competitors to take part in major competitions such as Olympic Games or football World Cup. Some people say that it would be better to spend this money encouraging children to take up for sports from a young age. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 12 | March | Some people believe that newspaper is the best way to learn about news, while others believe that a more effective way is through media. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 13 | April | Some people said that the most important thing about being rich is that it gives the opportunity to help other people. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 14 | April | Governments should make people responsible for looking after their own local environment. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 15 | April | People today can shop, work and communicate with others via the Internet instead of face-to-face communications. Is it a positive or negative development? |
| 16 | April | In some countries, an increasing number of parents choose to educate their children at home by themselves instead of sending them to school. Do the advantages of home education outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 17 | May | Traffic and housing problems in major cities can be solved by moving large companies, factories and their employees to the countryside. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 18 | May | People believe arts like painting and music does not directly improve the quality of life, and therefore they think the government’s money should be spent on other things. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 19 | May | In many countries, people can eat a wide variety of food grown in other areas today. As a result, they eat more food from other regions than local food. Do you think the advantages of the development outweigh its disadvantages? |
| 20 | May | Children are experiencing increasing educational, social and commercial pressures. What are the causes? What measures do you think can be taken to reduce them? |
| 21 | June | Many people prefer to communicate with their online friends than to socialize with people in their local communities. Do you think it has more advantages than disadvantages? |
| 22 | June | The young people in the workforce are changing their jobs or careers every few years. What do you think are the reasons? Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 23 | June | More and more people want to buy famous brands of clothes, car and other items. What are the reasons? Do you think it is a positive or negative development? |
| 24 | June | An increasing number of people are changing their careers during their working time. What causes this trend and is it a positive or negative development? |
| 25 | July | People have different views on how to reduce traffic congestion. Some people think that governments should build more train and subway lines while others believe that building more roads and widening existing roads will reduce traffic congestion. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 26 | July | An increasing number of people do not know their neighbors, and there is no longer a sense of community. What do you think are the causes and what solutions can you suggest? |
| 27 | July | Some businesses find that when new employees join them after finishing their education, they lack basic interpersonal skills such as the ability to work with their colleagues as part of a team. What do you think are the causes of this problem and what measures could be taken to solve it? |
| 28 | July | Some people who have been in prison become good citizens later. Some people think that they are the best people to talk to school students the danger of committing a crime. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 29 | August | Some people say modern children's games do not develop a wide range of skills, while traditional games can be much better for developing such skills. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 30 | August | Nowadays a large amount of advertising is aimed at children. Some people think this can have negative effects on children and should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 31 | August | Some people think that schools should stop teaching students by using books, because students find them boring and that children can learn from films, TV, video games and computer instead. To what extent do you agree? |
| 32 | August | Some people say that children should go to school as young as possible, while others believe that children should not start primary school until they are 7 years old. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 33 | September | Nowadays, people always throw old things away when they buy new things; whereas in the past, old things were repaired and used again. What causes this phenomenon? What effects will the phenomenon lead to? |
| 34 | September | Some people think that too much money and time have been allocated in scientific research. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? |
| 35 | September | In many countries nowadays, more and more women have full-time jobs as men. There is a logic that men and women should share the housework tasks equally. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 36 | September | Group or team activities can teach more important skills for life than those activities which are done alone. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 37 | October | Some groups, such as poor people and people from rural areas, think universities should make it especially easy for them to get access to university education. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement? |
| 38 | October | In many countries, women are allowed to take maternity leave from their jobs during the first month after the birth of their babies. Do advantages outweigh disadvantages? |
| 39 | October | Reports show that it is increasingly expensive to keep museums open to the public. Which is the best way to fund them, government, business, or individuals? |
| 40 | October | Some people think that young people should spend more of their free time at home with their families, and spend less time entertaining outside. Others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 41 | November | Public transport should be funded by the government so that it can be free for the people who use it. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement. |
| 42 | November | It is shown that many criminals have a low level of education. some people believe that the best way to reduce crime is to educate them in prison so that they can find a job after they leave prison. To what extent do you agree? |
| 43 | November | Many employers think that the social skills are as important as good qualifications for employing people. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 44 | November | The qualities a person needs to become truly successful cannot be learned at a university or similar academic institution. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 45 | December | Some people believe that the government spends too much money on developing space technology. There are many other way that the government should address instead. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 46 | December | Some people think that schools should select their pupils according to their academic ability. Others believe that young people with different abilities should be educated together. Discuss both sides and give your opinion. |
| 47 | December | Many young people today know more about international pop or movie stars than about famous people in the history of their own country. Why is this? What can be done to increase young people’s interest in the famous people in the history of their country? |
| 48 | December | In some cities, there are few controls over the design and construction of new homes and office buildings, so people can build in whatever style they like. Do you think advantages outweigh disadvantages? |
Year 2019
| # | Month | Writing Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | Some people argue that the fittest and strongest individuals and teams always achieve the greatest success in sports. But other people think the success is more related to the mental attitude. Discuss both views and give your own opinions. |
| 2 | January | When new towns are planned, it is important to build more public parks or sports facilities than shopping centers, so people can places to spend their free time. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 3 | January | In some countries, people waste a lot of food which is bought in shops and restaurants. What do you think are the reasons? What can be done to solve this problem? |
| 4 | January | More and more people read news on the Internet, but newspapers will remain to be used by the majority of people. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 5 | January | Some people believe that women should play an equal role as men in a country’s police force or military force, while others think women are not suitable for these jobs. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 6 | February | More and more people want to buy clothes, cars and other items with famous brands. What are the reasons? Do you think it is a positive or negative development? |
| 7 | February | Some people think that schools have not yet done enough to teach young people how to look after their health. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 8 | February | New technologies have changed the way children spend their free time. Do you think the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 9 | February | Nowadays, children spend too much time watching TV and playing computer games. Some people believe this has negative effects on children's mental abilities. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 10 | February | Some people think that a huge amount of time and money is spent on the protection of wild animals, and that this money could be better spent on the human population. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
| 11 | March | Employers should give their staff at least 4-week holiday a year to make employees better at their job. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 12 | March | As part of education, students should spend a period of time living in another country to study its language and culture. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 13 | March | Newspapers have an enormous influence on people‘s view. Why is that? Do you think it is a positive or negative development? |
| 14 | March | Once children start school, teachers have more influence on intellectual and social development than parents. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 15 | April | Some people think that the best way to reduce time spend traveling to work is replace parks and gardens close to the city center with apartment buildings for commuters, but others disagree. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 16 | April | Some people believe famous people's support towards international aid organizations draws the attention to problems, while others think celebrities make the problems less important. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 17 | April | Young people living in rural areas have to study or work in big cities away from their homes. What are the reasons? Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 18 | April | Some people believe that certain old buildings are more worth preserving than others. Which types of old buildings should be preserved? Do you think the advantages of preserving old buildings outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 19 | May | With the increase use of technology in workplace. Some people find that it is good for young people's protects of gaining job and more harder for old people. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 20 | May | Most of world’s problems are caused by over-population. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 21 | May | People nowadays are surrounded by all kinds of advertising. Advertising affects what people think is important and sometimes has a negative influence on people’s lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 22 | May | In many countries, a high proportion of criminal acts are committed by teenagers. Why has this happened? What can be done to deal with this? |
| 23 | June | Human activities have negative effects on plant and animal species. Some people think it is too late to do anything about this problem. Others believe that effective measures can be taken to improve this situation. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 24 | June | Individuals can do nothing to improve the environment. Only governments and large companies can make a difference. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
| 25 | June | As countries develop, more and more people buy and use their own cars. Do advantages of this trend for individuals outweigh the disadvantages for the environment? |
| 26 | June | Some people claim that many things children learn at school have actually wasted their time. Other people argue that everything taught at school is useful in the future. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 27 | July | More and more business meetings and business training have taken place on the Internet. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 28 | July | The restoration of old buildings in major cities in the world costs enormous government expenditure. This money should be used in new housing and road development. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 29 | July | Many people aim to achieve a balance between work and other parts of lives,but few people achieve it. What are the problems in trying to achieve it and how to overcome these problems? |
| 30 | July | Some parents give their children everything that their children ask for and accept what their children want to do. Is this good for children? What could be consequences for these children when they grow up? |
| 31 | August | Some people think learning history in school is important. Some others think learning subjects more relevant to life is important. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 32 | August | Some people think the responsibility of drug companies is to spend money on researching medicines for people from poorer countries, while others think the main responsibility of drug companies is to make money. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 33 | August | More and more parents are allowing their children to play on computers and tablets as they think that children should learn technology skills. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 34 | August | Research into new types of medicines and treatments is essential for improving health and dealing with diseases. Who do you think should fund these kinds of research: private companies, individuals or governments? |
| 35 | August | Some people claim that public museums and art galleries will not be needed because people can see historical objects and works of art by using a computer. Do you agree or disagree with this opinion? |
| 36 | September | Some people say that economic growth is the only way to end world poverty and hunger. Others say that economic growth is causing damage to the environment,and should be stopped now. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 37 | September | In some countries, secondary schools aim to provide a general education across a range of subjects. In others, children focus on a narrow range of subjects related to a particular career. Which of these two systems is more appropriate in today’s world? |
| 38 | September | It is a natural process that animal species such as dinosaurs become extinct. There is no reason for people to prevent this from happening. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 39 | September | Differences in ages between parents and children are greater than in the past. Do you think the advantages of the development outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 40 | October | The best way to reduce youth crime is to educate parents about good parenting skills. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 41 | October | Some people think that printed books are no longer needed in a digital era because all writing can be stored electronically. Others think that printed books will still play an important role. Discuss both and give your own opinion. |
| 42 | October | The international community must act immediately to ensure that all the countries reduce the consumption of fossil fuels, such as gas and oil. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 43 | October | Some people think that companies and individuals, rather than the government, should pay for cleaning up pollution. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? |
| 44 | November | The world of work is changing rapidly. Working conditions today are not the same as before and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible causes for this change and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for work in the future? |
| 45 | November | In some cultures it is argued that the old age should be valued, while in some cultures youth is more valued. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 46 | November | A family has a great influence on children's development, but the outside of home plays a bigger part in children's life. Do you agree or disagree? |
| 47 | November | In modern society, it is no longer necessa ry to slaughter animals for producing foodstuffs, or non-food products such as clothes or medicine. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 48 | December | Nowadays there is a growing amount of advertising aimed at children. Some people think this has negative effects on children and should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 49 | December | Many young people change their jobs or careers every few years. What are the reasons for this? Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 50 | December | Some think that children should start school as early as possible, while others believe that they should start schools at the age of seven. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 51 | December | Today many people spend less and less time in their homes. What are the reasons and what are the effects of this trend on individuals and society? |
Year 2020
| # | Month | Writing Task |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | In some countries, some criminal trails in law courts are shown on television so that the general public can watch them. Advantage outweigh disadvantage? |
| 2 | January | Some people think that climate change could have a negative effect on business. Other people think that climate change could create business more opportunities. Discuss Both Views and give your own opinion. |
| 3 | January | With growing population in cities, more and more people live in a home with small or no outdoor areas. Positive or Negative? |
| 4 | January | Nowadays, children have too much freedom. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 5 | January | Some experts think that for the countries which are already rich, additional economic growth of wealth will make citizens can not be happier. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 6 | July | Some people think sports games are important for society, while others believe they should be taken as leisure activities. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 7 | July | Some people think it is one of the best ways to solve the environmental problems by increasing the cost of fuels for cars and other vehicles. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 8 | July | Some people argue that the government should not pay money for international aid when there are some disadvantaged people at home(homeless, unemployed). To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 9 | July | Full-time university students need to be involved in other activities too. To what extent do you agree? |
| 10 | August | Some students take a year off from the studying between finishing high school and the university in order to travel or to work. Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? |
| 11 | August | Human activities have negative effects on plants and animal species. Some people think that it is too late to do anything about this problem. Other people believe that effective measures can be taken to improve this situation. Discuss both views and give your opinions. |
| 12 | August | Many scientists believe that now we can study the behavior of a three-year-old child to see whether they will grow up to be criminals. To what extent do you think crime is determined by human nature? Is it possible to stop children from becoming criminals? |
| 13 | August | Nowadays, demand for food increased worldwide.Why are the causes of this increasing request? What can international community do to meet the demand? |
| 14 | August | The key solution for the environment is simple: for the present generation to live a less comfortable life to sake future generations. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 15 | August | Some people think that it is more beneficial to take part in sports which are played in teams, like football. While other people think that taking part in individual sports is better, like swimming. Discuss Both Views and Give Your Own Opinion. |
| 16 | September | Today there is a great increase in antisocial behavior and lack of respect to others. What are the causes of this? What measures can be taken to reduce this problem? |
| 17 | September | People still value artists in the age of advanced science and technology. Write about the things that the art can tell us but the science cannot. |
| 18 | September | The unlimited use of cars may cause many problems. What are those problems? To reduce the problems, should we discourage people from using car? |
| 19 | September | What is the importance for individuals and countries to think about the future rather than focusing on the present? |
| 20 | September | Anybody can use a mobile phone to answer the work and personal calls at any time. Does this development have more positive or negative effects on both individuals and society? |
| 21 | September | More people are interested in cosmetic surgery in order to improve their appearance. Why? Is it a positive or negative development? |
| 22 | October | Nowadays more tasks at home and work are being performed by robots. Is this a negative or positive development? |
| 23 | October | Some scientists believe that intelligence life forms may exist on other planets and some want to send messages to contact them. Others think it is a bad idea because these life forms may be too dangerous. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. |
| 24 | October | Some people think it is good for a country's culture to import foreign movies and TV programs. Others think that it is better to produce these locally. Discuss both views and give your opinion. |
| 25 | October | Detailed descriptions of crimes on newspapers and televisions can have bad consequences, so some people think that this kind of information should be restricted. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 26 | October | Whether or(Constants: None) or not someone achieves their aims is mostly a question of luck. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 27 | November | People continue to commit crimes even after being punished for it. Why do you think this happens? How can crime be stopped? |
| 28 | November | Competitiveness is regarded as a positive quality for people in most societies. How does competitiveness affect individuals? Is it a positive or negative trend? |
| 29 | November | Some people believe that it is the responsibility of the politicians rather than the individuals to reduce the environment damage. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 30 | November | Some people think young people should have full-time education until they are at least 18 years old. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 31 | November | Extreme sports such as skydiving and skiing are very dangerous and should be banned. To what extend do you agree or disagree with this view? |
| 32 | December | Some people think that young people should follow traditions of their society, while others believe that young people should be free to behave as individuals. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion. |
| 33 | December | More government investment should be on the teaching of science than any other subjects in order to keep a country's development and progress. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |
| 34 | December | Nowadays celebrities are more famous for their glamour and wealth than for their achievements, and this sets a bad example to young people. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? |
| 35 | December | Young people increasingly admire media and sports stars even though they do not set a good example. Do you think this is a positive or negative trend? |
| 36 | December | Some people think governments should spend money on measures to save languages with few speakers from dying out completely. Others think this is a waste of financial resources. Discuss both view and give your opinion. |
| 37 | December | In many countries, people wear more western-style clothes(suits and jeans) than their traditional clothes. Why? Is it a positive or negative development? |
| 38 | December | Directors of organizations receive higher salaries than the ordinary worker. Some people think it is necessary while others think it is unfair. Discuss both views and give your own opinions. |
Year 2021
| # | Month | Writing Task | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | January | The spread of multinational companies and the resulting increase of globalization produce positive effects for everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 2 | January | Students leave high school without learning a way how to manage their money. What are the reasons and solutions to this issue? | |
| 3 | January | A recent survey shows that in many countries across the world, people are generally living longer. But an increased life expectancy has many implications for the aging individuals and for the society as a whole. What are the possible effects of a longer life expectancy on individuals and the society? | |
| 4 | January | When people learn from a foreign language, the four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) are equally important. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 5 | January | More and more plastic waste is polluting world's cities, countrysides, oceans. What problems does it cause? What are the solutions? | |
| 6 | Feburary | It has become easier and more affordable for people to visit other countries. Is it a positive or negative development? | |
| 7 | February | Parents should encourage children to spend less time in studying and more time doing physical activities. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 8 | Feburary | Some people believe that educational qualifications always bring success, while others disagree. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | |
| 9 | Feburary | Freshwater has always been a limited resource in some parts of the world. Today, however, growing worldwide demand has made this a global problem. What are the causes of the increasing demand? What measures could governments and individuals take to solve this problem? | |
| 10 | March | There are more animals in danger of extinction. Some people say that only the animals that are useful to humans should be protected. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 11 | April | In some countries around the world, men and women have children late in life. What are the reasons for this development? What are the effects on society and family life? | |
| 12 | May | Music has always been and continues to be the universal language of mankind. To what extend do you agree or disagree? | |
| 13 | June | Some people believe if a police force carries guns, it will encourage the level of violence in the society. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 14 | July | Health experts claim that walking is the best exercise. However, people are walking less on a daily basis. What has made this happen and how to deal with it? | |
| 15 | April | More and more people no longer read the newspaper or watch TV programs to get news. They get news about the world through the Internet. Is this a positive or negative development? | |
| 16 | April | Many people believe that bicycle is a healthy and environmentally friendly mode of transport. However, it is no longer the main form of transport. What are the reasons? What could be done to encourage the use of bicycles among the wider population? | |
| 17 | April | Young people do not spend their holiday and weekend doing outdoor activities like hiking and climbing in the natural environment. Why? And how to encourage them to go out? | |
| 18 | April | In many countries, traditional food is being replaced by international fast food. This will have negative effects on family and society. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 19 | April | Some people believe that in order to improve educational equality, we should encourage students to make comments or even criticism of their teachers, but others think it will lead to the loss of respect and discipline in the classroom. Discuss both views and give your opinion. | |
| 20 | May | Some people think that the best way to improve road transport safe is to let the driver test each year. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 21 | May | People should look after their health as a duty to the society where they live, rather than their own benefits. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 22 | 5 月 | Many people think the best way to learn a culture is to learn the language of it. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 23 | May | Many museums and historical sites are mainly visited by tourists, not local people. Why is this case? What can be done to attract local people to museums and historical sites? | |
| 24 | May | Some people say advertising has positive economic effects. Others think it has negative social effects because it will make people dissatisfied with who they are and what they have. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | |
| 25 | June | The family has a great influence on children's development, but the influence outside the home plays a bigger part in children's life. Do you agree or disagree? | |
| 26 | June | Some people think university education should focus on employment skills for the future. Others think it should focus on academic study only. Discuss both views and give your opinion. | |
| 27 | June | More and more people are becoming seriously overweight. Some people say that raising the price of fattening food will solve this problem. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 28 | June | In education and employment, some people work harder than others. Why do some people work harder than others? Is it always a good thing to work hard? | |
| 29 | June | Some people think traveling abroad is necessary while others think that is not necessary because TV and the Internet can give the same information. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | |
| 30 | July | Maintaining public libraries is a waste of time since computer technology is now replacing their function. To what extend do you agree or disagree? | |
| 31 | July | Education of young people is highly prioritized in many countries. However, educating adults who cannot write or read is even more important and governments should spend more money on this. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 32 | July | Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things that we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 33 | July | Some people think individuals are more and more dependent on each other. Others believe we are more and more independent. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | |
| 34 | July | Today some food travels thousands of miles from the farm to the consumers. What is the reason? Is it a positive or negative trend? | |
| 35 | August | Some people think that adults should give children freedom to make mistakes. Other people believe that adults should prevent children from making mistakes. Discuss both views and give your opinion. | |
| 36 | August | Nowadays, people spend more and more time away from their families. Why?What effect will it have on themselves and their families? | |
| 37 | August | Many developing countries are currently expanding their tourist industries. Why is this the case? Is it a positive development? | |
| 38 | August | Scientific research should be carried out and controlled by the government rather than private companies. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 39 | August | Some school leavers travel or work for a period of time instead of going directly to university. What are the advantages and disadvantages? | |
| 40 | September | In the future, all cars, buses, and trucks will be driverless. The only people traveling inside these vehicles will be passengers. Do you think the advantages of driverless vehicles outweigh the disadvantages? | |
| 41 | September | The natural resources such as oil, forests and freshwater are being consumed at an alarming rate. What problems does this cause? How can we solve these problems? | |
| 42 | September | In some countries, many university students live with their families, while others live away from home because their universities are in different places. Do the advantages of living away from home outweigh the disadvantages? | |
| 43 | September | Some experts suppose that when a country is already rich, any additional increase in economic wealth does not make its citizens happier. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 44 | September | Many people think there is a general increase in anti-social behaviour and a lack of respect for others. What do you think are the causes of this and how to improve it? What solutions can you suggest? | |
| 45 | September | People who decide on a career path early in their lives and keep to it are more likely to have a satisfying working life than those who change jobs frequently. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 46 | October | Some people think that it is more beneficial to take part in sports which are played in team, like football. While other people think that taking part in individual sports is better, like swimming. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | |
| 47 | October | People who damage public property, such as buildings or statues should have to do community service(such as cleaning parks) as a punishment rather than other forms of punishment (such as paying a fine or going to prison). To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 48 | October | Some people think financial aid from international organizations is important for developing countries. Others believe that practical aid and advice is more important. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | |
| 49 | October | The only reason for people working hard is to earn money. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 50 | October | Some people believe that employers should not be concerned about the way their employees dress, but they should be concerned about the quality at work. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 51 | October | Nowadays, some parents put a lot of pressure on their children to succeed. What are the reasons? Is this a positive or negative development for children? | |
| 52 | November | Many people use social media every day to get in touch with other people and know about news events. Do you think the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? | |
| 53 | November | Some professionals, such as teachers and doctors make a greater contribution to society so should be paid more than sport athletes and entertainment stars. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 54 | November | The best way to solve traffic and transportation problem is to encourage people to live in cities rather than suburbs and countryside. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 55 | November | Some people say it is the government responsibility to transport children to school. While other believe parents should transport their children to school. Discuss both views and give your opinion. | |
| 56 | December | Shops should not be allowed to sell any food or drink that have been scientifically proved to be bad for people's health. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 57 | December | The key to solving environmental problems is simple: the present generation is to accept a less comfortable life for the sake of the future generation. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 58 | December | Some people think that the environmental problems are too big for individuals to solve. Others, however, believe that these problems cannot be solved if individuals do not take some actions. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. | |
| 59 | December | Many people like eating unhealthy food even though they know it is bad for themselves. Why? What effective way can improve people's healthy eating habits? | |
| 60 | December | Some people believe that university students should pay all the cost of studies because university education only benefits students themselves not the society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree? | |
| 61 | December | Since people can study through the internet, schools have become unnecessary. To what extent do you agree or disagree? |