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 Academic Writing Task 2 Topics
1   Academic Task 2 Overview
In IELTS Academic Writing Task 2, you need to write an academic essay of at least 250 words on a specified topic. Task 2 usually needs 40 minutes, 2/3 writing test time, so we suggest not exceeding 350 words because more extended content won't credit extra score but add error risk in grammar and vocabulary. Your essay writing practice had better limit the size to around 300 words.

Each Academic Writing Task 2 always has one topic. You cannot change the topic even if you aren't familiar with it or dislike it. It means you give up the test if leaving the assigned topic.

Understanding a topic is the foundation of writing an essay about it. Therefore, you should research, prepare, and practice various topics or questions as much as possible in advance. These recent topics collected here are excellent resources to prepare Academic Writing Task 2.

Task 2 is a double-size job as task 1. It is supposed to be a well-organized essay to offer solutions, express opinions, and comment smoothly. Excellent writers have their way of creating a beautiful masterpiece who do not need any preparation for any writing test. But as for IELTS test-takers, severe practice and exercising will improve the final band. 

2   Academic Task 2 Topics
We collect popular topics of IELTS writing task 2 and revise them weekly. If you click any writing topic, you will get its questions and answers; then, you can view them on demand. It is a handy tool to connect essay topics with questions and answers.

academic success ad aging society animal animal rights appearance art attitude towards life automobile balanced life bike building business career celebration celebrities celebrity child child activity child health childhood education city climate clothing cognition communication community company computer crime crime news culture dangerous sport decision dress code driver economy ecosystem education education aim electronic game employment energy environment environmental pollution environmental protection equal employment examination family family education fast food food food production foreign language future gender gift globalization government government spend happy hard work health healthy diet history home housing human nature international aid international relation Internet job kindergarten language law leadership legacy leisure library life experience lifestyle living local place media mobile modern time money movie museum music natural resource new technologies news older people older people care online education online information outer space overweight parent parents part time job personal qualities physical activity population product profit public order public transport robot salary school school lesson school subject science science education shopping smoke social development social interaction social media social problem social responsibility social value society sport sport event stress student study study method success tax teamwork technological change technology teenager tourist tradition traffic transport travel tv TV university university student urbanization vacation violence volunteer ways to success wealth work worker rights young people youth care youth crime youth life
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3   Academic Task 2 Types
In general, an Academic Task 2 essay should have four or five paragraphs, including an introduction, body, and conclusion. Just list ideas as bullet points isn't an academic paper. You need to present all contents in a proper structure and fluent sentences. Besides, to provide evidence or reasons to support your argument, don't forget a reasonable and robust conclusion.

Here is a common guide for writing task 2 structure:

Paragraph 1 Introduction: give the topic, show your primary point

Paragraph 2,3,4 (or 2,3) Body: Main idea, supporting idea, examples

Paragraph 5(or 4) Conclusion: Summarize ideas, restate your essential point

In Academic Writing Task 2, you will get a brief description of an opinion, an argument, or a problem, and then you follow it to write an essay. The main question types of  academic task 2 are as follows:
  • Agree Disagree
  • Discussion
  • Cause & Solution
  • Direct Question
If you view some IELTS academic writing two essays, you may find that they possibly combine two or more question types. For example, you may have to consider an opinion or weigh the pros and cons of a puzzle and then provide a  way to solve it.

So, to sharpen task 2 writing skills, high score hunters must challenge complicated topics and combined question types.

To help IELTS test takers understand academic task 2 essays, we categorized them into four question types by which we offered a few samples. It's a quick way to get a big picture of academic task 2 writing.

However, when facing a real task 2 assignment, you cannot assume it only involves one question type. For example, Cause & Solution and Discussion sometimes are merged into one academic task 2 writing.

Samples: Agree Disagree 

Samples: Discussion 

Samples: Cause & Solution 

Samples: Direct Question