opinion essay topics ielts 2021

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IELTS Essay Topics for 2021

Below is a list of predicted IELTS essay topics for Writing Task 2 based on topics that have appeared recently, current world events and common topics that frequently appear in IELTS essays. Both GT and Academic IELTS candidates should prepare all topics from this list.

On this page, you will find:

• Tips for Preparing Essays
• Essay Topics 2021 List

Message from Liz

Ielts essay topics – preparing ideas.

• Be aware of the range of possible topics and prepare them all. Be aware of current world issues – IELTS likes to stay up-to-date.
• Prepare strong main ideas for all topics. Main ideas should be ones you can easily explain and develop. 
• Prepare supporting points. These make up the supporting sentences in your body paragraphs. The examiner will mark these carefully.
• Practice planning paragraphing and links. See these pages:   paragraphing and  Linking Words for Essays
• Source ideas in model essays online by google topics. You can find some model essays and free tips on this site. Click here: Free Model Essays etc
• IDEAS E-BOOK. I wrote an e-book covering 150 essay topics with ideas and vocabulary. Get that if you need the help. Visit my store: Liz’s Ideas E-book
• Target 7 and above. If you need more help reaching your goal for IELTS writing, I have Advanced Writing Task 2 Lessons in my online store: Liz’s Store .

Below is a list of predicted IELTS writing task 2 topics for 2021. The predictions are based on recurring essay topics, recent topics and world events which are all important in IELTS essay questions. The topics are not written as full IELTS essay questions, they are written as topics without the instructions. GT and Academic candidates should prepare all topics – even if you don’t get them in Writing Task 2, you might get them in Speaking Part 3. I’ve highlighted interesting essay topics for 2021 that are based on recent world issues that you might struggle with if you don’t prepare for them. Also note, topics change with each test, on one test day there can be a number of essay questions used, and essay topics are often recycled.

• importance of the arts for society
• supporting the arts – government funding 
• theatre and live events
• freedom of speech and freedom of expression
• children learning art 
• museums and galleries – importance
• local business vs international businesses
• supporting local businesses – buying local produce
• business skills – important skills / learning skills
• family run businesses
• buying goods or saving money
• the power of advertising in business
• shopping online
• businesses supporting local communities
• how online communication has changed our lives
• are people becoming more isolated because of only meeting online
• face to face or online communication
• pros and cons of meeting people online
• has the internet brought people closer or not
• how to stop criminals re-offending
• fixed punishment for one crime or not
• children – should parents be punished for their children’s crime
• prison or rehabilitation
• foreign cultures – learning through language, learning by travel, adapting to another culture
• music – importance of music, international music
• fashion – following trends and spending money
• films – should historical films be accurate, learning about culture from films, foreign films, subtitles
• how online media has changed local cultures
• global warming
• solving pollution – internationally or domestically
• major problems and solutions
• importance of nature for our well being
• responsibility for problems – government or individual
• urban nature 
• protecting wild species / endangered species – funding, reasons,
• why people don’t change their life styles to help environmental problems
• air / noise pollution in cities
• putting children into groups based on age or ability
• importance of children reading books (types of books)
• science or art / sciences or music
• how children learn 
• schools providing meals for children
• making lessons more interesting
• importance of science / history / technology in schools
• disadvantages for children from poorer backgrounds
• how to improve education in rural areas
• what age to learn a foreign language
• exams or on-going assessment / project work
• university education – costs, funding, courses
• home schooling / studying from home
• online education
• extra curricular activities
• single parent families
• importance of family for old people
• roles of grandparents
• supporting vulnerable members of the family: elderly, sick
• peer pressure for children
• children growing up in city or countryside
• children with both parents working
• childhood obesity – reasons, solutions
• healthy diet
• vegetarianism
• junk food – problems, solutions
• funding – prevention or cure 
• taking care of sick people – government or family
• funding – health care or other society problems
• good health – exercise or diet
• free health care for everyone
• cosmetic surgery – reasons, value
• mental health – stress, positive mindset, meditation
• lack of housing – building in cities or rural areas
• using space in cities for housing or parks
• funding affordable housing or other problems in society
• living in flats – pros and cons
• importance of hobbies / free time
• leisure time – importance, activities,
• spending time with family and friends
• leadership – innate or learned
• talent – innate or learned
• ambition – pros and cons
• important character traits
• famous world leaders – skills and traits
• family, society or government – taking care of the elderly
• the generation gap
• city living – positive or negative
• people moving to cities – reasons, problems, solution
• spending money on weddings – pros and cons
• respecting older people
• traditions – food, clothing, festivals
• protecting old buildings
• isolation among people in society
• supporting vulnerable people in society – government or community
• roles models in society for children
• ideal society
• online media stars
• reality TV stars
• importance of charities and charity work
• importance of green spaces and urban environment
• exploration – funding, importance
• communicating with other planets
• space travel for common people
• international sporting event – importance
• business sponsoring sporting events – pros and cons
• exercising and health
• children and sport – importance, who is responsible
• indoor sports
• smart phones – pros and cons, functions, limitations
• the internet – pros and cons
• online security (also for children)
• the future of the internet
• e-books – pros and cons, libraries
• children spending too much time online
• plane travel vs train travel
• cars in city centres – pros and cons
• using bicycles rather than cars
• walking – pros and cons
• pros and cons of tourism for rural communities
• tourism and economy
• working mothers
• doing volunteer work / charity work
• work / life balance
• working long hours – pros and cons
• experience or education or skills
• four day working week
• importance of promotion, salary, job satisfaction
• working online – pros and cons
• earning large salaries – films stars, sports people doctors etc
• richer countries should help poorer countries 
• types of international aid
• increasing number of old people
• gap between rich and poor countries
• violence on TV
• tackling world issues domestically or internationally
• news online – reliability of news, sources of news, fake news
• people becoming similar 
• loss of culture (protecting traditions)
• loss of local language (protecting language)
• one language

Sharing your IELTS Writing Task 2 Experience

• Did you get an essay topic you hadn’t prepared for?
• What preparation tips do you have for others?
• How did you manage your time in your writing test?
• What score did you get in your writing test?
• Sharing is caring 🙂 

2021 is our chance to start fresh, to move forward and to build a strong future. Forget your difficult experiences and be proactive about your future. Each positive step forward takes you towards your goal and towards success.  Be focused and strategic in your preparation for IELTS. You can find lots and lots of free lessons, tips, topics, model answers on this website – go to the HOME page to access it all. I wish you all lots of luck !! All the best, Liz 🙂

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I just want to say a big thank you for all you do. It is so kind of you to share your knowledge with us at not cost. I am inspired. God bless you and grant your heart’s desire.

I wrote the test on 30th October. My result just came out on Friday and I scored an average of 8. I appreciate your help in achieving that.

During my speaking test I was asked to talk about a café I had been to. I was to describe it and say what I went there to do.

During my writing Task 2, the question was something like: Some people believe that parents should be able to punish their children when they behave badly. However, others say there should be laws that govern how erring children are corrected. Discuss the two points of view and give your opinion.

Like you say, ‘sharing is caring’. Thanks for leaving me a better person.

Warm regards Nene

Great to see you’ve done so well. Good for you 🙂 Thanks for sharing

Thanks a lot

When children starting school the effect of teachers are more than parents in social and intellectual behaviour of students. To what extent do you agree? This was my topic 2 weeks ago and surprisingly, I got 6, I expected 7. I was in disagreement and give 5 reasons for it in 2 paragraphs.

Should I address social and intellectual in two separate paragraphs or I could explain them together in two paragraphs?

There are a number of points ton consider: 1. if you disagree then your essay must show why you think parents have more effect and why teachers have less effect – you must cover both within your opinion 2. you need to tackle both social and intellectual – you can tackle them together or separately – it depends on your point of view. For example, you might think teacher have a more intellectual effect and parents still have the most social effect 3. you should organise your ideas logically. Usually this means one single central theme per paragraph. If you had five main ideas – how can you have only two body paragraphs? When you brainstorm ideas – make a list of all the ideas you can think of and then choose the best to use. You don’t need to use all of them. Choose just two or three and organise them into separate body paragraphs

The three points above are just an example of things to consider for this essay and exemplify why you might have got a lower score than expected.

Just to share the question I got for my IELTS exam today. The words below are based on my memory.

The number of tall buildings in cities is increasing.

What are the reasons?

Is this a positive or negative development?

Share examples from your experience.

Hi Liz! Thank you so much for your site and great lessons. I bought your advanced writing classes and they were so helpful. I am a mom, working a full time job, and looking to apply for postgraduate study overseas. I barely had time to practice, but I do believe your website, tips and classes made an impact in my score. I got an 8.5 overall and 7.5 in the Writing section. Thank you for sharing your knowledge! Also, I wrote down the Writing Task 2 – Essay Question to share it with you and your students (I took the IELTS Academic on August 2021, quite recently).

Topic: In both studying and working, there are people that work harder than others. What makes people work hard? Is it a good thing to be a hard working person?

A great score – very well done 🙂 I’m glad you found my website useful 🙂

Cleared my exam and got my desired scores on the first attempt thanks to this site, Thank you so much Liz, all the best!

Great to hear!! Well done 🙂

Could you check and give me a score Task 2 The expansion of multinational companies and increase in globalization produces positive effects to everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement. In this contemporary world, Change is the law of nature but trying to abolish the natural arena is discomforting and disturbing. The overruling of multinational companies and firms and the sudden rise of globalization have led to many problems in human lives. So I partially disagree with the above notation.

To begin with, the building of new projects and the tech companies have greatly affected the vegetation grounds and most parts of the cities such as residential colonies are taken also away to form new offices. Deforestation has led to major pollution in the cities as well. Another factor that has been affected due to this is the weather conditions of the country. The rainfall patterns which were fixed in the older days are not disturbed due to global warming. Besides that, even the summers are unbearable due to the rise of temperature up to 40 degrees Celsius and all these are the results of modernization.

Some people may disagree with me due to the fact that this new tech world has given them the opportunity to get good jobs and a lifestyle but at the same time, life is not all about getting rich.

To conclude, many factors have impacted the current situation of the world such as erosion of vegetation lands, pollution due to global warming, deforestation and all this is due to the expansion of cities and factories so people need to slow down their speed to save our future kids.

Hi! I got the band score I needed. Thank you so much for this site. I’ve learned a lot from you, guys!

Anyway, let me share the question I encountered last October 2020. “Some people believe that History subject should not be taught anymore because it is already old and outdated. Others think that it should still be kept. To what extent do you agree/disagree?”

I apologize as these were not the exact words, but they delivered the same thought.

Good luck to everyone who’s about to take the exam. 🙂

Recently i gave my IELTS exam and i got 5.5 band in writing. It wasn’t the score i expected but my writing task 2 topic was very tricky. It was to mention drawbacks of the same thing shown by films, ads, brands and tv channels over the years on people’s mind. But they aren’t the same they have changed and their content has changed drastically. This question was really contradictory and tricky. Reply mam if possible. Regards

Can you remember the essay question more clearly? It’s quite vague. I would need to see a more accurate recording of the question to comment.

Hi Madam, Can you please help me with the tricks to differentiate the Opinion and Non-opinion Essays, which don’t have the ‘Do you agree or Disagree’ keywords? My doubt is with the question of having the keywords like: 1. Question X, Discuss both the views and give your opinion? 2.Question X, Discuss both the views? 3.Question X, Do you think the advantage outweigh the disadvantages? 4.Question X, Does this development bring more advantages or disadvantages? Example: Many things that used to be done in the home by hands are now being done by machines. Does this development bring more advantages or disadvantages?

I’ve already written a page about this. Here is a link to the main Writing Task 2 section of the website and you’ll find this mentioned in a link: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2/

hi liz, i really need your help regarding this question task 2.”Countries around the world will be facing significant challenges relating not only to the environment but population and education as well. What problems will your country face in the next ten years? How can these problems be overcome? im having problem paraphrasing this question for my background statement. i hope you can help me. thank you!

regards, jnet

Where did you get this question from? Was it from official sources? It doesn’t look like an official IELTS essay. The background statement does not include paraphrase the question for this essay question. You only paraphrase the first sentence:

Many countries worldwide might struggle in tackling issues such as environmental problems, education and population growth.

As you can see, when you paraphrase, you do NOT need to change all words. Just express the same ideas your own way and some words will be the same.

Hello everyone ,

I am going to give the exam of IELTS on 21 st Jan , so i am little bit confuse in choosing the topic for the writing task 2 , so can anyone help out with that , which topics can be used and what can i read it

You don’t choose the topic. You are given an essay question which you must answer. This means you need to prepare ideas for many topics. This can’t be done in one day. Instead, read over the topics are you not familiar with and do quick brainstorms.

Thank you Liz for your guidance. I got desrired results by following your lessons. I got overall band with 9 in both listening & reading. I had my GT IELTS exam on 9th Jan 2021.

My writing task 2 topic – Some people think that hard work helps in achieving Financial success while others think it is not the only thing which contributes to financial success. I was asked to discuss both of them & give my opinion.

Great scores – well done 🙂

Thank you Ma’am Liz! I’m glad that I found your website as I searched about IELTS. Its really a big help to me during this pandemic as I studied your lessons. Thank you so much for your generosity, I’ve got my desired band score. May you continue to be a blessing to everyone. I hope that your health will improve better. Take care always and God bless!

So glad to hear you’ve got the scores you needed – well done 🙂

Dear mam, I am a general training aspirant. I am practicing writing task 2. I am uncertain of how good i am while writing essay. I request you to please review my essay and tell me how much band will i score writing this way.

Ques. Today, high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of advertising and not the real needs of the society in which they are sold. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Ans. Effective marketing plays a major role in increasing the demand of the product. On account of this , vast scale selling of famous products is the result of efficient marketing and not requirement of the public. This essay will attempt to objectively examine all significant components in detail. (47 words)

Objectivity being of the essence, the following words will weigh one side of the issue against the other. In my opinion, right form of marketing makes us trust specific brands. On the other hand , i feel that everything that glitters is not gold. The following two paragraphs will delve effectively into both aspects. (54 words)

First, advertisements make us know about the products in demand sitting at home that tends to increase sales. Second well advertised brands are often topic of discussions among our acquaintances and that creates virtual impression of specific goods on our minds. To substantiate the above. highly marketed brands like Patanjali have become extremely popular amongst middle and upper class. They have made a huge network in a very short span of time. (72 words)

However, many popular brands that are advertised well are of no good use and creates hoax among public. Furthermore, many trusted companies are making business without much marketing only because they are fulfilling the needfulness of people by selling genuine products. To corroborate what has just been stated , brands like Mother dairy and Amul still hold their positions well even after introduction of many popular well marketed dairy firms. ( 70 words)

In light of above, it is true that proper advertising plays a distinct role in producing sales. Still i believe that fulfillment of public needs is equally important for successful vending. Bringing this essay to a close, there are at least two ways to examine any situation. In this instance, i disagree to the statement given. (56 words)

(total- 296 words)

Happy new year Liz. Hope you are much stronger now? I pray you have a quick recovery. I had my exam last year September. In my speaking, especially in part one, my examiner always cut me short, she never gave me time to add a conditional in my responses. Although I got a 6.5 band score, could it have equally affected my score in addition to my other mistakes.

It is 100% normal for your answers to be cut short. The examiner will interrupt when they want to ask another question. There are only 4-5 mins for 12 questions to be asked and answered in part 1. Take this into consideration when you answer. Give a direct answer and then add a little more until the examiner interrupts. Be ready for this and don’t let it affect your confidence. You must show willingness to speak at length – show as much fluency as you can. You haven’t asked me a question in your comment. But if you are asking if this is the reason for a lower score, the answer is “no”. Being interrupted is a natural part of IELTS speaking test.

Hi Liz, I follow your lessons since 2017. You have helped me crack Ielts 3 times already. Last time my score was overall 8.5 band with 9 in both listening and speaking. Hoping a good one this time too! Happy new year 🎉

Brilliant to hear – very well done 🙂 Wishing you a great 2021 !!

Thanks a lot ma’am Your effort for helping and guiding us is much more than excellent. Each and every module is explained in a very easy as well as much from point to point Today 9th January 2021 I have my IELTS Academic Exam I am from India Pray for me I have learned much from your offerings Thank you LIZ ☺️☺️ Love from INDIA

Hi Liz, hope and pray you’re doing well and in good health. Have a blessed New Year and more blessings to come throughout the year 2021. Thank you so much of your untiring effort to guide and teach us for our IELTS test preparation. I might take IELTS-GT test next month. To be honest, I am not very good with speaking in English yet I found your website very helpful. Your teaching was really inspiring, easy to understand tremendously and guiding us accordingly. My goal is to reach 6 band at least. Help me God. Take care and keep safe. God bless you relentlessly.

I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you 🙂

Your book IELTS writing topics is really brilliant!!

I am having my exam next week, hopefully, I will get my desired score

Good luck!! 🙂

Happy new year Liz.. and thank you so much for these materials. 😊

Wishing you all the best for 2021 🙂

Thanks for all your loyal support Liz! I wish you a very happy New Year and speedy recovery.

Thanks. I hope 2021 turns out to be a year of positive change 🙂

Have a mind-blowing new year liz

Happy New Year Liz

Same to you 🙂

thanks Liz. . . .

Hi Liz Im one of your followers and Found out that you have a good information in regards to ielts. I’m planning to take my ielts and I’m encouraged with the comments I read. I’m a nurse by profession but I need to take the band score intended in order for me to practice nurse in the uk. And I know you will be of great help.

Lots of luck! Go to the HOME page of this site to learn how to access all materials.

Thank you so much Liz for your effort! Happy New year

Happy 2021 🙂

Thank you Liz for your part. I got the desired result. I feel very happy to express my gratitude to all the people who had contributed, helped and encouraged me to get good band score. Thank you everyone. I got 7 5 overall with 8.5 in reading which I think is a great achievement in IELTS Academic. A little unhappy with my speaking score, if you can, please suggest something to improve my speaking. Regards

Great to hear your scores. Well done 🙂 For speaking, your score is based only on your language skills which is different to how the writing test is scored. See this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-band-scores/ and this page: https://ieltsliz.com/ielts-writing-task-2-band-scores-5-to-8/ . The key is to showcase your language in a natural way. For example, did you show the examiner a second conditional during the test? If not, why not? Your task is to show your range and this includes grammar which is equally as important as vocabulary. If the question isn’t a direct prompting for a second conditional, you can just add one yourself. Here’s an example: Part 1 Q: Do you often go swimming? Answer: No, I don’t. I don’t really have much time because of my work so I can only go swimming once in a while. But if I had more time, I’d definitely go swimming at least twice a week.

As you can see, the question was straight forward, but the answer showcased a direct use of the present simple with a flexible time phrase and a second conditional statement. These are the skills the examiner is looking for. The other thing to consider is developing your fluency in part 2. Take your talk beyond the prompts and take control of your talk. This is the time to think about what language to showcase and how to incorporate that. You have 1 min to plan this. So, prepare loads of ideas for topics before the test and then during part 2 you can prepare language to showcase for your talk during that prep time. Success in IELTS is about having and showing excellent use of English in a natural way. But, as with most exams, there are strategies to learn and techniques to help you present the best of yourself. I hope this helps 🙂

Thank you Liz, you are such a nice person apart from a wonderful coach, I think world needs more angels like you , STAY BLESSED ALWAYS

Happy New Year Liz, I hope your health is in great spirits.

You are the best and Fabulous teacher, Lots of prayers and Love 🙂

Wishing you all the best for 2021 !! 🙂

Thanks alot liz for these stuff

You’re welcome 🙂

I did my exam on 12-12 and because of you I got the score that I wanted! It was my first attempt and I only studied from your website 😍 Can’t thank you enough Liz.

My Ielts writing task 2 topic was : Some people think that a good teamwork makes a company successful, other think that a good leadership is the reason behind the success of a company.

I was asked to discuss both of them and share my opinion.

So glad to hear you did well. Congratulations. The topic of Business is a common one in IELTS Writing Task 2, particularly what leads to success in business. Sometimes it might relate to key aspects of business such as marketing and advertising vs good product. Sometimes its about staff or character traits. This is the reason it’s so important to prepare as many ideas as possible for as many topics. Anyway, well done with your results 🙂

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IELTS Opinion Essay – Topics, Structure and Sample Answers

10 min read

Updated On Feb 22, 2024

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IELTS opinion essays mainly focus on agreeing or disagreeing with a particular fact or information. It presents two opposite views and you have to develop your argument supporting one view (strictly one!) You get 40 minutes to complete this task. You have to write at least 250 words on the topic given.

Given below are some examples of IELTS Writing Task 2 opinion essays along with their structure. So, let’s understand how to frame the IELTS opinion essay from the sample answers given in the blog!

What is the IELTS Opinion Essay Format?

If you’re gearing up to tackle the Opinion Essay in IELTS Writing Task 2, know that it’s all about writing your opinion on a specific topic with supporting examples. To make sure your essay ticks off all the criteria of a band 8+ essay, organizing it in the right way is key!

Let’s now look at a proper format to learn the structuring of an IELTS opinion essay.

Introduction:

• Keep it short, usually around 2-3 sentences.
• Introduce the topic and clearly state your opinion.
• Provide a brief overview of the main points you will discuss in the body paragraphs.

Body Paragraphs (Usually 2 paragraphs):

• Each paragraph should focus on a single main idea that supports your opinion.
• Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main idea.
• Provide evidence, examples, and reasoning to support your main idea.
• Aim for coherence and cohesion within each paragraph by using appropriate transition words.
• Make sure to use appropriate vocabulary and grammar while explaining an idea in the body paragraphs.

Conclusion:

• Summarize the main points discussed in the body paragraphs.
• Restate your opinion, emphasizing its importance or relevance.
• Avoid introducing new ideas in the conclusion.

IELTS Opinion Essay Sample Answers

Given below is an example of an IELTS Writing task 2 opinion essay. Let’s understand how to frame the essay from the ideas we have.

Sample Question 1

In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Given below is a brief outline of what to write in the essay after identifying the essay type.

Opinion Essay

Introduction

Paraphrase the topic of the essay using synonyms for the words used in the topic statement. Clearly state the view on the topic.

Body Paragraph 1

Technological improvements have increased the level of ease and convenience to a point where people can access news and information at the click of a button. This has led to print media becoming outdated.

Body Paragraph 2

The development of news websites and sites that freely distribute information and print media in a digital form has led to a trend of availing such services and content without paying.

Summarize the essay and re-state the opinion on the topic.

Struggling to Crack the IELTS opinion essays? Our 8+ band trainers have got you! Sign up for a  FREE demo  now!

Sample Answer 

Presently, newspapers, books, journals, magazines, etc. are still actively used by a section of the global population. However, with the arrival of news sites and the availability of books, magazines and other forms of media online, totally free of cost, many believe that such forms of media are on their way to becoming outdated. I agree with this statement, and will explain it further with relevant examples in the essay.

It is a well-known fact that in this day and age if an individual wants to read a book or just go over the news of the day, the first step that they take is to search the internet. Devices such as smartphones and tablets have improved the time efficiency of searching for information online to such an extent that a person can access their preferred form of media in the comfort of their homes in a matter of minutes. Consequently, people have started to abandon their preference for print media due to the presence of much more convenient alternatives.

Additionally, the various forms of print media enjoyed by people can often be availed free of charge on several websites. For instance, most news organizations publish their daily news on their official website, which can be accessed by anyone. Also, some numerous sites and databases provide popular books, journals and magazines in a digital form to the public for a nominal subscription fee or sometimes even for free, leading to a majority of readers of such forms of media shifting away from buying hard copies.

Nevertheless, there is still a sizable chunk of the population that enjoys the conventional forms of print media. That being said, with the cost-effective nature of making such information and content available online, organizations will soon completely shift to internet-based services.

In conclusion, I would like to say that people always prefer the more comfortable alternative that is available. Therefore, it can be safely said that in the coming years, there will be a complete shift from traditional print media to online media services and products.

Sample Question 2

Some people say that international sporting events contribute greatly to peace and stability in the world. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Paraphrase the topic sentence using synonyms.

Mention the view on the topic.

Body Paragraphs

International sports tournaments are events where teams and the general public of various countries come together and collectively participate in the event.

Sports events, especially cricket and football help distract the minds of the citizens from the ongoing difficulties in their country and enjoy these events.

Summarize the essay and state the final view.

Sample Answer

Sports has always been a magnificent platform for the finest talents of a country to showcase their skills and represent their nation. At the same time, sports is also one of the few occasions where every citizen of the country unites in support of their favourite teams. It is considered by many that sports are a great approach to maintain stability among countries. This essay will elaborate on the given topic and justify why sports can successfully bring and preserve global peace.

One of the greatest characteristics of any popular sporting event is that supporters of every team involved in the tournament almost always attend the matches that are organized in their cities. Some veteran fans even travel to different parts of the country to witness a match between their favourite teams. These events also unite the populace of a nation as every patriotic individual prays for the success of their national team. For instance, the entire nation wishes for the victory of their national team in the Olympic Games as winning an Olympic Medal is one of the most prestigious honours that can be bestowed upon a country.

It is a well-known fact that the people of a country collectively face several challenges on a day-to-day basis. These issues can be caused by numerous factors and are the typical difficulties that ordinary citizens have to overcome. Sports help people enjoy a few moments of excitement and take a break from the monotony of everyday life.

That being said, sometimes the passion of overenthusiastic sports fans ends up leading to harmful and conflicting situations among communities. Nevertheless, the overall impact of sports on our lives is undoubtedly positive.

Finally, sports are one of the aspects of human life that bind a whole community together. This is enough evidence to understand that sports help maintain peace and stability in a nation.

Ready to grab the latest IELTS writing task 2 question papers of 2024?

Sample Question 3

Our personalities are predetermined as a result of our genes before we are born and there is nothing that can be done to change our character traits. To what extent do you agree?

Paraphrase the topic and mention the view.

Genetics are only a part of the entire list of factors that affect a person’s personality.

One of the most important influences on an individual’s personality is their childhood and upbringing.

Summarize the essay and mention the final view in brief.

Even between small periods of time, there are subtle variabilities in our disposition. Such alterations are quite natural and are a part of a human being’s existence. However, it is often assumed that our personality is entirely dependent on genetics. The following paragraphs will explore the different aspects of personality and justify why genetics are not the only factor influencing our personality.

An individual has countless experiences in their life from childhood to adulthood and finally until death. Every one of these experiences has an impact on a person’s mind, no matter how giant or small. The kind of people present in a person’s immediate surroundings also has a huge influence on their nature and characteristics. Thus, it can be safely surmised that a person’s genes are not the only contributing factor when it comes to personality.

One of the most significant influences on our personality is our childhood experiences and the teachings of our parents. Children are always known to follow in the footsteps of their parents. Thus, if the parents of a child are successful in teaching their children the right values and morals, they are bound to grow into responsible and decent individuals.

It is true that the personality traits of an individual are determined by the features of their parents. Nevertheless, these traits can be altered over the course of many years and different experiences.

In conclusion, genetics affect our personalities in a trivial manner as compared to all the other aspects of our temperament. That being said, our life experiences and learnings are the consequential factors in developing our character.

The Latest IELTS Opinion Essay Topics of 2024

A few IELTS opinion essay topics are listed down below, which you can practice. These opinion essay questions may appear in the actual examination.

• In the future, it seems more difficult to live on Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching another planet to live on, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

Many people say that the only way to guarantee a good job is to complete a course in university education. Others claim that it is better to start work after school and gain experience in the world of work. How far do you agree or disagree with the above views?

• Although more and more people read the news on the internet, newspapers will remain the most important source of news for the majority of people. Do you agree or disagree?
• Students in schools and universities learn more from their teachers than through other means such as the Internet, libraries, and TV. To what extent you agree or disagree?
• Nowadays university education is very expensive. Some people say that universities should reduce their fees, especially for the less fortunate students or for those coming from rural areas. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
• Some people think that governments must insist on preserving the traditional appearance of old buildings undergoing renovation or redevelopment. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the statement?
• Some people believe that international trade and communication with other countries is a positive trend, while others think it is harmful to nations and they might lose their identities. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.
• Many people believe that schools should teach children to become good citizens and workers rather than independent individuals. To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion and relevant examples.

People should follow the customs and traditions when they start to live in a new country. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

• It is impossible to help all people in the world, so governments should only focus on people in their own countries. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
• Prevention is better than cure. Do you agree or disagree that out of the country’s health budget, a large proportion should be diverted from treatment to spending on health education and preventive measures?

Top 3 Common Mistakes of IELTS Opinion Essays

In IELTS opinion essays, it’s easy to make some common mistakes that can lower your band score. Getting aware of them is the key to not committing them knowingly or unknowingly while you prepare!

The top 3 common mistakes to avoid are:

• Not giving a clear opinion.
• Presenting arguments for both sides of the issue.
• Failing to support your opinion with well-defined reasons and examples.

Tips to Answer IELTS Opinion Essay Questions

In the IELTS opinion essays, you need to write your opinion about a topic and back it up with proof and examples. If you use a clear structure and good writing methods, you can improve your chances of doing well!

• Spend 5 minutes on a mind map before writing.
• Stick to one viewpoint throughout the essay.
• Use a single main idea to support the topic in each of the two body paragraphs.
• Express your opinion throughout the essay, not just in the conclusion.
• Keep the introduction short, a maximum of 50 words.
• Ensure each body paragraph explains a main idea within 100 words.
• The conclusion should be shorter than the introduction.
• Write a complete essay following the given structure.
• Aim for a word count of 280 words or less.

Here are the 10 Examples for the Opinion Essay Topics IELTS:

Also check:

• Tips to write introduction in IELTS Writing Task 2
• Tips to write great writing essay
• IELTS Sample essays
• How to get band 8 in IELTS Writing Task 2
• IELTS Writing recent actual test
• IELTS 2024 Study Plan for 1 month (30 Days) / 15 Days / 7 Days

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure for writing the introduction for an opinion essay?

Is it mandatory to state my opinion in the introduction? Can I skip it and introduce my opinion in the body paragraphs?

What are the words that I can use to state my opinion?

Can I underline the important sentences, to attract examiner’s attention?

Is it mandatory to write the essay in first person?

Practice IELTS Writing Task 2 based on Essay types

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Purnima Koli

Posted on Oct 5, 2021

In fast-paced global economy, it is imperative to have both knowledge and skill. Ability to learn on the job paves way for more hands-on training than discussing case studies at university. Doing a course can be time taking and can surely burn a hole in our parents’ pockets, the middle class knows it better. Getting straight to business of things, meaning starting to work soon after school is beneficial in many ways.

Working in office gives us professional perspective about how business processes are streamlines, turning creative ideas into tangible projects and most importantly getting paid for the amazing work I put out. I feel it’s great to have my ideas being incorporated as solutions to processual issues. Personal growth due to long years of work experience makes us future-ready for the big dream job. Alternatively, some also start their own business after getting gaining a good reputation for their work.

In my personal experience my university education looks good on my CV but has not been financially rewarding for I still have to even out my return on investment. I regret joining an elite institution where I felt out of place as I came from a humble upbringing. However, I learnt a lot about living away from home, managing finances, making new friends, living independently, honed my communication skills.

All in all, I feel it is better to join workforce early on than to do a full-fledged university course. This saves time, money and energy from studying on campus which can be channelized to working with a small business which has ample scope to learn on the job. Later, one can switch to bigger companies with the achieved industry experience after a few years of rigorous hands-on training and development.

In the future, it seems more difficult to live on Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching another planet to live, such as Mars. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

The available land for household, industrial and recreational usage is shrinking. We see large scale infrastructure development in India. But for all these activities we need more land on earth itself, not on some other worldly planet, Mars. I would have to disagree that Mars has answers to all our earthly problems. I think it’s more about gaps in planning, policy making and the way we conduct our lives on a day-to-day basis. If we base our routine on sustainable habits, we are already solving more problems than we create. The problems are created on earth so they need solutions on earth itself, I believe.

The problems like polluted resources such as air, water, land, soil have ample ways to be fixed as we read in scientific journals and other informational sources. The popular ‘3 Rs’ such as Recycle, Reuse and Reduce need to be inculcated for us to have clean air, water, soil, land. We need community development along with economic development so the civil society, environment and the development process can go hand-in-hand. Overcrowding in urban areas due to migration for work, education or marriage can be solved by having proper laws. On the other hand, achieving conservation targets for endangered flora and fauna is a vital step towards holistic saving the ecosystem.

Consequently, I strongly believe that having ideas about Mars being an inhabitable place in the future is surely fantastic idea. But It’s a childish way to think of a better world somewhere else than fixing problems at hand. Let’s face it, our survival instincts have made us exploit resources faster than the nature can replenish them. And we see the negative outcomes like sea-level rising, frequent coastal flooding, drastic weather changes, global warming. As a global community of conscious individuals, we need our planet more than it needs us.

Posted on Sep 11, 2021

In a new country one faces multiple challenges to overcome the culture shock. Different people may adopt the new ways of life at different pace. But I do agree that willing to accept and change with the circumstances can ease the burden.

As we know that change is inevitable, we need to get accustomed to the new culture. There’s no harm in getting the best of both worlds, from your country of origin to this new land of surprises. Festivals, celebrations, new people, new places, new things tend to broaden our perspective on life. We come out much stronger by dealing with the new possibilities. Initially, the surrounding might be tough to make sense of, but with time it should get better.

The decision of moving to a new country is yours so you’d be the person who needs to adapt to get the best possible advantage. Human psychology is common but mannerisms might be different. So, one can learn that through social observation, trial and error and asking questions.

To belong at a place, we must take the initiative to learn the traditions and customs of the new country. To feel welcomed, one must socialize with like minded individuals, take part in group activities at workplace or educational institute or even neighborhood social clubs. Try to get out there, find your niche, excel at what you do, travel and get to know people. It’s easy if you are willing.

Otherwise, you’ll end up losing new experiences which enliven our senses. To live more each day, we need to blend with the culture. Traditions tells us stories of the past which we could relate with stories back at our homeland as well. This way it’s going to be much easier to make bonds, live a cheerful life.

Posted on Sep 15, 2021

Okay. Thanks for your reply. The 4 paragraph structure goes for all other types of (Task 2) essays too?

Posted on Sep 13, 2021

Overall band: 6

Follow the 4 paragraph structure so that it is easy for the examiner to mark you for coherence. . For opinion essays, it is better to write one line after your opinionated paragraphs. Just one line that you are aware of the other side.

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IELTS Essay Questions 2021 Archive

Hey! This is an archive of all the reported IELTS Essay questions 2021. If you are looking for 50 questions from the most recent IELTS exams, then you should go to this page , which I update with new questions every month.

Please remember that what you will find here are the questions that have been reported by exam-takers from IELTS exams around the world. Even though I have used my experience as a trained exam creator to edit the prompts so that they are as close to the original exam question as possible, I can never guarantee that they are 100% the same.

Therefore, if you find one of these topics in your exam, you MUST read the real question carefully to make sure that you address it properly – changing just one word may make a huge difference to the focus of the essay.

What patterns can be seen in IELTS essay questions 2021?

As you will see from questions below, there have been a lot of opinion questions (both Discuss Both Sides and To What Extent ) in the Academic version of the test so far in 2021, but very few “new” topics.

In the General Training version, the test writers seem to making small changes to the wording of questions. These changes don’t actually affect what you are expected to do, but they may confuse some students. For example, in the past, you were always asked “Is this a positive or negative trend?” but recently the same question has been phrased as:

• Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
• Do you think this is right or wrong?
• Do you think this this a good or bad use of public money?

If you enter the exam room and feel confused by the question, my advice is always to simply answer the question that you have been given.

In both versions of the test, I have seen a definite move towards 2-part essay questions . Test-takers can find these tricky as they may ask you to answer two questions that you have never seen together before in one essay  i.e. you may be asked to give a cause of a trend and then comment on whether it is positive or negative.

I don’t think that these essays are particular difficult once you know how to organise them and write the introductions and conclusions. Click here to find out how to do this.

Listen to two IELTS experts discuss SIX reported essay  questions from 2021  

Academic IELTS Essay Questions 2021)

1.  Some people believe that companies should manufacture products that last for a long time. Others feel that the emphasis should be placed on producing goods that are cheap. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

2.  Some people think that when many imported films or TV programmes are shown in a country, it can improve the country’s culture. Others feel that it is better for a country to make and broadcast its own movies and TV shows. Discuss both sides and give your own view.

3.  Some people believe that charities should help people in need no matter where those people are in the world. Others feel that these organisations should only serve the people living in the country where they are based. Discuss both sides and give your own view.

4.  Some people believe that good teamwork is what makes companies successful . Others feel that it is more important to have a good leader. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

5.  Some people think watching TV series and films makes children more creative . Others think that it can actually lower their creativity. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

6.  Some people believe that visual images (such as photos and videos) provide enough evidence that a crime was committed. Others think that they are not enough on their own and other evidence is needed. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

7.  Some scientists think that computers will soon become more intelligent than humans.  To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

8.   Although there is a lot of software available today that can translate from one language to another , it is still necessary for people to learn a foreign language. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

9.   In many countries, governments spend a lot of money celebrating national holidays and festivals. However, some people think that spending money on these celebrations is a waste. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view? 

10.   When designing a building, the most important thing for architects to consider is the intended use of the building rather than its outward appearance. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

11.  Some people think that dangerous extreme sports such as rock climbing and sky-diving should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this view?

12. Some people believe that countries should produce the food to feed their population themselves and import as little as possible. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

13.  Some people think that it is a waste of time for school students to study nature . To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

14. In recent years, television has contributed most to changing people’s quality of life . To what extent do you agree or disagree?

15. In the future it may be necessary for us to live on another planets.  For this reason, some people believe that we should spend money now researching planets that could be a possible home, such as Mars.  To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Learn more about how IELTS essays are different to those that we write at school and university here:

17. Some  cities create extra housing by building tall buildings.  Other cities do this by building on wide areas of land. Which do you think is the best solution to the problem of housing? 

18. Many   people continue to use cars and motorcycles even though they know that they are bad for the environment. Why is this? What can be done to reduce the use of these vehicles?

19.  There are many female students who finish degrees in science and technology courses at university , but few move into the workplace after they graduate. Why is this? What measures can be taken to encourage them into work?

20 . In many cities the construction of new houses and office buildings is not controlled . This leads to people building in whatever style they want without thinking about design. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh the disadvantages?  

21 . Young people are often influenced by their peers. Do the advantages of peer pressure outweigh the disadvantages? 

22. Many developing countries place a lot of importance on tourism.  Why is this? Do you think that this is a positive or negative development?

23. In the modern world, it is possible to shop, work, and communicate online without any face-to-face contact with other people. Is this a positive or negative development?

24. In the future, there will be a higher proportion of older people than younger people in many countries . Why is this? Is this a positive or negative development?

25. Some people believe that if an individual behaves in an anti-social manner, such as committing a crime, then society is to blame . What are the causes of anti-social behaviour? Who do you think is responsible?

Click here to watch the first three lessons in our IELTS Writing Course to see the difference that genuine expertise can make to your preparation. 

General Training IELTS Essay Questions 2021

1.  Some people believe that celebrating personal events is a waste of money. Others feel that these celebrations play an important role in the lives of individuals and in society as a whole. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

2.   Some people believe that traveling alone is the best way to experience a country or a culture . Others feel that it is better to travel with people you know. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

3.  Some people feel the best way to reduce the number of accidents on the road is to further limit the speed of vehicles. Others think that there are better ways to tackle this issue. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

4.   Some people think that older employees contribute most to the success of a company . Others think that younger people play a more vital role. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

5.   Some people believe schoolchildren should help to create rules in their schools . Others say teachers alone should decide what the rules are. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

6.   Some people think that students should learn a range of practical skills at school (such as car maintenance or managing money) alongside traditional subjects like maths and physics. Do you agree or disagree with this view?

7.  In cities, space for housing should be created by knocking down historic buildings. What is your opinion?

8.   Some people believe that  only employees who have worked at a company for a long time deserve to be promoted to a higher position.  What is your opinion about this?

9.   People’s behaviour (for example, their table manners and they way they dress) varies from country to country. When traveling to a different country, people should copy the behaviour and habits of the inhabitants of the country they  visit. Do you agree or disagree?

10.  The best way to increase road safety is to make car drivers retake their driving test every year. Do you agree or disagree?

11.  Some people believe that family is more important than friends . What do you think?

12.  The Internet is the best place to find information . Do you agree or disagree?

13.  In many countries traditional customs are being lost.  Why do you think this is? What can parents and schools do to keep traditional customs alive? 

14.  People who are learning a foreign language can face a number of difficulties. What are some of these problems? In your opinion, what are the best ways to overcome these difficulties?

15. Young people today are often less polite and show less respect than previous generations . Why do you think this is? What can be done to solve this problem? 

16. Some people today struggle to use modern electronic technology such as smartphones and computers. W hy do you think this is? What can be done to solve this problem? 

17.  Nowadays, many people drive to work or school instead of walking, cycling or using public transport. Does this trend have more advantages or more disadvantages?

18. After finishing school, some students go travelling or work for a period of time instead of going directly to university . Do you think the advantages of gap years outweigh the disadvantages?

19.  Nowadays some parents give money to their children if they perform well at school . Do you think this is good or bad trend? 

20.  Most children want to watch the same TV programmes or play the same video games as their friends . Do you think parents should allow their children to do this?

21.  Governments spend a large amount of money every year on works of art ( for example, paintings & sculptures.) Do you think this this a good or bad use of public money?

22.  Many people today spend most of their free time at home watching TV series or movies instead of going out. Do you think this is right or wrong?

23. People nowadays send text messages more frequently than they talk the phone. What are the reasons for this trend? Do the advantages of texting outweigh the disadvantages?

24.  Children can learn many things from watching films or movies. What are some of the different things they can learn? Are these lessons always good for them?

25.  Playing team sports at school can teach students a number of lessons that are useful outside of sport. What values can students learn from playing team sports? How can they apply these values in the future? 

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IELTS Essay Topics for 2021

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Below is a list of predicted IELTS essay topics for Writing Task 2 based on topics that have appeared recently, current world events and common topics that frequently appear in IELTS essays. Both GT and Academic IELTS candidates should prepare all topics from this list.

On this page, you will find:

• Tips for Preparing Essays
• Essay Topics 2021 List
• Message from Liz

IELTS Essay Topics – Preparing Ideas

• Be aware of the range of possible topics and prepare them all. Be aware of current world issues – IELTS likes to stay up-to-date.
• Prepare strong main ideas for all topics. Main ideas should be ones you can easily explain and develop.
• Prepare supporting points. These make up the supporting sentences in your body paragraphs. The examiner will mark these carefully.
• Practice planning paragraphing and links. See these pages:   paragraphing and  Linking Words for Essays
• Source ideas in model essays online by google topics. You can find some model essays and free tips on this site. Click here: Free Model Essays etc
• IDEAS E-BOOK. I wrote an e-book covering 150 essay topics with ideas and vocabulary. Get that if you need the help. Visit my store: Liz’s Ideas E-book
• Target 7 and above. If you need more help reaching your goal for IELTS writing, I have Advanced Writing Task 2 Lessons in my online store: Liz’s Store .

Below is a list of predicted IELTS writing task 2 topics for 2021. The predictions are based on recurring essay topics, recent topics and world events which are all important in IELTS essay questions. The topics are not written as full IELTS essay questions, they are written as topics without the instructions. GT and Academic candidates should prepare all topics – even if you don’t get them in Writing Task 2, you might get them in Speaking Part 3. I’ve highlighted interesting essay topics for 2021 that are based on recent world issues that you might struggle with if you don’t prepare for them. Also note, topics change with each test, on one test day there can be a number of essay questions used, and essay topics are often recycled.

• importance of the arts for society
• supporting the arts – government funding
• theatre and live events
• freedom of speech and freedom of expression
• children learning art
• museums and galleries – importance
• local business vs international businesses
• supporting local businesses – buying local produce
• business skills – important skills / learning skills
• family run businesses
• buying goods or saving money
• the power of advertising in business
• shopping online
• businesses supporting local communities
• how online communication has changed our lives
• are people becoming more isolated because of only meeting online
• face to face or online communication
• pros and cons of meeting people online
• has the internet brought people closer or not
• how to stop criminals re-offending
• fixed punishment for one crime or not
• children – should parents be punished for their children’s crime
• prison or rehabilitation
• foreign cultures – learning through language, learning by travel, adapting to another culture
• music – importance of music, international music
• fashion – following trends and spending money
• films – should historical films be accurate, learning about culture from films, foreign films, subtitles
• how online media has changed local cultures
• global warming
• solving pollution – internationally or domestically
• major problems and solutions
• importance of nature for our well being
• responsibility for problems – government or individual
• urban nature
• protecting wild species / endangered species – funding, reasons,
• why people don’t change their life styles to help environmental problems
• air / noise pollution in cities
• putting children into groups based on age or ability
• importance of children reading books (types of books)
• science or art / sciences or music
• how children learn
• schools providing meals for children
• making lessons more interesting
• importance of science / history / technology in schools
• disadvantages for children from poorer backgrounds
• how to improve education in rural areas
• what age to learn a foreign language
• exams or on-going assessment / project work
• university education – costs, funding, courses
• home schooling / studying from home
• online education
• extra curricular activities
• single parent families
• importance of family for old people
• roles of grandparents
• supporting vulnerable members of the family: elderly, sick
• peer pressure for children
• children growing up in city or countryside
• children with both parents working
• childhood obesity – reasons, solutions
• healthy diet
• vegetarianism
• junk food – problems, solutions
• funding – prevention or cure 
• taking care of sick people – government or family
• funding – health care or other society problems
• good health – exercise or diet
• free health care for everyone
• cosmetic surgery – reasons, value
• mental health – stress, positive mindset, meditation
• lack of housing – building in cities or rural areas
• using space in cities for housing or parks
• funding affordable housing or other problems in society
• living in flats – pros and cons
• importance of hobbies / free time
• leisure time – importance, activities,
• spending time with family and friends
• leadership – innate or learned
• talent – innate or learned
• ambition – pros and cons
• important character traits
• famous world leaders – skills and traits
• family, society or government – taking care of the elderly
• the generation gap
• city living – positive or negative
• people moving to cities – reasons, problems, solution
• spending money on weddings – pros and cons
• respecting older people
• traditions – food, clothing, festivals
• protecting old buildings
• isolation among people in society
• supporting vulnerable people in society – government or community
• roles models in society for children
• ideal society
• online media stars
• reality TV stars
• importance of charities and charity work
• importance of green spaces and urban environment
• exploration – funding, importance
• communicating with other planets
• space travel for common people
• international sporting event – importance
• business sponsoring sporting events – pros and cons
• exercising and health
• children and sport – importance, who is responsible
• indoor sports
• smart phones – pros and cons, functions, limitations
• the internet – pros and cons
• online security (also for children)
• the future of the internet
• e-books – pros and cons, libraries
• children spending too much time online
• plane travel vs train travel
• cars in city centres – pros and cons
• using bicycles rather than cars
• walking – pros and cons
• pros and cons of tourism for rural communities
• tourism and economy
• working mothers
• doing volunteer work / charity work
• work / life balance
• working long hours – pros and cons
• experience or education or skills
• four day working week
• importance of promotion, salary, job satisfaction
• working online – pros and cons
• earning large salaries – films stars, sports people doctors etc
• richer countries should help poorer countries 
• types of international aid
• increasing number of old people
• gap between rich and poor countries
• violence on TV
• tackling world issues domestically or internationally
• news online – reliability of news, sources of news, fake news
• people becoming similar
• loss of culture (protecting traditions)
• loss of local language (protecting language)
• one language

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How to Plan & Write IELTS Opinion Essays

IELTS opinion essays, also known as ‘agree or disagree’ essays, come up frequently in the writing exam. In this lesson, I’m going to show you how to plan and write them step-by-step.

Here’s what we’ll be covering:

• 3 Common mistakes
• Essay structure
• How to plan
• How to write an introduction
• How to write main body paragraphs
• How to write a conclusion

Click the links to see lessons on each of these Task 2 essay writing topics. 

Once you understand the process, practice on past questions. Take your time at first and gradually speed up until you can plan and write an essay of at least 250 words in the 40 minutes allowed in the exam.

The Question

The first part of the question for an IELTS opinion essay will be a statement. You will then be asked to give your own opinion about the statement. Here is some typical wording that might be used:

• What is your opinion?
• Do you agree or disagree?
• To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Want  to watch and listen to this lesson?

Click on this video.

Here's a question from a past test paper.

A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.  

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.

I’ll be using this question to guide you through the process of planning and writing an IELTS opinion essay.

3 Common Mistakes

These three errors are common in IELTS opinion essays.

• Not stating an opinion.
• Giving arguments for both views.
• Not supporting your opinion with clear reasons.

The most common mistake that students make is not giving an opinion. The question will clearly state that you must choose one side of the argument. If you fail to do this, you will get a low score for task achievement.

It doesn’t matter which side of the argument you take or even, that you agree with it. Choose the one you can develop the best argument for.

Make sure that you don’t change your opinion part way through the essay, and don’t give reasons for the opposing view.

Essay Structure

Now let’s look at a simple structure you can use to write opinion essays. It’s not the only possible structure but it’s the one I recommend because it’s easy to learn and will enable you to quickly plan and write a high-level essay.

1)  Introduction

• Paraphrase the question
• Give your opinion
• State two supporting reasons

2)  Main body paragraph 1

• Topic sentence – outline 1st reason for supporting this view
• Explanation – explain this idea
• Example – give an example  or expand the idea

3)  Main body paragraph 2

• Topic sentence – outline 2nd reason for supporting this view
• Example – give an example or expand the idea

4)  Conclusion

• Summarise opinion and key reasons

This structure will give us a well-balanced essay with 4 paragraphs.

We now need some ideas to add into the structure and we’ll have everything we need for our essay.

How To Plan IELTS Opinion Essays

# 1  decide on your opinion.

The question I've chosen to work on is quite straightforward and easy to understand so we don’t need to spend time analysing it. The first task, then, is to decide on our opinion.

Here’s the question again:

A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

Do you agree or disagree?  

For this essay, I’m going to disagree with the statement and argue that job satisfaction is more important than a big salary.

# 2  Generate ideas

The second task is to generate some ideas to write about.

Since I‘m going to argue that job satisfaction is more important than a large salary, I need ideas to support this view.

There are several different ways to think up ideas. I cover them fully on the  IELTS Essay Planning  page.

With this particular question, I immediately thought of a couple of examples of situations where job satisfaction did prove to be more important than a high salary, so I’m going to use the ‘example method’ of generating ideas.

Once you’ve thought of an example or two, ideas to include in your essay should come to you easily.

You might want to try this yourself before reading on for my ideas.

Here are my examples and some ideas they generated.

Both the examples are partly true but I've adapted them to better fit the essay. It's fine to do this as the examiner won't check your facts.

• Uncle Barry – boasted about high salary but hated his job. Nervous breakdown – lost job & can’t work.
• Me – gave up teaching. Now enjoy my work and am much more relaxed and happy even though I earn much less money.
• High-salary jobs are generally more stressful
• Stress leads to ill health, both mental and physical
• 40 hours a week at work – a third of the day
• Money doesn’t bring happiness
• Better quality of life
• Sense of fulfilment
• Less stressed – healthier and happier

I’ve got more ideas here than I need so I’m going to pick two to develop in the essay – one for each of the main body paragraphs.

Idea 1 – High-salary jobs are generally more stressful and can lead to ill health.

Idea 2 – Job satisfaction gives a sense of fulfilment.

We’re almost ready to start writing our IELTS opinion essay but first, we have one other small task to do.

# 3  Vocabulary

In an IELTS essay, it’s important to be able to say the same things in different ways, either by paraphrasing and/or using synonyms. During the planning stage, quickly jot down a few synonyms of key words you could use to save you having to stop and think of the right language while you’re writing.

For example:

satisfaction – fulfilment, achievement, sense of accomplishment, content, sense of well-being

salary – income, wages, pay, earnings

important – significant, valued, has more meaning

job – work, employment, position

With that done, we can focus on the first paragraph of the essay – the introduction.

How To Write an Introduction

A good introduction has a simple 3 part structure:

1)  Paraphrased question

2)  Thesis statement

3)  outline statement.

An introduction should:

• Have 2-3 sentences
• Be 40-60 words long
• Take 5 minutes to write

1)  Paraphrase the question

Start your introduction by paraphrasing the question.

     Question:  A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

                       Do you agree or disagree?  

Paraphrased question:  

It is argued that earning lots of money has more significance to people than being content in their work.

Note that I’ve used some of the synonyms I listed, although it’s fine to repeat one or two words if you need to. Above all, your language must sound natural.

In IELTS opinion essays, the thesis statement is where you state your opinion. For example,

    Thesis statement:  

    This essay totally disagrees with that statement.

That’s all you need to say.

If you decided to agree with the statement, you would write:

'This essay completely agrees with that statement.'

Finally in the introduction, you must outline the two main points (ideas 1 and 2 above) that you’ll cover in the rest of the essay. Do it in one sentence, or you can add them onto the end of the thesis statement if appropriate.

Outl ine statement:  

I believe that people are increasingly concerned about the risk of stress-related ill-health frequently experienced by people in highly paid positions and they care more about feeling fulfilled at work.

So, let’s bring the three elements of our introduction together.

     Introduction

This introduction achieves three important functions:

• It shows the examiner that you understand the question.
• It acts as a guide to the examiner as to what your essay is about.
• It also helps to keep you focused and on track as you write.

The two ideas in your introduction will become your two main body paragraphs.

Main body paragraph 1  – concerns about the risk of stress-related ill-health

Main body paragraph 2  – a sense of fulfilment at work

How To Write Main Body Paragraphs

The structure of a good main body paragraph has 3 parts:

• Topic sentence
• Explanation

If you can’t think of an example, you can add further supporting ideas but we already have our two examples so that’s not an issue here.

A common problem when writing main body paragraphs for IELTS opinion essays is having too many ideas. Again, we have already chosen the two ideas we are going to develop, so we are all set to start writing.

You can see how important the planning stage is and how it makes the actual writing of the essay far quicker and easier.

Main Body Paragraph 1

The  topic sentence  summarises the main idea of the paragraph. That’s all it needs to do so it doesn’t have to be complicated.

It plays an important role in ensuring that your ideas flow logically from one to another. It does this by acting as a signpost for what is to come next, that is, what the paragraph will be about.

If you maintain a clear development of ideas throughout your essay, you will get high marks for task achievement and cohesion and coherence.

We’ll now take the idea for our first main body paragraph and create our topic sentence.

Main idea 1  – concerns about the risk of stress-related ill-health

Topic sentence:  

Employees earning a large income are generally under significant mental and emotional pressure to perform well and achieve targets.

Next, we must write an  explanation sentence . This explains to the examiner what we mean. It expands on our first idea.

Explanation sentence: 

This causes many individuals to suffer high levels of stress which can result in both mental and physical health problems.

Finally, we add an  example  to support our main point. I thought of this in the planning stage so I have it ready to use.

If you can’t think of a real example, it’s fine to make one up, as long as it’s believable. The examiner isn’t going to check your facts.

Example sentence:

This happened to my uncle. He used to boast about his huge salary but the boss kept increasing his sales targets and in the end, the stress became too great and he had a nervous breakdown. Now he regrets being driven by the money.

That’s the 3 parts of our first main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

We now follow the same process for our second main body paragraph.

Main Body Paragraph 2

Main idea 2  – Job satisfaction gives a sense of fulfilment.

First, we write the  topic sentence  to summarise the main idea.

Topic sentence:

Having a job that they enjoy doing, and in which they feel valued, is a major concern for most of the modern workforce.

Now for the  explanation sentence  to explain this idea.

Explanation sentence:

A significant number of people are giving up well-paid positions to do jobs which pay less but that they find more enjoyable and less stressful.

Finally, an  example  to support our main point. As before, I thought of this in the planning stage so just need to form it into a couple of sentences.

I am an example of this myself. A year ago I left the teaching profession because the workload had become too great and I am now a gardener. I feel really fulfilled in this work and I am much more relaxed and happy even though I earn far less money.

That’s the 3 parts of our second main body paragraph complete. Here’s the finished paragraph.

Now we need a conclusion and our IELTS opinion essay is done.

How To Write a Conclusion

Conclusions to IELTS opinion essays should do two things:

• Summarise the main points
• State your opinion

This can generally be done in a single sentence.

If you are below the minimum 250 words after you’ve written your conclusion, you can add an additional prediction or recommendation statement.

Our essay currently has 233 words so we’re on target and don’t need this extra sentence but you can learn more about how to write a prediction or recommendation statement for IELTS opinion essays on the Task 2 Conclusions page.

The conclusion is the easiest sentence in the essay to write but one of the most important.

A good conclusion will:

• Neatly end the essay
• Link all your ideas together
• Sum up your argument or opinion
• Answer the question

If you achieve this, you’ll improve your score for both task achievement and cohesion and coherence which together make up 50% of the overall marks. Without a conclusion, you’ll score below band 6 for task achievement.

You can start almost any final paragraph of an IELTS opinion essay with the words:

• In conclusion

        or

• To conclude

Now all you need to do is briefly summarise the main ideas into one sentence.

Here’s a top tip . Go back and read the introduction to the essay because this is also a summary of the essay. It outlines what you are going to write about.

To create a great conclusion, you simply have to paraphrase the introduction. Let’s give it a go.

Introduction:

Here is the same information formed into a conclusion:

That’s it. We’ve completed our essay. Here it is with the 4 paragraphs put together.

    Question:

   A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

   Do you agree or disagree?

Finished IELTS opinion essay.

Go through this lesson as many times as you need to in order to fully understand it and put in lots of practice writing IELTS opinion essays from past exam questions. Practice is the only way to improve your skills.

5 More Model IELTS Opinion Essays

This pack contains another step-by-step lesson and  model essay. P lus 4 additional opinion essay questions with model answers.

Carefully created to help you achieve 7+ in your Writing test.

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More help with ielts opinion essays & other task 2 essays.

IELTS Writing Task 2  – T he format, the 5 question types, the 5 step essay writing strategy & sample questions. All the key information you need to know.

The 5 Types of Task 2 Essay   – How to recognise the 5 different types of Task 2 essays. 15 sample questions to study and a simple planning structure for each essay type.

Understanding Task 2 Questions  – How to quickly and easily analyse and understand IELTS Writing Task 2 questions.

How To Plan a Task 2 Essay  – Discover why essay planning is essential & learn a simple 4 step strategy, the 4 part essay structure & 4 methods of generating ideas.

How To Write a Task 2 Introduction  – Find out why a good introduction is essential. Learn how to write one using a simple 3 part strategy & discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

How To Write Task 2 Main Body Paragraphs  – Learn the simple 3 part structure for writing great main body paragraphs and also, 3 common mistakes to avoid. 

How To Write Task 2 Conclusions  – Learn the easy way to write the perfect conclusion for a Task 2 essay. Also discover 4 common mistakes to avoid.

Task 2 Marking Criteria  – Find out how to meet the marking criteria in Task 2. See examples of good and poor answers & learn some common mistakes to avoid.

The 5 Task 2 Essay Types:

Step-by-step instructions on how to plan & write high-level essays. Model answers & common mistakes to avoid.

   Opinion Essays

   Discussion Essays

  Problem Solution Essays

  Advantages & Disadvantages Essays

  Double Question Essays

Other Related Pages

IELTS Writing Test  – Understand the format & marking criteria, know what skills are assessed & learn the difference between the Academic & General writing tests.

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Opinion Essay for IELTS: How to Plan and Write a Perfect Opinion Essay?

What are opinion essays?

An opinion essay is a structured piece of writing that needs your perspective on a topic. There should be a straightforward statement of your view. You will offer different arguments/reasons/viewpoints on the subject in the essay and these will be accompanied by proof and/or examples. An opinion essay is a very traditional type of essay with a format of five paragraphs. This article requires analysing multiple viewpoints to figure out which are powerful and which are poor to help your own point of view.

In the contents below, you will get to clear all your doubts on opinion essay IELTS.

Opinion Essay IELTS Sample Questions

In the 40 minutes allotted in the test, take your time at first and gradually pace up before you can prepare and compose an essay of at least 250 words.

In this blog, you will be taught step-by-step how to prepare and write them.

Go through the ielts opinion essay questions below, to get a better understanding of this type of essay.

Q. A big salary is much more important than job satisfaction.

Do you agree or disagree?

Q. Advances in technology and automation have reduced the need for manual labour. Therefore, the working hours should be reduced.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Q. The prevention of health problems and sickness is more important than treatment and medicines. Government funding should reflect this.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

ALSO READ IELTS Essay Topics with Answers: Simplifying Writing Task 2 for 2021 Exam

How to Write an Opinion Essay in IELTS?

Ielts essay structure.

The next level is to compose the outline of an opinion article . It will help you, first of all, to resolve the fear of a blank page. Second, in order to compose an assignment quicker, you would have a broken-down list of suggestions and an orderly spot for your scattered thoughts.

Here’s an opinion essay outline example:

• Introduction: Write a statement of the thesis and arguments for your view. To engage them with the subject, give your readers a hook.
• Main body: It was divided into several chapters in which you include points and explanations, comments, and evidence that justify it
• Conclusion: Ending an article, reaffirming the core argument, and summarising the essay’s key points.

15 Best Expressions to Use

A lot of students can’t have their point of view when it comes to opinion writing. This shows that the critical reasoning capacities are deficient which contributes to poor grades.

Check the list of simple phrases if you need a fast fix for your assignment to help you start putting your opinions

• As far as I am concerned
• In my opinion
• My opinion is that
• I (firmly)believe that
• I am inclined to believe that
• It is clear that
• It seems to me that
• As I see it
• My principal reason is
• Another reason is
• It is widely known that
• Research has shown that
• This suggests that
• Despite the fact that
• In order to
• In conclusion

ALSO READ Advantage Disadvantage IELTS Essay Topics: Sample Questions and Answers for Better Preparation

Opinion Essay – Do’s

• Write your assignment as if you were making an important speech. Specifically present the issue.
• Avoid needless phrases and irrelevant information which do not specifically apply to the subject.
• Start with simple subject phrases in each paragraph; outline the key ideas
• When writing an opinion post, use the present tense
• Keep it brief
• Be sure there is a logical order that makes it easy for the readers to understand.

Opinion Essay – Dont’s

• Don’t overuse simple short sentences
• Don’t use slangs
• Don’t use abbreviations
• Don’t use imperative voice
• Don’t repeat arguments, instead, group them as a single argument
• Don’t give examples related to you

Not to fail to proofread the article is the last bit of advice. Use material, grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, etc. to study Be sure that the key question is answered in your article. Check if the information you have supplied is correct and up-to-date. With the aid of the tips above, in the blink of an eye, you will be able to build the most amazing essays. Now that you know the secrets to write a good paper, try writing your own essay of opinion!

Still, if you’re stuck with your essay, you can always count on similar contents from IELTS Ninja

Also Read: Agree Disagree Essay for IELTS Writing Task 2: Click to know All about Agree Disagree Essay

This article is has cleared a lot of doubts that I had regarding the opinions essay. Is there a similar article available for linking words?

The expressions which are mentioned to write an essay has really brought a difference to my writing and improved it, can you please tell some names of apps where we can get a free proofread of our essays

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Opinion Essays [IELTS Writing Task 2]

Posted by David S. Wills | Nov 14, 2022 | IELTS Tips , Writing | 1

In the past, I have explained how to answer each type of IELTS writing task 2 question and today we are going to look at a set of question types called “opinion essays.”

What do I mean by this? Well, generally we divide IELTS essays into 5 categories:

• Agree or Disagree
• Advantages and Disadvantages
• Problem (or Cause) and Solution
• Discuss both views
• Two-part Question

Sometimes, people call the first one “opinion essays” but I don’t like that term because actually other question types also call for your opinion. Therefore, I think of “opinion essay” as a term that covers several question types.

Let’s look at this topic in more detail.

What is an Opinion Essay?

To put it as simply as possible, an opinion essay is an essay that gives an opinion. In the context of IELTS, that means giving your opinion about a stated topic.

I mentioned above that there are several question types that could require you to give an opinion. These are most common:

• Agree or disagree
• Advantages and disadvantages
• Two-part questions

This is why it’s important to read a question carefully rather than just scan for keywords and then begin writing.

Of these, the agree/disagree and discuss both views question types are always going to require an opinion, but for the others you need to read more carefully. A two-part question, for example, might ask your opinion as the second question, but it won’t always do this.

Note that most advantage and disadvantage questions do not require your opinion but some do. If they ask you whether or not the advantages of something outweigh the disadvantages, then clearly you are required to give an opinion.

How to Write an Opinion Essay

As with all IELTS writing task 2 essays, you need to do several things:

• Read the question carefully in order to analyse it
• Think of a reasonable answer
• Create a coherent structure
• Put your ideas forth clearly and consistently
• Use appropriate language

That’s about as simply as I can put it for you, but let’s explore further.

First of all, any time you are given an IELTS task, you need to read it carefully and analyse it so that you truly understand the question. Some are quite straightforward but others are very difficult. ( Here’s a video about what I think is the most difficult question.)

One of the problems with opinion essays is that you won’t necessarily be asked to “give your opinion.” You will have to use common sense in order to determine whether your opinion is required. Some words that could indicate an opinion are:

Do you agree or disagree?

• To what extent do you agree?
• Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
• What do you think…?

Remember: If you are asked for an opinion, then give one. If you aren’t, then don’t. Failure to interpret the question properly would lead to a poor score.

You then need to think of a response and write about it using intelligent ideas. As you are giving an opinion, you need to justify your viewpoint. One big mistake here is failing to be consistent. For example, some people do not put their opinion into their introductions. This would mean that your score for Task Response would be quite low. Really, you ought to include your opinion in the outline sentence , then explain it in the body paragraphs, and finally reiterate it in the conclusion .

Although it’s possible to produce a good structure in different ways, an excellent IELTS essay will probably look like this:

For more general information about writing a great IELTS task 2 essay, see this article .

How to Start an Opinion Essay

A good essay should begin with a good introduction. There are various ways to achieve this, but in IELTS writing task 2 that means introducing the topic and stating your opinion clearly. I’ve written at length about how to write a good introduction here .

Think of your introduction as having two key components:

• Introduce the topic
• Give your opinion

You can do that in two or three sentences. It isn’t hugely important. However, you must achieve both of those things.

When you introduce the topic, you basically aim to convey the main idea to your reader. A lot of people just paraphrase the question but this isn’t always a good idea. In fact, paraphrasing more often than not leads to big problems in language and logic.

Still, you want to convey the idea in the question and that does mean taking an idea and putting it into your own words. For example:

All cars that burn fossil fuels should be banned and electric cars should replace them. Do you agree or disagree?

In my introduction to this opinion essay, I would write:

During the twentieth century, people around the world began using vehicles powered by fossil fuels, and in this new millennium that trend has continued, with a vast uptick in the number of privately owned cars. However, it has become apparent that this phenomenon is causing major environmental damage and needs to be stopped. This essay will argue that humans ought to switch to electric cars.

This is a little complex, but what you can see is that I have used two sentences to introduce and explain the main idea and then one sentence to put forth my opinion.

Beware: Your introduction should not be too long. This is an example of a band 9 essay. It uses complex language and structures to convey intelligent ideas. If your introduction is longer than your body paragraphs, it is not a good sign.

Opinion Essay Structure

When writing an opinion essay, you should keep the structure simple and use it to convey your ideas as logically as possible. There are different ways to do this effectively, but I generally recommend a four-paragraph essay structure. (You can read about 4 vs 5 paragraphs here .)

It is hard to generalise because your structure will ultimately be dictated by your opinion and that is something personal. However, you should use your essay to state your opinion in the most effective way. For example, if you strongly agree with something, you might create the following structure:

This is a basic structure but can be used very easily. Of course, if you totally disagree, you can replace “agree” with “disagree” and use the same structure.

It is also possible (but not required) to write a balanced essay that neither wholly agrees nor disagrees with an idea. In such cases, you would need to modify your structure a little. For example:

As long as you make this clear, there should be no problem and you would stand to get a good score for Coherence and Cohesion . One big mistake that occurs here is that people start by saying they have a balanced opinion, then they mostly explain one side of the issue, leaving the reader a bit confused. If you want to give balance, then make sure your body paragraphs are fairly even.

Using the above question (about electric cars), I would create the following essay structure:

You can read my answer in the next sentence:

Opinion Essay Example

Sample question.

All cars that burn fossil fuels should be banned and electric cars should replace them.

Sample Answer

The damage done by traditional style cars is obvious. One only needs to look at a big city like Beijing or Los Angeles to see the vast smog clouds lingering over highways to recognize that these vehicles are emitting unpleasant chemicals from their exhausts. Scientific studies over the past few decades have confirmed that these chemicals cause significant damage to our health and our environment, as they turn into acid rain or are inhaled into our lungs, where they cause certain types of cancer. This is in addition to the fact that fossil fuels are a finite resource, and that their extraction from the earth is often incredibly destructive.

On the other hand, electricity can be generated in any number of ways, many of which are relatively harmless. It is possible to generate electricity from the wind or sun, thereby gathering energy without damaging the earth or causing harm to human beings. As an infinite source of energy that can be gathered and used without harm, it is obvious that electricity is the power that should drive cars in the future.

In conclusion, traditionally powered vehicles are destroying our world and need to be phased out in favour of electric vehicles. Electricity can be generated harmlessly and endlessly and is therefore superior to fossil fuel.

When it comes to writing opinion essays, you need to make sure you understand the question, then formulate an appropriate response. You should devise an intelligent structure that allows you to convey your ideas clearly and consistently throughout the whole essay. Make sure that your ideas are realistic and try to avoid being overly complex as this could create further problems.

It is worth reading articles about common IELTS topics in order to prepare for this sort of essay. These can teach you both vocabulary and ideas. They can also help with coherence. For example, you could Google “electric cars” and find an article there. The recent one was published in the New York Times.

About The Author

David S. Wills

David S. Wills is the author of Scientologist! William S. Burroughs and the 'Weird Cult' and the founder/editor of Beatdom literary journal. He lives and works in rural Cambodia and loves to travel. He has worked as an IELTS tutor since 2010, has completed both TEFL and CELTA courses, and has a certificate from Cambridge for Teaching Writing. David has worked in many different countries, and for several years designed a writing course for the University of Worcester. In 2018, he wrote the popular IELTS handbook, Grammar for IELTS Writing and he has since written two other books about IELTS. His other IELTS website is called IELTS Teaching.

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