Recent IELTS Topics 2019
HEALTH
1. Some people say that the best way to improve public health is by increasing the number of sports facilities. Others, however, say that this would have little effect on public health and that other measures are required.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
2. In some countries levels of health and fitness are decreasing and average weights are increasing.
What do you think are the causes of these problems and what are some possible solutions?
3. Research indicates that the characteristic we are born with have much more influence on our personality and development than any other experiences we may have in our life.
Which do you consider to be the major influence?
4. Schools should do more to teach students about their health and wellbeing.
Do you agree or disagree?
5. More and more schools allow fast food restaurant to sell their products to their students.
Is it a positive or a negative development?
6. Research into new types of medicine and treatments are essential for improve health and deal with diseases. Who do you think should fund these researches: private companies, individuals or governments?
7. Modern children are suffering from the diseases that were once considered to be meant for adults only. Obesity is a major disease prevalent among children.
What are its causes and what solutions can be offered?
8. Despite health warnings, a large number of people continue to smoke all over the world.
Why should we be concerned about this?
What solutions would you suggest?
9. Should parents be obliged to immunise their children against common childhood diseases? Or do individuals have the right to choose not to immunise their children?
What is your view of this practice?
10. Some people choose to eat no meat or fish. They believe that this is not only better for their own health but also benefits the world as a whole.
Discuss this view and give your own opinion.
11. A number of different medical traditions are now widely known and used: Western medicine (using drugs and surgery), herbal medicine, acupuncture (using needles at certain points of the body), homoeopathy (using minute doses of poisons), and so on.
H
ow important is the patient’s mental attitude towards his/her treatment in determining the effectiveness of the treatment?
12. Some people believe that it is the responsibility of individuals to take care of their own health and diet. Others however believe that governments should make sure that their citizens have a healthy diet.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
PEOPLE
1. When a new town is planned, it is more important to develop public parks and sports facilities than shopping centres for people to spend their free time in. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
2. In some culture old people are valued more, while in other cultures youth is considered more valuable.
Discuss both the views and give your opinion.
3. Nowadays in many countries women have full time jobs. Therefore, it is logical to share household tasks evenly between men and women. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
4. Some believe that men should not have equal role in police force, military or army, others have opposite view.
Discuses both and give your opinion.
5. Human activity has had a negative effect on plants and animal all over the world. Some people think that is too late to do something about it. Others think that there is still time to take effective actions. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
6. In many countries, young people move to cities leaving their homes in rural areas for work or study.
What do you think are the reasons for it?
Do you think advantages for moving to cities outweigh disadvantages?
7. Many young people in the workforce today change their jobs or careers every few years.
What do you think are the reasons for this?
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
GOVERNMENT MONEY
1. Many developing countries require aid from international organisations to develop. Many people think that this aid should be financial, while others think that practical aid and advice are more useful.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
2. Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
3. Some people think that government should spend money for faster public transportation, others think that there are other important priorities of public transport (cost, environment). Discuss both view and give your opinion.
4. Improvements in health, education and trade are essential for the development of poorer nations. However, the governments of richer nations should take more responsibility for helping the poorer nations in such areas.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
5. Successful sports professionals can earn a great deal more money than people in other important professions. Some people think is fully justified while others think it is unfair.
Discus both these views and give your own opinion.
6. Space exploration is much too expensive and the money should be spent on more important things.
What is your opinion?
7. People prefer to watch foreign films rather than locally produced ones.
Why do you think this happens? Should the government support local film makers financially?
8. Some people think that governments should invest more in public services instead of wasting money on arts such as music and paintings.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
9. Some people believe that the government should pay for and offer housing to people who lost their homes or cannot afford them.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
10. Some people think that the government should fund music, dance and arts lessons for children. Others think that they should be funded by private businesses or by children’s families.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
11. Many people think that the government should spend money to explore outer space, while others think that it’s a waste of public money.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
12. Some people think that mothers should spend most of their time raising their family, and therefore the government should support them financially.
Do you agree or disagree?
13. Some people feel that certain workers like nurses, doctors and teachers are undervalued and should be paid more, especially when other people like film actors or company bosses are paid huge sums of money that are out of proportion to the importance of the work that they do.
How far do you agree? What criteria should be used to decide how much people are paid?
14. Some people argue that it is more important to have an enjoyable job than to earn a lot of money. Others disagree and think that a good salary leads to a better life.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
15. Government should stop spending on restoration of old buildings in cities. Instead they should spend the money on housing and road development. Do you agree or disagree?
16. Houses are essential for people. Some people think that the government should offer free houses for people who cannot afford to pay for it. Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
EMPLOYMENT, EDUCATION
1. Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women.
Do you agree?
2. Nowadays more and more people have to compete with young people for the same jobs.
What problems does this cause?
What are some possible solutions?
3. Women and men are commonly seen as having different strengths and weaknesses.
Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?
4. As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual wellbeing.
What factors contribute to job satisfaction?
How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?
5. Some people think that people in senior positions alone should make decisions in a business, while others think that employees should be involved in the decision-making process too.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
6. Nowadays many people work part or full time from home. Some people say that working from home has many benefits while others disagree.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
7. For some people a high salary is the most important criterion when choosing a new job while others are satisfied if the job contributes to society.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
8. In some countries, the unemployment is high, therefore some people think children should study only primary education and not secondary education as because they cannot find jobs in the future. To what extent do you agree or disagree.
9. Financial education should be a mandatory component of the school program.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
10. Some students work while studying. This often results in lacking time for education and constantly feeling under pressure.
What do you think are the causes of this?
11. In some countries, young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university studies.
Discuss the advantages and disadvantages for young people who decide to do this.
12. Many people say that the only way to guarantee a good job is to complete a course of university education. Others claim that it is better to start work after school and gain experience in the world of work.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
13. Many employers believe that good social skills are as important as good qualifications to succeed in a job, so they are employing people who are with good social skills. To what extent you agree or disagree?
TECHNOLOGY
1. More and more parents are allowing their children to play on computers and tablets as they think that children should learn technology skills. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
2. When a country develops its technology, the traditional skills and ways of life die out. It is pointless to try and keep them alive.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
3. Modern appliances in the home have become more common, leaving no doubt that advances in technology have improved our lifestyle.
Do you agree or disagree?
4. New technologies provided machines which replaced workers to do certain physical jobs and tasks. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
5. Earlier technological developments brought benefits and changes to the lives of ordinary people more than recent technological developments. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. Around the world it is likely that more adults will work from home, more children will study from home, as computer technology become cheaper and accessible. Do you think it is a negative or a positive development?
7. As technology is used more in the workplace, some people tend to believe that young people can find jobs more easily than older people. To What extend do you agree or disagree?
8. Beside a lot of advantages, some people believe that the Internet creates many problems.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
9. We are becoming increasingly dependent on computers. They are used in business, hospitals, crime detection and even to fly planes.
What things will they be used in the future?
Is this dependence on computers a good thing or should we be more suspicious of their benefits?
10. It is predicted that robots are going to become increasingly important in our lives. How could robots be used in the future? Will this development be a positive or a negative development?
CONSUME
1. An increasing number of people are buying what they need online. What are the advantages and disadvantages for both individuals and companies to shopping online?
2. In some countries, more and more shops are open long hours every day. What are positive and negative developments of this situation?
3. Some people think the manufacturers or shopping malls should sell less packaged products and others argue that people have the responsibility to buy products with less packaging. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
4. For some people, consumer goods have become most important thing in the life. Do advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages?
5. Children today are too dependent on computers and electronic entertainment. It would be better to encourage them to spend more time outside playing sports and games.
Do you agree or disagree?
6. Some people say that public libraries are an important public resource and should be free, others say that they are just a waste of public money?
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
7. Some people think that excessive use of smart phones badly affects teenagers’ literacy skills.
Do you agree or disagree?
8. The internet contains a lot of information that can help people, however, sometimes the information is inaccurate or wrong.
Do you agree or disagree?
9. Nowadays the way many people interact with each other has changed because of technology.
In what ways has technology affected the types of relationships people make?
Has this become a positive or negative development?
10. Computers have made the world a better place to live.
Do you agree or disagree?
11. Some people believe that the use of mobile phones in public is as annoying as smoking and should be banned.
Do you agree or disagree?
CRIME, EDUCATION
1. Some people advocate death penalty for those who committed violent crimes. Others say that capital punishment is unacceptable in contemporary society.
Describe advantages and disadvantages of death penalty and give your opinion.
2. Nowadays many young people deliberately damage public places.
What are the causes and solutions?
3. Some people believe that a person’s criminal record should be removed when they reach the age of 18.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
4. Study shows that many criminals have a low level education. For this reason, some people believe that the best way to reduce crime is to educate people in prison, so that they can get a job when they leave prison. Do you agree or disagree?
5. More and more young people are using drugs and alcohol and as a result, breaking the law.
What are the causes of this problem?
What are some possible solutions?
6. Children should never be put in prison with adults no matter how serious their crime.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
7. Children today play very violent games. This must be the reason for the increase in violence and crime in most major cities of the world.
What are your opinions on this?
8. Recent figures show an increase in violent crime among youngsters under the age of 18. Some psychologists claim that the basic reason for this is that children these days are not getting the social and emotional learning they need from parents and teachers.
To what extend do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
ANIMAL RIGHTS
1. A growing number of people feel that animals should not be exploited by people and that they should have the same rights as humans, while others argue that humans must employ animals to satisfy their various needs, including uses for food and research.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
2. Some people think zoos are cruel and all the zoos should be closed. However, some people think zoos can help protect the rare animals. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
3. Some people think that animal testing to advance medical research for human use Is necessary. Others think it is not right.
Discuss both of these views and give you own opinion.
4. Many people think that we have to focus on the endangered species while other think that we should pay attention to the problem of human beings.
Discuss both and give your opinion.
5. Some people believe all wild animals should be protected while others think only some animals need to be saved.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
WASTE
1. Nowadays many of us prefer to throw damaged things away, whereas in the past people used to repair damaged items and keep them for a long time. Why has this change happened? What are the effects of this change?
2, People nowadays are used to “thrown-away” which means that they use things in short time and throw it away. What do you think is the cause and the problems it may lead to?
3. Some people think that it is a waste of time for an individual to plan for the future and that it is more important to focus on the present. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
5. People waste a lot of food that was bought from shops and restaurants these days. What causes it and what solutions are possible.
WORK
1. Many young people in the workforce today change their jobs or careers every few years.
What do you think are the reasons for this?
Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages?
2. Some people think that people in senior positions alone should make decisions in a business, while others think that employees should be involved in the decision-making process too.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
3. Most high-level positions in companies are filled by men even though the workforce in many developed countries is more than 50 percent female. Companies should be required to allocate a certain percentage of these positions to women.
Do you agree?
5. Nowadays more and more people have to compete with young people for the same jobs.
What problems does this cause?
What are some possible solutions?
6. Women and men are commonly seen as having different strengths and weaknesses.
Is it right to exclude males or females from certain professions because of their gender?
7. As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job satisfaction is an important element of individual wellbeing.
What factors contribute to job satisfaction?
How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?
8. Some people think that people in senior positions alone should make decisions in a business, while others think that employees should be involved in the decision-making process too.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
9. Nowadays many people work part or full time from home. Some people say that working from home has many benefits while others disagree.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
10. For some people a high salary is the most important criterion when choosing a new job while others are satisfied if the job contributes to society.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
EDUCATION
1. Some people think learning history in school is important. Some others think learning subjects more relevant to life is important. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
2. Too much emphasis is placed on testing these days. The need to prepare for tests and examinations is a restriction on teachers and also exerts unnecessary pressure on young learners.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
What other measures do you think might be effective?
3. Some people believe that teenagers should concentrate on all school subjects, others think that they should focus on subjects which they do best or find interesting. Discuss both views and your opinion.
4. Some people from poor and rural backgrounds find it difficult to get university education. Universities have to make it easy to let them in, especially for those groups. To what extent do you agree or not?
6. Some people think that children should start formal school as early as possible while others believe that they should not start school until they become 7 years old. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.
7. Reading for pleasure can develop imagination and language skills better than watching TV. To what extent you agree or disagree?
8. Children spend a lot of time playing computer games rather than playing sport. Why has this happened? Do you think it is a positive or negative development?
9. University students must pay all tuition fees, because it benefits mostly them individually, rather than the society as a whole.
Do you agree or disagree?
11. Some say that music, art and drama are as important as other school subjects, especially at the primary level.
Do you agree or disagree?
12. Some people believe that studying history is very important and we must study the past to understand the present. Others say that it is useless and should not be studied at all.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
13. Some teachers tend to reward students who achieve high academic results. Others, however, support and reward students that show the most improvement.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
14. Giving lectures in halls to large numbers of people is an outdated method of teaching. With the technology available today there is no justification for it, and everything should be done online.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
15. In most universities students focus on specialised subjects, however some people believe that universities should encourage students to study a wider variety of subjects.
To what extent you agree or disagree?
16. It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and other are not. However, it is sometimes claimed that any child can be taught to become a good sports person or musician.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
17. Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace. Others think that the true function of a university should be to give access to knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether the course is useful to an employer.
What, in your opinion, should be the main function of a university?
18. Some parents think that childcare centres provide the best services for children of pre-school age. Other working parents think that family members such as grandparents will be better carers for their kids.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
19. Governments should spend more money on education than on recreation and sports.
Do you agree or disagree?
20. Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes (for example working for a charity, improving the neighbourhood or teaching sports to younger children).
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
21. Some people think that it is better to educate girls and boys in separate schools. Others, however, believe that boys and girls benefit more from attending mixed schools.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
22. Some people think that parents should teach children how to be good members of society. Others, however, believe that school is the place to learn this.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
23. Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students in every subject.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
24. In some countries young people are encouraged to work or travel for a year between finishing high school and starting university.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?
25. Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged. Others believe that children who are taught to co-operate rather than compete become more useful adults.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
26. Some people believe that children are given too much free time. They feel that this time should be used to do more academic work.
How do you think children should spend their free time?
27. In many countries schools have severe problems with students’ behaviour.
What do you think are the causes of this?
What solutions can you suggest?
28. University students should pay in full for their own education instead of the society funding their studies. The reason is that individuals tend to benefit after graduation more than the society.
To what extent do you agree or disagree? Give your own opinion.
29. Some people believe that students should be allowed to evaluate and criticise their teachers to improve the quality of education. Others think this is disrespectful to teachers.
Discuss both views, give your opinion and include relevant examples.
LIFESTYLE
1. Some people believe that a country becomes more interesting and develops faster when its population includes a mixture of different nationalities and cultures. Do you agree or disagree?
2. In many countries, the cost of living is on the rise. What effects do higher prices have on individuals and society? How to deal with higher costs?
3. Today, the quality of life of people in big cities is getting worse. What are the causes of this problem? Any measures should be taken to solve it?
4. Many people aim to achieve a balance between work and other parts of lives, but few people achieve it. What are the problems in trying to achieve it and how to overcome these problems?
5. In many countries today, people in cities ether live alone or in small family units, rather than in large, extended family groups. Is this a positive or negative trend?
6. Why are young people leaving their homes from rural areas to study or work in the cities? Do advantages of this development outweigh its disadvantages?
7. Now many people spend less and less time at home. What are the causes for this? What are the effects of this on individuals and on the society?
8. Many museums and historic sites are mainly visited by tourists, not local people. Why is it the case? What can be done to attract local people?
OLD PEOPLE
1. Experts say that if older people spend their time with others and exercise daily, they will be healthier and happier. However, many elderly people are suffering from lack of exercise. Discuss the reasons and give a solution to this problem.
2. The birth rate in most developed countries is predicted to begin to fall over the next 50 years. By 2030 it is estimated that over one third of the population in most developed countries will be aged 65 and over:
3. What effects will these predictions have on developed countries if they prove true? What can be done now to deal with this situation?
4. Leaders and directors in some organisations are frequently older people. Some people think younger leaders would be better. What extent do you agree and disagree?
6. In some cultures, the old age is highly valued, while in others youth is more valued. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
THE MEDIA
1. The news media’s tendency to report problems and emergencies rather than positive development is harmful to individuals and the society. To what extend do you agree or disagree?
2. Whoever controls the media also controls opinions and attitudes of the people and there is little can be done to rectify this.
To what extend do you agree or disagree?
3. Some people think that the best way to learn is from newspaper. Others think that the best way to learn is through media. Discuss each views and your opinion.
4. The tendency of news reports in the media is to focus more on problems and emergencies rather than on positive of developments to individual and to the society as a whole. To what extent do you agree or disagree.
5. Social media has replaced the traditional methods of communicating and people use more and more of social media to communicate to follow news and events. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages and give your opinion with examples.
ADVERTISEMENT
1. Many famous sports players advertise in sports products. Do you think advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
2. Popular events like the Football World Cup and other international sporting occasions are essential in easing international tension and releasing patriotic emotions in a safe way.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
3. Some people think that big international sporting events are not worth for the host country. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this idea?
4. People are surrounded by many kinds of advertising which can influence their life. Does the positive effect of this trend outweigh the negative effect?
5. Society would benefit from a complete ban on all forms of advertisement.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
7. Some people believe that products are all about good quality and its needs in people, advertisement is unnecessary and only a form of entertainment. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
ENVIRONMENT
1. There is a growing demand for fresh water nowadays and this is becoming a global problem.
What are the causes and solutions?
2. Many people think that too much attention and resources are given to protection of wild animals and birds.
Do you agree or disagree?
3. Increasing the price of petrol is the best way to solve growing traffic and pollution problems.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
What other measures do you think might be effective?
4. Nowadays we are producing more and more waste.
What are the causes of this?
What can be done to help reduce the amount of waste?
5. Many people believe that companies and individuals should pay to clean up the environment in proportion to the amount of pollution they have produced.
Do you agree or disagree?
6. Global warming is the biggest threat we face today.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
7. As countries develop, more and more people buy and use their own cars. Do advantages of this trend for individuals outweigh the disadvantage for the environment?
8. Some people think the best way to solve environmental problems is to increase the cost of fuel for cars and other vehicles. To what extend do you agree or disagree?
9. Governments and big companies should work together to reverse environmental damage, rather than making individuals responsible for that. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?
10. Today, many people have little knowledge about the importance of the natural world. What are the reasons and how to help people to learn the importance of the natural world?
11. Influence of human beings on the world’s ecosystem is leading to the extinction of species and loss of bio-diversity.
What are the primary causes of loss of bio-diversity?
What solutions can you suggest?
FOOD
1. Many people today prefer to eat locally produced food. Do the advantages of this trend outweigh disadvantages for the environment and economy?
2. In many places traditional food has been replaced by international fast food. This has adverse effects on individuals and society.
Do you agree or disagree?
SOCIETY
1. In some countries the numbers of children aged 15 and younger are increasing dramatically.
What are the current and future effects of an ever increasing population?
2. A recent study showed people in developed countries are not as happy as they were before development.
What are the causes of this and what are some possible solutions?
3. Sometimes celebrities get invited to international aid events.
Do you think that such events deviate from their main purpose by inviting famous people?
4. Some people believe that richer countries should give poorer countries more financial assistance.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
5. Some people believe that no aid should be given to developing countries that have poor human rights records.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
6. Every year several languages die out. Some people think that it is not important because life will be easier if there are fewer languages in the world.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?
7. It is becoming increasingly popular for people to travel to tourist destinations during public holidays.
What problems does this cause?
What solutions are there to these problems?
8. Today, the 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?
9. Some people believe that visitors to other countries should follow local customs and behaviour. Others disagree and think that the host country should welcome cultural differences.
Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.
10. At present the media affects people’s lives significantly.
What impact does this have on society? Is it a negative or positive development?
11. Young people say that traveling to different countries benefits them and society.
Do you agree or disagree? Give your opinion.
12. These days more fathers stay at home and take care of their children while mothers go out to work.
What are the main reasons for this? Do you think this is a positive or a negative development?
13. More and more people are visiting historic site and sometimes tourists may damage these ancient sites. The number of people visiting these places should be strictly limited.
Do you agree or disagree?
14. Shopping has developed from a necessary activity to a kind of entertainment.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
15. Many small businesses are being forced to close because they are unable to compete with multinational corporations.
What problems does this cause and how can those problems be solved?
16. Multinational companies are becoming increasingly common in developing countries.
What are the advantage and disadvantages of this?
17. In many places traditional food has been replaced by international fast food. This has adverse effects on individuals and society.
Do you agree or disagree?
18. More and more people are visiting historic site and sometimes tourists may damage these ancient sites. The number of people visiting these places should be strictly limited.
Do you agree or disagree?
19. Shopping has developed from a necessary activity to a kind of entertainment.
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
20. Many small businesses are being forced to close because they are unable to compete with multinational corporations.
What problems does this cause and how can those problems be solved?
21. Multinational companies are becoming increasingly common in developing countries.
What are the advantage and disadvantages of this?