Recurring essay topics, recent topics, and world events are all important in IELTS essay questions. The list of topics below are not written as full IELTS essay questions, they are written as topics without the instructions. 

The 2021 IELTS writing topics are for both General training and Academic candidates. Both GT and Academic candidates should practice all topics and stay up-to-date.

These IELTS Writing recent topics 2021 will help you to prepare for IELTS Writing test task 2, but even if you don’t get them in Writing Task 2, you might get them in Speaking Part 3. 

The topics that are in bold are the most interesting essay topics for 2021 and they are based on recent world issues that you might struggle with if you don’t prepare for them.

1. Art and the Arts:
   • 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.

      

2. Business and Consumerism:
   • 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.

      

3. Communication:
   • 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.

      

4. Crime & Punishment:
   • 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.

      

5. Culture:
   • 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.

      

6. Environment:
   • 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 lifestyles to help environmental problems.
   • air/noise pollution in cities.

      

7.  Education:
   • 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.
   • homeschooling/studying from home.
   • online education.
   • extracurricular activities.

      

8.  Family:
   • 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.

      

9. Food:
   • childhood obesity – reasons, solutions.
   • healthy diet.
   • vegetarianism.
   • junk food – problems, solutions.
   • snacking.

      

10.  Health:
    • 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.
      
11.  Housing:
    • 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.

       

12. Leisure & Free Time:
    • importance of hobbies / free time.
    • leisure time – importance, activities,.
    • spending time with family and friends.

       

13. People:
    • leadership – innate or learned.
    • talent – innate or learned.
    • ambition – pros and cons.
    • important character traits.
    • famous world leaders – skills and traits.

       

14.  Society:
    • 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.

       

15. Space:
    • exploration – funding, importance.
    • communicating with other planets.
    • space travel for common people.

       

16. Sport:
    • international sporting event – importance
    • business sponsoring sporting events – pros and cons.
    • exercising and health.
    • children and sport – importance, who is responsible.
    • indoor sports.

       

17. Technology:
    • 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.

       

18. Tourism & Travel:
    • 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.

       

19. Work:
    • 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.

       

20. World Issues:
    • 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.
    • globalisation.
      • work.
      • people becoming similar.
      • loss of culture (protecting traditions).
      • loss of local language (protecting language).
      • one language.