This page has links to newer argument and opinion essays on this site. Some essays are listed in more than one topic.

Many of the essays have key points highlighted. Just move your mouse over the underlined words, and features such as topic sentences, thesis sentences, conclusions and introductions will be explained, or at least identified.

The essays are meant to be examples of what an IELTS candidate could do in just 40 minutes. They are not aimed at being Band 8 or 9. Instead they use vocabulary and phrases that should be familiar to anyone looking for Band 6.

See these essays sorted by date. You can also find links to older essays on this site.

Culture

• Are we becoming more independent?
• Do we need so many languages? (long)
• Do we need so many languages? (short)
• Effects of ageing on society (long)
• Effects of ageing on society (short)
• Government spending on art
• Is ambition positive or negative?
• More sports & fitness centers?
• Should college students stay at home? (very short version)
• Should foreigners pay more? (long)
• Should foreigners pay more? (short)
• Travel and international understanding
• University: Theory or Practice?
• Violence on Television (Long)
• Violence on Television (short)
• Who is valued most in society – old or young? (Long version)
• Who is valued most in society – old or young? (Short version)

Economy

• Childcare: Who should provide it?
• Development and Technology
• Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (long)
• Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (short)
• Do we need so many languages? (short)
• Does cheap air travel damage the environment?
• Does tourism benefit a country?
• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Long)
• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Short)
• Effects of ageing on society (long)
• Effects of ageing on society (short)
• Should college be free?
• Should foreigners pay more? (short)
• Universities and rural areas (long)
• What’s the best way to help poor countries?

Education

• Are Parents the Best Teachers?
• Children: Cooperate or Compete?
• Effects of ageing on society (short)
• Healthcare: Unlimited and available to all?
• How many subjects in secondary school?
• Is emigration bad for a country?
• More sports & fitness centers?
• Should boys and girls attend college together?
• Should bright students be taught separately? (1)
• Should college be free?
• Should college students stay at home? (Very long version)
• Should college students stay at home? (very short version)
• Universities and rural areas (long)
• Universities and rural areas (short)
• University: Theory or Practice?

Environment

• Development and Technology
• Does cheap air travel damage the environment?
• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Long)
• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Short)
• New developments in agriculture (long)
• New developments in agriculture (short)
• Protecting the Environment
• Should foreigners pay more? (short)
• Traffic: What can we do?

Families and Children

• Are Parents the Best Teachers?
• Are we becoming more independent?
• Childcare: Who should provide it?
• Children: Cooperate or Compete?
• Effects of ageing on society (long)
• Effects of ageing on society (short)
• How many subjects in secondary school?
• Should children be free?
• Young people and free time

Media

• Is ambition positive or negative?
• Violence on Television (Long)
• Violence on Television (short)

Problem and Solution

• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Long)
• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Short)

Science and Technology

• Development and Technology
• Healthcare: Unlimited and available to all?
• New developments in agriculture (long)
• New developments in agriculture (short)
• Traffic: What can we do?

Society

• Are Parents the Best Teachers?
• Are we becoming more independent?
• Being Rich
• Children: Cooperate or Compete?
• Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (long)
• Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (short)
• Do we need so many languages? (long)
• Do we need so many languages? (short)
• Does cheap air travel damage the environment?
• Does tourism benefit a country?
• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Long)
• Effects of ageing on society (long)
• Effects of ageing on society (short)
• Government spending on art
• How many subjects in secondary school?
• Is emigration bad for a country?
• New developments in agriculture (long)
• Protecting the Environment
• Should boys and girls attend college together?
• Should bright students be taught separately? (1)
• Should children be free?
• Should college be free?
• Should dangerous sports such as motor-racing or boxing be banned?
• Traffic: What can we do?
• University: Theory or Practice?
• Violence on Television (short)

Sports and Leisure

• Does cheap air travel damage the environment?
• Does tourism benefit a country?
• More sports & fitness centers?
• Should dangerous sports such as motor-racing or boxing be banned?
• Should foreigners pay more? (long)
• Young people and free time

Travel

• Does cheap air travel damage the environment?
• Should foreigners pay more? (long)
• Should foreigners pay more? (short)
• Traffic: What can we do?
• Travel and international understanding

Work

• Childcare: Who should provide it?
• Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (long)
• Do foreign workers benefit the host country? (short)
• Economic development: A solution or cause of poverty? (Short)
• Effects of ageing on society (long)
• Is ambition positive or negative?
• Is emigration bad for a country?
• Traffic: What can we do?

You can also find links to older essays on this site.

New essays and comments by people in the forum!

See how other learners are writing – add your comments and upload your essays!

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• writefix on The young or the old - who is more valued in society?
• writefix on Should museums be free? (New IELTS topic)
• writefix on Should museums be free? (New IELTS topic)
• writefix on Should museums be free? (New IELTS topic)