IELTS Writing Task 2 topics: Work, with practice questions and ideas
Quick answer
IELTS publishes no list of Task 2 topics, so work is a theme that candidates report from practice material, not one IELTS confirms. It is commonly reported with working from home, choosing a career, long hours and stress, automation and older workers. Prepare two or three developed ideas and the precise vocabulary for each angle, and answer the exact question you are given, not a memorised essay.
The app marks a Task 2 essay on all four criteria and gives an Examiner's Summary, so you can see whether your work-themed ideas were developed or only listed.
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On this page
Work is a theme that covers what people do all day and how it fits with the rest of their lives: where they do it, why they choose it, how long it takes and what machines or age do to it. IELTS publishes no list of Task 2 topics. The themes on this page are the ones candidates commonly report from practice material, so prepare by theme and by essay shape, and read the question you are given before you decide what to write.
The angles this theme comes up with
- Working from home. Questions ask whether remote work should become normal. You weigh flexibility and time saved against isolation and the line between job and home.
- Choosing a career. Questions ask what should guide the choice: security, interest, helping others or the chance to progress. You weigh what a person gains early against what they live with later.
- Long hours and stress. Questions ask why many employees feel overworked and who should act. You weigh what employers can change against what individuals can do.
- Automation and the changing job market. Questions ask what happens when machines take over tasks. You weigh efficiency and safer work against lost roles and the need to retrain.
- Older workers and changing careers. Questions ask about people who work beyond the usual retirement age or start again in a new field. You weigh experience and purpose against fairness to younger people.
Practice questions
These ten questions are invented for practice, in our own words. They are not copied from any list or past paper. Each shape links to its guide the first time it appears.
- Working from home should become the normal arrangement for most office jobs. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (agree or disagree)
- Some people choose a career because it is secure, while others choose one they find interesting. Discuss both views and give your own opinion. (discuss both views)
- Many employees now work longer hours than people did in the past. What problems does this cause, and what can employers do about it? (problem and solution)
- Machines and software now do many tasks that people used to do. Do the advantages of this development outweigh the disadvantages? (advantages and disadvantages)
- More older people are choosing to keep working after the usual retirement age. Do the advantages of this outweigh the disadvantages? (advantages and disadvantages)
- Some people say employers should help staff balance work and personal life. Others say this is the responsibility of each individual. Discuss both views and give your opinion. (discuss both views)
- Young people today change jobs more often than their parents did. Why do you think this is? Is it a positive or negative development? (two-part question)
- Some people prefer to work for themselves instead of working for a company. Why is this? Is it a good choice for most people? (two-part question)
- Employers should value practical experience more than formal qualifications when they choose staff. To what extent do you agree or disagree? (agree or disagree)
- Many workers find it hard to switch off from messages and email once the working day has ended. What are the causes of this, and what solutions can you suggest? (problem and solution)
Ideas for and against
Working from home
- For: no daily commute gives people hours back, so they can start work rested and spend more time with family. Employers can hire from a wider area, which helps people who live far from big offices.
- Against: new staff learn by watching colleagues, so a junior who works alone at home may improve more slowly. Home can also become a place where work never ends, which leaves people tired.
Choosing a career
- For (security): a stable job lets a person plan years ahead, so they can commit to a home and a family without constant worry. Security also lets them develop skills at one organisation over time.
- For (interest): someone who finds the work interesting tends to keep learning, and that effort usually leads to promotion. Boredom, by contrast, leads to a lack of effort and a change of direction.
- Against: a secure job that a person finds dull may lead to regret in middle age. An interesting but unstable field may leave them anxious and unable to plan.
Long hours and stress
- For action by employers: managers set the workload, so a realistic deadline prevents the rushing that causes errors. A team that rests produces better work in the long run.
- For action by individuals: employees who set limits on when they reply to messages protect their own rest. Learning to say no to extra tasks keeps a workload manageable.
- Against: if the culture rewards people who stay late, an individual who leaves on time may be passed over, so personal choices have limits.
Automation and the changing job market
- For: machines can take over dangerous or repetitive tasks, so people are safer and can spend time on work that needs judgement. Businesses can also deliver goods and services faster and with fewer mistakes.
- Against: roles that disappear hurt people with few other skills, especially those late in their careers. Retraining takes time and support that not everyone can get.
Older workers and changing careers
- For: experienced staff pass on knowledge to younger colleagues, which keeps skills inside an organisation. Staying active at work can also give older people a sense of purpose and routine.
- Against: when older staff stay in senior posts, younger people may wait longer for chances to advance. Some jobs are physically demanding, so continuing may harm health.
Vocabulary for this theme
| Word or phrase | What it means | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| flexible working | an arrangement where staff choose some of their hours or location | Flexible working allows parents to be at home when their children return from school. |
| work-life balance | a fair division of time between a job and personal life | A good work-life balance reduces the risk of exhaustion. |
| career progression | moving to more senior or better roles over time | Clear career progression keeps ambitious employees from leaving. |
| job security | the likelihood that a person will keep their job | Many graduates value job security more than an interesting title. |
| commute | the regular journey between home and work | A long commute leaves people too tired to exercise in the evening. |
| burnout | exhaustion caused by prolonged stress at work | Constant deadlines can lead to burnout within a few years. |
| remote working | doing a job from a place other than the employer’s office | Remote working has opened jobs to people in small towns. |
| workload | the amount of work a person is expected to do | A heavy workload makes it hard to check work for mistakes. |
| upskill | to learn new skills, usually to keep up with changes in a job | Companies should help staff to upskill when new software arrives. |
| skills gap | the difference between the skills employers need and those available | A skills gap in engineering leaves many positions unfilled. |
| professional development | training and learning that improve a person’s career | Regular professional development keeps teachers and nurses up to date. |
| redundancy | the loss of a job because the employer no longer needs the role | Automation may cause redundancy among workers in repetitive roles. |
A worked plan
Question 1: working from home should become the normal arrangement for most office jobs. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
- Position (introduction). I partly agree: remote work should be the normal choice for tasks that need concentration, but I disagree that it should be the default for everyone, because some of the learning and teamwork in a job happens in person.
- Body paragraph one (the part I agree with). Reason: working from home removes the commute and the interruptions of an open office. Consequence: people save hours and concentrate better, so output improves. Example: a software developer who spends the commute time coding with no interruptions finishes projects sooner.
- Body paragraph two (the part I disagree with). Reason: new and junior staff learn by watching and asking colleagues. Consequence: a graduate who works alone from the first week may improve slowly and feel disconnected. Example: a trainee accountant who cannot ask a quick question across a desk may repeat the same mistake for weeks.
- Conclusion. Remote work suits focused tasks and experienced staff, but a mix of home and office is better than making home the standard for everybody.
How the app marks it
IELTS Mentor AI marks a Task 2 essay on all four criteria, reports a band range for each criterion and adds an Examiner’s Summary. After you answer one of these questions, the Task Response comments are the ones to read first: they show whether each reason about work was explained and supported with an example, or only named.
Where this fits
This page is one theme among the commonly reported ones. The general answer, what are common IELTS Writing Task 2 topics, explains why the themes are candidate-reported and not an IELTS list. The shape guides cover how to plan each type of question: agree or disagree, discuss both views, problem and solution, advantages and disadvantages and two-part questions. To see a finished essay at three levels, read an agree or disagree essay at Band 6, 7 and 8, and when you have written your own, the essay checker gives you feedback on it.
Frequently asked questions
Is work a common IELTS Writing Task 2 topic?
IELTS publishes no list of Task 2 topics, so no one outside IELTS can say how often any theme appears. Work is one of the themes that candidates commonly report from practice material, alongside education, health and technology. Treat it as a theme worth preparing, not a forecast.
What are typical IELTS essay questions about work?
Practice material commonly reports questions about working from home, choosing a job, working hours and stress, automation, and older people continuing to work. The ten questions below are invented in our own words to show that range and the five shapes the wording can take.
How do I get ideas for a work essay?
Think of one person in a specific job and follow what a change does to them: the commute that disappears, the message they answer at night, the task a machine takes over. A reason with a consequence or an example is what a developed idea looks like in Task Response.
Can I use my own job as an example?
Yes. IELTS.org asks for a relevant, well-supported response to the question, and a specific example from experience can support a point. Keep it short, tie it to the argument, and do not let a personal story replace the reasoning.
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