IELTSVegaIELTS Writing Task 2 topics November 2026: recent essay questions
IELTS Writing Task 2 topics for November 2026, from themes candidates reported in October, grouped by question type with a plan and a Band 8 opening.
IELTS Writing Task 2 topics for November 2026 are best predicted from what candidates reported in October: industry and pollution, cities and migration, poverty, education access, health and exercise, public services and the media. Task 2 has no fixed rotation the way Speaking does, so the most useful preparation is a bank of arguments for each recurring theme. Below are the themes, a representative question for each, and three worked plans with Band 8 openings. These are questions we have written around reported themes. IELTS never releases its real exam questions.
Themes reported in October, to prepare for November
| Theme | Representative question (our wording) | Question type |
|---|---|---|
| Pollution and industry | Should industries that pollute most pay higher taxes, or are there better ways to cut pollution? | Discussion |
| Cities and migration | More people are moving from the countryside to cities. What problems does this cause, and how can they be solved? | Problem / solution |
| Poverty | Global poverty remains high. What are the causes, and what can governments do about it? | Cause / solution |
| Gender and work | Some people think certain jobs suit men or women better. To what extent do you agree? | Opinion |
| Education access | Children in rural areas often get a worse education. Whose responsibility is it to fix this? | Opinion |
| Health and exercise | Many people do not exercise enough. Why is this, and what can be done? | Cause / solution |
| University and success | Is a university degree necessary to be successful? | Discussion |
| Traffic | Is moving people from city centres to the suburbs the best way to reduce traffic? | Opinion |
| Public libraries | Should public libraries be free, or are they a waste of public money today? | Discussion |
| Media and violence | Does violence in films and games make society more violent? | Opinion |
| Air travel | Should air travel be limited because of its effect on the environment? | Opinion |
Reported theme 1: pollution and industry (discussion)
"Some people believe industries that cause the most pollution should pay much higher taxes. Others think there are more effective ways to reduce pollution. Discuss both views and give your opinion."
Plan: Body 1, the case for higher taxes: the polluter pays for the damage, and the cost pushes firms towards cleaner methods. Body 2, the alternatives: strict emission limits, subsidies for clean technology, and the risk that firms simply move to countries with lower taxes. Conclusion: taxes work best alongside regulation, not instead of it.
Band 8 opening: "Taxing heavy polluters makes them bear a cost they would otherwise pass on to the public, but I believe a tax on its own is too easy to absorb or avoid, and works only when it is combined with firm emission limits."
Reported theme 2: cities and migration (problem / solution)
"In many countries, people are leaving rural areas to live in cities, which are becoming overcrowded. What problems does this cause, and what solutions can you suggest?"
Plan: Body 1, problems: housing shortages and rising rents, pressure on transport and hospitals, and villages losing their young workers. Body 2, solutions: investment in rural jobs and internet access, smaller regional cities as alternatives, and planned housing on city edges. Conclusion: the pull of cities can only be reduced by making rural life viable, not by restricting movement.
Band 8 opening: "The steady move from villages to cities has left urban areas short of housing and services while draining rural communities of their young people, and the lasting solution lies in making the countryside a place where people can build a career."
Reported theme 3: university and success (discussion)
"Some people think a university education is essential for success. Others believe people can be successful without one. Discuss both views and give your opinion."
Plan: Body 1, why a degree matters: professions such as medicine and law require one, and graduates tend to earn more over a career. Body 2, other routes: apprenticeships, technical trades and online learning, and well-known founders without degrees. Conclusion: a degree is essential for some careers but is only one route to success.
Band 8 opening: "While a degree remains the only way into professions such as medicine or law, I would argue that success in most fields depends more on skills and persistence than on a university certificate."
Turning a theme into a band 7+ essay
- Name the question type before you plan. A discussion question that gets only your opinion loses Task Response marks, however good the English.
- Give each theme two arguments and one concrete example, written in your own notes, so you are never thinking of ideas from nothing in the exam.
- State your position in the introduction and keep it the same through the conclusion. Changing your mind halfway is the most common Task Response mistake.
- Keep to 260–290 words and 40 minutes: 5 to plan, 30 to write, 5 to check articles, plurals and verb tenses.
Earlier topics
Task 2 themes repeat across months, so the September and October list is still worth working through.
Write November's essays and get a band instantly
A plan is the easy part. Writing 260 clear words in 40 minutes is where bands are lost. On IELTSVega you can write a Task 2 essay on any of these themes and get an instant band on Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource and Grammar, with notes on exactly what is holding the score down.