IELTS Practice

Here you will find free IELTS practice materials. You can find more band 8 IELTS essay samples here.

Band 8 IELTS essay samples

  1. In some countries, owning a home rather than renting one is considered more important
  2. Some people think that success in life comes from hard work
  3. Some people say that history is one of the most important school subjects
  4. Many people believe that social networking sites have a huge negative impact on individuals and society
  5. In recent years, more and more people are choosing ebooks rather than paper books
  6. It is important for people to take risk both in their personal and professional life
  7. Some experts believe that it is better for children to begin learning a foreign language at primary school
  8. Some people believe that professionals such as doctors and engineers should be required to work in the country where they did their training
  9. Nowadays, many people complain that they have difficulties getting enough sleep
  10. Some people say that advertising is extremely successful at persuading us to buy things
  11. Our personalities are predetermined as a result of our genes
  12. It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents for sports or music
  13. Some people think it is better to choose friends who always have the same opinions as them
  14. Many people work long hours leaving very little time for leisure activities
  15. Some people believe that university students should pay all the cost of their studies because university education only benefits the students
  16. Band 8 IELTS essay samples
  17. Some people think that getting a degree from a university is the best way to guarantee a good job
  18. Today many people spend too much of their free time at shopping malls
  19. Plastic bags, plastic bottles and plastic packaging are bad for the environment
  20. An increasing number of professionals leave their poorer countries to work in developed countries
  21. Most employers do job interviews before offering a position to a person
  22. Advantages and disadvantages of English as a global language
  23. Why do some people work harder than others
  24. Some people say it is possible to tell a lot about a person’s culture and character from their choice of clothing
  25. Some people say in all levels of education too much time is spent on learning facts
  26. Solar energy is becoming more and more popular as a source of household energy in many countries around the world
  27. Some people prefer to live in a house while others think there are more advantages to living in an apartment
  28. Human activity has had a negative effect on plants and animals
  29. Some people believe that visitors to other countries should follow local customs and behavior
  30. Nowadays many people choose to be self employed
  31. Directors of large organizations earn much higher salaries than ordinary employees
  32. Some people think it is necessary to spend money on building railway lines for very fast trains
  33. In some countries an increasing number of people are suffering from health problems as a result of eating too much fast food
  34. Some people believe that teaching children at home is best for a child’s development
  35. Only people who earn a lot of money are successful
  36. Some people say that parents should encourage their children to take part on organized group activities
  37. In today’s world private companies rather than government pay for and conduct most scientific research
  38. Many people spend a large amount of money on birthdays and weddings
  39. Some people think that keeping pets is good for children
  40. Nowadays the way people interact with each other has changed because of technology
  41. Weddings are getting bigger and more expensive
  42. Many supermarkets are selling more and more products that are imported from other countries
  43. Some people believe that the best way to run a business is within the family
  44. Some people believe that it is best to accept a bad situation
  45. In some countries most people prefer to rent homes rather than buy them
  46. Some people believe that the purpose of education should be helping the individual to become useful for society
  47. Job satisfaction is an important element of individual well being
  48. Some people believe that children should start school as early as possible
  49. Learning English at school is often seen as more important than learning local languages
  50. Some people spend most of their lives close to where they were born
  51. Some people think that the best way to increase road safety is to increase the minimum legal age for driving
  52. In many countries today insufficient respect is shown to older people
  53. Doing an enjoyable activity with a child can develop better skills and more creativity than reading
  54. Some people say that radio is the best way to get news while others think that television is better
  55. In many countries paying for things using mobile phones is becoming increasingly common
  56. Some people believe that allowing children to make their own choices will create a society of individuals who only think about their own wishes
  57. More and more people are becoming seriously overweight
  58. Nowadays the way people interact with each other has changed because of technology
  59. Many criminals commit crimes again after serving time in prison
  60. Tourism is causing environmental problems
  61. Some people say that individuals who make a lot of money are the most successful
  62. In some countries an increasing number of people are suffering from health problems as a result of eating too much fast food
  63. Some people think playing computer games is bad for children
  64. Some countries import a large amount of food from other parts of the world
  65. Some companies and organizations require their employees to wear uniform
  66. Some parents buy their children a large number of toys to play with
  67. Today more and more tourists are visiting places where conditions are difficult
  68. Art is considered an essential part of cultures throughout the world
  69. More and more people are suffering from health problems caused by modern lifestyle which cannot be cured with modern medicines
  70. Some people think that fast food should be banned
  71. Some people think that in the modern world we are more dependent on each other
  72. Some companies sponsor sports as a way to advertise themselves
  73. Some people believe that watching television is bad for children
  74. Some people think that internet has brought people closer together
  75. Museums and art galleries should concentrate on local works
  76. New stories on TV and in newspapers are very often accompanied by pictures
  77. Nowadays, both men and women spend much money on beauty care
  78. Some people spend more time reading books
  79. Some believe that elderly people should live in nursing homes others think they should live with their family
  80. Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information
  81. In the past when students did a university degree they tended to study in their own country
  82. With the rise in ebooks comes the decline in paper books
  83. Some people think that the best way to solve environmental problems is to increase the price of petrol
  84. Some people think that money is one of the most essential factors promoting happiness
  85. In the future, more people will choose to go on holiday in their own country
  86. It is often thought that the increase in juvenile crime can be attributed to violence in media
  87. In many places new homes are needed
  88. Global warming is one of the biggest threats to our environment
  89. The development of tourism contributed to English becoming the most prominent language in the world
  90. Employers should focus on personal qualities instead of qualifications and experience when choosing someone for a job
  91. Whether or not a person achieves their aim in life is mostly related to luck
  92. In many countries there is a problem with declining quality of air and water from both industry and construction
  93. The crime rate nowadays is decreasing compared to the past due to advanced technology
  94. A growing number of people feel that animals should not be exploited by people
  95. Museums should be enjoyable places to entertain people
  96. Some people think that dangerous extreme sports like rock climbing should be banned
  97. Nowdays, it is more convenient and easier for people to travel to other countries
  98. Historial sites and museums are mainly visited by tourists
  99. Although more people will read news on the internet, newspapers will remain the most important source of news
  100. Many things that used to be done in the home by hands are now being done by machines
  101. Physical education and sports should be compulsory for all students
  102. Many teenagers now have their smartphones
  103. Some people think that all teenagers should be required to do unpaid work in their free time
  104. Some people think that ebooks are the death of paper books
  105. Some people believe that the purpose of prison is to punish
  106. Some people think that universities should provide graduates with the knowledge and skills needed in the workplace
  107. Some people believe that eventually all jobs will be done by artificially intelligent robots
  108. The best way to reduce crime among young people is to teach parents good parenting skills
  109. Some people believe that technology has made man more social
  110. Nowadays more and more old people have to compete with young people for the same jobs
  111. Nowadays eating habits of people around the world are changing causing health problems including obesity
  112. Discipline is an ever increasing problem in modern schools
  113. Some people think that dangerous sports should be banned
  114. Car ownership has increased so rapidly over the years that cities are now one big traffic jam
  115. Small businesses are disappearing and being replaced by large multinational companies
  116. More and more people are migrating to cities in search of a better life
  117. Governments should focus their spending on public services rather than arts
  118. In the future all cars, buses and trucks will be driverless
  119. Nowadays more and more people decide to have children later in their life
  120. Happiness is considered very important in life
  121. Some people fail in school but end up being successful in life
  122. Many people believe that the best way to ensure a happier society is to reduce the difference in income between the rich and poor
  123. Many different countries have most shops and products as the same
  124. Due to the development and rapid expansion of supermarkets, many local businesses are unable to compete
  125. In some countries criminal trials are shown on television for the public
  126. Some people say that art subjects such as music drama and creative writing should be included in school syllabus
  127. Some people prefer to provide help and support directly to those in the local community
  128. In the future, there will be a higher proportion of older people than younger people
  129. Advantages and disadvantages of part time jobs for children
  130. In recent years many local stores have closed
  131. People in the limelight have a responsibility to set an example for others by their behavior

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IELTS essay topics

Essays related to education

  1. Some people believe that homework should not be given to school children.
  2. Some people think children should have the freedom to make mistakes, while other people believe that adults should prevent children from making mistakes.
  3. In many countries teenagers are encouraged to do part-time jobs. What is the situation like in your country?
  4. Some people think that all teenagers should be required to do unpaid work in their free time to help the local community.
  5. Many people say that the only way to guarantee a good job is to complete a course of university education.
  6. Some people think that a sense of competition in children should be encouraged.
  7. Some people believe that unpaid community service should be a compulsory part of high school programmes.
  8. Some parents believe that their children should do educational activities during their free time.

Essays related to environment, pollution

  1. Some cities do not restrict how big, stylish and unique houses and offices that people construct can be.
  2. In many places, new homes are needed, but the only space available for building them is in the countryside.
  3. Some people think that instead of preventing climate change, we need to find a way to live with it.

Essays related to communication, media, books

  1. In the future, nobody will buy printed newspapers or books because they will be able to read everything they want online without paying.
  2. With the development of social media, more and more youngsters are being allowed unsupervised access to the internet in order to meet and chat with friends
  3. The internet has transformed the way information is shared and consumed, but it has also created problems that did not exist before.
  4. Many people believe that social networking sites such as Facebook have had a huge negative impact on both individuals and society.
  5. Some people think that the increasing use of computers and mobile phones for communication has had a negative effect on young people’s reading and writing skills.

Essay topics related to work, life

  1. Some people think that the best way to reduce the time spent travelling to work is to replace parks and gardens close to the city centre with apartment buildings for commuters

  2. Some people think that the best way to reduce the time spent travelling to work is to replace parks and gardens close to the city centre with apartment buildings for commuters, but others disagree.
  3. Nowadays people tend to change a few careers during life. What are the reasons for this in your opinion?
  4. Many people say the companies should give importance to their employees, whereas others say
    that they should give importance to customers.
  5. Some people fail in school but end up being successful in life.
  6. Employers sometimes ask people applying for jobs for personal information, such as their hobbies and interests, and whether they are married or single.
  7. Now-a-days many people choose to be self-employed, rather than work for a company.
  8. Bringing in foreign workers to fill positions that domestic workers are unwilling to do can cause problems in the local community and should therefore be stopped.
  9. Some people think that a life is good for people as it is while others believe that constant change can be too demanding on people.

Essays related to friends and relationships

  1. Many people today do not know their neighbours, as well as they did in the past.
  2. Some people think it’s better to choose friends who always have the same opinions as them.
  3. In some countries, more and more people are becoming interested in finding out about the history of the house or building they live in.

IELTS essay topics related to art, music, culture

  1. Some people say that music is a good way of bringing people of different cultures and ages together.
  2. It is generally believed that some people are born with certain talents, for instance for sport or music, and others are not.
  3. Art is considered an essential part of all cultures throughout the world. However, these days fewer and fewer people appreciate art
  4. Some people believe that to protect local culture, tourism should be banned in some areas whereas others think that change is inevitable and banning tourism will have no benefits.

Essay topics related to internet, computers and mobile phones

    1. Teenagers are spending too much time on computers and this will lead to a severe problem in their mental and physical health.
    2. Many young people spend much of their free time looking at screens
    3. Today many children spend a lot of time playing computer games
    4. Children are spending too much time playing video games
    5. Using a computer every day can have more negative than positive effects on children
    6. In modern world many children spend a lot of time in front of computers

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IELTS essays

IELTS essay: Are multinational companies good for the economies of developing countries?IELTS Essay with answer: Is it good for children to be brought up by their grandparents?
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IELTS Model essay: The number of older people is increasing. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this?


IELTS Questions

Questions asked on an IELTS test in India
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IELTS vocabulary exercise 1
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IELTS Vocabulary Idioms and Expressions
Phrasal verbs with bear
Phrasal verbs with break