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Academic Reading Samples

Academic Reading Test has three sections or three reading passages that you'll have to answer in an hour. Each reading passage will come with 13-14 questions and three reading passages will have 40 questions (sometimes 41) in total. Each question carries 1 mark. For each correct answer, you will get one mark.

You can't read every single line of the reading passages and then answer the questions as time will be against you then. You need to use scanning, skimming, guessing, eliminating wrong answer etc techniques to find the answers to these questions. You are allowed to mark and make notes in your reading question booklet, but you will have to write your answers on the answer sheet. No extra time will be given to transfer the answer. Each section of the Academic Reading Test contains one long text or reading passage. These texts/passages are taken from books, journals, magazines and newspapers. They have been written for a non-specialist audience and are on academic topics of general interest. If texts contain technical terms, then a simple glossary is usually provided.

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Reading Essay Titles

IELTS essay questions for books and reading topic.

Some people think books are losing importance as a source of information and entertainment. To what extent do you agree? (Reported 2017, GT)

Children who start reading earlier in life perform better later on in their school studies. How important are early reading skills in a child’s academic performance? What other preschool factors influence a child’s academic success?

Some people think that children who spend a lot of time reading children’s story books are wasting their time which could be better used doing other more useful activities. To what extent do you agree?

Some people think that e-books are the death of paper books, while others think that paper books will never disappear. Discuss both sides and give your opinion.

Libraries should focus on improving their technological resources rather than on building a larger collection of paper books. To what extent do you agree?

Public libraries will soon no longer be housed in a building as all facilities and books will be available online for everyone to access. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of public libraries only existing online.

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• Over 100 IELTS Essay Questions

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IELTS Sample Essays

Here you will find IELTS Sample Essays for a variety of common topics that appear in the writing exam.

The model answers all have tips and strategies for how you may approach the question and comments on the sample answer.

You can also view sample essays with band scores on this page. 

Looking at IELTS essay topics with answers is a great way to help you to prepare for the test. 

These IELTS sample essays have been categorised in a way that makes it easy for you to see how certain essay question types require you to provide certain responses to ensure the question is fully answered. 

Specifically these are:

• Agree / Disagree
• Discuss Two Opinions
• Problems and Solutions
• Advantages and Disadvantages
• Other Types

Agree / Disagree Type Questions

In these types of question you are given one opinion and you then have to state the extent to which you agree or disagree with that opinion:

• Advertising
• Alternative Medicine
• Spending on the Arts
• Human Cloning
• Social Interaction & the Internet
• Airline Tax
• Free University Education
• Scientific Research
• Banning Smoking
• Employing Older People
• Vegetarianism
• Paying Taxes  
• Examinations or Formal Assessment 
• Multinational Organisations and Culture
• Internet vs Newspapers
• Technology Development  
• Dying of Languages
• Animal Extinction
• Truth in Relationships
• Role of Schools
• Return of Historical Artefacts

Discuss Two Opinions Type Questions

In this essay question type you are given two opinions, and you have to discuss both of these and then give your own view:

• University Education
• Reducing Crime
• Animal Rights
• Child Development
• Diet & Health
• Donating Money to Charity
• Closing Zoos   
• Becoming Independent  
• Formal and Informal Education  
• Influence of Scientists and Politicians
• Sources for Stories
• Searching for Extraterrestrial Life

Cause Type Questions

There are a variety of 'cause type' essay questions. In these you first have to give the reasons why something has happened, in other words the causes, but then discuss a different aspect of it, such as the effects, solutions or the extent to whether it is a positive or negative development:

Causes & Effects:

• Child Obesity
• Skin Whitening Creams
• Family Size
• Having Children Later in Life
• Time Away from Family

Causes and Solutions:

• Youth Crime
• Global Warming
• Paying Attention in Class
• International Travel & Prejudice 
• Museums & Historical Places
• Disappearance of Traditions
• Communication Between Generations

Causes, Pros & Cons:

• Family Closeness
• Living Alone
• Rural to Urban Migration

Problems & Solutions Type Questions

In these type of questions, instead of discussing the causes of a problem, you need to discuss the problems related to a particular issue in society, and then suggest what can be to solve these problems:

• Overpopulation
• Competing for Jobs  
• Professionals Immigrating

Advantage & Disadvantages Type Questions

In these type of questions you are asked to discuss the positive and negative sides of a particular topic. You will usually be asked this in the context of giving an opinion ( e.g. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages? Is it a positive or negative development? ): 

• Traffic Problems
• Food Additives
• Computer Games
• Age Discrimination at Work  
• Children using Tablets and Computers  
• Cell Phones, Internet, & Communication  
• Working from Home 
• Eating Locally grown  Produce  
• Oil and Gas Essay  
• Peer Pressure on Young People
• Online Fraud
• Decreasing House Sizes

'Hybrid' Types of Essay Question

There are sometimes questions that don't fit easily into a particular category as above. I've called these 'hybrid', as they are of mixed character, are composed of different elements from other types of essay, or are perhaps just worded differently. 

• Protecting Old Buildings
• Animal Testing
• Fear of Crime
• Communication Technology
• Influence of Children's Friends  

Sample Essays with Band Scores

You can also view some sample essays that have been written by candidates practising for the test and have band scores and comments by an experienced ex-IELTS Examiner based on the IELTS marking criteria. 

• IELTS Band 8 Essay Samples
• IELTS Band 7 Essay Samples
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Student Sample Essays

For more IELTS essay topics with answers you can also view essays that have been written by students. Some have feedback from other students or IELTS teachers:

• Student Model Essays  (with comments by other students)
• Student Model Essays (with comments by IELTS buddy)

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Free online ielts listening practice tests.

The IELTS Listening test will take around 30 minutes, with an extra 10 minutes to transfer your answers to the answer sheet. We’ve provided two practice tests, each made up of four tasks.

Free online IELTS Reading practice tests

You will be allowed 1 hour to complete all three sections of the IELTS Academic Reading or IELTS General Reading practice test. You’ll find practice tests for each here.

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You will be allowed 1 hour to complete the two tasks in the IELTS Academic Writing or IELTS General Writing test. You’ll find practice tests for each here.

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In the IELTS Speaking test, you will have a short discussion with a certified examiner, so you’ll need to find a study partner to help you practice. Find guidance on practicing for the Speaking test here.

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IELTS Exam Preparation: Free IELTS Tips, 2024

Ielts reading samples.

Reading is the second part of the IELTS test, and takes 60 minutes. It consists of three or sometimes four reading passages of increasing difficulty, and there is a total of 40 questions to answer. Though you can mark and write on the Question Paper, you must enter your answers on the Reading Answer Sheet, and be aware that no extra time is given for transferring your answers from the test booklet to the Reading Answer Sheet. The Academic and General Training Reading Tests are graded to the same level. However, because the texts in the Academic Reading Test are more challenging overall than those in the General Training Test, more questions need to be answered correctly on a General Training Test to receive the same grade.

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