Technology is one of the most frequently tested topic categories in IELTS Writing Task 2 — examiners return to it repeatedly because it naturally supports every question type IELTS uses: opinion, discussion, advantages/disadvantages, and problem/solution. This guide organizes the most common technology prompts by question type and gives you a structural approach for each, so you walk into the exam recognizing the pattern rather than the exact question.
The Four IELTS Task 2 Question Types — A Quick Refresher
Before the topic bank, it's worth being clear on the four structures examiners test, because the topic is only half the question — the question type determines how you organize your response.
| Question Type | What It's Asking | Typical Wording |
|---|---|---|
| Opinion (Agree/Disagree) | State and defend a clear position | "To what extent do you agree or disagree?" |
| Discuss Both Views | Present two given perspectives, then give your own | "Discuss both views and give your own opinion." |
| Advantages/Disadvantages | Weigh benefits against drawbacks | "Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of..." |
| Problem/Solution | Identify causes/problems, then propose solutions | "What problems does this cause, and what solutions can you suggest?" |
Topic 1: Social Media's Impact on Society
Common prompts:
- "Social media has had a mostly negative effect on how people communicate with each other. To what extent do you agree?"
- "Some people think social media brings people together, while others believe it isolates them. Discuss both views."
- "What are the advantages and disadvantages of young people spending large amounts of time on social media?"
Structural guidance:
- If it's an opinion question: commit to a clear position in your introduction and sustain it. A common weak-essay pattern is a wishy-washy "it has both good and bad sides" response to a question that specifically asks you to agree or disagree — that will cost you on Task Response. Pick a side.
- If it's discuss-both-views: give each view one full body paragraph before stating your own opinion, ideally in the conclusion or briefly in the introduction. Don't blend the two views into a single paragraph — coherence suffers.
- Useful supporting ideas: algorithmic amplification of outrage/misinformation, weakened face-to-face social skills, mental health effects on adolescents (real but not the only angle), versus community-building for marginalized groups, information access, and organizing/activism.
Topic 2: AI and Automation Replacing Jobs
Common prompts:
- "In the future, many jobs currently done by humans will be done by robots and artificial intelligence. Is this a positive or negative development?"
- "Automation is increasingly replacing human workers in many industries. What problems does this cause, and what solutions can you suggest?"
Structural guidance:
- If it's a positive/negative development question: this functions like an opinion essay — decide whether your overall assessment is positive, negative, or mixed-but-leaning, and structure body paragraphs around your reasoning rather than a neutral list.
- If it's problem/solution: Paragraph 1 should establish 1–2 clearly stated problems (unemployment in specific sectors, widening skills gap, regional economic disruption); Paragraph 2 should propose solutions matched directly to those problems (retraining programs, government transition support, education system reform) — don't propose a solution to a problem you never raised.
- Useful supporting ideas: productivity gains and new job categories created by automation historically, versus the disruption cost to workers whose skills don't transfer, and the speed of AI-driven change versus previous industrial transitions.
Topic 3: Screen Time and Children
Common prompts:
- "Children today spend far more time using screens than previous generations. What are the causes of this, and what effects does it have?"
- "Some people believe children should be banned from using smartphones and tablets until a certain age. To what extent do you agree?"
Structural guidance:
- If it's causes/effects: treat this like a problem/solution variant — one paragraph on causes (available devices, working parents, gamified apps, peer pressure), one paragraph on effects (attention span, physical activity, social skill development). Keep the two paragraphs distinct rather than mixing causes and effects together.
- If it's an opinion question about banning devices: state your position clearly early. A nuanced position (e.g., "agree with reasonable limits, disagree with an outright ban") is acceptable and often scores well on Task Response, as long as it's explained clearly and not just hedging.
- Useful supporting ideas: educational apps and access to information as a counterpoint to pure "screens are harmful" framing; parental responsibility versus platform design responsibility.
Topic 4: Online Privacy and Data Collection
Common prompts:
- "Companies and governments collect increasing amounts of personal data through technology. Do the benefits of this outweigh the drawbacks?"
- "Some people believe individuals should have complete control over their personal data online, while governments argue some access is necessary for security. Discuss both views."
Structural guidance:
- If it's advantages/disadvantages (benefits vs. drawbacks): don't just list — weigh them. A Band 7+ response typically has a clear implicit or explicit judgment about which side is stronger, even in an "advantages and disadvantages" format that doesn't explicitly ask for your opinion (check the exact wording — some versions do ask for your view, some don't).
- If it's discuss-both-views: be careful to represent each side fairly with its strongest argument before offering your own position — a common error is a weak "strawman" version of the side you disagree with.
- Useful supporting ideas: personalized services and targeted public health/security benefits, versus surveillance risk, data breaches, and erosion of individual autonomy.
Topic 5: Remote Work and Communication Technology
Common prompts:
- "Technology now allows many people to work from home rather than in an office. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this trend?"
- "Some people think remote work will eventually replace traditional office-based work entirely. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"
Structural guidance:
- If it's advantages/disadvantages: organize by stakeholder if it helps clarity — advantages/disadvantages for employees in one paragraph, for employers/companies in another, rather than a disorganized single list.
- If it's an opinion question about complete replacement: this is a strong claim ("entirely"), so a fully-agree position needs to address the counter-evidence (industries that can't go remote, collaboration/mentorship value of in-person work) and explain why you still hold your position; a partial-disagree position is often easier to argue convincingly.
- Useful supporting ideas: commute time/environmental impact, work-life balance, versus reduced spontaneous collaboration, harder onboarding for junior employees, and blurred work-life boundaries.
General Tips for Technology Topics Specifically
- Avoid vague tech buzzwords without content — "technology is advancing rapidly" as an opening line adds nothing; get to a specific, arguable claim quickly.
- Use concrete, plausible examples — you don't need real statistics (and shouldn't invent fake ones), but a specific illustrative scenario ("a factory that previously employed 200 line workers now requires 20 technicians to oversee automated machinery") is more persuasive than abstract assertion.
- Don't let the topic pull you into narrow personal anecdote — Task 2 rewards general argumentation, not "in my personal experience, I use my phone too much."
- Match your vocabulary to the topic without overusing jargon — words like "algorithm," "automation," "data privacy," and "digital divide" are appropriate and precise; avoid forcing in technical terms you're not fully confident using correctly, since misused vocabulary costs more than it gains.
For full worked examples showing exactly how a Band 9 response executes these structures, see our Band 9 sample essays guide.
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