IELTS WRITING ACTUAL TESTS 2008

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12-01-2008
Some people think the best way to reduce crime is to give longer prison sentence. Others,
however, think there are better alternative ways to reduce crime. Discuss both views and give
your opinion.

19-01-2008
The old generations often hold traditional ideas about the correct way of life, thinking and
behavior. However, some people think that these ideas are not helpful for young people to
prepare for modern life. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

26-01-2008
In countries (where there is high unemployment) most pupils should be offered only primary
education; there is no point in offering secondary education to those who will have no hope
of finding a job. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

02-02-2008
Some people think that we can use animals in any way for the benefits of human beings.
Others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

14-02-2008
Now big cities have many problems. What are these problems? Do you think the government
should encourage city residents to move to small cities and towns?

16-02-2008
Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. How important is it for individuals and
countries to think for future rather than focusing on the present?

23-02-2008
In some countries, it is possible to buy a wide variety of foods which have been transported
from all over the world. To what extent do the benefits of this development outweigh the
drawbacks?

01-03-2008
Most countries spend much money on education, as they start to realize the importance of
education. Which two subjects do you think are the most important and which one is the
least important?
Subjects: Literature, Sports, Mathematics, Economy, Physics, History, Music, Geography,
Philosophy, Foreign languages

08-03-2008
The number of cars keeps increasing, and road systems should be expanded. Some people
think the government should cover all the costs. Others believe the users should pay for it.
Discuss both views and give your opinion.
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 IELTS WRITING ACTUAL TESTS 2008
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13-03-2008
People should look after their health as a duty to the society they live in rather than only for
their own personal benefit. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

29-03-2008
Some people think that it is the responsibility of the government of a country to ensure a
healthy lifestyle for its people, while others believe that individuals should be free to make
decisions for their lifestyles. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

05-04-2008
Long distance flight uses more fuel than cars and brings pollution to the environment. We
should discourage non-essential flight rather than limit the use of cars. To what extent do you
agree or disagree?

12-04-2008
More and more people are busy with work and do not have enough time to spend with their
families and friends. Why does this happen? What are the effects on family and society as a
whole?

19-04-2008
Figures show that some countries have an ever increasing proportion of the population who
are aged 15 or younger. What do you think the current and future effects of this may be for
those countries?

24-04-2008
Teachers used to convey information, but now with wide resources of information, there is
no role for teachers to play in modern education. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

10-05-2008
Children can learn effectively by watching television. They should be encouraged to watch
television regularly both in school and at home. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

22-05-2008
The high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of the advertising but not the
real need of the whole society in which they sell. To what extent do you agree or disagree
with this statement?

31-05-2008
Some people think that the fittest and strongest individual and team can achieve success in
sports, while others believe that success depends on mental attitude. Discuss both views and
give your opinion.

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05-06-2008
Some people think that university students should only study one special subject. Others
think that universities should encourage students to study a range of subjects in addition to a
special area. Discuss both these views and give your opinion.

14-06-2008
Many people think that cheap air travel should be encouraged because it gives ordinary
people the freedom to travel further. However, others think that this leads to environmental
problem, and so air travel should be more expensive in order to discourage people from
having it. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

21-06-2008
Some people think that children should obey rules and do what their parents and teachers
want them to do. Others believe that children controlled very much are not well-prepared for
their adult lives. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

28-06-2008
Mobile phones and the Internet are very useful for old people. However, this section of
population is the fewer users of mobile phones and the Internet. In what ways can mobile
phones and the Internet be useful to the old people? How can the old people be encouraged
to use this new technology?

05-07-2008
Some people believe that theoretical subjects (such as mathematics, philosophy and
economics) should not be taught in universities because universities should focus on
practical subjects (such as marketing, computer programming, and accounting). To what
extent do you agree or disagree?

12-07-2008
Some people support the development in agriculture such as factory farming and scientific
creation of new types of fruits and vegetables. Others oppose this view and support other
developments. Discuss both views and give your opinion.

27-04-2008
Some people think that in modern society individuals are becoming more dependent on each
other. But others say that individuals are becoming more independent. Discuss both these
views and give your own opinion.

26-07-2008
Some people think international cooperation has brought benefits to world environmental
protection, while others believe more benefits have been brought to international business.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

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09-08-2008
In some countries, the governments encourage industries and businesses to move out from
large cities to regional areas. Do you think that the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?

16-008-2008
Detailed descriptions of crimes are often given in the newspaper or on TV. Some people
think it has bad consequences on the society and so should be restricted. To what extent do
you agree or disagree?

21-08-2008
Some people think that international travel makes them prejudiced rather than broad-minded.
Give reasons why people fail to benefit from travel and how to improve the understanding of
countries you visit.

30-08-2008
Some people believe that students should study in groups. Others think that they should
study alone. What are the benefits of studying in groups and studying alone? Which way is
more effective?

06-09-2008
Once children start school, teachers have more influence on their intellectual and social
development than parents do. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

13-09-2008
Some people believe that it is important to protect the environment, but they make no efforts
on it. Why is it so? What actions should be taken to protect the environment?

18-09-2008
Sending criminals to prison is not the effective method to deal with them. Education and job
training should be used instead. To what extent do you agree or disagree

27-09-2008
Poor students or students who come from rural areas often find it difficult to have access to
university education. Some people think universities should make it especially easy for them
to study. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

11-10-2008
Society is based on rules and laws. It could not function if individuals were free to do
whatever they wanted. To what extent do you agree or disagree

23-10-2008

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Many people can now study at home through distance-learning programs via Internet or
television. But some people say this kind of education cannot be compared to attending a
college. What is your opinion?

25-10-2008
Economic progress is one way to measure the success of a country. Some people believe
there are other factors. What other factors should be considered? Which one do you think is
more important than the others?

08-11-2008
Fashion has become more and more important when people choose clothes. Why? Do you
think it is a positive or negative development?

15-11-2008
More and more people choose to work at home and students study from home as the
development of computer technology makes it more convenient and cheaper. Do you think it
is a positive or negative development?

20-11-2008
International travel has become much cheaper, and there are more and more tourists. Do the
advantages of the increased tourism outweigh the disadvantages?

29-11-2008
Some people think modern games can help children to develop a wide range of skills, but
others argue that traditional games can be much better for developing such skills. What is
your opinion?

02-12-2008
In a global economy, many goods, including what we use on a daily basis, are transported
from other counties in a long distance. To what extent do you think its benefits exceed its
drawbacks?

06-12-2008
Memorization of information by frequent repetition (rote learning) plays a role in many
education systems. Does the usefulness outweigh the limitations?

13-12-2008
Some people believe that a country can benefit a lot from university education. Others
believe that sending a large number of young students to go to university leads to
unemployment. Discuss both views and give your opinions.

20-12-2008

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 IELTS WRITING ACTUAL TESTS 2008
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Nowadays, many charities and organizations have to publicize their activities by giving a
name to a particular day, such as National Children's day for encouraging treatment of
children, National Non-smoking Day for encouraging people to give up smoking. Why do
these charities and organizations do so? How effective can these special days be?

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