IELTS Writing Task 2 Health Topics: Questions & Ideas
Health prompts show up constantly in Task 2 — junk food, obesity, public vs private care, sedentary work, mental health in schools, who pays for treatment. When we mark these scripts, the weak ones usually do not fail because the student “knows nothing about medicine.” They fail because every body could fit any topic: Health is very important in modern society with no mechanism, no actor, and no answer to who should act.
Use this page as a topic bank: pick a question, outline in five minutes, write under time, then score. Precise collocations (preventive care, sedentary lifestyle, healthcare funding) beat vague praise. Related theme banks: education topics · technology topics. Full Task 2 map: complete guide.
Last updated: August 7, 2026
On this page (question types, 15 prompts, vocabulary, sample outline, practice, FAQ)
Common health question types
Task 2 is not one format. Health prompts still fall into the usual five groups: opinion, discussion, advantages/disadvantages, problem–solution, and two-part. Identify the type before you plan — wrong template is a fast Task Response leak.
| Type | Example stem |
|---|---|
| Opinion | Should governments tax sugary drinks to improve public health? |
| Discuss both views | Some say individuals are responsible for their health; others say governments must lead. |
| Advantages/disadvantages | Do the advantages of private healthcare outweigh the disadvantages? |
| Causes + solutions | Why is obesity rising, and how can it be reduced? |
| Two-part | Why are mental health problems increasing? What can schools do? |
Always ask who is responsible — individuals, families, employers, healthcare systems, or governments. Many health prompts hinge on that actor. For openings by type, see introduction paragraph examples. Structures: Task 2 structure & format.
I notice students get stuck when they treat every health essay as “agree that health matters.” One timed draft on individuals vs government responsibility never named a workable personal habit or a real limit of individual effort — so TR stayed thin even with tidy Furthermore scaffolding. After the outline forced diet and activity choices against regulation, funding, and public campaigns, the lean finally answered the prompt instead of recycling health is important.
15 practice questions
- Some people believe governments should ban junk-food advertising aimed at children. To what extent do you agree?
- Obesity rates are rising in many countries. What are the causes and what solutions can you suggest?
- Some think individuals are fully responsible for their own health; others believe the state must intervene. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
- Preventive healthcare is more effective than treating disease after it appears. Do you agree or disagree?
- Do the advantages of private hospitals outweigh the disadvantages for society?
- Many office workers have sedentary lifestyles. What problems does this cause and how can employers help?
- Should sugary drinks and ultra-processed foods be heavily taxed?
- Mental health support in schools is as important as academic subjects. To what extent do you agree?
- Fast food is popular because it is cheap and convenient. Is this a positive or negative development?
- Who should pay for expensive medical treatment — patients, insurers, or governments? Discuss and give your opinion.
- Regular exercise should be compulsory in workplaces. Do you agree or disagree?
- Some countries promote traditional medicine alongside modern healthcare. Do the advantages outweigh the disadvantages?
- Screen time is harming children’s physical and mental health. What are the causes and what can parents do?
- Public smoking bans improve community health. To what extent do you agree?
- Investing in parks and sports facilities is better than spending only on hospitals. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Practice method: Choose one → five-minute outline → full timed essay → free essay checker. If Task Response is soft, check whether every part of the question got real space before you chase fancier nouns.
Vocabulary and collocations
Lifestyle and disease
- sedentary lifestyle / physical inactivity
- chronic disease / lifestyle-related illness
- balanced diet / nutritional awareness
- obesity epidemic
Healthcare systems
- preventive care / early intervention
- public healthcare / universal coverage
- healthcare funding / waiting lists
- private insurance
Policy and responsibility
- public health campaigns
- regulate advertising / tax unhealthy products
- workplace wellness programmes
- health inequality
Mental health
- mental well-being / psychological support
- stress management
- reduce stigma
- counselling services
Precise verbs
- promote healthy habits
- reduce risk factors
- subsidise gym memberships / fund clinics
- enforce smoking bans
Band 6 trap → clearer wording
- get sick easily → be more susceptible to illness
- do exercise → engage in regular physical activity
- good health system → accessible / well-funded healthcare
Use new words only where they fit. Forced “advanced” vocabulary still lowers the score. Screen-time and school-health prompts often overlap with education topics and technology topics — reuse those banks when the prompt is really about schools or devices. Paraphrase practice: how to paraphrase Task 2.
Sample outline
Question: Obesity rates are rising in many countries. What are the causes and what solutions can you suggest?
This is problem–solution — both halves required. You do not need I agree.
Map: Rising obesity is driven by cheap ultra-processed food and sedentary routines; solutions include clearer labelling, school activity programmes, and targeted taxes on sugary products.
Body 1 — Causes
- Ultra-processed food is affordable and heavily marketed
- Desk-based work and screen time reduce daily movement
- Limited nutrition education in some communities
Body 2 — Solutions
- Regulate advertising to children; improve labelling
- Expand PE and after-school sport
- Combine taxes with subsidies for healthier options
Conclusion: Behaviour change needs both individual effort and government policy — no new big idea.
Turn the outline into a full essay with structure templates. Check criteria against the band descriptors guide.
How to practise these prompts
Two or three scored essays beat seven unmarked ones. Between full essays, keep short mixed work in the same sitting — outline who acts, swap vague health words, rewrite one thin body — rather than a “vocab week” then an “essay week.” That habit matches Personalized Practice: Practices 1–15 mix drills; Practices 16–20 are timed essays; Practices 1–2 are free.
A simple loop for this bank:
- Pick question #2 or #3 (classic exam shapes)
- Write about 40 minutes, aim 280+ words
- Score TR / CC / LR / GRA on the free checker
- If TR is under 7, confirm you covered all parts (e.g. causes and solutions)
- Rewrite the weakest paragraph once — then rescore
Also useful: 20-practice study plan · linking words.
Questions students ask
Do I need real medical statistics?
No. Examiners do not fact-check invented percentages. Use general, plausible examples (in many urban areas, among office workers). From the scripts I mark, fake-precise numbers often look less trustworthy than a clear mechanism.
Is health more common than education in Task 2?
Health, education, and environment all appear regularly. Prep collocations for each — and notice that health prompts force you to name who acts the same way education prompts do.
Can I mention COVID-19 or specific diseases?
Yes if the prompt invites it, but keep language general and formal. Avoid graphic medical detail; examiners are marking Task Response, not clinical knowledge.
Should I use personal health stories?
Prefer general examples (Many young adults…) over a long personal narrative. I notice personal stories often steal space from the second half of a causes/solutions question.
After you check your score
Most free tools stop at another band estimate. EssayGradeWise adds criterion drills inside a 20-practice plan (TR, CC, LR, GRA) so you practise the weak spot — not another full essay at random.
- Free IELTS essay checker — no login for score-only
- Try Practices 1–2 free
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