IELTS Writing Task 2: Crime & Punishment Essay Questions
Crime is a compact but persistent IELTS Writing chapter, and it is dominated by the causes–problems–solutions family: why do people commit crimes, does prison work, should young offenders be treated differently? The trap is writing a solutions paragraph when the question only asked for causes — a Task Response penalty that sinks otherwise strong essays. The questions below show exactly which components each prompt asks for.
How this topic is examined
7 questions in the current bank fall under this chapter, split by essay type:
- Opinion (agree/disagree)4
- Causes / problems / solutions2
- Discussion (both views)1
High-frequency subtopics
Chapters are too broad to prepare directly — the working unit is the subtopic. These are the subtopics this chapter's questions cluster around:
- causes of crime
- crime prevention and punishment
- cybercrime risks in online transactions
- solutions to crime
- role of prisons
- crime prevention through education
causes of crime
Free taste — one subtopic's idea bank- Socioeconomic disparities, particularly poverty, often contribute to criminal activity.
- Feelings of injustice and lack of societal support can motivate individuals to commit crimes.
- A lack of proper upbringing and limited educational opportunities can predispose individuals to criminal behavior.
Three of the idea sentences behind this subtopic. Inside the app, every subtopic in this chapter comes with a full idea bank and collocations, rebuilt around your own experience.
Questions in this chapter
Current questions in this chapter with free sample essays:
- Crime and other negative behaviours are increasing in modern society. What are the reasons for this? What problems does…
- Some laws are not effective because they are difficult for the police to enforce. What are the causes of this? What can…
- Some people believe that criminals who damage public property should perform community service instead of receiving othe…
- Some people believe that improving parents' parenting skills is the best way to reduce the rate of youth crime. To what…
- Some people believe that when police officers in a community carry guns, it makes society more violent. To what extent d…
- Some people think new technology helps to reduce crime, while others believe it could make crime easier. Discuss both vi…
- Teaching parents how to raise their children well is the best way to reduce crime committed by young people. To what ext…