⚖️ Government & Law14 questionsReal reported + Cambridge
IELTS government & law
essay questions.
14 Task 2 questions on government & law. Click any question to open the full breakdown, examiner watch-outs, and a 40-minute mock.
About this theme
Crime and punishment, voting, taxation, free speech, surveillance, government spending priorities. Government & Law prompts often hinge on the balance between individual freedom and collective security. The strongest essays name a specific policy lever (term limits, mandatory voting, a tax rate) and discuss its second-order effects, not just its intent.
Task 2🗳️ Government & LawOpinion (Agree / Disagree)
“Some argue major decisions should be made by referendum rather than by elected officials. To what extent do you agree?”
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Task 2📹 Government & LawDiscuss both views
“Some argue widespread CCTV cameras make cities safer; others say they invade privacy. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
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Task 2🛰️ Government & LawDiscuss both views
“Some governments invest huge sums in space research while others say the money should be spent on Earth-bound problems. Discuss both views.”
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Task 2💰 Government & LawDiscuss both views
“Some governments set a minimum wage to protect workers. Others argue it harms small businesses. Discuss both sides and give your view.”
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Task 2🏛️ Government & LawDiscuss both views
“Some countries impose strict term limits on political leaders, while others allow them to remain in office indefinitely. Discuss both views.”
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Task 2💻 Government & LawOpinion (Agree / Disagree)
“More government services are moving online. Is this a positive or negative development?”
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Task 2🛒 Government & LawOpinion (Agree / Disagree)
“Some governments have introduced bans on single-use plastic bags. Is this an effective policy?”
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Task 2⚖️ Government & LawDiscuss both views
“Some believe the death penalty deters serious crime, while others see it as inhumane. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
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Task 2🎭 Government & LawDiscuss both views
“Some say governments should fund the arts; others think public money should be spent on more essential services. Discuss both views and give your opinion.”
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Task 2🗳️ Government & LawOpinion (Agree / Disagree)
“Some countries require all citizens to vote in elections. Do you think this is a good policy?”
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Task 2⚖️ Government & LawOpinion (Agree / Disagree)
“Governments should impose higher taxes on unhealthy food. To what extent do you agree or disagree?”
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Task 1 · Academic🗳️ Government & LawLine chart
“The line graph shows the percentage of seats held by women in the national parliament of four countries from 2000 to 2020.”
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Task 1 · Academic🏛️ Government & LawLine chart
“The line graph shows general government gross debt as a percentage of GDP in four countries from 2000 to 2020.”
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Task 1 · Academic🛡️ Government & LawBar chart
“The bar chart shows military spending as a share of GDP in five countries in 2010 and 2020.”
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❓ FAQ
About government & law in IELTS
- How often does government & law come up in IELTS Writing Task 2?
- It's one of the most-tested themes. Examiners draw on it because it generates strong opinions while remaining accessible to candidates from any background. You can reasonably expect to encounter a government & law question in practice tests and on the real exam.
- What question types should I expect on government & law?
- All five Task 2 shapes are fair game: opinion (agree/disagree), discuss both views, problem-solution, two-part, and advantages-and-disadvantages. The same theme can appear in any of these shapes, so practise the same idea across multiple question types rather than memorising essays.
- How specific do my examples need to be?
- Specific enough to be falsifiable. "Many studies show X" is empty; "a 2019 OECD report on X found Y in Z country" is concrete. You don't need a real citation. Examiners reward the specificity of the claim, not the accuracy of the source. Naming a country, a year, or an industry counts.
- Can I use the same vocabulary across all government & law essays?
- Topic-specific lexis matters. Each of the 14 questions below hides a slightly different angle, and Band 7+ vocabulary depends on naming the precise mechanism: "carbon-intensive industries" beats "polluters", "screen-mediated communication" beats "talking online".