Writing Topics For ESL Students

30 Writing Topics and Writing Prompts For ESL Students

When learning a new language like English, developing writing skills is essential. Many beginner ESL students find it difficult to write essays, especially if they have to come up with the essay topic themselves.

List Of ESL Writing Topics

Here is a list of ESL writing topics and writing prompts your students can write about.

Tips For Teaching ESL Writing

Error correction.

Although it is necessary to highlight and correct students’ errors, it can be quite demotivating for a student to only hear all the things they got wrong.

After correcting errors, give students an opportunity to re-write their essays and correct their mistakes. Once students have completed their final draft, be sure to let them know what you liked about their essay, and you can even share this praise with other students, teachers, and even the student’s parents.

Ask About Students’ Interests

A great way to encourage this is to ask about things students are interested in and then tailor the writing topic to them.

Provide Enough Writing Prompts

To help students write longer essays, be sure to give them enough writing prompts to cover the different aspects they should cover in their writing.

Structure The Essay

To help ESL students become better at writing in English, teach them a particular structure you would like them to follow when writing their essays.

Thanks for reading. I hope you found some useful ESL writing topics and writing prompts you can use in your next writing class. 

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40 ESL Essay Writing Topics + Prompts

By VIPKid  |  April 20, 2018

Ready to start teaching English online?

Writing ESL essay writing is hard for most students and many will struggle at first before learning to write well.

However, writing skills are a crucial part of learning a new language . 

In this piece, we’ll share some ESL writing prompts and ESL essay topics for five different kinds of essays. They should help your students develop their grammar and vocabulary skills  while teaching them how to write coherently.

(While they work for all kinds of students, we’ve found these topics are especially handy for  teaching English to kids .) 

Writing practice should never be boring! When you’re done this article, check out the 10 most engaging writing activities here .

Descriptive ESL Writing Topics

  • Describe your favorite place in as much detail as possible.
  • Describe your favorite fictional character in as much detail as possible.
  • Describe a famous person – e.g. a singer or athlete – that you admire. Focus on both their appearance and personality traits.
  • Describe a family member or your best friend  as detailed as possible. Discuss how they look and their personality.  
  • Choose a  hobby or favorite activity  and describe why and how you do it. 
  • Describe your most memorable holiday or vacation spot in as much detail as possible.
  • Describe a photo or work of art in as much detail as possible.
  • Pick your favorite food . Describe what you taste, smell, and sense while eating or drinking it. 

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Explanatory ESL Essay Topics

a2 level essay topics

  • Give directions for getting from one point to another . For example, how to get from your home to your school. Describe the landmarks someone might see along the way.
  • Explain how to cook your favorite meal . Provide a recipe and the step-by-step instructions.
  • Explain your favorite computer game . What should a player do to win? What are some playing tips?
  • Explain what you would do if your friends show up at your house unexpectedly . Say how you would entertain them. 
  • Explain how to make a bed . This task is seemingly simple but allows you to write about everyday habits you might never think through in detail. 
  • Explain how to make a paper airplane . Again, this task has many precise, technical details that that should be included in the essay. 
  • Explain how to brush your teeth . Try to make your essay about a seemingly mundane task more interesting. 
  • Explain how to pack a suitcase when going on a holiday. List out all the objects and pieces of clothing you would bring. 

ESL Essays Topics to Practice Verb Tenses

essay topics

  • Talk about a time in the past when you had to make a difficult decision . Explain what you did and why.
  • Describe your dream place to live . Why would you want to live there? What would you do?
  • Write about three specific goals  you want to achieve this year. Explain how you are going to achieve them.
  • Write about something you regret having done . Point out what could have happened if you had not made that decision.
  • Describe the world 100 years from now . Describe how people live, and new inventions and also the things that will not change.
  • Talk about your earliest memory . What happened? How well do you remember the events?
  • Write a short essay about how you prepared for class . Now “translate” that essay into future tense. In other words, the essay should say how you plan to prepare for class.  

Argumentative ESL Essay Topics

argumentative ESL essay topics

  • Are smartphones good or bad? Give some arguments to support your position.
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of public schools and private schools ?
  • What is your favorite book or movie ? Convince others, through your essay, to read or watch it. 
  • Is it the case that the more people that have cars, the better? What are some advantages and disadvantages of public transit ? 
  • Should money be spent on space exploration ? Give arguments to support your opinion.
  • You’re the mayor of your town or city. Explain in an essay your recent decision to ban smoking . Then, from another person’s perspective, write a letter to the mayor protesting this new law. 
  • Reading books vs. watching movies . Which do you prefer and why?
  • What are the pros and cons of e-readers compared to paper books?

Hypothetical ESL Essay Topics

  • What would you do if you were late for an important class?
  • What would you do if your car got a flat tire on the highway?
  • If you had the power to change one thing about your past, what would it be?
  • If you had the power to alter  one major historical event , what would it be?
  • If you could take any superhero’s powers , who would be your choice?
  • How would you feel if, one day, you woke up 300 years in the past ?
  • What would you do if you won the lottery ? Would your life change day-to-day?

essay topics

Some General ESL Essay Tips

When checking ESL essays, pay attention to the following key points:

  • Grammar. The ESL essay should be grammatically correct.
  • Vocabulary. The more new vocabulary the essay contains, the more points it will get.
  • Text flow. The text of the essay should flow logically and naturally. Pay attention to the use of connecting words and phrases. These include first of all , secondly , moreover , in addition , besides , finally , on the one hand, on the other hand , and as a result .
  • Sticking to the topic. Some essay writers tend to deviate from ESL essay topics. However, a perfect ESL essay should stay as close to the point as possible.

A good essay typically has the following parts:

  • An introduction . Here, the author gives some general information about the topic or lays out their argument. An effective intro entices readers to read further. 
  • The body . In an argumentative essay, the body could be 2 to 3 paragraphs. Each should introduce their arguments and support them with examples. In other types of essays, the content may vary. For example, the body may include descriptions, explanations, or personal stories.
  • Conclusion . The author should logically conclude or summarize their thoughts and arguments.

How Do You Teach Writing?

It doesn’t matter if you teach English online or if you’re a classroom teacher, we want to know about your  teaching styles.  Do you use writing prompts,  games and activities, or something else entirely?

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English Writing Exercises for A2 – An opinion essay

  • English Writing Exercises for A2

Preparation

1. read the task and the essay. are the sentences true (t) or false (f).

1   Sarah wants a sound system because she hasn’t got anything for listening to music.

2   Her brother loves football.

3   She’d give money to an organisation that helps homeless people.

4   She’d spend most of the money.

If you won €1 million in the lottery, what would you do with it? Write an essay and include your ideas. Give reasons for your choices.

If I won €1 million, there are a lot of things I would like to do with the money. It would be nice to buy myself something, but it would also be good to help others.

First of all, I would buy myself a docking station with fantastic speakers. Although I have got an MP3 player and some speakers, they are not very good.

Secondly, I would buy a new car for my mum. Her car is really old. I would buy my brother a Liverpool kit and a scarf. He is a really big Liverpool fan!

Thirdly, there are a lot of homeless people in my city. I would donate money to the local hostel. If I gave them €5,000, they could buy a lot of meals for homeless people.

Finally, I would save at least half of the money. In my opinion, it would be silly to spend it all now. What is more, if I invested the money, it would grow, and I would have more to spend in the future.

To sum up, I would buy something nice for myself and other members of my family, support local charities, and also save some money for the future.

1 F   2 T   3 T   4 F

Writing Strategy

In your writing, avoid starting too many sentences with the same words. Remember that you can:

–  use a variety of phrases for introducing opinions ( It seems to me …, In my opinion …, etc.) and for making additional points ( Moreover …, Furthermore …, etc.)

–  start conditional sentences with the if clause or the main clause.

–  use concession clauses ( although … / even though … ) at the beginning or end of a sentence.

2. Read the Writing Strategy. Then underline the following in the essay:

1   one concession clause (starting with Even though, although, etc.)

2   three second conditional sentences (with an if clause and a main clause).

3   one phrase for introducing an opinion.

4   four phrases for listing four points.

5   one phrase for introducing an additional point.

1   although I’ve got an MP3 player …

2   If I gave them €5,000, they could buy …;

… if I invested the money, it would grow, …

3   In my opinion, …

4   First of all; secondly; thirdly; Finally

5   What’s more, …

3. Read the task in exercise 1 again. Make notes for your answer.

Introduction: ……………………………………………….

First idea: ……………………………………………………

Reasons: …………………………………………………….

Second idea: ………………………………………………

Reasons: ……………………………………………………

Third idea: …………………………………………………

Reasons: …………………………………………………..

Fourth idea: ……………………………………………..

Reasons: ………………………………………………….

Conclusion: ……………………………………………..

your own answers

Writing Guide

4. use your notes from exercise 3 to write an essay. include an introduction and a conclusion., extra exercises.

When writing an essay you need to make sure you structure your work carefully and divide it into paragraphs. Guide the reader through your points by starting your paragraphs with words such as, First of all, Secondly, and Finally.

1. Read the Strategy. Then read the exam task in exercise 2 and the model answer below. Complete the table using the information in the model answer.

Most important improvement:

 

Reason:

 

Result:

 

Second improvement:

 

Reason:

 

Result:

 

Third improvement:

 

Reason:

 

Result:

 

My town is very historic and we get a lot of visitors. There are several things I would improve to attract even more tourists. Here are three of the most important.

First of all, I would improve the parking. In my opinion, this is the most important thing because the town is always full of cars. If there was a car park on the edge of town, tourists could leave their cars there and get a bus into the centre. It would be easier for them and they could enjoy less crowded streets.

Secondly, I would cut the entrance price to museums and art galleries. The tickets can be very expensive, especially for families. If prices were cheaper, more tourists would visit these attractions.

Finally, I would arrange some interesting things for children to do in the park. If there were more activities for children, more families would come to the town.

To conclude, I would improve parking, reduce prices and provide things for children to do. All these things would attract more tourists to our town.

2. Write your essay.

Your town or a town near you is a tourist destination. What improvements would you make to attract even more tourists? Write an essay and include three ideas. Give reasons for your choices and say what effect the improvements would have on tourist numbers.

Include these points:

–  say what the most important improvement would be

–  choose two more improvements to make

–  explain how these things would affect tourists.

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50+ ESL Writing Prompts

Prompts are excellent for countering the dreaded blank page during writing exercises, which many ESL students find not only intimidating but also immobilizing. After all, they’re working in a second language that might not even share the same writing system as their own.

Let’s have a look at more than 50 different writing prompts and how you can use them to give students a boost in the right direction. The guide also includes top resources to find more great writing prompts.

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

Process Writing

A person writing in a notebook

Process writing is a good place to start with your beginner students.

Simple process writing can be nothing more than a numbered list of steps written in the simple present with imperative grammar.

You can also use these prompts for intermediate and advanced students by asking them to write full paragraphs using smooth transitions.

Process Writing Prompts

  • What’s your favorite food from your home country? How do you make it?
  • How did you travel from your home country to the U.S.?
  • What’s the best way to study for an exam?
  • How does a person learn to read? What are the necessary steps?
  • What’s something you’re good at? How did you learn to do it?
  • How do you get ready every morning? Discuss each step of your morning routine.
  • How does a person get a job? What steps must they take?
  • How do you get a driver’s license? What steps must you follow?
  • How does an acorn grow into a tree? What are the stages of its life?
  • What are the stages of the water cycle?

How to set your students up for success

When brainstorming ideas, ask your students to list the steps of how they came up with the content to write about. If you want to challenge intermediate and advanced students, have them write paragraphs describing the brainstorming process rather than writing a numbered list.

For certain topics, students may need time for additional research, like when writing about science.

Also, be aware of any vocabulary that may be specific to the process students are describing. For example, if they’re describing a food from their home country, students may need to define a particular ingredient (e.g. kimchi, herbs de provence ) that may not have a good English equivalent.

Opinion Writing

A person writing on a laptop

Opinions are everywhere. From social media posts to commentary on news programs, we’re constantly exposed to other opinions and ideas. For this reason, it’s important for students to be able to both express their own opinions and evaluate the opinions of others.

And what better way to express one’s opinions than with a written argument? Here are some prompts to help your students vocalize their opinions.

Opinion Writing Prompts

  • Should people under the age of 21 be allowed to drink alcohol? Please explain.
  • Should college students be allowed to choose their own courses or study from a set list of required courses? Please explain.
  • Is it better for young adults to live at home with their parents or to live on their own? Please explain.
  • Should your country require young adults to serve in the military? Why or why not?
  • Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics? Why or why not?
  • Should people be allowed to smoke in restaurants? Please explain your opinion.
  • Should parents be allowed to arrange marriages for their children? Why or why not?
  • Should students be required to take physical education? Why or why not?
  • Should teenagers be allowed to make decisions about their sexual health without the consent of their parents? Please explain your opinion.
  • Should students be required to clean their schools? Please explain.

Before starting the assignment, review modal verbs with your class . Explain to your students that the verb, “should,” is a signal word for opinion writing and is commonly used when expressing one’s thoughts, opinions and ideas.

Graphic organizers are a great way to help students think through what they believe about a given topic and get those thoughts in the right order for writing. Curriculum developer, Scholastic, has some great organizers you can print and give to your students to help them gather their thoughts before they write.

Good opinion writing takes both sides of an argument into consideration. While students should devote the majority of their essay to supporting the facts they agree with, they also need to dedicate a section to addressing the opposition’s argument and explaining why it’s wrong. This is called the rebuttal and should come just before the conclusion in an opinion piece.

Narrative Writing

A person writing with a pen and paper

Narrative writing tells a story.

It has a beginning, a middle and an end, and aims to engross the reader and make them feel as if they’re experiencing the story firsthand. Moreover, narrative writing covers a sequence of events, telling the reader how these events relate to one another.

Narrative Writing Prompts

  • Think about a time in your life when you were disappointed. What caused this, and how did you get over it?
  • Did you have a pet as a child? If so, tell the story of how you got it.
  • Who’s your hero? What did they do to gain your respect and admiration?
  • What was an important event in your childhood? Write about what happened and how it has affected you.
  • Tell about a time you were embarrassed.
  • How did you meet your significant other? Tell the story of that first meeting. (For younger students, you can ask the question, “How did your parents meet each other?”)
  • When did you first think about traveling overseas to study English?
  • What would the perfect day look like? Discuss how you would spend it from when you woke until you went to sleep. (Note: Your students need to use the conditional form for this narrative. Take time to review it with them before assigning this prompt.)
  • Describe the life of a dollar bill, from when it comes off the printing press until it retires.
  • Describe the life of someone famous in your culture. Where did they come from? How did they become famous?

Absolutely essential for narrative writing, transitions ensure the sequence of events flows smoothly. Before beginning the writing exercise, take a few minutes to review transition words and phrases with your students. You can even  give them a copy of this list  to help them get started.

Another important part of narrative writing is action words. Great for boosting the imagination, action words help the reader visualize the story while reading. Encourage your students to add extra color to their stories by having them brainstorm a list of action words at the beginning of the lesson.

Lastly, make sure that your students use proper verb tenses throughout their writing. Regardless of whether the story is being told in past or present tense, students must learn to keep the verb tense is consistent throughout the story without switching from past to present, or vice versa, unless talking about two different points in time.

Descriptive Writing

A person writing with a fountain pen on paper

Descriptive writing is all about writing the details, and mixing them in with sensory words and literary devices . While there’s definitely a stylistic component to descriptive writing, anyone with a good-sized vocabulary and a little bit of practice can write a vivid story.

Descriptive Writing Prompts

  • Go to a coffee shop or restaurant and watch the people. Describe what you see.
  • Write a travel brochure for your favorite vacation spot. Describe in detail why others should visit this location.
  • Describe a classroom in your home country. How’s it different from our classroom?
  • Think about a time you were scared. Describe where you were and what frightened you.
  • Think of a scene in your favorite movie. Describe what happened without referencing characters in the movie.
  • What’s something that is very valuable to you? Describe that object.
  • Close your eyes. Tune in to what you can hear, smell and feel. Now open your eyes and write about what you observed.
  • (First, have your students close their eyes, then play them a clip from a movie scene)  What did you picture as you listened to the scene?
  • Describe your favorite Halloween candy, making note of how it tastes and smells.
  • Describe your dream car.

The best way to help your students master descriptive writing is to get them accustomed to using sensory words —the words that describe how something looks, sounds, smells, feels and tastes.

If your students are describing a person, have them start at their head and move down to their feet, or vice versa. If they’re describing a room, have them start at the door and work their way around the room clockwise. That way, their descriptions are organized and structured, making it easier for the reader to form a clear picture of the imagery in their mind as they read.

Creative Writing

A neon sign in a window that says "what is your story?"

Everyone loves a good story, but not all people feel confident writing one of their own.

With a solid setting, character and conflict, anyone can come up with a gripping and exciting story—even your students.

Here are some writing prompts to get your students expressing themselves with stories.

Creative Writing Prompts

  • A young boy sees what appears to be a UFO land outside his home late one Tuesday night. What happens next?
  • Use the following scene for inspiration: The boat rocks as each towering wave tosses it into the air and then lets it plunge. You hang over the edge of the boat waiting for the current wave of nausea to pass. Suddenly you hear at least a dozen sets of boots running along the deck…
  • The year is 1880, and a young girl whose bonnet hangs down her back from its strings sighs in relief. She’s in a ghost town. How did she get there? Tell the story of her past.
  • This morning is just like any other school morning, except one thing: No one else is at school. The doors are opened and unlocked, but you’re completely alone. Write the story of what happened.
  • Start a story with the following phrase: It was the worst mistake he’d ever made.
  • Use the following scene for inspiration: She’d never seen an animal like this before, but it seems to be friendly. Just then a news alert comes over the radio…
  • Start a story with the following phrase: He could see eyes in the shadows.
  • Use the following scene as inspiration: They said I was free to leave, but sitting in a helicopter with the city beneath me, where could I really go?
  • Choose a favorite character from a book or movie. Then put this character in a setting from a different movie or book—for example, Harry Potter finds himself on the Millennium Falcon with Chewbacca. Then, tell the story of what happens next.
  • Have each person in class write down a setting, one character and one object on three separate slips of paper. Collect each category separately, shuffle them and redistribute the papers to your students. Each person must write a story incorporating the setting, character and object they received.

For a story to be successful, it needs three important elements: setting, character and conflict .

Take a few moments to talk about each of these elements with your students before they begin the activity. Have them think about these elements and how they’ll be presented in their own stories by asking the following questions:

  • Where will the story take place?
  • Who’s the main character of the story?
  • What conflict will that person face?
  • How will they overcome what is stopping them?

Once they can answer these essential questions, they’re ready to begin writing.

If you’re teaching beginner or intermediate students, separate the language from the story elements by having them write a story they already know. They can write a story of their favorite movie, rather than come up with a plot of their own.

Also, if your students are struggling to come up with their own stories, use comic books for inspiration . Writing comics is also a great way to give students writing practice without requiring imagination to go along with it.

Resources for Finding More Inspiring ESL Writing Prompts

A woman writes in a notebook

Writer’s Digest

The  Writer’s Digest  website and magazine is full of tips and tricks for writing, interviews with authors, and insight into what it’s like to be in the writing business. The prompts section contains mostly fiction and creative writing prompts, and is updated every week with a new prompt.

Reddit is a huge community of people who love to share things they find around the Internet, and have conversations. The Writing Prompts section has some really creative ideas, and you can even see what other people have written in the comments.

Tumblr is a great place to find ideas. It’s a place where people can blog about whatever they want, but it’s more visual than most other blogs. (That means it focuses more on pictures.) The “Writing Prompts” Tumblr uses pictures to share prompts, both creative and nonfiction. There’s even one prompt for a song!

Lindsay Ann Learning

The prompts on this website are meant for school children, but they are excellent writing starters for any age. The page focuses on journal writing, so these prompts are mostly for nonfiction writing.

Language Is a Virus

The Writing Prompts Generator on this site has a huge number of ideas for fiction and nonfiction writing, which you can see one at a time. This website also has some fun  word games  to get you thinking and being creative.

This website has over 300 prompts for you to try. Just reading through the prompts will give you some new words to learn! Most of these prompts are for creative writing, but there are a small number of nonfiction thoughts in there too.

Writing Forward

This list of creative writing prompts has 25 story starters. Just pick a first sentence and see where the story takes you! There are also some questions and ideas to explore. When you’re done here, head over to the  Grammar section  for some tips from the pros.

Writing Prompts by 21×20 Media

Want to get your prompts in a phone-friendly format? Try the Writing Prompts app from 21×20 Media. It’s not free, but at just $1.99 you get hundreds of prompts organized by type. Look through pictures, place and character ideas, and much, much more.

Wrighting Words

You’ll find almost 500 creative writing prompts on Wrighting Words. The long list has everything from interesting story starters to fun with vocabulary words. There are even some titles and dialogue ideas. You’re sure to find something to inspire you here.

Pinterest has many great collections of writing ideas and exercises. You can really browse the entire website for ideas and inspiration. For some more focused writing, check out the Writing Picture Prompts board linked to above, which has nearly 400 picture prompts meant to inspire you.

Think Written

How about a prompt for each day of the year? Think Written has that. The list here focuses on words and themes, so you can write fiction or nonfiction—it’s up to you. For a real challenge, try following the list, doing one prompt every day. How far down the list can you make it?

Visual Prompts

If you prefer to see your prompts and not just read them, you will love the Visual Prompts website. Each prompt is written over a picture that can help you imagine what you’re writing about. There’s also a nice mix of creative and nonfiction prompts here.

The Write Prompts

The Write Prompts has almost 2,000 prompts, but you might find the word prompts the most useful. Each prompt comes with a list of vocabulary words that you have to use in your story. Can you string the words along and make an interesting story or essay?

Seventh Sanctum

The Seventh Sanctum is a collection of writing generators—websites that create prompts for you. There is a nearly  infinite  (never-ending) number of possible prompts! You can also try any of the other generators, like the  setting  (place) one , or the one that asks creative  “What if…?” questions . There is so much to play with here!

Buzzfeed is mostly known for its funny picture articles , but this article has an excellent list of prompts for all kinds of writing. These prompts can be used in a school, but they can also be used by adults. Some of these will get you feeling creative, and some will make you think. Have fun with both!

The Journal

The Journal is another website for nonfiction and blog writing ideas. There is even more here too—get ideas for writing your opinions about topics, your memoirs (writings about yourself), and free-writing, which is when you don’t stop writing for 10 or 15 minutes.

Education World

Education World is a website for teachers, so these prompts are meant for the classroom. This means that they will make you think, and each prompt has a helpful tip box with some ideas for what you can write on the topic.

These are just some of the ways to get your students thinking about how to fill the page with their thoughts and ideas. A list of writing prompts and a helpful teacher can go a long way in preventing writers’ block and helping students look at every empty page as an opportunity to express themselves.

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Study English Online

22 Engaging ESL Essay Topics You Can Use to Improve Your Writing Skills

Text Version:

The only way to get better at anything is to do it—over and over again. In addition to practicing your English conversational skills, you should also practice your writing skills on a regular basis.

a2 level essay topics

Here are twenty-two potential essay topics to get you started, but don’t be afraid to branch out and come up with your own topics, as well.

Descriptive topics

  • Describe your favorite place in as much detail as possible.
  • What do you do outside of school and work? Describe any hobbies you have, sports you participate in, or other activities you regularly enjoy.
  • If you could invite five people to a dinner party, who would they be? What is each guest like?
  • Describe your favorite fictional character in as much detail as possible.
  • If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be? Describe it and explain why you’d choose it.

Instructions

  • Give directions for getting from one point to another. Explain what landmarks someone might see along the way.
  • Explain how to entertain guests who unexpectedly arrive at your home.

Verb tense practice

  • What’s one thing you could never live without and why?
  • Describe your ideal town or city, why you would want to live there, and what you would do there.
  • Write about a time in the past when you had to make a difficult decision, and explain what you did.
  • Talk about five specific goals you want to accomplish this year, and explain how you are going to accomplish them.
  • Imagine you’re babysitting a child who breaks the kitchen table. Explain to the child how they could have avoided doing this if they had behaved differently.

Practical vocabulary practice

  • Write a review of a new restaurant (either fictional or real) in your area.
  • Describe the best party or large-scale event you’ve ever attended.
  • If you could get one gift for everyone in your family, regardless of the cost, what would you get them and why?
  • Choose a form of transportation (such as cars, trains, boats, planes, or subways) and explain how it has changed people’s lives.
  • Write a pitch for a new blockbuster movie. Explain what will happen in the movie and why it will draw crowds to the theater.

Persuasive writing practice

  • Do you think our society is too dependent on technology like smartphones? Why or why not?
  • Imagine that a big new department store is being built in your hometown. Do you support this development or not?
  • Do you think it’s better for students to have a long summer break or be in a year-round school system with more breaks throughout the year? Explain your position.
  • Should employers set aside time during the day for their employees to exercise? What might be some of the advantages or disadvantages of this?
  • What is your favorite book or movie, and why should people read or watch it?

What are some great ESL essay topics you've encountered? Let us know in the comments.

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Comments on this post (6 comments)

Eliakim balle says....

a2 level essay topics

Here’s a topic:

write about what your ideal weekend would look like if you could do anything you want.

On April 01, 2019

Ndate Thabo says...

a2 level essay topics

¨Write about when u took the risk to do the right thing.¨ Good prompt . . and something to live by.

El sari says...

a2 level essay topics

Interesting question Jessica …according to me to find someone to teach you and guide you better than trying thanks by your own ..

On March 11, 2016

Jessica Bordelon says...

a2 level essay topics

What is the best way to learn: by experiencing something on your own, or from someone explaining it to you? What brings the most happiness: buying things or having experiences?

On March 03, 2016

Bindi kanyal says...

a2 level essay topics

Niceee…..

On December 08, 2015

dayo says...

a2 level essay topics

Write about when u took the risk to do the right thing

On December 05, 2014

Leave a comment

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Topics for Writing

The following  Topics for Writing  are just a small sample from the  game ,  Roll Play , by  Dymon Publications .

Hypothetical

What would you do if you were late for an important appointment?

What would you do if someone accused you of a crime you didn’t commit?

What would you do if you got lost in an unfamiliar city?

What would you do if you left something in a locked building?

What would you do if your best friend stole something from you?

What would you do if you didn’t have enough money to pay your bills?

What would you do if your children were caught shoplifting?

What would you do if your car got a flat tire on the freeway?

If you could change one thing about your past, what would it be?

If you could change one major historical event, what would it be?

Description

  • Describe a famous park or recreation area in your home country.
  • Describe an interesting neighbor you have had.
  • Describe something you could never give away.
  • Describe a place you will never forget.
  • Describe a sporting event you attended recently.
  • Describe a memorable birthday celebration.
  • Describe a place you go for recreation or exercise.
  • Describe your childhood home.
  • Describe someone you respect deeply.
  • Describe the nightlife in a city you are familiar with.
  • Tell about a recent interview.
  • Tell about a time when you lost something.
  • Tell about one of your fondest childhood memories.
  • Tell about a time when you lied to your parents, boss, or teacher.
  • What is your opinion about cellular phones?
  • What is your opinion about women in the military?
  • What is your opinion about a current politician?
  • What is your opinion about violence on television?
  • What is your opinion about fortune telling?
  • What is your opinion about the tabloids?
  • What is your opinion about legalizing marijuana?
  • What is your opinion about the welfare system?
  • What is your opinion about cloning?
  • What is your opinion about recycling?
  • Tell about a time when you were treated unfairly.
  • Briefly tell about a movie you saw recently.
  • Tell about something you made ?from scratch.?
  • Tell about a “close call” you had recently.
  • Tell about something you wish had never happened.
  • Tell about a time when you inadvertently caused trouble for someone else.

Instructions

  • Tell how to find something on the Internet.
  • Tell how to feed family members who drop by unexpectedly.
  • Tell how to dump a boyfriend/girlfriend.
  • Tell how to get from your house to the supermarket.
  • Tell what to do in an earthquake.
  • Tell how to get someone to fall in love with you.
  • Tell how to make a paper airplane.
  • Tell how to get a good table at a restaurant.
  • Tell how to get a discount on an expensive item.
  • Tell how to discipline an unruly child.

Sample Personal Essay Topics

Argumentative Essay Topics (from Glendale Community College, Arizona)

Writing Prompts/Journal Topics  from  Can Teach

TOEFL Writing Topics (from Kazuo.com)

If you have questions or comments about this page, please  contact us .

a2 level essay topics

COMMENTS

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  7. 22 Engaging ESL Essay Topics You Can Use to Improve Your ...

    Here are twenty-two potential essay topics to get you started, but don’t be afraid to branch out and come up with your own topics, as well. Descriptive topics. Describe your favorite place in as much detail as possible. What do you do outside of school and work?

  8. A2 Writing Exercises and Tests - Test-English

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  9. Topics for Writing - ESL Gold

    The following Topics for Writing are just a small sample from the game, Roll Play, by Dymon Publications. Hypothetical. What would you do if you were late for an important appointment? What would you do if someone accused you of a crime you didn’t commit? What would you do if you got lost in an unfamiliar city?

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    Learn how to write different types of essays with our A2 writing lessons. You will find lots of examples, tips, useful phrases and exercises.