What you need to know:

1. Cultural Sensitivity

IELTS test developers strive to avoid topics that might be offensive or sensitive to people from different cultural backgrounds. However, perceptions of what is controversial can vary widely across cultures, making it challenging to completely avoid all potentially sensitive topics.

In the writing and speaking sections, candidates might be asked to discuss topics that could be seen as controversial, such as environmental issues, social changes, or technology's impact on society.


2. Candidate Reactions

Despite efforts to avoid controversy, individual candidates might find certain topics challenging or uncomfortable based on their personal experiences or beliefs.

We must remind our students that the aim is to elicit a well-structured argument or opinion, rather than to provoke controversy.