B2 Society Discussion Questions for Late Teens (16-18)

50 upper-intermediate (B2) society discussion questions for 16-18 year olds. Each with 8 vocabulary items. Preview 5, use all 50 in YapYapGo.

BasicB2 Upper-Intermediate
Question 1
Do you think social media has made people more connected or more isolated?
genuine (adj)surface-level (adj)foster (v)carefully chosen (adj)loneliness (n)validate (v)algorithm (n)detachment (n)
Question 2
How has the job market changed for your generation compared to your parents'?
precarious (adj)stability (n)adapt (v)competition (n)secure (v)pension (n)credential (n)volatile (adj)
Question 3
Should education focus more on practical skills or academic knowledge?
theoretical (adj)employability (n)critical thinking (n)equip (v)discipline (n)relevant (adj)foundation (n)pursue (v)
Question 4
What responsibility do young people have to tackle climate change?
obligation (n)activism (n)accountability (n)advocate (v)sustainable (adj)corporate (adj)mitigate (v)urgency (n)
Question 5
Do you think wealth inequality is getting better or worse in your country?
disparity (n)wealth gap (n)escalate (v)affordable (adj)opportunity (n)privilege (n)access (n)persist (v)
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
Question
This question is available in YapYapGo...
vocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabularyvocabulary
🔒

45 more questions with vocabulary support

Use all 50 Society & Culture discussion questions at B2 level in YapYapGo's Topic Discussion mode. Questions are displayed one at a time with vocabulary on demand, automatic student pairing, and session history tracking.

20 topic categoriesVocabulary on demandNo repeatsAge filtering
Try Topic Discussion
Part of YapYapGo Basic. From $3/month.

Built for teachers who run speaking lessons every day

YapYapGo handles the logistics: student pairing, question delivery, timers, and session tracking. You focus on facilitation and feedback.

See Plans

Explore More Questions

Other Age Groups

B2 Society Discussion Questions for Late Teens (16-18)

B2 late teens are ready for the hard questions. These 50 questions ask 16-18 year olds to engage with the tensions and contradictions in modern society: Is cancel culture a form of accountability or mob justice? Can capitalism and environmental sustainability coexist? Should governments prioritise economic growth or social welfare? These are not questions with right answers. They are questions that force students to construct nuanced, evidence-informed arguments in real-time spoken English.

The vocabulary targets the analytical language that separates B2 spoken English from B1: 'systemic,' 'privilege,' 'accountability,' 'polarisation,' 'marginalised,' and 'meritocracy.' B2 teens encounter these words in English-language media and academic texts. Producing them fluently in spoken discussion demonstrates the register awareness that B2 proficiency requires.

Hard questions for developing critical thinkers

For B2 late teens, the most productive technique is devil's advocate pairing: assign each student the position opposite to their actual belief. Arguing against your own position forces more careful language use, more precise vocabulary, and more structured argumentation. It also develops the intellectual flexibility that universities and employers value.

Analytical vocabulary in spoken form

These questions are directly relevant to IB Theory of Knowledge, Cambridge First Speaking, and IELTS preparation. The ability to discuss social issues with nuance, balance, and sophisticated vocabulary is exactly what these programmes and exams assess. Regular practice with these questions builds that capacity through repeated, low-pressure pair discussion.

Frequently Asked Questions

The questions present contested issues without taking positions. They are designed to develop critical thinking and English fluency, not to promote any political viewpoint. Students are free to argue any position they choose.
Yes. The question types and vocabulary align with IB Theory of Knowledge discussions, Cambridge B2 First Speaking Parts 3-4, and IELTS Speaking Part 3 at Band 6-7.
For B2 society discussions, matched pairing produces the most sustained debate. Two students at similar levels push each other to elaborate and counter-argue. YapYapGo's matched pairing automates this within your class.