Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics

101 Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics
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Whether you are a student in need of a persuasive essay topic, or a teacher looking to assign a persuasive essay, this list of 101 persuasive essay topics is a great resource. I taxed my brain to create this huge list of persuasive essay topics relevant to today’s society, but I believe it was worth the effort. Additionally, any of these topics could be applied to a persuasive speech project as well. I appreciate any and all comments or feedback. Thank you for visiting!

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This is a stack of books. It is meant to represent the many resources that are required to tackle these persuasive essay topics.

  1. Should students be allowed to have phones in elementary and high schools?
  2. Should students have to wear uniforms?
  3. Should college athletes be paid for playing?
  4. Should the elderly receive free bus rides?
  5. Should state colleges be free to attend?
  6. Should all American citizens have to complete a year of community service?
  7. Should students be required to take Spanish classes?
  8. Should marijuana be legal for medicinal purposes?
  9. Should the voting age be lowered to thirteen?
  10. Should the driving age be raised to twenty-one?
  11. Should students be paid for having good grades?
  12. Should illegal immigrants be allowed to get drivers licenses?
  13. Should not wearing a seat-belt be illegal?
  14. Should student’s textbooks be replaced by notebook computers or tablets?
  15. Should students have to pass a basic skills test to graduate high school?
  16. Should schools raise money by selling candy and sugary soft drinks to students?
  17. Should schools serve french-fries and fried potato products to students at lunch?
  18. Should students’ grades in gym affect their grade point averages?
  19. Should girls be allowed to play on boys sports teams?
  20. Should teens be able to buy violent video games?
  21. Should boys and girls be in separate classes?
  22. Should teenage girls be allowed to get birth control without the permission of their parents?
  23. Should our country have free health care?
  24. Should immigration laws be reformed?
  25. Should the federal government recognize civil unions?
  26. Should people who download music and movies illegally be punished?
  27. Should school athletes have to be on the honor roll to play in games?
  28. Should music with curse words be allowed at school dances?
  29. Should public schools begin the day with a silent prayer time?
  30. Should students be able to listen to music on headphones during study hall?
  31. Should schools offer fast food options like McDonald’s or Taco Bell?
  32. Should smoking be allowed at parks and other outdoor public venues?
  33. Should cities offer free public Wi-Fi?
  34. Should the government place a tax on junk food and fatty snacks?
  35. Should the 2nd amendment give citizens the right to own assault weaponry?
  36. Should people traveling in airplanes have to undergo intensive security screenings?
  37. Should genetically modified foods be sold with a warning label?
  38. Should teachers have to pass a basic skills test every ten years to renew their certification?
  39. Should people be allowed to keep exotic animals like chimpanzees or tigers?
  40. Should people be allowed to keep pit-bull dogs?
  41. Should the city offer a bike sharing program?
  42. Should there be an ordinance citing people who fail to recycle $50?
  43. Should there be an ordinance citing people who play music too loudly $50?
  44. Should prostitution be legalized and regulated by the government?
  45. Should celebrities who break the law face stricter penalties?
  46. Should the government increase spending on the space program?
  47. Should larger passengers have to pay for two plane or movie theater tickets?
  48. Should children have to use booster seats in cars?
  49. Should people have to get a license to become parents?
  50. Should there be tougher federal restrictions for content on the internet?
  51. Should people be allowed to curse on daytime television?
  52. Should owners be legally accountable for clearing snow from sidewalks on their property?
  53. Should sexual education be taught in public schools?
  54. Should students be able to get free condoms at school?
  55. Should students who commit cyber-bullying be suspended from school?
  56. Should corporations be allowed to advertise in schools?
  57. Should students be allowed to eat during class?
  58. Should more be done to protect and preserve endangered animals?
  59. Is it appropriate for students and teachers to be friends on Facebook?
  60. Should students have open campus lunch periods?
  61. Should abortions be legal?
  62. Should abortions be legal in cases of rape and incest?
  63. Should the death penalty be used to punish violent criminals?
  64. Should students learn about world religions in public schools?
  65. Should schools start later in the morning?
  66. Should the USA end overseas military operations?
  67. Should politicians be allowed to accept campaign contributions from corporate lobbyists?
  68. Should people with terminal illnesses have the right to doctor assisted suicides?
  69. Should Puerto Rico become a state?
  70. Should stem cell researchers be able to use stem cells from aborted babies to cure diseases?
  71. Should school athletes have to take drug tests?
  72. Should professional athletes have to take drug tests?
  73. Should America convert to the metric system?
  74. Should high school students have to complete community service hours to graduate?
  75. Should teens over 13 years of age be allowed into R rated movies?
  76. Should state tests be given in other languages for ESL students?
  77. Should scientists be allowed to test products intended for human use on animals?
  78. Should unhealthy fast food products be sold with a warning label?
  79. Should there be a tariff or tax on products manufactured outside of the country?
  80. Should students or teachers receive money for scoring well on standardized tests?
  81. Should everyone under the age of 17 have a 9:00 PM curfew?
  82. Should schools with low scores on standardized tests be closed?
  83. Should minors be allowed to drink alcoholic beverages in their homes with their parents’ consent?
  84. Should students be allowed to drop out before they turn 18 years old?
  85. Should alcohol manufacturers be allowed to advertise on television?
  86. Should students as young as fourteen be allowed to hold jobs?
  87. Should American families have a two child max rule to limit population growth?
  88. Should children younger than thirteen be allowed to watch MTV or music videos?
  89. Should people who are caught driving drunk lose their licenses for a year?
  90. Should students who fail their classes be retained and have to repeat the grade?
  91. Should large businesses and corporations be required to employ a number of minorities proportionate to the population?
  92. Should female construction workers earn the same wages as males?
  93. Should children in temporary living situations with a 3.0 GPA earn free college tuition?
  94. Should gambling and sports-betting be illegal or should the government regulate it?
  95. Should children who commit violent crimes be tried as adults?
  96. Should the government be allowed to detain suspected terrorists without trial?
  97. Should the government censor internet content deemed inappropriate?
  98. Should teachers have to wear uniforms or have a dress code?
  99. Should teachers be allowed to have cell phones in the classroom?
  100. Should the state execute dogs that have bitten someone?
  101. Should talking on a phone without a hands-free device while driving be illegal?

Looking For Something Else?
How to Write Persuasive Essays
How to Write Narrative Essays
Narrative Essay Topics
Research Paper Topics

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930 Comments

  1. Armanys Cabrera

     /  January 25, 2015

    How could I start my first paragraph

    Reply
  2. MEL

     /  January 20, 2015

    This website helped me alot with my essay, Thanks.

    Reply
  3. Jonathan Sena

     /  January 16, 2015

    So many ideas for a 5 paragraph essay and pros and cons list😃😃

    Reply
  4. Jonathan Sena

     /  January 16, 2015

    Cool website

    Reply
  5. Jonathan

     /  January 16, 2015

    I have a lot of ideas for my essay today. 😨😱😱😱😁😁😁😂😂😜

    Reply
  6. Jonathan

     /  January 16, 2015

    I really love this website.😂😂😂😂

    Reply
  7. Jonathan

     /  January 16, 2015

    The ideas are vary good ideas for persuasive essays.

    Reply
  8. ciara

     /  January 15, 2015

    thank you for these options they were really great

    Reply
  9. Robert

     /  January 14, 2015

    MTV and music videos? When was this list written?

    Reply
  10. Just Smile

     /  January 12, 2015

    Thank you for the suggestions! So terribly sorry, but I will not use one. The reason is that reading these fabulous suggestions helped me think of one that I greatly think should be addressed.

    “Should people be truly affected by hurtful comments on social media?” Being a seventh grader, I, admittedly, am actively participating in social media. This topic definitely rung a bell for me. Tbh, I didn’t even think of this idea until I read through your suggestions! So, thank you. 🙂

    Reply
  11. Maria

     /  January 12, 2015

    The topic ideas are great and many to chose from. Would you say this list is intended for more junior high level and up? Some of the topics do not seem not age appropriate for elementary school level? I have a 5th grader who’s 10 years old and just wondering if she needs to persaude the reader on topics she knows norhing about?

    Reply
    • Aubrey

       /  May 8, 2018

      Honestly, it really depends on how mature and intelligent the child is…

      Reply
  12. Elizabeth Marouk-Coe

     /  January 11, 2015

    Thanks for all the work you put into it. It’s saving my life on a Sunday night!

    Reply
  13. dabates!

     /  January 9, 2015

    it is should voting limits be redused to 13 and my belief is no even though i am 13 lol

    Reply
  14. Samira

     /  January 8, 2015

    This was tremendously helpful. It made finishing homework easy

    Reply
  15. maggie

     /  January 6, 2015

    i think it should be if you are caught drunk driving they should have it taken away for life

    Reply
  16. mahmoud

     /  December 27, 2014

    This is an excellent website. Keep it up.

    Reply
  17. Kila

     /  December 23, 2014

    Thank you so much for the 101

    Reply
  18. sarah

     /  December 17, 2014

    thx love the choices. i think imma do Should students have to wear uniforms?

    Reply
  19. Martina

     /  December 14, 2014

    Great job! It’s a very good list

    Reply
  20. Jasmine amazing

     /  December 2, 2014

    Wow that is soooo helpful thanks soooo much I am soooo grateful. Lol😜😋❤️❤️😃😄😛

    Reply
  21. mahmoud

     /  November 21, 2014

    That’s a good website. Please add more good topics

    Reply
  22. Jerome Gordon

     /  November 19, 2014

    I like number 25

    Reply
  23. sierra enterline

     /  November 19, 2014

    Thank u

    Reply
  24. Gabriel M.

     /  November 12, 2014

    I needed help so i went to this website that was recomended by a friend and now i can see why. thank you for the ideas 😀

    Reply
  25. Pamela

     /  November 11, 2014

    40.Should people be allowed to keep pit-bull dogs?

    Why is this even an option? If people weren’t allowed to keep pit-bull dogs what would we do with them? Where would they go?!?!?!?!?!?

    Reply
    • Meu

       /  November 25, 2014

      It’s there because it’s illegal to keep pit bulls in some cities and towns.

      Reply
  26. eduardo

     /  November 10, 2014

    good job 🙂

    Reply
  27. angela

     /  November 7, 2014

    Awesome…thank you! I added this site to my favorites!

    Reply
  28. Kayla

     /  November 7, 2014

    Great site and awesome topics!

    I feel as if there are more school oriented topics than there are with other controversial topics right now, maybe update some of these topics?
    eh.

    Reply
  29. Paige G.

     /  November 6, 2014

    I was looking through this list and sadly my school is being dumb and wont let me do a lot of them. I’m really happy you made this list though, you did a great job. 🙂

    Reply
  30. Andrew Owens

     /  November 4, 2014

    should the hospital make you pay for your emergency? think about that

    Reply
  31. Sarah S

     /  November 3, 2014

    I am a first year English teacher. I love it, but it can get extremely hectic. I wanted to take a moment to send my respect and appreciation to you. Your website has been invaluable to me since student teaching. Your website has such amazing and innovative worksheets; you have saved my time and my sanity. Thank you for your collaborative spirit. I hope to one day do the same with a website of my own.

    Best and Highest Regards,

    Ms. S

    Reply
  32. Stan Yakovlev

     /  October 22, 2014

    I will use all of these for my speech, thank you so much, this saved me a huge amount of time!

    Reply
  33. katrina

     /  October 12, 2014

    Do you have a list of 100 Narrative and Expository Prompts/Essays like the Persuasive list ???? I really liked that one

    Reply
  34. Dude Waldner

     /  October 2, 2014

    I love the site!! keep it up!!

    Reply
  35. alecia norman

     /  September 30, 2014

    #45.Should celebrities who break the law face stricter penalties?

    my answer is: yes!
    the reason I say this is because I understand they are famous and they have all the money and fancy cars and afford almost everything in the world (almost). they are still humans and they should still obey the law I mean what makes them better than us then there money? and once there in jail or what ever the judge should say your money isn’t an option and then they can feel what most of all feel, because we do the crime we pay the time not by money but by accepting our fate in life and so should they

    Reply
    • hannah

       /  October 12, 2014

      when you know how to use their, there, and they’re appropriately tell me that the rich and famous need to do more time than the rest of us. That made absolutely zero sense. So they have more money? So what? Poor or rich we should all experience the same penalties. Government punishment is based on the crime someone commits. Not their social status, and that’s the logical way for things to work.

      Reply
  36. alecia norman

     /  September 30, 2014

    #9. should 13 years old be allowed to vote?

    my answer is: NO!!!
    because of many reasons…. one there still sort of like kids if you want to say there brains ant fully developed enough to make a big decision for our country. another one is they still like to pretend there’s like girly germs and they talk about silly things like monsters and zombies they ant ready just quite yet. I have a thirteen year old sister and a fourteen year old brother and they act more like ten year olds then there own age. so knowing by hand what they are like no I believe the are to young and not ready for this big decision yet.
    and that’s why I believe.

    Reply
    • cookie monster

       /  January 12, 2015

      well maybe some more mature children(with permission) can vote.

      Reply
    • anonymous

       /  January 29, 2015

      I would like to say that I am a 13 year old boy and that I agree with your comment, we should not be allowed to vote, though I (and most likely everyone else) would like it if you were use proper spelling when talking about someones lowered intelligence. There is something called auto-correct that helps very often. (other than when texting)

      Reply
  37. Ethan

     /  September 24, 2014

    To whomever it might concern:
    On number 75 it says “should teens over the age of 13 be allowed into R rated movies?”
    I wondered if it was intended to say “should teens UNDER the age of thirteen be allowed into R rated movies. I wasn’t sure if that was intentional or not. Correct me if I’m wrong. Other than that this list was great!

    Reply
    • Well, I actually meant over the age. As in, should kids that are 13 or older be allowed to see R rated movies. You could go the other way too of course.

      Reply
  38. Lucy Starbuck

     /  August 20, 2014

    Omg thanks! I found so many good topics for school now it’s just up to which one i should pick? Hmmmm… 😉

    Reply
  39. Hanifat

     /  June 25, 2014

    Its a wonderful list but please what is the meaning of the term speech

    Reply
    • A speech is writing that is meant to be delivered orally. That is to say, the speaker is intended to read the material out loud to an audience.

      Reply
  40. there were to many to think of doing!!!
    and this is a good website!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Reply
  41. Minahil

     /  May 21, 2014

    Nice topics

    Reply
  42. Minahil

     /  May 21, 2014

    Great topics

    Reply
  43. What is a perssusive piece

    Reply
    • Probably refers to a “piece” of writing.
      In other words: a persuasive essay.

      Reply
      • MissMadam

         /  June 16, 2014

        Persuasive means to change someones mind. If someone thinks that age limit of licence should be lowered, you would give a pesuasive comment/writing using strong points to change their mind about it being lowered.

        Reply
    • Evan

       /  December 9, 2014

      Thanks now i can pass my EILA class

      Reply
  44. thanx I loved it

    Reply
  45. this is ver helpful and also i am doing should kids have cell phones in class:YES

    Reply
  46. this is a very good wwebsite for argumentative essays

    Reply
  47. thanks alot

    Reply
  48. kalvin

     /  April 30, 2014

    ……. -_- boring but still interesting

    Reply
  49. it is is helpful

    Reply
  50. Kaitlyn Gilbert

     /  April 28, 2014

    I want to do a persuasive paper about whether or not teachers should be allowed to use cell phones in classes. I strongly disagree with it but my English teacher refuses to let me use that topic. Now I don’t know what to do. She has shot every topic I have recommended down, and if I don’t get at least a C in this class I don’t graduate this year. I am a senior in high school and English is my favorite class I love to write but lately I don’t know what to do. I really need help with this subject does anyone have any useful tips for me? I appreciate your time for writing this list Mr. Morton. It was very helpful.

    Reply
    • Seems like your teacher is a bit prohibitive
      when it comes to topic choices.

      I would work with him or her directly on finding an
      appropriate topic.

      Reply

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