How to Identify & Answer Two-part Question Types in IELTS Writing Task 2
In this article, we'll discuss Two-part question types and look at how to identify them and what essay structure you should use to answer them. After learning about this question type, you'll get a chance to look at some practice questions and a complete sample essay.
How to Identify IELTS Writing Two-part Question Types
In an Two-part question type, you will be given two questions and you will need to answer both questions. The two questions will be different. For example, you might need to assess the importance of an idea or action (e.g. How import is it?) and say whether you agree or disagree (e.g. Do you agree or disagree?). Here is an example question:
In education and employment, some people work harder than others. Why do some people work harder? Is it always a good thing to work hard?
Now let's look at how to structure your essay for a Two-part question.
IELTS Writing Task 2 Essay Structure - Two-part
Since you will have two questions to address, this is the best way to map out your ideas for the This is the best way to map out your ideas for the
Two Part Essay:
I. Introduction
II. First Question
III. Second Question
IV. Conclusion
Below, we will detail how each paragraph should be written.
Introduction - In general, you will need 2-3 sentences for this paragraph. Since this is the first paragraph of your essay, you should paraphrase the questions that were given to you. In other words, rewrite the questions in your own words using synonyms. This will help you in a few ways. First, it will guarantee that your essay is on target and following the theme given to you in the questions. Secondly, it will give you a chance to show the examiners that you have a wide range of vocabulary and can call upon synonyms when necessary. The second sentence will introduce the specific topics that you plan to discuss in your main body paragraphs. Therefore, your introduction paragraph should look like:
- Rewritten Questions - Paraphrasing both questions (1-2 sentences)
- Outline/Opinion Sentence - This is where you will outline the essay. Remember: Your opinion will be embedded throughout the essay, but this is not an opinion essay.
First Question - This paragraph should be about 4-5 sentences long. In this paragraph, you will describe the specific views with explanations, details, or examples. The paragraph should look like this:
- Topic Sentence - This will introduce the first question.
- Explanation/Detail of First Question
- Result - This is where you answer the question.
- Example to Support the Result
Second Question - This paragraph should be about 4-5 sentences long. In this paragraph, you will describe the specific views with explanations, details, or examples. The paragraph should look like this:
- Topic Sentence - This will introduce the second question.
- Explanation/Detail of Second Question
- Result - This is where you answer the question.
- Example to Support the Result
Conclusion - This paragraph will wrap everything up, and it is not the time to add any new information into your essay. This paragraph should be around 2-4 sentences, and include the following information:
- Summary of the Main Points (1-2 sentences)
- Recommendation or Prediction (1-2 sentences)
In short, here is what the final Paragraph Planner would look like for this outline:
A. Rewritten Questions (1-2 sentences)
B. Outline/Opinion Sentence (1 sentence)
II. First Question
A. Topic Sentence (1 sentence)
B. Explanation/Detail of First Question (1 sentence)
C. Result (1 sentence)
D. Example to Support the Result (1 sentence)
III. Second Question
A. Topic Sentence (1 sentence)
B. Explanation/Detail of Second Question (1 sentence)
C. Result (1 sentence)
D. Example to Support the Result (1 sentence)
IV. Conclusion
A. Summary of the Main Points (1-2 sentences)
B. Recommendation or Prediction (1-2 sentences)
IELTS Writing Two-part Sample Question and Model Essay
Explanations and details are in red.
Examples are in blue.
Results are in green.
Opinions are in orange.
Introduction:
These days, the relationship people have with each other has been affected by advancements
in technology. There are several ways in which relationships have been negatively affected by technology. (29 words)
Paragraph 1:
Technology has greatly impacted relationships. One of the major ways is that nowadays, people have more acquaintances and fewer close friends. For example, many people may have hundreds and thousands of friends on social media websites like Facebook as it is easy to connect through these websites. Thus, technology has led to less face-to-face interaction between people. Because using social media sites has become an integral part of the lives of many people these days and connecting with others has become so much easier as a result of such sites, most people spend more time online chatting with their friends than actually meeting them face-to-face. (105 words)
Paragraph 2:
I believe that the above changes have been negative. Firstly, people now feel lonelier as they spend more time with the computer rather than with other human beings. Studies have shown that people need real face-to-face interaction if they want to remain emotionally healthy, and the lack of such communication has made many people become lonely and even depressed. Consequently, many people who use technology to communicate with others are gradually losing important social skills. These days, it is very common for people to communicate and express themselves using emoticons or other forms of expression that are common online. However, an unfortunate consequence of all this is that people do not know how to express themselves properly using their body language or tone of expression. (124 words)
Conclusion:
To sum up, people have fewer close friends and have less direct contact with people due to technology. This development is negative as it is easier for people to feel lonely because of this and they are becoming less adept in social situations. Given this situation, it is recommended that people should seek to spend less time on electronic devices in order to improve their relationships with others. (68 words)
Total Word Count: 326 words
Note: This type of essay will most likely have the highest amount of words. Why? Because you are fully answering two questions.
This section presents a list of common IELTS Writing Task 2 - Two-Part Question questions. If you want to prepare for the IELTS Writing Test, these questions are a must study.
[Practice and View Model Answer]
[Practice and View Model Answer]
[Practice and View Model Answer]
[Practice and View Model Answer]
[Practice and View Model Answer]
[Practice and View Model Answer]
[Practice and View Model Answer]
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