Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Two-Part Questions
Typical Question Words
There will normally be a statement and they will then ask you to
answer to separate questions.
Example Question
As most people spend a major part of their adult life at work, job
satisfaction is an important element of individual wellbeing.
What factors contribute to job satisfaction?
How realistic is the expectation of job satisfaction for all workers?
Structure
Introduction
Sentence 1- Paraphrase Question
Sentence 2- Outline Sentence (mention both questions)
Main Body Paragraph 1
Sentence 1- Answer first question directly
Sentence 2- Explain why
Sentence 3- Further explain
Sentence 4- Example
Main Body Paragraph 2
Sentence 1- Answer second question directly
Sentence 2- Explain why
Sentence 3- Further explain
Sentence 4- Example
Conclusion
Sentence 1- Summary
Sample Answer
As the majority of adults spend most of their time at work, being
content with your career is a crucial part of a person’s health and
happiness. This essay will first discuss which elements lead to job
satisfaction and it will then address the question of how likely it is that
everyone can be happy with their job.
The two most important things that lead to someone being satisfied
at work are being treated with respect by managers and being
compensated fairly. If those more senior than you respect you as a
person and the job you are doing then you feel like you are valued. A
fair salary and benefits are also important considerations because if
you feel you are being underpaid you will either resent your bosses
or look for another job. There two factors came top of a recent job
satisfaction survey conducted by Monster.com, that found that 72%
of people were pleased with their current role if their superiors
regularly told them they were appreciated.
With regards to the question of happiness for all workers, I think this
is and always will be highly unlikely. The vast majority of people fail
to reach their goals and end up working in a post they don’t really
care about in return for a salary. This money is just enough to pay
their living expenses which often means they are trapped in a cycle
of disenchantment. For example, The Times recently reported that
89% of office workers would leave their jobs if they did not need the
money.
In conclusion, being satisfied with your trade or profession is an
important part of one’s well-being and respect from one’s colleagues
and fair pay can improve your level of happiness, however, job
satisfaction of all workers is an unrealistic prospect.
Opinion essays:
In an Opinion essay, you need to clearly express what you personally
feel about the given topic. If you are asked direct questions like in the
task below, then it is up to you how balanced or one-sided you
choose to answer. You can address both parts of the question
equally or focus mainly on one side, depending on your point of view.
Have newspapers become a thing of the past or do they still have an
important role to play in people’s lives today?
In a task like the one below, where you are asked to what extent you
agree or disagree, it is very important that you state this explicitly at
the beginning and then again at the end of your essay. Do you agree
fully, mainly, partly or not at all?
Computers have made it possible for people to work from
home instead of working in offices every day.This should be
encouraged as it good for both workers and employers. To what
extent do you agree or disagree?
Remember: this is also considered an ‘argument’ essay and you
should try to convince the reader that your opinion is right. In this
case, I suggest that your essay structure should look something like
this:
Introduction
Paraphrase the question (your own words)
Thesis statement (state your agreement or disagreement)
Essay overview (optional)
Paragraph 1 and 2
Topic sentence (state a position)
Explain this further (maybe give a reason)
Give an example
Summarise paragraph
Conclusion
Summarise main ideas
Reiterate your opinion
Simon at www.ielts-simon.com, a former IELTS examiner,
explains here how to structure an opinion essay depending on the
extent to which you agree.
Advantages and Disadvantages essays:
In an Advantages and Disadvantages essay such as the one below,
you need to discuss the positive and negative perspectives equally
and to clearly explain why you think something is an advantage or a
disadvantage. It is common to start Paragraph 1 with the
advantages, however this is optional.
Nowadays many students have the opportunity to study some or all
of their course in a foreign country. What are the advantages and
disadvantages of studying abroad?
A possible structure for this type of question is:
Introduction
Paraphrase the question
Outline your main ideas
State your opinion (if the question asks)
Paragraph 1
State one advantage
Explain the benefits of this advantage
Give an example or a result
Paragraph 2
State one disadvantage
Explain the negative aspect of this disadvantage
Give an example or a result
Conclusion
Summarise your main ideas
Give your opinion (if asked)
Problem and Solution essays:
In a Problem and Solution essay, such as the one below, you need to
think carefully about how to respond to the questions posed. It is also
important that you address all parts of the task. The first question will
refer to the problem or cause and the second question will refer to
the solution. Try to limit yourself to answering these questions only
and don’t introduce any further questions/points of your own
otherwise you might stray off task.
Overpopulation is a major problem in many urban centres around the
world. What problems does this cause? How can we solve the issue
of overpopulation?
Try this structure to organise your essay:
Introduction
Paraphrase the question
Outline your main ideas
Paragraph 1
State the problem
Explain the problem
Explain the consequence (result) of this problem
Give an example
Paragraph 2
State the solution
Explain the solution
Give an example
Conclusion
Summarise your main ideas
Discussion essays:
In a Discussion essay, such as the one below, you will be presented
with two sides of an issue and you will need to examine both
perspectives equally before giving your own conclusion.
In today’s competitive world, many families find it necessary for both
parents to go out to work. While some say the children in these
families benefit from the additional income, others feel they lack
support because of their parents’ absence. Discuss both sides and
give your opinion.
In this case, your essay structure could look like this:
Introduction
Paraphrase the question AND/OR state both points of view
Give your thesis statement (which view you prefer)
Paragraph 1
State first point of view
Discuss this perspective
Give a reason why you agree or disagree with this viewpoint
Give an example to support your view
Paragraph 2
State second point of view
Discuss this perspective
Give a reason why you agree or disagree with this viewpoint
Give an example to support your view
Conclusion
Summarise your main ideas
Restate your opinion
Two-part esssays:
In a Two-part question essay, such as the example below, you will
get two questions. You must answer both questions fully otherwise
you risk getting a low score for Task Achievement.
In today’s society, success is often measured in terms of wealth and
possessions. Do you think these are the best measure of success?
What makes a successful person?
So, in this case, I suggest organising your ideas in the following way:
Introduction
Paraphrase the question
Briefly answer both questions
Paragraph 1
Answer the first question directly
Explain your reason(s)
Expand your argument (evidence, examples, personal experience)
Paragraph 2
Answer the second question directly
Explain your reason(s)
Expand your argument (evidence, examples, personal experience)
Conclusion
Summarise your main ideas
Please bear in mind that these structures are my suggestions; they
are not fixed in stone and you can adapt them to fit what you want to
say. However, I highly recommend using these templates to practise
organising your ideas into paragraphs then developing them into an
essay, in preparation for the writing exam. Having a clear idea of
these essay structures will help you stay on task in the exam,
manage your time more efficiently and express your ideas clearly.
Remember too to use linking words and phrases to connect your
sentences and paragraphs together to improve your scores in
Coherence and Cohesion. Stay tuned for a blog post on this topic
very soon!
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