How to Write an IELTS Two-Question Essay: One Question, One Paragraph, Two Points (Part 3 of 3): Three More Essays, FAQ, Rewrite Demos, Common Mistakes and Practice

IELTS · Task 2 Structure中文版　Updated 2026/11/09

In this post: Essays 17, 6 and 39 compared, an FAQ, rewrite demos, the most common mistakes, a 30-minute writing plan, a self-check list and four practice prompts.

Two-question essays · 3 parts

1. Question type, blueprints, introduction
2. Body, conclusion, three essays
3. More essays, rewrites and practice (you are here)

✦ In this post

6. Comparing six of my essays (continued)
7. Rewrite demos
8. Common mistakes
9. A 30-minute writing plan
10. Self-check list
11. Practice
Further reading

Five common mistakes in two-question essays and a 30-minute writing plan; single-question positive/negative essays take a position plus two reasons. — At a glance: the mistakes to check for, and how to spend 30 minutes on a two-question essay.

6. Comparing six of my essays (continued)

Essay 17: right structure, marked down for the introduction and vocabulary (6.5)

OVERALL

6.5

Response

Coherence

Vocabulary

6–7

GRA

Grammar

Body 1 (wanting a stronger sense of community; writing-competition entrants needing to know their home town’s history) and Body 2 (searching online; asking older neighbours) each have two points, so the structure is fine. The lower CC and LR came mainly from the run-on sentence in the introduction, spelling errors such as archetecture / brillant / corrent, writing prizes as prices, and using dwellers, a word on my “avoid” list.

Essays 6 and 39: single-question positive/negative

Both essays follow “position in the introduction + two negative reasons”. The topic sentences in Essay 39 (7.5) are very clear:

The primary reason why I consider this is a negative development is that imported food always results in pollution due to a long flight or shipment.

Another factor supporting my opinion is that exotic products always post a threat to domestic food, hindering the development of local economy.

Essay 6 (7) uses a different approach: the first sentence of each body paragraph states the argument directly, for example Once people move to urban areas, labor productivity in the countryside will definitely decrease, further hindering the development of rural areas. There is no lead-in like The main reason why…, yet it is just as clear and saves words. Both approaches work; what matters is that the first sentence tells the reader what the paragraph will prove. In this essay one reason is about the countryside (loss of labour) and one about cities (falling quality of life), looking at the same phenomenon from two different places, which is a neat way to divide the points.

However, the examples in both essays carry the same risk. Essay 39 says that imported rice made Taiwanese factories lose the whole market share, and Essay 6 cites a study in which “a 10% increase in urban population brought a 10% increase in spending on daily necessities”. Claims that are too absolute, or numbers that are too neat, will not be fact-checked by the examiner, but they make the argument look less rigorous. lose a large share of the market, or a situation you have observed yourself, would be safer. The second sentence of Essay 6’s introduction, I firmly believe that this is a negative development, this is because…, also joins two sentences with a comma; change the comma to a full stop, or delete this is.

FAQ

Can I write three causes? I do not recommend it. Each paragraph answers one question, and two points leave room for an example or explanation each. With three points, each gets only a sentence and none is developed.

Can I give each question two paragraphs, making six in total? You can, but you will easily go over 350 words and each paragraph will get thinner. The four-paragraph structure is the easiest way to stay around 300 words.

In a causes + positive/negative question, does Body 2 have to state a position? Yes. The prompt asks Is this positive or negative?, so the first sentence of Body 2 must answer it directly, like However, I firmly believe that this is a negative development in Essay 41.

In a single-question positive/negative essay, can I say it is both good and bad? You can use five paragraphs (two main reasons + one concession), but as with Agree/Disagree, your final position must be clear. In both of my essays I chose one position and a four-paragraph structure.

7. Rewrite demos

The introduction of Essay 17

Rewrite: In some countries, an increasing number of people are curious about the history of the houses or buildings they live in. The purpose of this essay is to explain the main reasons for this trend and suggest some ways in which people can find out about it.

What changed: the first sentence fully paraphrases the prompt; the second switches to the preview style, no longer using I firmly believe to answer a factual question, and no longer cramming four answers into one sentence.

The introduction of Essay 25

Rewrite: Some people argue that film stars, pop singers and athletes earn far more money than they deserve. I agree with this view because their contribution to society is smaller than that of many other professionals, and I believe that jobs such as doctors and firefighters should be better paid.

What changed: earn far more money than they deserve keeps the prompt’s judgement of “too much”; the first reason becomes “their contribution to society is relatively small”, which responds directly to “is it too much?”; and the same sentence previews the answer to Q2.

8. Common mistakes

Answering only one question, or giving one question very little: the two body paragraphs should carry roughly equal weight.
Mixing both questions in one paragraph: one question per paragraph, with a topic sentence that makes clear which one.
Losing the key judgement word when paraphrasing: once words like too much, more important or negative are changed, the argument drifts off topic.
Using I firmly believe for factual questions: for causes, methods and effects, just analyse.
Solutions that do not match the problems: Body 2 should respond to Body 1 point by point.
A conclusion that summarises only one question: two sentences, one each for Q1 and Q2.
A missing not or a misspelt look-alike word: do have / do not have, poverty / property, prices / prizes. One word can reverse the meaning.
Overstated examples: replace absolutes like always, the whole and only with often, a large share and mainly.

9. A 30-minute writing plan

Time	What to do
0–3 min	Count the questions and label Q1 and Q2 with keywords; confirm whether each asks for causes, solutions, effects, methods or a position
3–8 min	Think of two points for each question (for problems + solutions, match them one to one), and prepare an example or explanation for each point
8–11 min	Introduction: S1 paraphrases the prompt (keeping the judgement word) + S2 previews both questions
11–24 min	Body 1 answers Q1 and Body 2 answers Q2; each topic sentence names its question; exactly two points per paragraph
24–27 min	Conclusion: first sentence answers Q1, second sentence answers Q2
27–30 min	Check: no missing not, look-alike words, prepositions, no two sentences joined by a comma

10. Self-check list

I labelled Q1 and Q2 and know what each one asks for.
The first sentence of my introduction keeps the prompt’s judgement word (too much, negative…).
The second sentence of my introduction covers both questions.
Body 1 answers only Q1 and Body 2 answers only Q2, with exactly two points each.
In a problems + solutions essay, each solution matches a problem.
I did not use I firmly believe for causes or methods questions.
The two sentences of my conclusion answer Q1 and Q2 respectively.
I checked for missing not, look-alike words, prepositions and run-on sentences.

11. Practice

For each of the four prompts below (my paraphrases), first label the combination and the Q1 and Q2 keywords, then write the two sentences of the introduction and the two sentences of the conclusion:

Research shows that most people released from prison go on to commit more crimes. Why is this? What can be done about it?
In many countries people are now having children later in life. What are the reasons? What effects does this have on society and on family life?
People know which activities are bad for their health, yet they keep doing them. Why? What are the solutions?
Some countries build specialised training facilities for top athletes rather than sports facilities that everyone can use. Is this a positive or negative development?

Hint

For questions 1 and 3, Body 2 should respond to each cause in Body 1 in turn. Question 4 is a single-question positive/negative essay: use the four-paragraph “position + two reasons” structure, as in Agree/Disagree.