Two-part question essays

Some Task 2 questions simply ask two direct questions. "Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?" "What are the reasons? What can be done?" These are often called two-part or direct questions. The rule is very simple: answer both questions, clearly, in the order they're asked.

Why this matters

Two-part questions look easy, so students relax. Then they spend 200 words on the first question and one sentence on the second. Or they answer a different question from the one asked. Both lose Task Response marks.

The structure

Introduction: paraphrase the topic, then briefly answer both questions.
Body 1: answer question 1, fully developed.
Body 2: answer question 2, fully developed.
Conclusion: summarise both answers.

It's the clearest possible structure, and examiners can see immediately that you've answered everything.

Read each question carefully

The two questions can be very different:

Why asks for reasons.
What problems asks for negative effects.
Is this positive or negative? asks for a judgement.
How can this be encouraged? asks for methods.

Don't answer "why" when it asks "what problems".

The question

"People today spend much more time looking at their phones than in the past. Why is this happening? Is it a positive or negative development?"

Model essay (about 285 words)

These days, it is common to see people checking their phones constantly, whether at home, at work or on the street. This is mainly because phones now handle many of our daily tasks and are designed to hold our attention. In my view, the trend is largely negative, despite its practical benefits.

The main reason for this change is that smartphones have become essential tools rather than simply devices for calling people. Today, a single phone is used for banking, shopping, studying, navigation and work communication. In many countries, including Bangladesh, people can now pay bills or send money to their families entirely through mobile services. In addition, many popular apps are deliberately designed to keep users scrolling, with endless feeds and constant notifications that make it hard to put the phone down.

Although phones make life more convenient, I believe the overall effect of such heavy use is negative. Spending hours on a screen often reduces face-to-face contact, even between family members sitting in the same room. It can also disturb sleep, especially when people use their phones late at night, which in turn affects concentration at school or work. For young people in particular, constant comparison with others on social media can damage self-confidence. These costs to health and relationships outweigh the convenience that phones provide.

In conclusion, people use their phones more because these devices now manage much of daily life and are designed to be hard to ignore. While this brings some advantages, I consider the trend mostly harmful, and people would benefit from using their phones more deliberately.

Why this essay works

Introduction answers both questions briefly in the last two sentences.
Body 1 answers "why" with two clear reasons.
Body 2 answers "positive or negative" with a clear judgement and reasons.
The judgement is consistent from introduction to conclusion.

A note on balance

In Body 2, the writer briefly admits a positive (convenience) before explaining the negatives. This shows balanced thinking without confusing the position. That's a band 7 habit.

Try it yourself

Write a 2-sentence introduction for: "More adults are going back to university later in life. Why is this? What are the benefits for them and for society?"

Sample answer: "An increasing number of adults are returning to higher education in their thirties and forties. This is largely due to changing job markets, and it can benefit both the learners themselves and the wider economy."

Honest note

Some two-part questions have three parts. Count the question marks. Every question mark needs an answer.

Your task today

Find three two-part questions in your Cambridge books. For each, write a one-line answer to every question before planning.