Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-06

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing. Others believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other.

Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

People often compare themselves with others in terms of success, money and status. There are two types of comparison, one is progressive and second is destructive. I believe in healthy competition in which both are trying to give their best shot.

To begin with, everyone wants appreciation in every task and wants to be the best. To conquer this, most people take it as a challenge to compete with others. Competition is not a bad thing until someone is not using bad tactics to win. First improve yourself and then prove to others that why you are the best. For instance, students often compete to come first in the class. Some do hard work and some try to cheat in the exam. Efforts required for both even for cheating, but one give you true success while the other will become the reason of disrespect for you. Almost same things happen in daily life.

On the other hand, some people believe that there should be no competition and people should try to cooperate with each other. Helping others is not a bad thing, in fact it represents your inner personality to others. But cooperation in every task makes them dependent on you and they may be unable to complete any task by themselves. Sometimes, when we are stuck in a situation and unable to get out of it, help from someone becomes a blessing. For example, trying to solve a tough question and after sometime it becomes unsolveable. In such a situation, if someone helps you to solve it, then such type of help gives a sigh of relief.

In conclusion, competition gives you a chance to show your best version to others. Moreover, those are blessed ones who have such people in their lives who come to help them when needed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both competition and cooperation, and your position—that healthy competition is valuable while help is also important—can be inferred from the introduction and conclusion. The examples of students competing and receiving help with a difficult question are relevant. However, the discussion is uneven: competition receives more explanation, while the case for cooperation is mainly illustrated as occasional assistance rather than explaining how people can work together toward shared goals. The claim that cooperation makes people dependent is also broad and not fully supported. To strengthen the response, explain the benefits and limitations of each view more directly, develop the cooperation argument, and state your balanced opinion explicitly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “To begin with,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion. The examples are generally placed alongside the relevant points. However, some links between ideas are abrupt or unclear. For example, “To conquer this” does not clearly identify what is being overcome, and “Almost same things happen in daily life” moves on without explaining the connection. The conclusion also introduces “those who are blessed” without clearly tying this idea back to the argument. Use more precise referencing and explain transitions between claims and examples.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “appreciation,” “challenge,” “cooperate,” “dependent,” and “disrespect,” and the meaning is generally understandable. There are also attempts at expressive phrasing, such as “give their best shot” and “a blessing.” However, several choices are imprecise or unnatural for this discussion: “progressive and destructive” comparisons are not clearly defined, “conquer this” is an awkward fit, and “show your best version” is not idiomatic. Spelling errors such as “unsolveable” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise terms that distinguish healthy competition from harmful rivalry, and check collocations and spelling when revising.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “if someone helps you” and clauses beginning with “while” and “when.” Most of the argument remains understandable, but errors in sentence construction and agreement recur. For example, “one is progressive and second is destructive” needs parallel, correctly formed phrasing, while “one give you true success” has a subject–verb agreement error. The sentence “First improve yourself and then prove to others that why you are the best” also has an awkward embedded question structure. Review articles, agreement, and clause formation, and punctuate longer sentences carefully. More consistently accurate complex sentences would make your reasoning easier to follow.

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