Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-11-09

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)

Some individuals believe that competition at workplace, at school and in daily life is a positive thing, while others argue that it is better to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other. In my opinion, healthy competition is good because it helps people's showcase their skills, which are beneficial for their personal growth.

One viewpoint is that people want to build healthy competition with others if they want to be successful in life. For instance, if an office worker compete with his colleagues in terms of performance, then he need to shows his abilities and try to work hard to get promoted. Simultaneously, if a school student wants to get first rank in class, then he must have to compete with his fellows and get extraordinary marks in all the disciplines taught at school.

Some people argue that people try to cooperate with others and put efforts to solve their problems. For instance, if an employee is newly appointed and does not understand office work, then seniors and manager guide him in simple words and don't put burden on him. So, in this way he can fasten his office tasks and complete them before deadline. Moreover, by mutual cooperation people can resolve any matter. As a consequence, when people don't feel jealous with each other and try to cooperate in every manner, their life would be easier and they will be succeeded likewise.

In conclusion, some people say that competition among each other is a good thing while others argue that by doing tasks with cooperation is more easier to complete. From my perspecitve, healthy competition is good because its beneficial for individuals growth

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You discuss both competition and cooperation and state your view clearly: “healthy competition is good” because it supports personal growth. The workplace and school examples make the benefits of competition relevant, while the new employee example explains how cooperation can help someone complete tasks. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the competition examples mainly describe trying to get promoted or achieve high marks, without considering possible drawbacks or explaining more fully why these outcomes benefit people. The cooperation paragraph also makes broad claims, such as “people can resolve any matter,” without a specific illustration. To strengthen the response, explain each view more fully and connect the examples directly to your reasoning. The conclusion repeats your position but could draw the two views together more clearly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. This helps the reader follow the main discussion, and transitions such as “For instance,” “Moreover,” and “In conclusion” signal examples and stages of the argument. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical, with repeated “if… then” constructions and several ideas joined by “and” rather than developed in a clear sequence. The link between the example of a new employee and the claim that cooperation resolves “any matter” is also broad. Some references, including “he” and “their life,” shift between singular and plural, making the connections less clear. Use more varied linking and make each paragraph’s main point and supporting explanation connect explicitly.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “competition,” “cooperate,” “performance,” “promoted,” and “mutual cooperation.” These terms show awareness of the subject, and the meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations sound unnatural, such as “build healthy competition,” “get extraordinary marks,” and “fasten his office tasks.” There are also word-form or spelling slips, including “perspecitve” and “individuals growth,” which reduce accuracy. Aim for more precise, natural expressions and check spelling and possessives carefully. For example, you could describe employees as “competing to improve their performance” and say that cooperation helps them “complete tasks more efficiently.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including conditional structures such as “if an office worker compete with his colleagues… then…” and clauses beginning with “when.” This gives the response some structural variety, and the main message can usually be understood. However, errors occur regularly, particularly in verb forms and agreement: “an office worker compete,” “he need to shows,” and “he must have to compete.” There are also problems with articles and sentence construction, as in “get first rank” and “by doing tasks with cooperation is more easier.” These errors make some sentences awkward and occasionally slow the reader. Practise forming conditionals with consistent subject–verb agreement, and avoid combining “must” with “have to” or using “more” with “easier.”

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