Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-24

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 7.5)

Some people believe that competition at work, at school, and in daily life is a positive thing, while others argue that people should cooperate with each other rather than compete. Although both views have their own advantages, I believe that competition is beneficial because it makes people mentally stronger and motivates them to achieve success.

On the one hand, competition is a good thing because it helps people improve themselves in many ways. At work, employees are motivated by their colleagues to achieve higher positions. For example, an operator may aim to become a manager, while a manager may work hard to become a senior manager. As a result, they earn a higher income and develop new skills. Similarly, at school, students compete with one another to achieve first rank and gain better academic knowledge. In daily life, people are also inspired by others' successful lifestyles, which encourages them to adopt good habits and improve their future.

On the other hand, some people believe that we should cooperate more rather than compete with each other. They think that working together helps people achieve better results because everyone can share their ideas, knowledge, and experience. At work, teamwork improves productivity and helps employees complete tasks more efficiently. Similarly, at school, students can learn from one another by studying together and solving problems as a team. Therefore, cooperation creates a friendly environment, reduces stress, and helps people build strong relationships.

In conclusion, I believe that although cooperation has many benefits, healthy competition is essential for personal growth and success. It encourages people to work harder, improve their skills, become mentally stronger, and achieve a better quality of life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the benefits of competition and cooperation before clearly stating a personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, particularly in the body paragraphs where you provide specific examples for work and school settings. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your arguments by exploring the potential downsides of excessive competition or the specific conditions under which cooperation might be less effective. Overall, the position is consistent throughout the essay, and the main ideas are well-supported with clear reasoning.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, two distinct body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the progression of ideas is logical. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Similarly', and 'Therefore', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the text. The flow between sentences is smooth, and the relationship between ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'mentally stronger', 'adopt good habits', and 'achieve better results' are used accurately. While the vocabulary is appropriate and conveys your meaning clearly, it is mostly functional. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items, such as 'foster', 'synergy', 'adversarial', or 'intrinsic motivation'. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors, and the language used is natural and fits the academic context well.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinating conjunctions like 'although' and 'because' effectively to link ideas. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors in tense or subject-verb agreement. Punctuation is used correctly, and the sentence structure is varied enough to maintain interest. While the structures are mostly error-free, they are relatively straightforward. To push into the higher bands, you could experiment with more complex grammatical forms, such as conditional sentences or passive voice constructions, to demonstrate greater control over sophisticated syntax.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.