Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-07-29
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)
There is an ongoing debates whether competition at work,school or daily life is a good thing while other argue that people should cooperate together more instead of competing against with other. While competition can definitely help increase performance and boost productivity, I believe it is largely negative development because it encourage unnecessary internal friction and mental exhaustion on every persons.
On one hand, many critic contend that competition in working culture,school academic ranking or daily life such as owning luxury car,clothings or house can help boost self confidence and increased personal productivity. Peoples often being compared with other people such as colleagues or neighbours based on their career achievements.This
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response is significantly under the required word count of 250 words, reaching only 109 words. Because the essay is incomplete and cuts off mid-sentence, the task is only partially addressed. While you have introduced the topic and stated a position, the discussion of the opposing view is truncated, and your own opinion is not fully developed or supported with adequate examples. To improve, you must ensure you complete all parts of the prompt and provide sufficient detail to meet the minimum length requirement, which is essential for a full evaluation of your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay shows an attempt at logical organization by using 'On one hand' to introduce a viewpoint. However, because the text ends abruptly, there is no overall progression or conclusion. Cohesive devices are present but limited due to the brevity of the text. To achieve a higher score, you need to structure your essay with clear paragraphs—an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion—and use a wider variety of linking words to connect your ideas more fluidly.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for basic communication but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several errors in word form and collocation, such as 'ongoing debates' (should be 'debate'), 'cooperate together' (redundant), and 'every persons' (should be 'every person'). You are attempting to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'productivity' and 'internal friction', which is a good start, but you need to focus on accurate usage and expanding your range to include more sophisticated collocations.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The text contains several grammatical errors that hinder clarity. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('it encourage' instead of 'it encourages'), incorrect pluralization ('every persons'), and awkward phrasing ('competing against with other'). While there is an attempt at complex sentence structures, the frequent errors in basic grammar and punctuation suggest a limited control over sentence construction. Focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and plural forms, and ensure that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly to improve accuracy.
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