Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-11

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 6.5)

In modern times, the issue of competition and cooperation is good for everything has become highly controversial. There are those who say that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good habit. However, other people believe that cooperation outweighs competition. In this essay I will examine both sides of the argument and provide my overall opinion.

Generally speaking, there are two main reasons why people believe that whether in the workplace, educational institutions, or daily life, competition is the best way to achieve success. Perhaps the main reason why people are in favor of this idea is because competition can be beneficial in many areas of life. When people compete with others, they often become more motivated to work hard and improve their skills. For example, students may study harder when they want to achieve better results than their classmates. Similarly, competition in the workplace can encourage employees to become more productive and creative. Therefore, healthy competition can help people achieve their goals and improve their performance.

Despite these arguments, there is also a case for the idea that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other. The main reason why people think this is a good idea is that when people work as a team, they can share their ideas, knowledge and skills with each other. For example, students can work together on group projects and help each other with difficult subjects. Similarly, employees can complete their work more effectively through teamwork. Therefore, cooperation can create a friendly environment and lead to better results.

In conclusion, it must be said that competition and cooperation is good because everything has become a complex issue with no easy solutions. Having considered both sides of the issue, I would argue that cooperation is more beneficial because it helps people share ideas, support each other and achieve common goals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and logically developed, such as the mention of motivation in competition and synergy in teamwork. However, the development is somewhat formulaic. To reach a higher band, the arguments could be extended with more specific, nuanced examples or a deeper exploration of the 'daily life' aspect mentioned in the prompt, which is currently under-represented compared to work and school contexts. The position is consistent throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'Similarly', 'Therefore', and 'Despite these arguments' are used effectively to link ideas. However, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is slightly abrupt, and the concluding sentence is a bit repetitive in its phrasing. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the clarity of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the message clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific language like 'educational institutions', 'productive', and 'synergy' (implied). However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler, repetitive phrasing such as 'good habit' and 'good idea'. To improve, the student should incorporate more precise collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range. Word choice is generally accurate, and there are no spelling errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are rare and do not impede communication. For instance, the use of conditional structures and subordinating conjunctions is generally correct. However, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited; the essay relies heavily on standard sentence patterns. To achieve a higher band, the student should aim to incorporate a greater variety of complex grammatical forms, such as passive voice or more sophisticated relative clauses, while maintaining the current high level of accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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