Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-13

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)

This is an important topic because, it affects individual and society in different ways. The topic is, some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing. On the other hand, some people believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other.

My conclusion is that competition is very important in our daily life or any task we do.

Then there is competition at wort, at school and in daily life it allows human brain to work more efficiently. This makes our work or task much more efficient, even mind focus more competition makes us feel less distractive. We perform well in our tasks, meet our deadlines easily. Involves striving against others for scarce resources, recognition, or power. It encourages individuals to improve their abilities, foster innovation, and achieve personal excellence. Competition can drive individuals to excel individually, but it can also lead to hostility, greed, and unhealthy rivalry.

Both competition and cooperation have their merits and can be effective in different contexts, depending on the desired outcome and the dynamics of the situation. It is essential to adopt a balanced approach that combines both competition and cooperation to optimize performance and relationships.

Cooperation: Involves working together towards a common goal, where individuals or groups pool their resources, skills, and efforts. It promotes teamwork, collaboration, and mutual support. Cooperation can lead to innovation, creativity, and productivity, but it can also create a hostile and stressful environment if not managed properly.

In conclusion, although both views have their advantages, I believe that competition in every task is the better approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both views and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. While the essay touches upon the benefits of competition and cooperation, the arguments are somewhat fragmented and repetitive. The structure is disjointed, with the introduction and conclusion being very brief and the body paragraphs lacking a cohesive flow. The prompt asks for a discussion of both views, but the analysis of cooperation is underdeveloped compared to the focus on competition. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that ideas are fully extended with supporting examples rather than just listing concepts.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, but the logical progression is weak. The transition between the discussion of competition and cooperation is abrupt, and the use of cohesive devices is limited and sometimes mechanical. For instance, the paragraph starting with 'Cooperation:' feels like a list of definitions rather than a well-integrated argument. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the overall flow is hindered by the lack of effective linking words between sentences. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider range of cohesive devices (e.g., 'furthermore', 'conversely', 'consequently') to connect ideas more fluidly and ensure each paragraph builds logically upon the previous one.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for higher bands. There are some spelling errors, such as 'wort' instead of 'work' and 'distractive' used where 'distracted' would be more appropriate. The range of vocabulary is somewhat repetitive, relying on basic terms like 'important' and 'good'. While the student attempts to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'scarce resources' and 'foster innovation', these are often presented in isolation. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and synonyms to express ideas with greater nuance and accuracy.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow. Examples include 'it affects individual and society' (missing article 'the'), 'even mind focus more competition' (unclear syntax), and 'competition makes us feel less distractive' (incorrect word form). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some comma splices and missing periods. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors limits the score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, proper article usage, and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with grammatical accuracy.

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

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