Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-14

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 7.0)

There has long been a debate about whether competition at work, at school, and in everyday life is beneficial. Some people believe that competing with others encourages individuals to work harder and achieve their goals, whereas others argue that cooperation is more important. Although competition can motivate people to improve themselves, I believe that cooperation is equally important because it promotes teamwork and helps people achieve common goals.

There are several reasons why competition can be beneficial. First, it encourages people to concentrate on their work and motivates them to achieve their ambitions. When individuals compete with others, they often make greater efforts to improve their performance. For example, students may study harder when they want to achieve higher grades than their classmates. Competition can also build self-confidence because people become aware of their abilities after overcoming difficult challenges. Furthermore, it can teach individuals to manage their time effectively and prepare them to deal with difficult situations.

On the other hand, cooperation also plays a vital role in people's personal and professional lives. Working together allows individuals to share ideas, support one another, and solve problems more effectively. Not everyone enjoys competition, and excessive rivalry can sometimes create stress or damage relationships. For instance, students working together on a group project can combine their different skills and complete a task more successfully than they might have done individually. Therefore, cooperation can strengthen relationships and create a greater sense of unity.

In my view, both competition and cooperation are necessary, but they should be balanced. Healthy competition can encourage people to become more hardworking, confident, and determined, while cooperation teaches them to respect others and work towards common objectives. Rather than constantly competing against each other, people should learn when to compete and when to support one another.

In conclusion, competition can be a powerful source of motivation and personal development, whereas cooperation promotes unity and effective teamwork. I believe that both are important in life, and using them appropriately can help individuals overcome challenges and achieve greater success.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the benefits of competition and the importance of cooperation. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout the essay, concluding that a balance is necessary. The ideas are well-developed, with relevant examples provided for both sides of the argument, such as students studying for grades versus working on group projects. The response is fully relevant to the task, and the arguments are extended logically. To reach a higher band, you could provide more nuanced examples or explore the potential downsides of competition in more depth to further strengthen the analytical quality of your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'First', 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore', which help guide the reader through your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The referencing is clear throughout the text. The flow is natural, and the structure supports the overall argument without any mechanical or repetitive use of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'personal and professional lives', 'excessive rivalry', and 'common objectives' show a good command of language. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the context, it is mostly standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items to demonstrate greater flexibility. For instance, instead of 'good thing', you could use 'advantageous' or 'constructive'. The spelling is accurate throughout, and there are no word-choice errors that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good control of grammatical structures. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as the conditional structure '...if they want to achieve higher grades...' and the concessive clause 'Although competition can motivate people...'. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate. There is a consistent level of grammatical control throughout the response. To reach the highest band, you could aim for a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more advanced passive constructions, to demonstrate even greater flexibility and precision.

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