Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-16

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)

These days, the volume of competitions in several fields is growing. While some people believe that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing, others claim that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other. I believe in most cases competition does not affect in our daily life.

On the one hand, competition serves as a powerful catalyst for a personal growth and innovation. In educational and professional settings, the desire to outperform peers motivates individuals to work harder and refine their skills. For instance, businesses compete to create superior products, which drives down costs and sparks technological advancement. Furthermore, facing competitors teaches individuals how to handle defeat, build resilience, and strive for continuous self-improvement. Without an element of rivalry, people might become complacent.

On the other hand, cooperation builds the foundation for a stable and harmonious community. When people collaborate, they combine diverse talents to solve complex problems that no single individual could tackle alone. In the workplace, supportive team environments foster creativity and drastically reduce employee stress compared to cutthroat corporate cultures. Moreover, a society built on mutual aid ensures that weaker members are not left behind. This creates a more equitable and compassionate world.

In conclusion, competition undoubtedly plays a role in pushing boundaries and encouraging individual effort. However, the collective power of cooperation is what truly moves humanity forward. Striking a balance is ideal, but our primary focus should always be on working together.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the response is slightly under the 250-word minimum, which impacts the development of ideas. While the arguments for competition and cooperation are relevant and logically supported with examples like business innovation and team environments, the conclusion is somewhat brief. The thesis statement in the introduction is also slightly vague, as saying competition 'does not affect in our daily life' contradicts the prompt's premise. To reach a higher band, ensure the word count is met and provide more nuanced development of the personal opinion to ensure it is fully integrated into the discussion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and ideas progress logically. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing viewpoints. The flow of ideas is smooth, and the relationship between sentences is generally clear. To improve, ensure that the transition between the body paragraphs and the final opinion is more seamless to enhance the overall cohesion of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and allows for clear communication. You have used some effective collocations and topic-specific terms such as 'catalyst for personal growth', 'technological advancement', 'cutthroat corporate cultures', and 'equitable and compassionate'. There is a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. However, there are minor issues, such as the phrase 'does not affect in our daily life', which is grammatically awkward and imprecise. To achieve a higher score, continue to incorporate more sophisticated, less common lexical items and ensure that all word choices are natural and contextually accurate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are clear and error-free, which allows for easy reading. There is good control over punctuation and sentence construction. However, there are a few minor errors, such as the unnecessary article in 'a personal growth' and the incorrect preposition usage in 'does not affect in our daily life'. These errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, aim for a wider variety of complex grammatical structures and ensure that prepositions and articles are used with greater consistency.

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

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