Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-17

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 7.5)

Competition is an important part of modern society, and some people believe that it motivates individuals to perform better at work, school and in everyday life. Others argue that cooperation is more beneficial because people can achieve better results by supporting one another. In my opinion, although healthy competition can encourage people to improve, cooperation is more important for achieving long-term success.

On the one hand, competition can motivate people to work harder and achieve their goals. When individuals compete with others, they often become more determined to improve their skills and performance. For example, students who compete for high marks may spend more time studying and developing their knowledge. Similarly, competition between employees can encourage them to become more productive and innovative. In business, companies also compete with one another, which can lead to better-quality products and lower prices for customers. Therefore, reasonable competition can be a powerful source of motivation.

On the other hand, excessive competition can create stress and damage relationships. If people focus only on defeating others, they may become unwilling to share information or help their colleagues. This can be particularly harmful in workplaces where teamwork is essential. Cooperation allows people with different skills and ideas to work towards a common objective. For instance, a group of students working together on a project can divide the tasks according to their strengths, share ideas and solve problems more effectively than one student working alone. In the workplace, cooperation can similarly improve communication and create a more positive environment.

In conclusion, competition can encourage individuals to work harder and reach higher standards, but I believe cooperation should be given greater importance. A balanced approach is ideal: people should compete with themselves and others in a healthy way while still being willing to cooperate and support those around them.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have clearly discussed both the benefits of competition and the advantages of cooperation, while maintaining a consistent personal position throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed, with relevant examples provided for both sides of the argument, such as the mention of business innovation and student project collaboration. The conclusion effectively synthesizes your position, suggesting a balanced approach. The response is well-structured and directly answers the task requirements, demonstrating a clear understanding of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the two viewpoints is smooth, using appropriate cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. The use of referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is logical and sufficient. The flow of information is natural, and the relationship between sentences is well-managed, making the essay easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. You use topic-specific terms such as 'innovative', 'productive', and 'common objective' effectively. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the context, it stays within a relatively standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated, less common lexical items or idiomatic collocations to demonstrate greater flexibility and nuance in your expression.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex sentence structures, such as the use of conditional clauses ('If people focus only on...') and concessive clauses ('although healthy competition can...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and grammar is strong. There are no significant errors that impede communication. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of grammatical accuracy throughout the response.

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