Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Some believe that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good think while others argue that cooperation with each other to more better than competing against one another. This essay provides a viewpoint on both aspect and draws conclusion.

On the one hand, competition can actually enhance one's capacity to work hard, pushing them for bett the best outcome. Many people loves challenges and their competitive nature may help them conquer their goal. However, competition in every thing is not a good thing. Competitors should fight in a healthy way. For example: A person should participate in competition for the better purpose rather than with the intention to pull others down. Hence, healthy competition will lead you to victory.

On the other hand, co-operation is one of the personality trait everyone should have. Co-operating with eachother can help you build a good relationship or team, that will satisfy your soul and heart. It will help you acomplish the objective on less time. For example: in the room full of balloon, 10 people are assigned to find their names on balloon and whoever is first to do so, they will win the game. If they cooperate and help eachother, they will get the balloon with their name, more easily.

To sum up, I would say that cooperation is more beneficial than competing against eachother. However, healthy competition can also boost your energy and enthusiasm. Hence, children should be encouraged to cooperate with others to win any competition.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While the points regarding competition and cooperation are relevant, they lack depth and specific, real-world examples. The balloon example is a bit simplistic and does not fully illustrate the complexity of cooperation in professional or academic settings. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your arguments with more sophisticated reasoning and concrete, illustrative examples that demonstrate a deeper understanding of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'To sum up' to guide the reader. However, the use of these devices is somewhat mechanical, and the transitions between sentences could be smoother. Additionally, there are some minor issues with referencing and sentence-level flow, such as the abrupt transition in the second paragraph. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified focus will enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive and lacks precision. You use basic terms like 'good thing' and 'better' multiple times, which limits the sophistication of your writing. There are also some spelling errors, such as 'acomplish' and 'eachother' (which should be two words). To improve, try to incorporate a wider range of topic-specific vocabulary and synonyms to avoid repetition. Focus on using more precise adjectives and adverbs to convey your ideas more effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the flow of reading. Examples include 'is a good think' (instead of 'thing'), 'to more better than' (which is grammatically incorrect), and 'in less time' (instead of 'in less time' or 'in a shorter time'). Subject-verb agreement and article usage also need attention. While the meaning is generally clear, these persistent errors prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy and diversifying your sentence structures.

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