Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In today's world, there is a great deal of competition in daily life, from childhood to adulthood. Some people argue that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing, while others believe that an individual should cooperate more, rather than competing against each other. In my opinion, a sufficient amount of competition is important, while excessive competition can be harmful.

On the one hand, competition at school can be beneficial because it can motivate students to perform even better. This is because if students do not compete with each other, then they may have less motivation to improve their performance. For example, if a student is achieving average grades, then they may become motivated by seeing other students achieving better grades and improve their academic performance. Furthermore, competition can be important at work to become successful. If a employee competes with their colleagues, then they may improve their skills and performance, and may become successful in future. Additionally, competition play an important role in daily. For instance, if an individual compares their lifestyle with those of their peers can become motivated to work harder, earn more and may improve their standard of living.

On the other hand, critics believe that cooperation allows people to combine their skills and knowledge to achieve common goals. For example, students working together in a project can share skills and knowledge to create a better project. Moreover, excessive competition can be harmful for a young age students. If a student is repeatedly failing to compete with other students, they may loose their concentration and confidence.

To conclude, competition can be helpful and harmful. A balanced approach works best. With proper precautions and understanding, competition can help to succeed in life, while excessive competition can negatively affect an individual's mental and physical well-being.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation while providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, such as the example of students working on a project to share knowledge. However, some arguments, particularly regarding workplace competition, are slightly underdeveloped and could benefit from more specific elaboration. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph provides a more nuanced exploration of the topic rather than relying on brief, generalized examples.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Furthermore,' and 'To conclude' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. However, there is some minor repetition in the use of transition words, and the flow between sentences could be smoother in the second paragraph. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the essay maintains a coherent structure throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express ideas clearly. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'standard of living' and 'well-being.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are occasional errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'competition play an important role' (should be 'plays') and 'young age students' (should be 'young students'). To improve, the student should focus on using more precise academic collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing to demonstrate a wider and more flexible range of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as subject-verb agreement issues ('competition play') and minor phrasing errors ('if an individual compares... can become motivated'). Punctuation is generally correct, but some sentences are slightly clunky. The student demonstrates a reasonable command of grammar, but the frequency of minor errors prevents a higher score. Increasing the variety of complex structures and ensuring consistent subject-verb agreement would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.

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