Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-18

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)

In the contemporary world, some individuals believe that the presence of competition at work and school in day to day life is a perk, while others consider that cooperation should be promoted more, instead of competition between each other. This essay will examine both perspective, but I personally believe that fostering a cooperative environment is more beneficial for societal progress and individual well-being than encouraging constant rivalry.

To begin with, competition at various professional platforms such as schools and private companies can increase an individual's efficiency and confidence. This is because the desire to succeed and outperform others act as a powerful motivator, pushing people to step out of their comfort zones and refine their skills. For instances, in a corporate environment, employees who compete for promotions tend to work more diligently and produce higher-quality output. Subsequently , the sense of healthy competition maximises personal potential.

Although, competing on day-to-day basis also have some drawbacks such as, it leads to mental strain and exhaustion. This is because individuals are placed into continuous pressure to outshine their peers, which can ultimately lead to burnouts and a toxic work or study environment. For example, an employee who constantly forces themselves to match the rapid output of a faster-working colleague may suffer from severe anxiety. Because every individual possesses unique learning curve and working pace, forcing such unnatural competition can lead to decrease in self-esteem and frustration.

To conclude, I firmly believe that the benefits of collaboration significantly outweigh the advantages of rivalry. While healthy competition, prioritising a corporative environment is essential to prevent burnouts.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation while clearly stating a personal position. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed. However, the conclusion is somewhat abrupt and lacks a full summary of the arguments presented. While the position is clear, the development of the 'cooperation' side is less detailed than the 'competition' side. To reach a higher band, ensure that the conclusion synthesises the main points more effectively and that the arguments for both sides are balanced in depth.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Subsequently', and 'Although' are used to guide the reader. However, there are some minor issues with cohesion, such as the awkward transition in the final paragraph ('While healthy competition, prioritising a corporative environment...'). Refining the use of linking words to ensure smoother transitions between sentences would improve the flow and coherence of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally appropriate for the task, with some good collocations like 'fostering a cooperative environment' and 'societal progress'. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as using 'perk' in a formal context where 'advantage' or 'benefit' would be more suitable, and the misuse of 'corporative' instead of 'cooperative'. The range is sufficient to convey ideas clearly, but the use of less common lexical items is somewhat limited. Expanding the range of academic vocabulary would help elevate the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'both perspective' (should be plural), 'act as a powerful motivator' (subject-verb agreement: 'acts'), and 'competing on day-to-day basis' (missing article). Additionally, the sentence 'Although, competing on day-to-day basis also have some drawbacks' is grammatically flawed. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and article usage will significantly improve accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.