Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

Few individuals share the opinion that being competitive at workplace, at school and in everyday life is a positive development, whilst others argue that we ought to be more cooperative. I support the latter and in this essay, I shall be discussing both the viewpoints.

Competition in all spheres of life leads to better performance. People who compete with their colleagues and peers compare themselves and their own performance with others. They pay attention to the things people better than them are doing differently and also discuss their setbacks with others. This provides them motivation to inculcate those good habits in their life as well. They thrive to outperform others and consequently, improve themselves.

On the contrary, becoming too ambitious and constantly comparing ourselves can create bitterness in relationships. When we keep thinking of everyone around us as a rival, we create a negative image of them in our minds. As a result, we end up accumulating hatred for them. This would lead to habitual sly remarks, arguments about who is better and not helping each other in times of dire stress. For instance, such a situation in school can cause disputes between two academically bright friends and may even end their friendship.

In my opinion, a competitive spirit is a good thing as long as it is well within a limit. Otherwise, not only does it leave a person without any friends and loved ones, but also takes a toll on their mental health. As people ambitious about their goals push away dear ones, they are left feeling lonely and depressed with no shoulder to lean on during hard times.

In summary, although being competitive seems appealing for progress, it is a bane to community and people's psychological 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 maintaining a clear personal position. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported, particularly the discussion on the negative psychological impacts of excessive competition. However, the development of the 'competition' paragraph is slightly less nuanced than the 'cooperation' section. While the position is clear throughout, the essay could benefit from a more balanced exploration of how competition can be healthy in professional settings, rather than focusing primarily on the risks of comparison. Overall, the response meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits of competition and the drawbacks of excessive ambition is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'On the contrary,' 'As a result,' and 'In summary' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints and the author's opinion. The flow is natural, and the relationship between ideas is consistently clear throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient for the task and allows for some precision. Phrases such as 'inculcate those good habits,' 'dire stress,' and 'psychological well-being' demonstrate a good range. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'thrive to outperform' (should be 'strive') and 'a bane to community' (which feels slightly unnatural). However, the vocabulary is generally accurate and conveys the intended meaning without difficulty. The student shows an ability to use less common lexical items appropriately in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and the control of grammar is generally strong. There are a few minor slips, such as 'at workplace' (should be 'at the workplace') and 'people ambitious about their goals' (which lacks a relative pronoun or verb). However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. The punctuation is accurate, and the overall grammatical control is consistent with a high level of proficiency.

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