Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In today's competitive era, everyone wants to be the best and always try to stand first in each activity they pursue. Some people believe that competition at work, school and in daily life is good while others argue that instead of competing, we should cooperate. In my point of view, competition can be beneficial for the academic and career growth. On the other hand, cooperating with others rather than competing has its own significance.

To embark on, competitions at schools, colleges motivate the students to perform better and improve their skills. In order to stand first, they invest all their hard work and dedication. For instance, during exams they compete with their class fellows to gain higher marks. To achieve this goal, they focus on their studies which provides them with the deeper understanding of the topic. Furthermore, in corporate offices, competitions are very important as it helps them to improve the area of their interest and achieve their employment goals. In addition to this, competition helps them to achieve the promotion to the higher positions based on their abilities.

On the other hand, cooperating with each other can also be a good idea rather than competing with each other. First of all, while cooperating with each other, they can share their knowledge in which others are lacking. They learn the importance of teamwork by working together which is not possible when they are competing each other. Moreover, the unhealthy conflicts can be avoided while cooperating each other. Team members develop a sense of trust that helps them in achieving their mutual goals.

To recapitulate, competitions are the indispensable part of our life whether it is in school, college or in corporate office. They are beneficial in achieving our professional growth and success. Cooperating with each other is equally important to avoid conflicts among each other.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the benefits of competition and cooperation while providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-supported with examples, such as the mention of academic performance and corporate promotions. However, the development is somewhat repetitive; for instance, the discussion on competition in schools and offices follows a similar pattern of logic. To reach a higher band, you should aim to explore the nuances of these concepts more deeply rather than listing similar benefits. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the main points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use a range of cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore,' 'In addition to this,' and 'On the other hand' to link ideas. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive, such as the frequent use of 'cooperating with each other' and 'competing with each other.' Improving the variety of these linking phrases and ensuring that referencing is more precise would help the flow feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication. You use some topic-specific terms like 'corporate offices,' 'professional growth,' and 'indispensable.' However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat basic phrases like 'competing with each other' and 'cooperating with each other.' There are also minor collocation issues, such as 'provide them with the deeper understanding' (should be 'a deeper understanding') and 'competing each other' (should be 'competing with each other'). To improve, try to incorporate more precise synonyms and idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a wider lexical range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. For example, 'To embark on' is an incorrect introductory phrase in this context. You also have issues with preposition usage, such as 'competing each other' instead of 'competing with one another,' and 'cooperating each other' instead of 'cooperating with one another.' Additionally, there are minor errors with articles and verb forms. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and correct prepositional phrases will improve your accuracy.

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

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