Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In the modern era, some would argue that rivalry at work, at school, and even in everyday life is a good thing, while others think that we should create a sense of mutual understanding among one another rather than try to compete against each other. Although competition can boost our interest in a particular field, I strongly believe that people should cooperate more because it is the best tool to attain coveted goals.

On the one hand, people who believe that we should compete with each other can be a smart thinking because it is absolutely crucial to compete with others in order to step ahead of them. Undoubtedly, rivalry gives strength to achieve more. For instance, many people want attain the top most rank position in their desired fields, but only a few of them possess a courage to achieve their goals because they are aware of the world of competition. Undeniably, the worldly achievements only based on the competition. This is the main reason why people are eager for compete with others in order to pursue their goals.

On the other hand, the world also based on mutual work, and cooperation. Businesses, industries, and successful countries only work on this approach. Moreover, when countries unites to each other and try to understand their consequences, it will develop a sense of brotherhood among them. Many businesses have failed due to rivalry and a sense of envy for one another. Therefore, it is a great approach to build a cooperation between each other in order to get succeed.

In conclusion, from my perspective, working by get-together is very beneficial for everyone rather than working by a sense of jealousy, and competition. Individuals can gain access to their desired goals by sharing things with their friends and colleagues, or with their closest one.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal position. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the paragraph on competition mentions 'stepping ahead' but lacks specific, well-supported examples of how this functions in a professional or academic context. Similarly, the argument for cooperation relies on general statements rather than concrete evidence. While the prompt is fully addressed, the supporting arguments would benefit from more depth and specific illustrations to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout the essay, which is a positive feature.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and there are instances where the flow is interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'the world also based on mutual work'. Referencing is generally clear, but the connection between sentences could be smoother to improve the overall progression of ideas. The paragraphing is appropriate for the task.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'coveted goals' and 'mutual understanding'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and collocation errors, such as 'smart thinking' instead of 'a smart approach', 'top most rank position', and 'working by get-together'. These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the precision and sophistication of the writing. A wider range of collocations would improve the score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and prepositions. Examples include 'the worldly achievements only based on the competition' (missing verb), 'eager for compete' (incorrect preposition/infinitive usage), and 'when countries unites' (subject-verb agreement). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the intended message. To improve, the writer should focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of infinitives after adjectives or prepositions.

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