Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-20

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)

Now a days, when society is developing day by day automatically there should be a pressure on everyone to become more capable and hardworking to achieve their goals. Now people are extra intelligent and there should always be a competition among people having outstanding skills and capabilities to solve heavy work load.

Firstly, according to some people competition at work, at school and in daily life is good. Actually some people have capabilities to deal with huge work pressure. some people give their best only in a competitive situation. For example, individuals at work manage things properly or in an efficient manner when they are in competition with an other employee. Same as in school many children perform excellent in games when there is a competition like in football, cricket, etc. Moreover in daily life there is also a competition among people to achieve more for having a well settled life style.They always compete with each other to move forward.

Secondly, many people believe that instead of competition every individual needs to cooperate with each other. If people start cooperating with others then it should cause a great influence on society. Many people needs someone to be there as a source of their support and motivation. Moreover this type of individual's achieve their targets with a little help and effort.

Lastly, In my opinion people should cooperate each other so that a positive environment build in our society. If people help each other it should drop a positive impact on our u

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is quite superficial. For instance, the argument for competition is supported by brief examples like football and cricket, but these are not fully extended. The conclusion is incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence, which prevents a full summary of your position. To improve, ensure that each body paragraph contains a clear topic sentence followed by a detailed explanation and a specific, well-developed example. The current response lacks the depth required for a higher band score, as the arguments remain at a general level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which is a positive step. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. Phrases like 'Firstly', 'Secondly', and 'Lastly' are used to signal structure, but the internal flow between sentences is often disjointed. For example, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is abrupt. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'this type of individual's achieve their targets', where the connection to the previous point is weak. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions between ideas would enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and variety needed for a higher score. You rely on basic terms like 'good', 'people', and 'things', which limits the sophistication of your argument. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'heavy work load' instead of 'heavy workload' and 'well settled life style' instead of 'stable lifestyle'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more topic-specific vocabulary related to professional and social environments, and focus on using words that convey your meaning more accurately and naturally.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'many people needs') and incorrect article usage. The sentence 'Now a days, when society is developing day by day automatically there should be a pressure' is structurally confusing and lacks clear punctuation. Furthermore, the incomplete final sentence demonstrates a lack of control over sentence completion. To improve, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensure that your complex sentences are punctuated correctly to avoid run-on structures.

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

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