Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-22

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)

While it is often argued that, competition in daily life such as at work, at school is good, others contend that we ought to try to be more cooperative with each other. From my perspective, I am inclined to agree that, competing with each other brings more success in our lives.

There is an opinion that, while competing, we feel challenges which ultimately yields better results from an individual, and I completely believe that. For instance, in school, when good students in a group show competitiveness, they always try to overcome others by achieving better result. This type of competition helps students to move forward with others in the same curriculum and environment. That is why, players like Messi and Ronaldo always felt pressure when others scored or got awards, which led them to try to be better than before, which eventually made both of them great players. Some individuals also consider that, humans are naturally driven to compare themselves with others. We may lag behind and can not measure success when we work alone. That is why, children learn well in a school rather than in home. The school environment helps a child to learn, to compete. Therefore, it is needed to have a competitive mentality in order to make progress in our lives.

By contrast, those who disagree believe that, cooperation brings more success. Some consider that, it brings more achievements in life when we do a work combinely. For instance, a research shows that, in a company, when employees work together in a healthy environment, it eventually brings a lot more success than the employees who works in a competitive environment and show selfishness. Each employees have different skill and if they share their knowledge, it will be beneficial for all. There is another opinion that, life is not a place of competition. We should support others who are lacked behind. For example, if a family member is poor and can not operate his or her family, it is our responsibility to help them instead of ignoring them or moving forward without them.

Summing up, while opinions may vary, I consider that daily competition in every aspect of life brings more success in student life as well as in the workplace.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation before providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, such as the comparison between individual performance and team-based research. However, some arguments are slightly repetitive, and the development could be more nuanced to reach a higher band. For instance, the example of Messi and Ronaldo is a good illustration, but the explanation of why school competition is superior to home learning is somewhat underdeveloped. Overall, the position is consistent throughout the essay, and the task requirements are fully met.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two opposing views. Cohesive devices such as 'For instance', 'By contrast', and 'Therefore' are used to guide the reader through the arguments. However, there is some mechanical use of these devices, and some transitions feel slightly repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, though the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words to create a more natural progression of ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'competitive mentality' and 'curriculum', but there are also instances of awkward phrasing or word choice, such as 'do a work combinely' (should be 'work collaboratively') and 'lacked behind' (should be 'lagging behind'). While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise control over collocations and word forms to reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the writer attempts complex sentences, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation, such as unnecessary commas after 'that' ('There is an opinion that, while...'), subject-verb agreement issues ('Each employees have', 'the employees who works'), and incorrect verb forms ('lacked behind'). Despite these errors, the meaning remains clear throughout the text. To improve, the writer should focus on subject-verb agreement and refining the use of complex sentence structures to ensure they are error-free.

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