Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-23

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 7.0)

Competition is an inevitable part of modern life, particularly in education and the workplace. While some people believe that competition encourages individuals to perform better, others argue that cooperation is more beneficial. In my opinion, healthy competition can motivate people to improve, but cooperation is ultimately more valuable because it promotes teamwork, knowledge-sharing and mutual development.

On the one hand, competition can encourage people to work harder and achieve better results. In schools, for example, students may put more effort into their studies when they compete for high grades or academic awards. Similarly, competition in the workplace can motivate employees to improve their productivity and demonstrate their abilities to managers. If promotions or bonuses are based on performance, employees may be encouraged to meet targets and produce higher-quality work. Therefore, a reasonable level of competition can benefit both individuals and organisations.

On the other hand, excessive competition can create stress, jealousy and conflict. When people become more concerned about defeating others than improving themselves, competition can become unhealthy. For instance, employees who constantly compete for recognition may be unwilling to share information or help their colleagues. This can damage relationships and reduce the effectiveness of a team. Cooperation, by contrast, allows people with different skills and experiences to work towards a common goal. By sharing knowledge and supporting one another, individuals can learn from their colleagues and develop skills that they might not acquire independently.

In conclusion, competition can be useful when it motivates people to improve their performance, but excessive rivalry can have negative consequences. I believe that cooperation should be encouraged more strongly because working towards shared goals creates a more supportive environment and provides greater opportunities for long-term personal and professional development.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have clearly discussed both the benefits of competition and the advantages of cooperation, while maintaining a consistent personal position throughout the essay. The ideas are well-developed, particularly in the second paragraph where you provide specific examples of how competition functions in schools and workplaces. The conclusion effectively synthesises your arguments and reinforces your stance. The response is balanced and demonstrates a clear understanding of the task requirements, providing a logical progression of thought that directly answers the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear structure. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, and the progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'Similarly', 'By contrast', and 'In conclusion', which help to link your arguments together seamlessly. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. The flow of information is natural, and there is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive transitions. The overall coherence is strong, making the essay very easy to read.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. You use appropriate collocations such as 'inevitable part', 'healthy competition', 'excessive rivalry', and 'supportive environment'. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, it is generally functional rather than highly sophisticated. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more nuanced or academic vocabulary to express your ideas with greater flair. However, the current range is more than adequate for the task, and there are no errors in word choice that impede communication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good command of grammatical structures. You use a mix of simple and complex sentences effectively, such as the conditional structure 'If promotions or bonuses are based on performance, employees may be encouraged...' and the use of relative clauses. The punctuation is accurate, and the sentence construction is generally error-free. The majority of your sentences are clear and well-formed. While the range of structures is solid, incorporating a slightly wider variety of advanced grammatical forms (such as inversion or more complex passive constructions) could further enhance the sophistication of your writing.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.