Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-25

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)

Some people think that competition at workplace, at educational institute and in daily life is a good thing. Others believe that we should assist more, instead of competing against others. In this essay we will discuss the benefits of collaborating with each other and disadvantages of challenging behavior.

Everyone is unique in nature. In my opinion, competition is not a good thing as it may affect the ability to explore oneself. A competitive behavior at schools leads to a lot of problems such as self comparison, adverse psychological effects and low self esteem. Similarly at workplace if a person starts comparing himself to other employees, it might lead to inferiority complex and feelings of shame. In our daily lives the pressure of challenging oneself to compete others makes an individual less competent. It could reduce the capability of exploring ourselves. Self growth occurs where an adult acknowledges his own skills and personality. Therefore, we should assist others as a teamwork helps in exploring different perspectives of different people.

On the other hand, some people believe that competition is a good thing. It might encourage students to achieve their goals at schools. For example, a pupil may work hard and competes others for securing a good position. Furthermore, it increases productivity and motivates people to enhance their practical skills and knowledge at their jobs and in daily routines. Humans could improve themselves by interacting and observing others. Teamwork helps in exploring different ideas and perspectives and we can learn a lot of new things by experiences of others.

In conclusion, we should work together and support each other in every aspect, as it helps us to be a better version of ourselves. We can learn through our mistakes and by interactions.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation while providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant, though the development is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the discussion on the negative effects of competition in schools and workplaces is clear, but the arguments could be more deeply explored with more specific, concrete examples rather than general statements. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively summarizes the stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph provides a more distinct and nuanced analysis of the benefits and drawbacks rather than repeating similar points about 'self-growth' and 'teamwork'.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'Similarly', 'On the other hand', and 'Furthermore' are used to link ideas, though some transitions feel slightly mechanical. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of referencing and substitution to avoid repetitive sentence structures. Overall, the essay is easy to follow, and the logical structure supports the development of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The range of vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'inferiority complex' and 'adverse psychological effects', which are used correctly. However, there is some repetition of basic words like 'good thing' and 'exploring'. To improve, the student should aim for more precise collocations and a broader range of academic vocabulary. Some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'challenging behavior' (which usually refers to behavioral issues rather than competitive environments) and 'competes others' (which should be 'competes with others').

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are recurring grammatical errors. For example, 'competition at workplace' lacks an article, and 'competes others' is grammatically incorrect. There are also minor issues with preposition usage and pluralization. The student demonstrates a reasonable command of grammar, but the frequency of these small errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles, as well as ensuring that complex sentences are constructed with greater precision.

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

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