Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-26

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 6.5)

Many people believe that competition is beneficial, as it motivates individuals to work harder. Others, however, argue that cooperation is more important. In my view, competition is generally beneficial, although it can sometimes lead to stress and hinder the achievement of a common goal.

On the one hand, many people believe that competition leads to better performance at work and in education. Supporters of competition argue that limited rewards, such as promotions, bonuses, or academic opportunities motivate people to work harder and improve their skills. For example, an employee seeking promotion might learn new ways to optimize work processes, such as using AI tools to make day-to-day tasks more efficient. In my view, competition can be beneficial, although it may sometimes create stress and make it harder to achieve share goals.

On the other hand, other people argue that cooperation is more important than competition as it helps achieve better results. When people cooperate, they combine their skills and knowledge, sharing what they can do to achieve something they could not achieve alone - a phenomenon known as synergia. When teamwork is not managed well, it can lead to blurred responsibility, where people assume someone else will do the work. For example, many student teams produce low quality projects, because everyone relies on others to do the work.

In conclusion, I believe that competition has many advantages, as it helps people improve their skills and knowledge, while cooperation, despite allowing people to combine skills, can sometimes result in less effective outcomes because of blurred responsibility.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation while clearly stating a personal position. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of AI tools in the workplace and the concept of 'blurred responsibility' in teamwork. However, the development is somewhat brief. The conclusion repeats points made earlier without adding significant depth or synthesis. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your examples with more specific detail or nuance, ensuring that the discussion of both sides is balanced and thoroughly explored within the word limit.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion' effectively to signal shifts in your argument. However, the transition between the second paragraph's conclusion and the third paragraph could be smoother. Additionally, while the paragraphing is appropriate, the overall flow could be enhanced by using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences more fluidly rather than relying on standard transitional phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'optimize work processes,' 'blurred responsibility,' and 'synergia' (though 'synergy' is the standard English term) show an attempt to use less common lexical items. There are no significant spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. To improve, focus on using more sophisticated collocations and idiomatic expressions. For instance, instead of 'many people believe,' you could use 'a significant proportion of the population maintains.' Ensure that you use technical or academic terms accurately to enhance the professional tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'When people cooperate, they combine their skills...' and '...because everyone relies on others to do the work.' The grammar is generally accurate, with only minor slips that do not interfere with meaning. Punctuation is used correctly throughout. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as passive voice constructions or conditional sentences, to demonstrate greater flexibility and control over 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.