Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-27

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)

The balance between competition and cooperation is a central debate in modern society. While competing drives individual excellence and innovation, cooperating fosters unity, emotional stability, and long-term success. Both approaches offer distinct advantages depending on the context.

Advocates of competition argue that it acts as a powerful catalyst for personal growth and societal progress:

In workplace and academic settings, the desire to outperform peers pushes individuals to sharpen their skills, work efficiently, and produce higher-quality output. Market competition among businesses drives technological advancement and lowers costs for consumers.

Facing competitors teaches people how to handle pressure, adapt to setbacks, and set ambitious goals. It creates clear benchmarks for achievement.

Complex modern challenges—from corporate projects to scientific research—require diverse skill sets that a single individual cannot possess. Teamwork allows people to pool resources and achieve outcomes far greater than the sum of individual efforts.

Hyper-competitive environments often breed stress, anxiety, and toxic rivalries. In contrast, collaborative cultures build trust, mutual support, and psychological safety, leading to higher overall satisfaction and lower burnout.

While competition serves as an effective short-term motivator to push boundaries, continuous rivalry is rarely sustainable on its own. The most effective approach is a healthy synthesis: using personal competition as a tool for self-improvement while relying on cooperation to build meaningful relationships and solve complex problems.

Dimension Competition Cooperation

Primary Focus Individual distinction and efficiency Collective achievement and cohesion

Key Benefit Drives innovation and peak performance Builds strong relationships and shared success

Potential Risk Stress, burnout, and fragmented teams Risk of groupthink or lack of personal initiative

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the prompt by discussing both competition and cooperation and providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are well-developed, particularly the distinction between the benefits of competition for innovation and the necessity of cooperation for complex problem-solving. However, the inclusion of a table at the end is unconventional for an IELTS essay. While the content within the table is relevant, it does not replace the need for fully developed paragraphs. To reach a higher band, ensure all your arguments are integrated into the prose of your paragraphs rather than using formatting tools like tables, which are not standard for this task type.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'In contrast' and 'While competition serves as...', to signal shifts in your argument. The progression of ideas is smooth, moving from the benefits of competition to the necessity of cooperation and finally to a synthesis. The paragraphing is appropriate, though the final table disrupts the flow of the essay. To improve, ensure that all information is presented in standard paragraph form to maintain a consistent academic tone and structure throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, using terms like 'catalyst', 'benchmark', 'psychological safety', and 'synthesis' accurately. This shows an ability to use less common lexical items with awareness of style. The language is precise and contributes to a professional tone. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation. To move toward a higher band, you could incorporate more nuanced collocations or idiomatic expressions that sound even more natural in an academic context, though your current performance is already quite strong and effective for the task.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your grammar is highly accurate, with a wide range of complex structures used correctly. You effectively use subordinate clauses, such as 'While competing drives individual excellence...', and maintain consistent control over tense and subject-verb agreement. The punctuation is used correctly to manage complex sentences. There are virtually no grammatical errors, and the writing is clear and easy to follow. The variety of sentence structures demonstrates a high level of proficiency. You have maintained a high degree of accuracy throughout the response, which is a significant strength.

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