Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing, while others believe that people should cooperate more instead of competing with each other. This essay will discuss both views and give my opinion.

On the one hand, competition can motivate people to work harder and improve their skills. When people compete with others, they often set higher goals for themselves and try to perform better. For example, in sports, athletes compete with each other, which encourages them to practise regularly and improve their skills. Similarly, competition between companies can make them provide better products and services to attract customers. Therefore, healthy competition can encourage people to improve themselves and achieve their goals.

On the other hand, cooperation is also important because working together can help people achieve common goals. People can share their knowledge, skills and ideas with each other, which can make difficult tasks easier. For example, employees can cooperate on a project by sharing their ideas and skills, which can help them solve problems more effectively. In daily life, neighbours can also work together to keep their area clean and safe. Moreover, cooperation can reduce unnecessary conflicts and help people build stronger relationships.

In my opinion, although competition has some advantages, cooperation is more beneficial in many situations. People can achieve better results when they support each other and work towards a common goal. However, healthy competition can also be useful because it encourages people to improve their abilities and achieve higher standards. Therefore, I believe that people should cooperate whenever possible while maintaining healthy competition in areas where it can bring positive results.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation before providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as athletes in sports and employees on projects. However, the development of these ideas is somewhat brief. While the position is clear, the arguments could be extended further to reach a higher band. For instance, the discussion on why cooperation might be 'more beneficial' in many situations remains a bit general. Overall, the response is well-structured and fulfills the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Similarly', 'Moreover', and 'Therefore' are used appropriately to link sentences and paragraphs. The paragraphing is skillful and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between the two viewpoints and the author's opinion is clearly established throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary used is adequate and appropriate for the task. The student demonstrates a good range of topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'motivate', 'attract customers', 'common goals', and 'unnecessary conflicts'. While the range is sufficient to convey ideas clearly, it lacks the more sophisticated or idiomatic expressions that would characterize a higher band. There are no significant errors in word choice or spelling, and the language used is natural and precise enough to communicate the intended meaning effectively throughout the essay.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay displays a good control of grammatical structures. There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as 'When people compete with others, they often set higher goals for themselves and try to perform better.' Punctuation is generally accurate, and the sentences are error-free for the most part. While the range of complex structures is not particularly wide, the existing ones are used correctly. The writing is clear and easy to read, with no grammatical errors that impede communication. The control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent.

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.