Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
Some people argue that more competitive practices should be incorporated into different areas of life like work, school and even normal life while other people emphasize that teamwork should be promoted than the competition. Both perspectives come from with various arguments but in my opinion, working together brings better overall results.
Those who view competition is better believe that challenges among different individuals let the people utilize their full potential and hence people get more aware of their maximum capabilities. For instance, bonuses and awards for the best employee of the month in office settings results in better performance of workers.
On the other hand, people how argue that the cooperation among the individuals should be promoted believe that collective efforts bring better results eventually. In team work, different individuals have different types of skillsets and ideas. Efforts from all members show compounding effect. For example, big software developments like Windows Operation system are a result of team work.
In my opinion, cooperation should be promoted across all fields of life.
In conclusion, competition brings awareness to people of their full potential while cooperation brings better results overal
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 188 words. Consequently, the development of ideas is significantly restricted. While you identify both sides of the argument and state an opinion, the discussion is underdeveloped. The body paragraphs provide only one example each, and the conclusion is abrupt and incomplete, failing to fully synthesize the arguments presented. To improve, you must expand on your reasoning and provide more detailed explanations for your points to ensure the task is fully addressed.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a basic attempt to use cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand' and 'For instance'. However, the progression of ideas is hindered by the brevity of the text. The conclusion is particularly weak and appears unfinished, which disrupts the overall flow. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your concluding paragraph provides a comprehensive summary of the main points rather than just a brief sentence.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on somewhat repetitive phrasing, such as 'better results' and 'promoted'. While you attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'skillsets' and 'compounding effect', the overall range is limited. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated synonyms and collocations to express your ideas with greater nuance and variety.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are several grammatical errors that affect clarity. For example, 'people how argue' should be 'people who argue', and 'Windows Operation system' should be 'Windows operating system'. Additionally, there are issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'come from with'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to limit the score. Focus on proofreading for subject-verb agreement and correct article usage.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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