Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-28

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)

Nowadays, competition has become an integral part of modern life. People compete with one another at school, in the workplace and even in their daily lives. While some individuals believe that competition encourages people to achieve their goals, others argue that cooperation is more beneficial. This essay will discuss both views before presenting my opinion.

On the one hand, competition can have a positive impact on people's performance. Firstly, it motivates individuals to work harder and improve their abilities. For instance, students who compete for higher grades are often encouraged to study more regularly and develop better learning habits. Similarly, employees may become more productive when they compete for promotions or recognition. Furthermore, healthy competition can prepare people for the challenges of the real world because they learn how to deal with pressure, failure and success. Therefore, competition can be a powerful driving force for personal and professional development.

On the other hand, cooperation is equally important, particularly when people need to achieve a common objective. By working together, individuals can share their knowledge, skills and ideas, which can lead to more effective solutions. For example, a group of students can complete a difficult project more successfully by dividing responsibilities and supporting one another. In the workplace, teamwork can also create a positive environment and improve communication between colleagues. Excessive competition, in contrast, may create stress, jealousy and unhealthy relationships.

In my opinion, both competition and cooperation have their own advantages, but cooperation should be given greater importance. Although healthy competition can encourage people to improve themselves, cooperation helps individuals understand the value of teamwork and mutual support. A balanced approach, in which people compete with themselves while cooperating with others, can produce the best result

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the benefits of competition and the importance of cooperation. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout, concluding with a balanced perspective. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with clear examples, such as students working on projects and employees seeking promotions. To reach a higher band, ensure that your own opinion is more deeply integrated into the body paragraphs rather than just the conclusion, perhaps by evaluating the limitations of competition more critically within the second paragraph. Overall, the task is fully addressed with a clear, consistent position.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'Furthermore', and 'In contrast', to link your points. The transition between the discussion of competition and cooperation is smooth. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. To improve, you could vary your cohesive devices slightly more to avoid a somewhat mechanical feel in the transition between sentences. However, the overall flow is logical and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a high band score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'integral part', 'common objective', and 'driving force' are used accurately. You also attempt some less common collocations, such as 'unhealthy relationships' and 'mutual support'. While the vocabulary is appropriate and conveys your meaning clearly, it lacks the sophisticated, idiomatic, or highly precise lexical choices that would characterize a band 8 or 9. To improve, try to incorporate more nuanced synonyms or academic collocations to elevate the tone of the essay further.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional structures and relative clauses effectively, such as 'in which people compete with themselves while cooperating with others'. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To achieve a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more advanced passive constructions, to demonstrate greater flexibility in your writing.

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