Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-08-29
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)
Competition and cooperation are both important parts of modern life. While some people believe that competition at work, school and in everyday activities brings positive results, others argue that cooperation is more beneficial. This essay will discuss both views before giving my opinion.
On the one hand, competition can encourage people to work harder and achieve better results. When individuals compete with others, they often become more motivated to improve their skills and performance. For example, students may study harder when they want to achieve higher marks than their classmates. Similarly, competition between companies can encourage them to provide better products and services at lower prices. Therefore, healthy competition can lead to personal development and greater efficiency.
On the other hand, cooperation allows people to achieve goals by working together. Many tasks are difficult for one person to complete, so sharing knowledge, skills and responsibilities can produce better results. For instance, employees working as a team can combine their different skills to complete a project successfully. Cooperation can also create stronger relationships because people learn to support and trust each other rather than seeing everyone as a rival.
In my opinion, cooperation is more important, although healthy competition also has its advantages. Excessive competition can create stress and jealousy, particularly when people become more concerned about defeating others than improving themselves. A balance between the two is therefore ideal. People should compete with themselves to improve their abilities while cooperating with others to achieve common goals.
In conclusion, competition can motivate people and improve performance, whereas cooperation promotes teamwork and stronger relationships. I believe that cooperation should be given greater importance, but a reasonable level of competition can also encourage people to perform better.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.5 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation before providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with logical examples, such as the mention of students studying for marks and employees collaborating on projects. The position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the arguments. To reach a higher band, the development of ideas could be slightly more nuanced, perhaps by exploring the 'daily life' aspect mentioned in the prompt more explicitly, but the current level of development is sufficient for a strong score.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth, using standard cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. The use of referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate. The flow of information is natural, and the reader is guided through the argument without confusion. The cohesion is managed well, though it remains somewhat conventional; a more sophisticated use of cohesive devices could elevate this further.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task. The student uses a range of topic-specific terms such as 'personal development', 'efficiency', and 'rival'. While the vocabulary is functional and clear, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would characterize a band 8 or 9. The word choice is consistently correct, and there are no spelling errors, but the range is somewhat limited to standard academic collocations. Expanding the repertoire of synonyms and more precise academic phrasing would improve the score.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5
The essay demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as the use of conditional-like structures ('when people become more concerned...') and subordinate clauses ('while some people believe...'). The grammar is highly accurate, with very few errors, and punctuation is used correctly throughout. The sentence structures are varied enough to maintain interest and clarity. The control over complex forms is consistent, and the writing is error-free, which reflects a high level of grammatical competence.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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