Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-02
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)
There is an ongoing debate about whether competition is beneficial in the workplace, educational institutions and everyday life, or whether people should focus more on cooperation. While competition can motivate individuals to improve their performance, I believe that cooperation is generally more beneficial because it encourages people to work together and achieve common goals.
On the one hand, competition can have several advantages. Firstly, it can motivate people to work harder and achieve better results. When students compete with their classmates, for example, they may become more determined to improve their academic performance. Similarly, competition in the workplace can encourage employees to develop their skills and become more productive. As a result, a healthy level of competition can help individuals reach their full potential.
On the other hand, cooperation can be more valuable in many situations. Working together allows people to share their knowledge, skills and ideas, which can lead to better solutions to problems. For instance, students working on a group project can divide tasks according to their strengths and learn from one another. Furthermore, cooperation can create stronger relationships because people learn to communicate, support each other and compromise. Therefore, it is particularly important in situations where achieving a shared goal is more important than individual success.
In conclusion, although competition can encourage people to work harder and improve their performance, I believe that cooperation has greater overall benefits. In my view, competition is useful when it remains healthy, but people should generally learn to cooperate rather than constantly compete with one another.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the benefits of competition and cooperation while clearly stating a personal position. The ideas are relevant and logically extended, such as the mention of students dividing tasks in group projects to illustrate the benefits of cooperation. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more nuanced examples or explore the potential downsides of cooperation (e.g., 'groupthink') or the specific contexts where competition is essential, which would demonstrate a more sophisticated level of critical analysis.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5
The essay is well-organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The progression of ideas is logical, moving from the benefits of competition to the advantages of cooperation. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'Similarly', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' are used effectively to guide the reader. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The flow is smooth, and the relationship between sentences is clear, meeting the requirements for a high band in this criterion.
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 'educational institutions', 'productive', 'reach their full potential', and 'compromise'. While the vocabulary is sufficient and precise, it lacks a high degree of sophistication or 'less common' lexical items that would distinguish a band 8 or 9 performance. The word choices are natural and there are no errors in spelling or collocation that impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The essay demonstrates a good command of grammatical structures. There is a mix of simple and complex sentences, such as the use of conditional and concessive clauses (e.g., 'While competition can motivate...', 'Although competition can encourage...'). The grammar is highly accurate, with almost no errors throughout the text. Punctuation is used correctly to support the clarity of the arguments. To achieve a higher band, the student could incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as inversion or more advanced passive constructions, to show greater flexibility.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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