Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-03

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)

In recent years, there is a debatable topic that competition in such places is a beneficial for better development. Some group of people believe that competitive environment at workplace, at school and in daily life is beneficial. While others argue that we should always being cooperative with each other, rathar than make everything competition against each other. In my opinion i believe that in some cases competition is a good thing and in some cases it is harrmful. This essay will discuss both view and my personal opinion in detail.

On the one hand people have an opinion that competition with each other at workplace , at an educational institution and in daily life makes individuals more strong because these people think faster and take action faster than other normal people. This means that, person who always live in a world of competition their mind automatically sharpen than normal people, they think fast because they need to take action imediately for further steps. For example, In many westeren countries there are lots of quiz and educational competition held by goverments for school students and office workers to make their brain more sharper as a result they think critically for this modern world isssues.

On the other hand people have an opposite opinion that people should try to help and always cooperate with each other because competition sometimes creates a reason for disagreement and fighting between individuals. This is because they believe that competition at every steps in life sometimes drained person energy and for some people it is demotivation to work continuesly. For Instance, some people who are introvert and shy to make their appreance openly often struggle to fit in competitive world and if they constant face competition may be they lose their hope and demotivate for working. Therefore cooperate with each other rathar than always competing is helpful to someone.

In conclusion, although both views have their own tough merit, I believe that competition is partly have a positive and negative both impacts because it makes life more interesting and sometimes it creates a tension also.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument for competition relies on the claim that it makes people 'think faster,' which is a generalization that lacks depth. Similarly, the point about introverts is a good start but could be better supported with more specific analysis of how cooperation fosters a more inclusive environment. The response covers all parts of the prompt, but the arguments remain at a surface level, preventing it from reaching a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'For instance,' which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel mechanical or slightly repetitive. The referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the conclusion where the sentence structure becomes slightly convoluted. While the overall progression is logical, the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer back to their antecedents.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several instances of word-choice errors and spelling mistakes, such as 'westeren,' 'isssues,' 'imediately,' and 'harrmful.' The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, relying on basic descriptors like 'good thing' or 'beneficial.' To improve, you should aim to use more precise academic collocations and synonyms. For example, instead of 'make their brain more sharper,' you could use 'enhance cognitive abilities.' The errors in spelling and word formation are noticeable but do not significantly impede the reader's understanding of your arguments.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('competition... is a beneficial,' 'some group of people believe'), article usage, and verb forms ('should always being cooperative,' 'competition is partly have'). While you attempt complex sentences, these often contain errors that detract from the overall fluency. Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some misplaced commas. To reach a higher band, you need to focus on mastering basic sentence construction and ensuring that your verb tenses and forms are consistently accurate.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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