Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-04

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 is an important part of modern life. Some people believe it is good at work, school and in daily life, while others think cooperation is more important. This essay will discuss both views, and I believe cooperation is better, although some competition can be useful.

On the one hand, competition can encourage people to work harder and improve their skills. At school, students may study more seriously when they want higher marks than their classmates. Similarly, at work, employees may try to perform better when they know that others are also trying to succeed. Competition can also help people set goals and become more confident. For example, a person who competes in a sports event may train regularly and improve their performance. Therefore, healthy competition can motivate people to achieve better results.

On the other hand, too much competition can create stress and damage relationships. People may become jealous or focus only on winning instead of helping others. At school, students who always compete may be unwilling to share their knowledge. At work, strong competition can reduce teamwork because employees may be more interested in their own success than the success of the whole company. In contrast, cooperation allows people to share ideas, solve problems together and support each other. For instance, a team can complete a difficult project more successfully when its members work together.

In my opinion, cooperation should be encouraged more than competition. Although healthy competition can motivate people, cooperation creates a positive environment and helps people achieve common goals. The best approach is to have some competition while making sure that people still respect and support each other.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the benefits of competition and the advantages of cooperation. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and supported with logical examples, such as the comparison between academic performance and workplace teamwork. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your arguments by exploring the nuance of how these two concepts might coexist in more detail, rather than just stating they should be balanced. Overall, the response is well-focused and directly answers the prompt.

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 the two viewpoints is smooth, using appropriate cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. The use of linking words such as 'Similarly', 'Therefore', and 'In contrast' helps the reader follow your argument easily. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different perspectives. The flow is natural, and the relationship between sentences is clear, meeting the criteria for a well-structured response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. You use topic-specific terms such as 'healthy competition', 'positive environment', and 'common goals' effectively. While the vocabulary is accurate and allows for clear communication, it is somewhat functional and lacks the more sophisticated, less common lexical items that would characterize a higher band score. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations or academic synonyms to elevate the tone of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good control of grammar with a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is accurate. You use complex structures, such as conditional or concessive clauses ('Although healthy competition can motivate people, cooperation creates...'), effectively. There are no significant grammatical errors that impede communication. To reach a higher band, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex sentence forms, such as using more passive voice constructions or inverted structures to add stylistic variety.

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

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