Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-05

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 that competition at work, school and in daily life is beneficial, while others think that cooperation is more important. In my opinion, both competition and cooperation have advantages, but people should try to maintain a balance between them.

On the one hand, competition can encourage people to work harder and achieve better results. At school, students may study more seriously when they want to get higher marks than their classmates. Similarly, competition between companies can encourage them to improve their products and provide better services. At work, employees may become more motivated when they have opportunities for promotion or rewards. Therefore, healthy competition can help people develop their skills and achieve their goals.

On the other hand, too much competition can create stress and unhealthy relationships. People may become jealous of others and focus only on winning instead of helping each other. For example, if students are always competing for the highest marks, they may refuse to share notes or help classmates who are struggling. This can create an unpleasant environment and reduce friendship between people.

Cooperation, however, allows people to work together and solve problems more effectively. In the workplace, employees can share their knowledge and skills to complete difficult projects. For example, a team of workers can often achieve better results by combining their different abilities rather than competing with each other.

In conclusion, competition can motivate people to improve themselves, but excessive competition may cause stress and conflict. I believe cooperation should be encouraged, especially when people need to solve problems together. However, a reasonable amount of healthy competition can also be useful for personal and professional development.

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 have clearly stated your position in the introduction and maintained it throughout the essay. The ideas are relevant and well-supported with examples, such as the mention of students sharing notes or workplace teams. To reach a higher band, you could further extend your arguments by exploring the nuance of how these two concepts might coexist in specific real-world scenarios, rather than just stating that a balance is needed. Overall, the task is fully addressed with a clear, consistent viewpoint.

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 benefits of competition and the drawbacks is handled effectively using cohesive devices like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints. The flow of information is smooth, and the relationship between sentences is clear. To improve, you could vary your cohesive devices slightly more to avoid relying on standard transition phrases, which would make the writing feel more natural and sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have used a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas clearly and precisely. Phrases like 'unpleasant environment', 'excessive competition', and 'professional development' demonstrate a good command of language. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task, it is somewhat functional rather than sophisticated. To achieve a higher band, try to incorporate more 'less common' lexical items or idiomatic collocations that demonstrate a deeper awareness of style. For instance, instead of 'work harder', you could use 'strive for excellence' or 'exert greater effort'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your control of grammar is strong, and the majority of your sentences are error-free. You use complex structures, such as conditional sentences ('if students are always competing...') and relative clauses, effectively. Punctuation is generally accurate, aiding the clarity of your arguments. There are no significant errors that impede communication. To move into the higher bands, ensure that you continue to experiment with a wider variety of complex grammatical forms, such as inversion or passive voice, while maintaining this high level of accuracy.

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