Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-06

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 6.0)

Critics argue that competing with colleagues at work and students in school in daily life is beneficial, while the others say that cooperation at work and at school is better. Although cooperation enhances your teamwork abilities, competition is crucial for better results. I strongly believe that both of these believes go hand in hand to get better outcomes.

Cooperation in daily life is important. Cooperating with your colleagues and fellow students by supporting them in daily life keeps the overall environment positive and encouraging. Colleagues can help each other in daily life by assisting them through difficult task, providing feedback, pointing out mistakes. Moreover, students can help each other by explaining difficult concepts and achieving higher grades in exams. For example, in universities fellow students help each other in exam preparation by clarifying doubts and by explaining critical concepts to get better results.

Whereas, competition in daily life is very crucial to stay motivated. Competition in work and student life keeps you motivated and encourages you to push yourself for better results. People when working in a competitive environment thrive to get best outcomes because they are praised for their outstanding work, hence rewarded for their hard work. The pressure to get the award keeps people inspired. For instance, the person who completes the target of sales is rewarded with a bonus at the end of the month.

In conclusion, competition is as important as cooperation in both work life and student life because both motivate you to perform better. I believe that people should be both, competitive and cooperating towards each other to get the desired results.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant, such as the mention of sales bonuses for competition and peer support for cooperation. However, the development is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the explanation of cooperation in the second paragraph focuses heavily on 'daily life' and 'helping each other' without exploring the broader implications of these concepts. While the task is addressed, the arguments could be extended with more depth or nuanced examples to reach a higher band. The position is consistent throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the two viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Whereas', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally repetitive. For example, the phrase 'in daily life' is used excessively throughout the text, which impacts the flow. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the structure supports the central argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'thrive' and 'critical concepts'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and form, such as 'believes' used as a noun instead of 'beliefs', and 'thrive to get' instead of 'strive to get'. The range is sufficient to communicate the message, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. A wider variety of synonyms would help avoid the repetitive use of basic terms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are recurring grammatical errors. For example, 'assisting them through difficult task' should be 'tasks', and 'the person who completes the target' is slightly awkward. There are also minor punctuation and article errors. The control of grammar is generally good, but the frequency of these small errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. The student demonstrates an ability to use complex sentences, but they are not always error-free.

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