Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-07

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)

It is often argued that competition at work, at school and in daily life enhance productivity. Some people consider it a good thing because it develops a motivation to do the task and it enhance productivity. While, others argue that we should try to cooperate more because it encourages the unity and no one feel down. I believe that competition at work enhance efficiency and productivity. This essay will explore both views.

One of the view is that competition in daily life activities is a good thing because it motivates to do the task with full energy to win the competition. When a person utilize all his energy to win the competition, it enhance the productivity and this success provides dopamine, a hormone which gives joy. As a person wins a competition, ones efficiency increases with it. For example, in 1992, Imran khan won the semi-final from a very tough situation which give them motivation and ultimately Pakistani team ended up winning world cup.

However, the other perspective is that we should try to cooperate more because it will enhance brotherhood and no one will feel down. When we will try to work as a team, it will develop a linkage among team members and also their collective effort produce a better result. For example, during football match every player try to give his maximum irrespective of individual achievement try to win a match for team.

I believe that competition in daily life create a motivation to do the task with more effort which enhance productivity that's why there should be competition at work.

To sum up, some people consider

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. While you mention that competition increases productivity and cooperation fosters unity, the arguments lack depth and specific analysis. The example of Imran Khan is relevant but could be better integrated to explain how competition specifically impacts professional or academic environments. The conclusion is incomplete, which is a significant omission that prevents a full summary of your position. To improve, ensure that each paragraph fully explores the 'why' and 'how' of your arguments and always provide a complete, well-rounded conclusion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'However', 'For example', and 'To sum up' to link your thoughts. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. Additionally, the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'no one feel down', which lacks a clear antecedent or natural phrasing. The abrupt ending of the essay negatively impacts the overall coherence, as the final thought is left unfinished. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring all sentences flow naturally into one another will help raise your score.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'productivity', 'efficiency', and 'dopamine'. However, there are instances of awkward word choice and collocation errors, such as 'develop a linkage' instead of 'foster collaboration' or 'no one feel down' instead of 'no one feels discouraged'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and you rely on basic phrasing to convey your points. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise academic collocations and synonyms to avoid repetition and enhance the sophistication of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but accuracy is inconsistent. You frequently make subject-verb agreement errors, such as 'competition... enhance' (should be 'enhances') and 'it enhance' (should be 'it enhances'). There are also issues with article usage and verb tense consistency, such as 'during football match' (should be 'during a football match') and 'every player try' (should be 'every player tries'). While these errors do not usually impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on proofreading for basic grammatical rules, particularly verb endings and pluralization.

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