Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-08

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)

Now days some people believe competition is a good thing to give their best performance at work or at school in daily life. Others believe that they should try to cooperate more, instead of competing against each other.

firstly, i totally believe that we have to do our routine life work as a competition, which encourage us to give our best and maximum output with better efficiency to achieve our goal in life. Moreover, if we need a significant growth in office or school life, we have to achieve what others cannot do and also give our 100% in every work which make us unique and more confident among other people. Approach towards competition makes you best person and give you life changing opportunity even if you are at school or work.

secondly, some people think they should try to cooperate more rather than competing against each other. This approach is positive if we have to think solution oriented. Sometime critical work at office or hard assignment at school only can done with the cooperation of colleague or fellows. In this case if we think towards competition oriented then it will not help us to finish the required task. However, critical work required cooperating of colleague which have a similar mindset to think towards solution oriented instead of competition.

In conclusion, both opinions have their different positive sides but to bluster my opinion i would say thinking of competition in daily life make you stronger towards your decision rather than cooperate.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both sides of the argument and provides a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that competition leads to efficiency and growth, the supporting arguments are repetitive and lack specific, concrete examples. The discussion on cooperation is also quite brief and relies on general statements rather than detailed exploration. To reach a higher band, you should aim to expand on your points with more depth and provide illustrative examples, such as specific scenarios in a workplace or academic setting, to better support your claims.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use basic cohesive devices like 'firstly', 'secondly', and 'in conclusion' to signal the progression of your argument. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of linking words is limited. Some transitions, such as 'In this case if we think towards competition oriented', are slightly awkward and hinder the natural flow of ideas. Improving the variety of your cohesive devices and ensuring that referencing is precise would enhance the overall coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to express your ideas clearly. You use some relevant topic-specific terms like 'efficiency', 'solution oriented', and 'colleague'. However, there are instances of word-choice errors and awkward phrasing, such as 'bluster my opinion' (likely meant 'bolster') and 'thinking of competition... make you stronger'. The range of vocabulary is somewhat limited, and you rely on basic descriptors. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and academic vocabulary to convey your meaning with greater sophistication.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'critical work required cooperating'), missing articles, and incorrect word forms (e.g., 'cooperating of colleague' instead of 'cooperation of colleagues'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with the use of commas. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on sentence construction and proofreading for basic grammatical accuracy would be highly beneficial.

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