Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-09

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 6.5)

Competition is a common part of our lives. People compete with each other at work, at school and even in their daily activities. Some people believe that competition is useful because it encourages people to work harder, while others think that cooperation is more important. In my opinion, both are necessary, but cooperation is more beneficial in most situations.

On one hand, competition can have several positive effects. Firstly, it can motivate people to improve their skills and work harder. For example, students who compete with their classmates may study more seriously because they want to get better grades. Similarly, employees may try to perform better when there is a possibility of getting a promotion. Competition can also encourage new ideas because people want to do something better than others. As a result, companies may produce better products and provide better services.

On the other hand, too much competition can create stress and damage relationships. If people are always trying to be better than others, they may become jealous or selfish. At school, for a moment, students might focus only on getting higher marks instead of helping their classmates. In the workplace, strong competition can sometimes lead to an unhealthy environment. Therefore, competition is not always helpful, especially when people care more about winning than working together.

In my view, competition and cooperation should be balanced. Competition is useful when it encourages people to improve themselves, but it should not make them see others as enemies. At the same time, cooperation allows people to support each other and solve problems together. For example, students can compete for good grades while still helping their classmates when they have difficulties.

In conclusion, competition can motivate people and improve performance, but it can also cause stress and selfish behaviour. Cooperation, on the other hand, helps people achieve common goals and maintain better relationships. Therefore, I believe that a balance between healthy competition and cooperation is the best approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both competition and cooperation before providing a clear personal opinion. The ideas are relevant and well-developed, particularly the points regarding motivation in the workplace and the potential for stress. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the student could provide more specific, nuanced examples rather than general statements about 'students' or 'employees'. The conclusion effectively synthesizes the arguments, ensuring the response is fully developed and balanced.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between paragraphs is smooth, using standard cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Therefore'. The use of referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate. While the cohesive devices are effective, they are somewhat standard; incorporating a wider variety of linking phrases or more sophisticated transitions would elevate the score further. Overall, the flow of information is easy to follow and coherent.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is sufficient to convey the intended meaning with precision. The student uses appropriate topic-specific terminology such as 'promotion', 'unhealthy environment', and 'common goals'. There is an attempt to use less common items, though some phrasing remains relatively simple. The word choice is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. To improve, the student should aim to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors. Most sentences are clear and well-constructed, such as 'Competition is useful when it encourages people to improve themselves, but it should not make them see others as enemies.' While the control of grammar is strong, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited. Increasing the use of varied subordinate clauses or more advanced grammatical forms would help demonstrate a wider range and achieve a higher band score.

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