Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In recent days, it is believed by many people that contest at work, at school and in day to day life is beneficial. While some think that we should work together more, rather than having rivalry against one another. This essay will discuss about its merits and downsides and give my own opinion on which one is more healthy.

Competition is essential for personal growth and motivation. Sometimes having a competitive environment on work, school and daily life can motivate individuals to work more and do better than others. For instance, At school there’s is always a rivalry between students on who will get better marks at examination.

However, competing against others people can be unhealthy and can hinder your own progress and goals. Sometimes when there is a high competition, an individual can suffer from severe stress and also can lose their sense of progress and goals. One clear example is during a SEE examination examination there’s a substantial competition on achieving a higher GPA and it puts constant pressure on students which leads to stress and anxiety. As a result, rivalry between an individual can be quite harmful for ones mental health and progress.

To conclude, competition can be advantageous for personal growth and it keeps you motivated. however, it can also have negative affects on health and ones progress. But what i believe is there should be healthy amount of competition which can lead to individual character development and productivity whether it is at work , at school or daily life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The essay addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both competition and cooperation and providing a clear personal opinion. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention the benefits of competition for motivation and the drawbacks regarding stress, the discussion on cooperation is largely neglected, which is a key requirement of the prompt. To reach a higher band, ensure that both sides of the argument are explored with equal depth. The conclusion clearly states your position, which helps maintain a consistent stance throughout the piece.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, with an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'However', 'For instance', and 'As a result' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the transition between the discussion of competition and the need for cooperation is abrupt. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that guides the reader through your argument more smoothly.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using words like 'beneficial', 'rivalry', 'hinder', and 'advantageous'. There are some minor errors in word choice, such as 'contest' instead of 'competition' and 'on work' instead of 'at work'. Additionally, there is some repetition of phrases like 'progress and goals'. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoid repeating the same vocabulary within the same paragraph. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but lacks the sophistication required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'there’s is always', 'others people', and 'negative affects' (should be 'effects'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, particularly with comma usage. While you attempt complex sentences, they are often marred by these small errors. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Proofreading for common slips like 'affects/effects' will significantly improve your accuracy.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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