Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-11
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 an irrefutable fact that every person work really hard to earn a livelihood. Owing to this, it is claimed by some that healthy competition at educational institutions and in normal daily routine is necessary for personal growth. On the other hand, it is argued that we should try to help out each other rather than to let down the other person. Personally, I think that a healthy work competition environment is mandatory to improve our skills.
One of the main reasons for the support of prior notion, the proponents believe that if people try to have health rivalries regarding the academic activities at high schools or even in their real lives, this will help them to enhance their ability to do different task with greater efficiency. For instance, a report was published by a renowned organization in which it was presented that companies having a fair competition among their employee's to do a certain task results in the prosperity of the company.
On the other hand, the supporters of the latter view argue that students or workers should look to help each other so they can uplift the other person; they can achieve big collectively. Moreover, students should always do unpaid community services because this will help them to grow collectively.
As far as my opinion is concerned, I totally agree with the view that fair work competition is necessary to achieve big in the life. Whereas, a person who does not have a hunger to score big, cannot grow personally.
To sum up, it is significant to cooperate with each other in difficult times but I believe that having a competing environment is a much more sustainable approach for your future
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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. For instance, the argument for cooperation is quite brief and relies on a vague suggestion about community service rather than exploring the benefits of collaboration in depth. The supporting example regarding the 'renowned organization' is generic and lacks specific detail. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more concrete explanations or nuanced examples, ensuring that the discussion of both views is balanced and thoroughly explored.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, and there is a clear progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'To sum up' to link your thoughts. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the referencing is occasionally slightly awkward, such as in the phrase 'support of prior notion'. The paragraph structure is functional, but the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a more cohesive internal structure.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'irrefutable', 'mandatory', and 'sustainable'. However, there are some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'have health rivalries' (should be 'healthy rivalries') and 'achieve big' (which is informal and repetitive). The vocabulary is generally sufficient to convey your meaning, but it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focusing on more sophisticated collocations and avoiding repetitive, informal phrasing will help improve your score in this area.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'every person work' (should be 'works'), 'employee's' (incorrect possessive apostrophe), and 'do different task' (should be 'tasks'). These errors are frequent but do not generally impede communication. To improve, you should focus on subject-verb agreement, correct pluralization, and the proper use of punctuation. Increasing the number of error-free sentences will be key to moving into the 7.0 band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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