Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-12
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 6.0)
In today's society, the debate between competition and cooperation is highly relevant. Some argue that competition at work, school, and in daily life is beneficial, while others believe that cooperation should be prioritized. Both perspectives have their merits, but I do believe that cooperation offers more sustainable and holistic advantages.
On one hand, competition has several benefits. To begin with, competition can serve as a powerful motivator, pushing individuals to strive for excellence. When people compete, they often set higher goals for themselves and work harder to achieve them. This drive can lead to improved performance, innovation, and personal growth. For instance, students may study harder to outperform their peers, and employees might go the extra mile to secure a promotion or bonus. Secondly, in a competitive environment, individuals and organizations are encouraged to innovate and improve continuously. This drive for innovation can lead to the development of new products, services, and technologies that benefit society as a whole. For example, competition in the tech industry has led to rapid advancements in smartphones, computing, and artificial intelligence.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 6.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response fails to meet the minimum length requirement of 250 words, containing only 177 words. Consequently, the discussion is incomplete; the student introduces the prompt and discusses the benefits of competition, but completely omits the body paragraph addressing the opposing view on cooperation, as well as the conclusion containing their own opinion. Because the task is only partially addressed and key prompt requirements are missing, this significantly impacts Task Achievement. For instance, the text stops abruptly after detailing the second benefit of competition, leaving the essay unfinished. Per the official band descriptors for an incomplete response that fails to cover all parts of the task due to under-length, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
Despite being incomplete, the existing portion of the text demonstrates a clear structure. The introduction effectively sets up the background and outlines the writer's stance. Paragraphing is used appropriately, with a clear introductory paragraph followed by a well-developed body paragraph. Cohesive devices are handled competently with transitions like 'To begin with', 'When people compete', and 'Secondly'. Referencing is clear throughout the produced text. However, because the essay lacks a concluding section and an entire body paragraph, overall progression is truncated. Evaluated purely on the language produced, the organizational framework is logical, justifying a Band 6.5.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary suitable for an academic discussion. Words and phrases such as 'sustainable and holistic advantages', 'powerful motivator', 'strive for excellence', and 'rapid advancements' are used correctly and show an ability to go beyond basic terms. There are no noticeable spelling or word-choice errors in the written portion. While there is an attempt at less common lexical items, the limited length of the essay restricts a full display of a wide, flexible lexical range. Therefore, the vocabulary is sufficient for the task but remains somewhat contained, fitting the criteria for a Band 6.0.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5
The writing exhibits a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms. The student successfully incorporates subordinate clauses and participial phrases, such as 'pushing individuals to strive for excellence' and 'When people compete, they often set higher goals...'. Grammatical control in the produced text is strong, with accurate tense usage and reliable punctuation. The majority of the sentences constructed are error-free, reflecting a solid command of sentence structures. Although the limited length prevents a more extensive showcase of advanced grammatical range, the grammar present is accurate and does not impede communication at all, supporting a Band 7.0 for this criterion.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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