Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-15

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 and cooperation are both important aspects of modern life. While some people believe that competition at work, school and in daily life encourages people to perform better, others argue that cooperation is more beneficial. This essay will discuss both views before explaining my opinion.

On the one hand, competition can motivate people to improve their performance. At school, for example, students who compete for higher grades may study harder and develop better learning habits. Similarly, competition in the workplace can encourage employees to increase their productivity and develop new skills. Businesses also compete with each other, which can lead to better products and services for customers. Therefore, healthy competition can encourage individuals and organizations to achieve higher standards.

On the other hand, cooperation allows people to share knowledge, skills and responsibilities. Many tasks are too complicated for one person to complete successfully, making teamwork essential. For instance, in a workplace, a maintenance team can solve a technical problem more effectively when technicians share their experience and work together. Cooperation can also create a supportive environment and reduce unnecessary stress caused by constant competition.

In my opinion, both approaches have their advantages, but cooperation is more important in daily and professional life. Competition can be useful when it is fair and motivates people to improve; however, excessive competition may create conflict and discourage teamwork. A balanced approach, where people compete to improve themselves while cooperating with others, is therefore the most effective.

In conclusion, competition can increase motivation and performance, whereas cooperation promotes teamwork and shared success. Both are valuable, but they should be balanced according to the situation.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response successfully addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the view that competition is beneficial and the view that cooperation is preferable, while clearly presenting the writer's own opinion. The introduction outlines the essay structure well. Body paragraph one explores the advantages of competition at school, in the workplace, and in business, offering relevant examples. Body paragraph two discusses the merits of cooperation, such as sharing knowledge and reducing stress. The conclusion and the final body paragraph articulate a well-developed personal stance, suggesting a balanced approach where cooperation takes precedence. Ideas are extended and supported effectively throughout the essay, meeting the criteria for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with a standard introductory paragraph, followed by well-sequenced body paragraphs, and concluding with a clear summary. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Similarly', and 'Therefore' are used appropriately to guide the reader through the arguments. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively. While the cohesive mechanisms are somewhat standard rather than highly sophisticated, the overall arrangement is coherent, fully satisfying the requirements of a Band 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student uses an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary appropriate for an academic essay. Terms such as 'performance', 'productivity', 'unnecessary stress', and 'supportive environment' are deployed correctly. There are also attempts at less common and topic-specific vocabulary like 'excessive competition' and 'professional life'. Word choice is generally precise, and spelling is accurate throughout. Although it lacks the wide, flexible range of uncommon lexical items required for higher bands, the vocabulary is more than sufficient to communicate ideas clearly and without impediment, fitting the Band 6.5 profile closely rounded to a solid 7.0 for natural precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The writer demonstrates a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Complex structures, such as concessive clauses ('While some people believe that...') and conditional constructions ('Competition can be useful when it is fair...'), are handled with good control. Punctuation is accurate, and the majority of sentences are grammatically sound. Errors are virtually absent, and the grammar never impedes communication. The variety of complex structures and the high proportion of error-free sentences align well with the Band 7.0 descriptors.

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