Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-19

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)

The topic of competition in daily life has become a widely discussed issue in recent years. Some people believe that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing, whereas others argue that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other. This essay will examine both views before reaching a conclusion.

On the one hand, many people believe that competition in every sector such as school or work is a good thing. One key reason behind this viewpoint is that competition help us to upgrade our skill, which can have a significant effect on individuals has opportunities to get promotion in their sector. Additionally, supporters of this view argue that individuals gather several experiences by participating in competition. Evidence from developed countries shows that parents influence their children to participate in school competition, demonstrating the benefits of this approach.

On the other hand, it is often argued that people should cooperate with each other. One main reason for this opinion is that individuals has opportunities to develop their company. This is mainly because team work easily do any kind of difficult task, which can lead to individuals easily solve their difficult issues. Furthermore, supporters contend that it can reduce jealousy, directly influencing the ability of employees to ensure good communication with each other.

In conclusion, after examining both perspectives, I am convinced that every employee and learner should help to their colleagues and their friends is the most rational stance. While various dimensions surround this issue, the analysis above makes it clear that this view holds true, primarily because it highly beneficial to achieve big thing with together. Therefore, this remains the most practical path forward

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the views on competition and cooperation, while also presenting a clear personal opinion in the conclusion. The ideas are generally relevant, but the development lacks depth and specific support in places. For instance, the statement that competition 'help us to upgrade our skill' is supported only by a very general reference to developed countries, rather than concrete examples. Similarly, the cooperative viewpoint mentions developing a company and solving difficult issues, but remains somewhat vague. While a clear position is maintained throughout, the ideas would benefit from further extension and more precise exemplification to reach higher bands. Therefore, this performance fits comfortably into Band 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different perspectives. However, cohesion at the sentence level is occasionally faulty or mechanical. For example, cohesive transitions like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are included, but referencing within sentences sometimes becomes awkward, as seen in 'individuals has opportunities' and 'help to their colleagues and their friends is the most rational stance'. Paragraph progression is logical, but the mechanical nature of some transitions and minor referencing issues prevent the response from achieving a Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully using terms like 'perspective', 'cooperation', 'jealousy', and 'rational stance'. However, there are noticeable word choice and collocation errors that reflect a limited command of more complex lexical items. Examples include 'competition help us' (subject-verb agreement/word form), 'gather several experiences' (unnatural collocation), and 'highly beneficial to achieve big thing with together'. While these errors do not seriously impede communication, they highlight an inconsistency in using less common vocabulary accurately, aligning the response with Band 6.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The writing contains a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some variety in structure. However, grammatical accuracy is inconsistent due to frequent errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and prepositional use. Examples of errors include 'competition help us', 'individuals has opportunities', and 'help to their colleagues'. Additionally, the concluding sentence contains a fragmented structure ('every employee and learner should help to their colleagues and their friends is the most rational stance'). These errors occasionally cause slight strain for the reader, though they do not completely obscure the meaning. This profile corresponds to a Band 6.

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