Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-21

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)

Some people believe that it is beneficial to remain competitive in academics, work, and daily life, while others think that people should try to cooperate more, rather than seeing others as competition. I personally believe that a person should have both traits, but with certain limitations.

Today, there is a lot of competition in many fields with respect to jobs, academics, and sports too. Being competitive is a healthy habit, as it can push our limits and encourage us to work even harder. To exemplify, a student wanting to be the best in his class views toppers as his competition, which fuels him to study more and outsmart them with better grades. Competition sometimes works as a source of fuel for our ego to surpass others. However, there are a few points to consider. Children should be taught to be competitive but view their competition as companions and good rivals rather than enemies. Sometimes, being too competitive can have a negative effect on the thought processes of young minds.

Furthermore, cooperation builds a few skills which are necessary for life. Firstly, the most important thing it offers is working in a team, which includes listening to others' ideas, their perspectives, and suggestions. To give an example, a group of teenagers working on a science project learns to distribute different tasks and solve problems together. Cooperation gives a valuable lesson that success is achieved more efficiently when a team is working rather than a single person.

Although there are some problems with being competitive, it can be compensated with cooperation. Cooperation and competition are not opposites, but influencing both these qualities is truly beneficial.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the views that competition is good and that cooperation should be preferred, while also providing a personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as a student trying to beat 'toppers' and teenagers working on a science project. However, the ideas tend to be slightly limited and lack deep extension, particularly in the conclusion where the synthesis of both qualities feels a bit vague ('influencing both these qualities is truly beneficial'). Nevertheless, a clear position is maintained throughout, satisfying the requirements for Band 6.5 or 7.0. Given the adequate development of both sides, it aligns best with Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from introducing the topic, examining competition, examining cooperation, and concluding. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, such as dedicating body paragraph one to competition and body paragraph two to cooperation. Cohesive devices are employed reasonably well to guide the reader, using phrases like 'To exemplify', 'Furthermore', and 'Firstly'. However, referencing and transitions are at times a bit mechanical, such as 'Although there are some problems with being competitive, it can be compensated with cooperation', which lacks seamless integration. Overall, the organizational structure is clear and effective, comfortably earning a Band 6.5, which rounds to 6.0 in standard whole/half bands or fits solidly within Band 6.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating terms such as 'beneficial', 'academic', 'perspective', and 'efficiently'. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary and idiomatic phrasing, such as 'source of fuel for our ego' and 'push our limits', though some word choices are slightly awkward or unnatural, such as 'influencing both these qualities'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. The lexical range is sufficient to allow flexibility and precision in places, corresponding to a solid Band 6 performance.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms throughout the essay, demonstrating control over structures such as conditional and concessive clauses ('Although there are some problems...', 'Being competitive is a healthy habit, as it can push...'). There are some minor grammatical inaccuracies and slightly awkward phrasing, such as 'competition sometimes works as a source of fuel for our ego to surpass others' and 'cooperation gives a valuable lesson that success is achieved more efficiently when a team is working rather than a single person'. However, these errors are relatively infrequent and do not impede communication, allowing the essay to achieve a Band 6.

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

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