Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-26

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 7.0)

Competition and cooperation are two fundamental aspects of human interaction, and while some people support competing in all aspects of life, others prefer to work together. In my opinion, while competition can drive individual achievements, cooperation is more beneficial for growth.

Those who advocate for competition assert that it is a powerful motivator that pushes individuals to excel. In educational settings, it can encourage students to achieve higher academic standards. Students who strive to be at the top of their class, for instance, may put in more effort and perform better on exams. Similarly, at work, competition can lead to increased productivity and innovation. Employees competing for promotions or bonuses are likely to be driven to develop creative solutions to problems.

On the other hand, environments which incentivize working together are more supportive. At school, cooperative learning methods, such as group projects, can help students develop essential social skills, including communication, empathy, and teamwork. These skills are crucial for both academic success and personal development. In the workplace, a cooperative culture can enhance collaboration and lead to more innovative and efficient problem-solving. Teams that work well together can produce better outcomes, as opposed to environments where competition creates pressure and burnout. A cutthroat atmosphere from excessive struggles and rivalries can result in a toxic culture where employees prioritize personal gain over collective achievement, ultimately harming the organization's overall performance.

In conclusion, while competition can drive individual achievement and innovation, I believe that working together is more conducive to long-term success and well-being. Encouraging cooperative behaviors, therefore, can lead to more harmonious and productive environments in schools, workplaces, and communities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the task effectively, discussing both views regarding competition and cooperation in different settings such as work, school, and daily life, and providing a clear personal opinion throughout the essay. The introduction establishes a stance that 'cooperation is more beneficial for growth,' which is then systematically explored. Body paragraph one examines the arguments for competition, highlighting how it drives individual achievement and innovation, while body paragraph two explores the supportive nature of cooperative environments, noting benefits like enhanced problem-solving and reduced burnout. Ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as group projects and corporate culture, fitting comfortably within the Band 7 or 8 descriptors by presenting a clear position and extending ideas appropriately.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay demonstrates clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct central topic, starting with an introduction, moving to competitive environments, shifting to cooperative environments, and concluding with a balanced summary. Cohesive devices are used naturally and effectively to link ideas, such as 'Similarly,' 'On the other hand,' and 'In conclusion.' Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, helping the reader navigate the different perspectives easily. Referencing is clear and accurate, ensuring that the relationships between ideas are always transparent and easy to follow, aligning well with the Band 7.5 or 8 level of cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student uses a sufficient and generally natural range of vocabulary suitable for an academic response. Less common items and collocations are successfully employed, such as 'fundamental aspects,' 'individual achievements,' 'academic standards,' 'innovative and efficient problem-solving,' and 'collective achievement.' Word choice is precise for the most part, and there are very few lexical errors, allowing the text to flow smoothly. While it occasionally relies on standard academic phrasing rather than deeply sophisticated or highly unusual lexical choices, the vocabulary is flexible and precise enough to meet the criteria for a solid Band 7.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures and sentence forms, such as concessive clauses ('while some people support competing...'), conditional or participial structures ('Students who strive to be at the top...', 'Teams that work well together...'), and relative clauses. The majority of sentences are grammatically accurate, and punctuation is handled correctly throughout. There are only rare minor slips that do not impede communication. The control of grammar is strong, maintaining accurate complex syntactic forms across the essay, which places this performance firmly at the Band 8 level.

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