Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-29
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)
People have different views about whether competition or cooperation is more beneficial in the workplace, education and daily life. While some believe that competition encourages people to perform better. However, others argue that cooperation is more valuable. This essay will discuss both views before giving my opinion.
On the one hand, people who advocate competition consider it to be a powerful motivator that pushes individuals to excel. Competition encourages them to work hard and achieve their desired goals. In a competitive environment, students and employees may put more effort into their work because they want to perform better than others. For instance, students who compete for higher grades may study more regularly and improve their academic performance. As a result, healthy competition can increase motivation and help individuals enhance their skills.
On the other hand, cooperation can help people achieve common goals and build strong relationships. When individuals work together, they can exchange their thoughts, ideas, knowledge, experiences and skills to solve problems more effectively. For example, employees who cooperate with their colleagues can divide their tasks and support each other when completing a difficult project. Consequently, teamwork can reduce the stress level, increase the productivity of work and create a positive working environment.
In conclusion, although competition motivates people to work harder and improve their performance, cooperation encourages teamwork and helps people to achieve common goals. In my opinion, both are significant but cooperation is particularly valuable as it generates a positive atmosphere and promotes mutual support.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 6.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 6.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0
The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the views on competition and cooperation, and includes a clear position in the introduction and conclusion. Ideas are adequately extended and supported with relevant examples, such as students competing for grades and employees cooperating on projects. However, there is a minor penalty applied because the response falls just short of the 250-word minimum, containing 248 words. Despite this length penalty, the overall task coverage is solid, presenting a well-developed argument with a clear personal stance. To improve further, ensure that word counts are carefully checked before submission to avoid unnecessary penalties.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5
The essay displays a clear overall progression and logical organization. Information and ideas are coherently structured, utilizing appropriate paragraphing where each paragraph has a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used effectively to connect ideas, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion'. Referencing is generally clear, and the flow between sentences is smooth. While there is a slight grammatical sentence fragment error near the beginning affecting sentence boundaries ('While some believe that competition encourages people to perform better. However, others argue...'), the paragraph structure and logical sequencing remain clear and easy to follow throughout the response.
Lexical Resource: Band 6.0
The student demonstrates an adequate and generally appropriate range of vocabulary for the task. Less common lexical items are attempted with some success, such as 'powerful motivator', 'excel', 'mutual support', and 'positive working environment'. Word choice is generally natural, although some lists of synonyms feel slightly repetitive, such as 'thoughts, ideas, knowledge, experiences and skills'. Spelling and word formation are accurate throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the writer could incorporate more sophisticated, less common collocations and vary vocabulary choices with greater precision rather than grouping synonyms together.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over subordinate clauses such as 'When individuals work together, they can exchange their thoughts...' and '...students who compete for higher grades may study more regularly'. However, there is a notable grammatical error in the introduction where a dependent clause is punctuated as a full sentence: 'While some believe that competition encourages people to perform better. However, others argue...'. Apart from this error, the majority of the complex sentences are accurate, and punctuation is handled competently. A wider range of varied, error-free complex structures would elevate this score further.
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