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)

In recent years, societies are becoming more competitive. There are several individuals who believe that we should promote cooperative culture. From my perspective, working in a competitive environment can help to develop growth mindset.

Proponents of one theory claim that it is a better approach to have a competitive mindset. It can be attributed to the fact that the people who try to do better than others are more likely to achieve high reward. One common example is, if a child ranks at 2nd position in class can achieve the top rank by consistent efforts and dedication towards the goal. To conclude, competitive thought gives a sense of purpose and direction to individuals.

Conversely, others argue that individuals should promote supportive culture by cooperating with each other rather than seeing colleagues as a competition. It is particularly significant to have a better workplace environment. For instance, if a medical representative coordinates and encourages the fellow worker, both the employees can experience professional growth, and it can be fruitful for the company as well. This can strengthen the relationship and trust among employees.

In my opinion, the individuals with competitive approach perform better because they constantly work on their weak points after analyzing the strengths of their competitors. Such as, if a cricket analyzes the strategy of the opponent player, he can perform smartly and effectively to make his team win.

Although both viewpoints have their own merits such as, better environment at the work place linked with cooperative approach. However, I strongly believe that those with growth and competitive mindset, are more likely to become prosperous in life.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt by discussing both the view supporting competition and the view supporting cooperation, and it presents a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are generally relevant, but some points lack full extension and are slightly repetitive. For example, the argument regarding the child achieving the top rank is somewhat underdeveloped as a general principle of workplace or societal competition. Similarly, the example of a cricket player is brief and could be better integrated to support the growth mindset claim. Nonetheless, the position is maintained throughout, earning a solid Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a clear overall progression with a recognizable introduction, body paragraphs for each viewpoint, and a conclusion containing the writer's stance. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate ideas. Cohesive devices are employed to link sentences, such as 'Conversely' and 'In my opinion,' although some transitions are slightly mechanical or repetitive in structure. Referencing is generally clear, and the logical flow allows the reader to follow the argument without difficulty, fitting the Band 6.5 descriptors well.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'growth mindset,' 'proponents,' and 'professional growth.' However, there are some noticeable inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'competitive thought' instead of 'competitive mindset' or 'a cricket' instead of 'a cricketer.' Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and vocabulary errors do not impede communication, placing the response firmly at Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing conditional structures and dependent clauses effectively (e.g., 'if a medical representative coordinates...'). There are, however, several grammatical errors throughout the text, such as missing articles ('at work place' instead of 'at the workplace'), awkward phrasing ('There are several individuals who believe'), and punctuation issues. Despite these errors, meaning is rarely obscured, and the sentence structures are sufficiently varied to achieve a Band 6.0.

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