Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-09-30

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 7.5)

Competition is an integral part of modern life. While some people argue that competing with others at work, in education and in everyday situations encourages individuals to perform better, others believe that cooperation is more beneficial for both individuals and society. This essay will discuss both perspectives before arguing that although competition has certain advantages, cooperation is ultimately more important.

On the one hand, competition can be a powerful incentive for people to improve themselves. In academic settings, for example, students who compete for higher grades may be motivated to study more consistently, develop better learning strategies and achieve their full potential. Similarly, competition in the workplace can encourage employees to become more productive and innovative, particularly when promotions or other rewards are based on performance. At a broader level, businesses competing with one another are often driven to improve the quality of their products while keeping prices reasonable. Consequently, competition can stimulate individual achievement as well as economic progress.

On the other hand, excessive competition can create unnecessary pressure and damage relationships. When people become excessively focused on outperforming others, they may be less willing to share knowledge, provide assistance or work towards common goals. This is particularly problematic in workplaces where complex projects require employees with different skills to cooperate. For instance, a team of engineers, designers and managers is likely to produce a better product when they exchange ideas openly rather than attempting to prove that one department is superior to another. Cooperation can also foster trust, empathy and a sense of community, qualities that are essential in both personal and professional relationships.

In my view, the most effective approach is to maintain a healthy balance, but cooperation should take precedence when the achievement of a common objective is involved. Competition is valuable when it encourages people to challenge themselves, whereas cooperation allows individuals to combine their strengths and solve problems that would be difficult to tackle alone. Schools and employers should therefore promote individual excellence without creating an environment in which people feel they must constantly defeat their peers.

In conclusion, competition can motivate people, raise performance and encourage innovation, while cooperation strengthens relationships and enables people to achieve shared objectives more effectively. Although both have a legitimate role in modern life, a cooperative environment is generally more sustainable because it allows individual abilities to contribute to collective success.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the views that competition is beneficial and that cooperation should be prioritised, while maintaining a clear and well-developed personal position throughout. The introduction clearly outlines the scope of the essay, and each body paragraph contributes distinct, relevant arguments supported by appropriate explanations and examples. For instance, the use of academic settings and workplace projects effectively illustrates the contrasting dynamics of competition and cooperation. The conclusion smoothly encapsulates the main points and reaffirms the writer's stance. The ideas are extended logically and supported with relevant examples, demonstrating a high level of task response that meets all descriptors for a Band 8.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay is logically structured with a clear progression of ideas from introduction to conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct central theme: the benefits of competition, the drawbacks of excessive competition, and the synthesis of both concepts in the writer's view. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Similarly', and 'Consequently' are managed well to guide the reader through the argument without being obtrusive. Referencing is clear throughout, and the overall arrangement ensures seamless readability, fitting comfortably within the Band 8 criteria for Coherence and Cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 7.5

The writer demonstrates a wide and flexible range of vocabulary suited to an academic discussion on social and workplace dynamics. Less common items such as 'integral part', 'incentive', 'productive and innovative', 'excessively focused', and 'take precedence' are used with good awareness of collocation and style. Word choice is generally precise, allowing the writer to convey subtle nuances between competition and cooperation. Although there are no major lexical errors, the vocabulary occasionally relies on standard academic collocations rather than truly sophisticated or rare idiomatic phrases, which places it securely at Band 7.5, rounded to Band 8 for its fluency and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 7.5

The response exhibits a wide range of complex grammatical structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are error-free, featuring sophisticated subordination and relative clauses, such as 'students who compete for higher grades may be motivated to study more consistently' and 'problems that would be difficult to tackle alone.' Punctuation is handled expertly, and control over tense and agreement is consistent throughout the text. Only rare minor slips might be noted, making the grammatical control commensurate with a strong Band 8 performance.

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