Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-06

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 5.0)

It is often argued that the competition at many work places including offices, schools and even in our daily life is an important and good thing. Alternatively others believe that we should not compete against others rather than we should cooperate and help others.

Despite these arguments, i am on the side with those who maintain to work even more harder so that they can achieve success faster than others. The focus is not on the time but the primary reason is to compete with those who are relatively stronger than us. Once we make up our minds that we have to be ahead of others, this approach of our mindset eventually lead us even more closer to our goals. For instance, a group of student tries to solve a difficult problem in algebra, the motive of teacher should be that every student have to solve it on their own and not taking help from his/her friend. This habit make a student's mind more stronger and consice.

On the other hand, many of us believes that we should cooperate rather than competing and testing the skills of other. This approach make a student's mind depending on others, he/she will not going to test their own mind and turn their physical and mental health into a comfort zone. As per a famous quote " God helps those who helps themselves" teaches us that we have to depend on our brain, try to accelerate it and make it think to take decisions according to our point of view. Yes, helping is good thing but totally relaxing on others is a silly idea and will make us sllugish as time passes.

In conclusion, while there are valid arguments on both sides, I firmly believe that everyone should experience the competition to test their mental health

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the prompt only partially. While the introduction acknowledges both views, the writer's own opinion is somewhat limited and poorly integrated. Ideas are under-developed, particularly in the body paragraphs where points about competition and cooperation are repetitive and lack sufficient extension or relevant supporting examples. For instance, the example involving a group of students trying to solve an algebra problem is vague and does not effectively illustrate the broader impacts of competition versus cooperation in daily life or the workplace. Furthermore, the conclusion is abrupt and incomplete, cutting off mid-sentence ('to test their mental health'), which detracts from a fully realised position. To improve, the writer should ensure all parts of the prompt are explored with fully developed arguments and concrete, well-explained examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays some organisation with basic paragraphing, but there is a lack of clear overall progression. While paragraph breaks are attempted, the logical flow between sentences and ideas is frequently disrupted. Cohesive devices are sometimes used, but they tend to be repetitive or inaccurate, such as using 'Alternatively others' or 'On the other hand' without creating a smooth transition of contrasting points. Additionally, referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult to follow the logical relationship between arguments. To move to a higher level, the writer needs to ensure that each paragraph has a clear central topic supported by logical sequencing and a wider, more accurate range of cohesive ties to guide the reader seamlessly through the argument.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is limited and minimally adequate for the task. The writer attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'accelerate', 'slugish', and 'comfort zone', but these attempts are often marred by noticeable errors in word choice, collocation, and spelling (for example, writing 'slugish' instead of 'sluggish', and 'work places' instead of workplaces). There are also instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'make a student's mind more stronger', which cause some difficulty for the reader. To achieve a higher band, the writer must expand their lexical range and pay closer attention to precise word choices, correct word forms, and standard spelling patterns to communicate ideas more naturally and effectively.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The text exhibits a limited range of grammatical structures, relying heavily on simple sentence forms. When the writer attempts complex sentences, they are frequently faulty, leading to frequent errors that can cause difficulty for the reader. Examples of errors include subject-verb agreement issues ('a group of student tries', 'every student have to'), incorrect pronoun referencing ('he/she will not going to test their'), and awkward prepositions or verb patterns ('maintain to work even more harder'). Punctuation and article usage also show persistent inaccuracies throughout the response. To improve, the writer should focus on mastering basic sentence construction and increasing the accuracy of complex grammatical patterns, ensuring better control over verb tenses and agreement.

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

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