Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-09

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 6.5)

Some people argue that there should be a competitive environment at schools, organization they work for and also in everyday life, while others believe that people should cooperate with each other rather than compete against one another. In my opinion, both should be equally implemented because competition can encourage a person to thrive more, whereas cooperation can help exchange unique ideas with one another.

Many studies show that the competitive side of a person can bring out the best in them and encourage them to thrive more than ever. Comparing themselves with others can also have a positive impact, such as motivating them to give their maximum effort to win a competition. For example, when students participate in an Olympiad, they prepare for months and try to achieve the highest possible rank. Another reason why competition is a good thing is that people gain confidence if they secure the highest rank in any competitive event. Some people do not believe in themselves and think they cannot achieve something bigger, but getting a place in the top rankings can help them regain their confidence. This shows that competitive spirit has a beneficial effect on a person's life.

Cooperation on the other side helps those who are not in the top positions by improving their studies or work. These people feel demotivated or even neglected when they do not win or excel in the competition amongst their colleagues. For example, if a student is excellent in history but is poor in mathematics, then his classmates can help him improve in the subject, and in return he can assist them in history. Cooperation results in the sharing of new and unique ideas among people, which can help one another.

In conclusion, while competition can push a person to reach top ranks, cooperation fosters the exchange of diverse ideas and perspectives.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the discussion and state a clear position: competition can encourage achievement, while cooperation supports the exchange of ideas. The examples of students preparing for an Olympiad and classmates helping each other in different subjects make the points relevant. However, the two views are not developed equally: the competition argument includes confidence and motivation, whereas the benefits of cooperation receive less explanation. Some claims, such as that winning a high rank helps people regain confidence, would be stronger with a clearer explanation of how this benefit applies beyond competitive events. To strengthen the response, develop the cooperation argument further and connect your conclusion more explicitly to your view that both approaches should be equally implemented.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a concluding summary. Ideas generally progress logically, and examples are placed where they support the relevant point. You also use linking expressions such as “For example,” “Another reason,” and “In conclusion” to guide the reader. This shows some of the flexibility expected at a stronger level, but cohesion is occasionally mechanical: several sentences begin with “Another reason,” “For example,” or “This shows,” and “Cooperation on the other side” is an awkward transition. The final paragraph summarises the arguments but does not restate the stated position as directly as it could. Vary transitions and use clearer links between claims and their consequences.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “competitive environment,” “motivating,” “demotivated,” “neglected,” and “diverse ideas and perspectives.” These choices make the main points clear, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several word choices or collocations are imprecise or repetitive: “thrive more than ever,” “give their maximum effort,” and “cooperation on the other side” do not sound fully natural in context. “Competitive” and “competition” also recur frequently. These issues do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and flexibility. Aim for more natural academic collocations and vary repeated terms—for instance, use “perform at their best” or “make every effort” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses with “while” and “whereas,” conditional phrasing with “if,” and relative clauses such as “which can help one another.” Most sentences are understandable, and punctuation generally supports the meaning. Some grammatical errors remain, including the missing article in “at schools, organization they work for” and the unclear construction “help those who are not in the top positions by improving their studies or work.” The sentence beginning “Comparing themselves with others” also has an unclear subject, since it is not immediately clear who is doing the comparing. Review articles and make sure introductory phrases clearly attach to the intended subject. Greater control of these structures would make the response more precise.

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