Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-11

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)

Fewer individuals believe that competition at work, at institutes and in regular life is beneficial. However, others argue being more cooperative is better, rather than becaming rival face to face. This essay will elaborate both views.

Competition could lead to better outcome in several fields; academics and employments are one of them. In battle of who achieve better also enables people to build themselves as advance as they can. For instance, in a school or a office, contention always encourages to produce the best result which aid effortlessly to obtain a 100% free scholarship or facilitate workers to attain bonuses or free travel tickets. Nevertheless, due to the lack of motivation, many people remain at lower levels.

Alternatively, companionship in regular life such as schools or firms can help to procure best result. Because working or learning in a team always pushes and motivate one to generate the best result. For example, creating a presentation for class or debut for office with the facilitation of mates will never let individual disappointed or tedicious, because while working with people

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You introduce both sides of the debate and give relevant points: competition may encourage stronger academic or workplace performance, while cooperation can make group tasks more supportive. However, the response addresses the task only partially. The discussion stops during the cooperation example, and there is no clear statement of your own opinion, despite the instruction to give one. Ideas such as competition leading to scholarships or bonuses are mentioned but not explained, and the benefits of cooperation are similarly left undeveloped. The response is also 72 words below the required minimum, which limits the opportunity to discuss both views and support them. To improve, complete the essay, state your position clearly, and develop each main point with explanation and a specific example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction is followed by a paragraph on competition and one on cooperation. Transitions such as “However” and “Alternatively” help signal the change in viewpoint. Nevertheless, progression is limited because the final paragraph ends mid-sentence (“because while working with people”), leaving the discussion incomplete and the relationship between ideas unclear. Some links are also awkward or repetitive, including “For instance” followed by a long list of outcomes without clear separation. Use complete paragraphs with a clear main idea, explanation, and example, then add a concluding paragraph that summarises both views and your opinion. More precise referencing and linking would make the argument easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You attempt a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “competition,” “cooperative,” “motivation,” “scholarship,” and “bonuses,” so the reader can identify the subject of the essay. However, the range is limited by several inaccurate or unnatural choices that sometimes make meaning difficult to interpret. For example, “in the battle of who achieve better” and “contention” do not express the intended idea naturally, while “debut for office” appears to be an unsuitable word for a work presentation. There are also spelling and word-form problems, such as “becaming” and “tedicious.” Aim for familiar, precise collocations rather than forcing uncommon vocabulary, and check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more complex sentence forms, including a contrastive opening and a reason clause beginning “Because.” However, complex structures are often faulty, and errors frequently make sentences difficult to understand. In “In battle of who achieve better also enables people,” the clause lacks a clear grammatical structure; “who achieve” also has incorrect agreement. In “working or learning in a team always pushes and motivate,” the verb forms do not agree, and the final sentence is incomplete. Articles and sentence boundaries also need attention, as in “a school or a office.” Practise building complete sentences with a clear subject and verb, checking agreement and articles, and proofreading punctuation before adding more complex clauses.

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