Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-12
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)
Some people argue that competition at work, at school and in everyday life is a good thing. While others believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other. This essay will discuss both views before explaining why I believe that we should cooperate with each other rather then competing.
On the one hand, some people argue that competition in daily life is good thing because they believe they are doing the best they could and no other person can do it the way they do it. This makes them superior in their own eyes and just because of jealousy they cannot see anyone grow. As a result, they become the villain.
On the other hand, some people believe that we should try to cooperate with others rather than competing where I absolutely agree because everyone has the right to participate in the things they want and should grow and mutually work with one another this helps in character development of an individual as he interacts with others and share his ideas both the people can be successful. Moreover, their ideas can coexist.
In conclusion, competition can be good in sense if a person do not intentionally wants the other to loose but he want his hard work to pay off. However, cooperating with each other can lead to a greater success.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 4.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.5
You state a clear preference for cooperation in the introduction and conclusion, and you attempt to discuss both sides. However, the response addresses the task only partially: the competition paragraph focuses on jealousy and feeling superior, rather than explaining positive reasons people value competition at work, school, or in daily life. The cooperation paragraph gives relevant points about participation, character development, and sharing ideas, but these are asserted briefly and lack a specific example or fuller explanation. The response is 203 words, below the required 250; 23 words copied from the task prompt were not counted. To strengthen the response, develop both views with balanced reasons and examples, and explain your position more fully.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay has a recognisable structure: an introduction, two body paragraphs signposted with “On the one hand” and “On the other hand,” and a conclusion. This makes the main direction easy to identify. However, progression within the paragraphs is uneven. The first body paragraph moves from competition to jealousy and then to “the villain” without clearly connecting these points to the benefits of competition. The second paragraph contains several ideas in one long sentence, so the relationship between participation, character development, and success is not always clear. Use separate sentences to develop each point, and make links between claims explicit. This would create a more consistent progression rather than relying mainly on paragraph-opening transitions.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.0
You use enough basic vocabulary to communicate the general contrast, including “cooperate,” “competing,” “character development,” and “coexist.” However, the range is limited and some choices are imprecise or awkward, which makes parts of the argument less clear. For example, “they become the villain” is an unclear and overly dramatic description of people who compete, while “a greater success” is not a natural expression in this context. There is also repetition of “people,” “others,” and “good.” Aim for more precise language about the benefits and drawbacks of competition, and use natural collocations. A broader set of topic-specific expressions would help you explain your ideas more accurately.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0
You attempt both simple and complex structures, including a contrast clause beginning “While others believe…” and a reason clause with “because.” However, control is inconsistent, and several errors make sentences difficult to follow. The opening “While others believe…” is a fragment because it is not joined to the preceding sentence. In the cooperation paragraph, “everyone has the right … and should grow” has an unclear subject relationship, and “both the people can be successful” is awkwardly structured. The conclusion also has agreement and verb-form problems in “a person do not … wants” and “he want.” Practise building complete sentences and checking subject–verb agreement, articles, and punctuation; clearer control of these patterns would make your ideas easier to understand.
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