Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-15

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 5.5)

Many individuals think that rivalary at work place, school and in daily life is a better thing however some people belive that we should cooperate more, than building competition with each other. I belive that this is good at it is own place and we should not make this a habbit.

Few people say that competition is good but when they start this at a basic level, it might not be harmfull. In work or school, people think that when somebody gets a higher position, or in school if a student gets good marks we think about that and start competing with those people, but in reality it is not a good kind act because when we start doing this, we tend to loose our happiness and make ourselves behave in a different way. For instance, in work if a person is given a higher position, we think about that and try to compare ourselves with them and this makes the person loose his confidence and also hope, therefore this creates a negative impact on his well-being.

on the other hand, some people belive that we should cooperate more, I think that this a good way of supporting others and also this helps an individual to grow. In work or in daily life, when we try to cooperate with others, we can lead our life in a better way and also live healthy. For instance, when a student gets good marks and the other does not, but if a low scoring student is good at sports and the other is not, theyboth an help each other and grow ina better way.

In conclusion, competition is good at some extent, and working together also brings harmony and peace each other.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both sides of the question and give a personal view, particularly when you say cooperation helps people “support[] others” and grow. However, the position is not consistently clear: the opening says competition is good “at it is own place,” while the first body paragraph mainly argues that it harms confidence, and the conclusion says it is good “at some extent.” The discussion of competition is therefore less balanced and developed than the discussion of cooperation. Your examples—comparing oneself with a colleague promoted and students helping one another—are relevant, but their implications need fuller explanation. State clearly whether competition is beneficial in moderation, and explain when it motivates people versus when it becomes harmful.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Transitions such as “on the other hand” help signal the shift to cooperation, and the examples generally follow the points they illustrate. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow because several ideas are joined into long sentences, and the first body paragraph moves from competition to its effects without clearly distinguishing healthy competition from harmful comparison. Some linking is mechanical, with repeated “and also” and “For instance.” The conclusion is brief and does not fully resolve the contrast in your position. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each example explicitly to the argument it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “higher position,” “good marks,” “confidence,” “cooperate,” and “well-being.” However, the range is limited and some word choices or collocations are inaccurate, which can make meaning less clear. For example, “rivalary” is not the correct form, “a good kind act” does not naturally express your intended point, and “live healthy” is an awkward phrase. Spelling errors such as “belive,” “harmfull,” and “loose” are also noticeable. Aim for more precise expressions and check spelling carefully; for instance, distinguish “lose” from “loose” and use natural combinations such as “damage confidence” or “maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, including clauses with “when,” “if,” and “because,” so there is some variety. However, complex sentences are often faulty, and frequent errors sometimes make the relationships between ideas difficult to follow. Examples include “I belive that this is good at it is own place,” “when we start doing this,” and “theyboth an help each other,” where sentence construction, agreement, or punctuation needs attention. Capitalisation is also inconsistent, as “on the other hand” begins a paragraph in lowercase. Practise building shorter, accurate sentences first, then combine them with one clear subordinate clause. Check articles, pronouns, verb forms, and sentence boundaries during proofreading.

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