Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-16

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 6.0)

There is an ongoing contention about whether competition or cooperation at work, at school and in daily life is beneficial. Some individuals believe that competition ensures personal growth and motivation, whereas others argue that cooperation enhances teamwork and communication. This essay will discuss both perspectives before presenting my own opinion.

On the one hand, proponents of competition argue that it ensures individual growth and provides a sense of motivation. This is primarily because healthy competition at work, motivates them to put more effort in their tasks and it also helps them to tackle obstacles more efficiently. In addition, in school, a student will pour more efforts in studying to secure good marks and position. For instance, in corporates, if there is a healthy competition among departments for bonus or merit then they are bound to work hard for the rewards and as a result, they will grow as an individual and also company will also soar. However, extreme competition does have dismerits, as an individual can view competition as the primary thing and then they will put relations and empathy aside.

On the other hand, critics contend that cooperation enhances teamwork and communication. This view point is supported by the fact that they need to work as a team to acquire their goals. Moreover, cooperation at work and school help them know about others and promotes communication among themselves to complete their tasks. Additionally, some results cannot be produced alone but cooperation among different individuals makes that possible. For example, to create a vaccine, there needs to be a combined effort from scientists, engineers and doctors to tackle different problems that cannot be achieved alone. However, cooperation doesnot always ensure happy ending, an unstructured cooperation can result in the task not being completed with no gain.

In conclusion, while both views have their own merits, I believe that they shouldnot be considered as different subjects but should be seen as a single subject, as it is more practical and beneficial in the long run.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both sides of the question and give a clear overall view: competition can motivate people, while cooperation enables shared achievement, and you conclude that the two should work together. Relevant examples, such as departments competing for rewards and specialists collaborating to create a vaccine, support the discussion. However, some points are more fully explained than others. The benefits of competition are linked to effort and growth, but the claim that competition can damage relationships is only briefly noted. Likewise, the final opinion that competition and cooperation should be treated as one approach is not fully explained or illustrated. Develop these points further so the reasoning behind your position is clearer.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” makes the progression easy to follow, and examples are placed with the relevant arguments. This meets the lower-band expectations and shows some stronger control through clear paragraphing. However, connections between ideas can feel mechanical, particularly with repeated “Moreover,” “Additionally,” and “However.” Some references are also unclear: “they need to work as a team” does not identify who “they” refers to. Use a wider range of linking methods and make references explicit to improve flow.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “proponents,” “obstacles,” “enhances teamwork,” and “combined effort.” These choices help communicate both sides of the argument, and the meaning remains clear. You also attempt less common expressions, but some are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “ongoing contention,” “pour more efforts,” “dismerits,” and “happy ending.” There are also spelling or spacing issues in “view point,” “doesnot,” and “shouldnot.” Aim for more natural collocations and check word forms and spelling; this would make your vocabulary more precise without requiring unnecessarily complex wording.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “whereas,” “because,” and “as.” Most ideas are understandable, and the sentence structures allow you to compare views and explain causes. Some grammatical errors remain, however. In “healthy competition at work, motivates them,” the comma separates the subject from its verb; “cooperation at work and school help” needs subject–verb agreement (“helps”); and “a student will pour more efforts” has an article and plural-form problem. The sentence beginning “if there is a healthy competition” also contains an awkward shift from “there” to “they.” Review agreement, articles, and sentence punctuation, while continuing to use varied structures.

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