Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 19 · 2026-10-20

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)

While some people consider that competition is beneficial at workplace, at educational institutions and in daily life, others argue that humans should try to cooperate more instead of competing against each other. I firmly believe that human co-operation is more essential than competition as co-operation fosters development, whereas fierce competition hinders real progress; though healthy competition can be useful in some cases.

On the one hand, co-operation is the root of human development regardless of the places. Since the inception of mankind, we have always relied on each other for development. At a workplace, if a certain someone only does his own job without helping others when required, that person will not get assistance when he will require it. If an organization is full of employees who only think of working alone instead of helping others, that company will not perform well overall. Co-operation between school friends can help them in studies. At school, kids get to learn about new aspects of life by sharing their own experiences and comparing with others. If pupils are encouraged in fierce competition instead of harmony in a school, they will lack both creativity and compassion. The role of co-operation is even more significant in our daily life. We,humans, live in a society where we cannot stay alone without any help from friends or neighbours. Co-operating each other in hard times can certainly make our lives smoother and easier.

On the other hand, healthy competition can bring fruitful outcomes. An employee should always keep his cooperative mind open, but he should also compare his performance with other employees so that he does not lag behind in his job. Healthy competition in sports will incite better performances from all the teams. A healthy competition among two school friends will help both of them to get good grades. You should always help your school buddy if he cannot comprehend a specific subject; however, you should also study hard so that you may get the superior grade. A healthy competition among friends enhances performances from all.

In conclusion, I believe that positive outcomes will follow in every sector of life if we possess a co-operative and helpful outlook instead of fierce rivalry, though healthy competition is important too in certain ways.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both views and state a clear position: cooperation is more essential, although healthy competition has a role. The workplace, school and daily-life examples keep the discussion relevant, and the contrast between “fierce competition” and “healthy competition” gives your argument a useful distinction. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained. For example, the claim that pupils exposed to fierce competition “will lack both creativity and compassion” would be stronger with an explanation or a specific illustration. The competition paragraph also relies mainly on brief examples, such as comparing grades, rather than developing the wider benefits or possible limits of competition. More balanced explanation and support for these ideas would make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for cooperation and competition, and a conclusion that restates your view. “On the one hand” and “On the other hand” make the two perspectives easy to follow, while the examples generally appear in a sensible order. Some linking and reference are less controlled, however. The repeated use of “healthy competition” and “co-operation” makes parts of the second body paragraph feel repetitive, and “A healthy competition among friends enhances performances from all” repeats an earlier point rather than advancing the discussion. The transition from school cooperation to daily life is also abrupt. Use a wider range of links and make each example build on the previous point to strengthen progression.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “fosters development,” “fierce rivalry,” “compassion,” and “fruitful outcomes.” These choices help express the contrast between cooperation and competition, and the meaning remains clear. There are also some inaccurate or unnatural collocations and word choices, such as “at workplace,” “the root of human development regardless of the places,” and “incite better performances.” “Co-operating each other” is another awkward expression, while “performances” is repeated in the final body paragraph. Aim for more natural academic combinations and greater precision, for example by using “in the workplace,” “regardless of the setting,” and “encourage better performance.” This would make the vocabulary more fluent and flexible.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex structures, including conditional sentences such as “If an organization is full of employees…” and a concession in the introduction beginning “though healthy competition…”. Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors and punctuation slips persist. In “when he will require it,” the future form is not appropriate after “when”; use “when he requires it.” The sentence “We,humans, live in a society” needs spaces and more natural punctuation around “humans.” There are also article and number-pattern issues in phrases such as “at workplace” and “a healthy competition.” Review articles, conditional/time clauses, and punctuation, while continuing to use varied sentence structures. More consistent accuracy across these structures would improve control.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.