Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

People have different opinions that either competing with others is fair thing or they should cooperate with them. While there are good arguments on both sides, I personally believe that we should cooperate with each other because this is highly beneficial for society. However, this essay will explain both perspectives.

On the one hand, many people argue in favor of that we should compete with others. They hold this view because competition provides you motivation to do hardwork. As a result, you may get success either in your school or at a workplace. For example, when two persons are working at same place, they are in competition with each other to get promotion before the other. This gives them motivation and will to do hardwork more and more. Because of this, it is easy to see why some people support this perspective.

On the other hand, there are strong reasons to support that everyone should try to cooperate with others. The biggest argument they provide is, this provides opportunity to connect with others, do collaborative work and get success together. An illustration of this can be seen in corporate sectors, where collaboration is their core values and people are performing well there alongside others.

In my opinion, even though both sides have valid points, I side with the view that we may try to cooperate with others. This is because, in the long run, this approach leads to much better results for society.

In conclusion, although there are fair arguments for competition, I am convinced that cooperation is a more beneficial choice because we may do better together than individually.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both views and state a consistent preference for cooperation, so the response is relevant to the task. The competition paragraph gives a reason—motivation—and a workplace example involving promotion. However, this point is only briefly developed, and the cooperation argument relies mainly on broad claims about connection and corporate performance. The explanation that cooperation benefits society “in the long run” is repeated in the conclusion rather than supported with a specific consequence or example. To strengthen the response, explain more fully how competition and cooperation affect people, and add a concrete example for cooperation. This would make the discussion more balanced and the position better supported.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, your opinion, and a conclusion. The progression is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers navigate the argument. The central position—that cooperation is preferable—is also repeated consistently. Some linking is a little formulaic, particularly “Because of this” and “This is because,” and the opinion paragraph largely restates the introduction and conclusion instead of advancing the discussion. Improve progression by linking each reason directly to its consequence and using pronouns or other references carefully to avoid repeated phrasing. Overall, the organisation is clear and cohesive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, with relevant terms such as “competition,” “cooperate,” “collaborative work,” and “promotion.” However, the range is limited and several expressions are imprecise or unnatural, including “fair thing,” “get success,” and “do hardwork.” “Corporate sectors” and “core values” are also used broadly, without much precision about the example. These choices do not prevent understanding, but they make the argument sound repetitive and less fluent. Build a more precise range for discussing outcomes and workplace relationships, and learn common collocations as complete phrases. For example, use “achieve success” and “work hard,” and describe a specific benefit of collaboration rather than relying on general claims.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a concessive opening (“While there are good arguments on both sides”) and a relative clause (“where collaboration is their core values”). Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and errors rarely obstruct understanding. Some grammatical problems remain: “either competing with others is fair thing” needs a more complete construction and an article, while “at same place” also needs an article. In “The biggest argument they provide is, this provides opportunity,” the punctuation incorrectly separates the clause, and “provides” is repeated. There are also awkward shifts in modal and tense choices, such as “may get success” followed by “will to do.” Practise accurate articles, clause boundaries, and consistent verb patterns while retaining your complex sentences.

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