Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-11-13

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

Some people believe that international sports events, such as The Olympics or the Football World Cup, are a good way to bring countries together. Others say that these events create competition, not friendship, between countries.

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)

International sports event like the Olympics and football world cup are very popular around the world. Some people think this events help brings countries together. While others believe that these events only create competition between countries. In my opinion these events have both positive and negative effects but they can bring countries together.

On the other hand many people say international sports rivalry not friendship. This is because each country wants to win gold or the world cup trophy. Athletes train very hard to win a medal for their country. And sometimes this competition can cause problems. For example fans are fighting in the stadium and countries are arguing about the results. Also some countries spend a lot of money to build better stadiums just to show they are better than other countries.

On the other hand other people believe that sports events are a good way to bring countries together. During the Olympics athletes from different countries live in the same village and eat together. They can talk to each other and learn different cultures. For example in 2018 winter Olympics two rival countries north korea and south korea played together as one team. This was a very vital moment for peace. Also millions of people watch these events on tv and very excited to cheer their home team in the events even if they are from different countries.

In conclusion although international sport events can cause competition. I believe they are mostly good for bringing people and countries together. Sports help people to understand each other and share their cultures together.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and give a clear opinion: you acknowledge that events can create rivalry, but conclude that they are mostly beneficial for bringing people together. Relevant examples, including athletes sharing an Olympic village and the joint Korean team in 2018, support your position. The discussion of competition is also relevant, with examples of fans fighting and countries disputing results. However, some points are less fully explained: the claim that stadium spending is intended to prove superiority needs clearer development, and the Korean example is described as a “vital moment for peace” without explaining its wider significance. Develop each example with a little more explanation to make the argument more convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. The ideas within each paragraph are generally related, and examples help the reader follow the discussion. However, progression is weakened by using “On the other hand” to begin both body paragraphs, even though the second introduces the opposing view rather than a contrast with the immediately preceding point. Some links are also mechanical, and the sentence beginning “And sometimes this competition…” is awkwardly attached to the previous idea. Use a wider range of accurate transitions and make the relationship between each example and its main point explicit. This would make the overall progression clearer and cohesion less repetitive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “rivalry,” “athletes,” “medal,” “cultures,” and “competition.” Some choices are effective, such as “rival countries,” and the examples are easy to understand. However, vocabulary is often repetitive or imprecise: “events,” “countries,” and “together” recur frequently, while “very vital moment” is an unnatural combination. There are also word-form and spelling issues, such as “sport events” and “football world cup,” which reduce accuracy and polish. Aim for more precise alternatives and natural collocations, such as “international sporting events,” “foster cooperation,” or “a significant moment for peace.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex forms, including a contrast clause in “although international sport events can cause competition” and a relative clause in “Athletes train very hard to win a medal for their country.” The main meaning is generally clear, but some errors in sentence structure, agreement, articles, and punctuation remain. For example, “Some people think this events help brings” has problems with the demonstrative and verb form, while “In conclusion although…” needs punctuation and a complete clause structure. “And sometimes this competition can cause problems” is also an awkward sentence opening. Review subject–verb agreement, article use, and how to punctuate introductory clauses; then check that each sentence is grammatically complete.

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