Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-10

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 6.5)

In the contemporary era, it is often noticed by individuals that to bring different nations together hosting global sporting tournaments like The Olympics or the Football World Cup is the best way, while others opine that such international events can create disputes between countries rather than bringing close to each other. In my opinion, while competition is inevitable, these events ultimately serve as a powerful tool for global unity.

To begin with, there are several reasons why organising a sports event can be beneficial. The primary reason is that it provides the opportunity to learn about different cultures. This is because athletes, and spectators meet together in another country, where they experience various varieties of food, cultures, and traditions. This can help to reduce the stereotypes about each other and create a mutual understanding. For example, during the Olympics, people from dozens of countries live and interact in the same environment. This gives them an opportunity to learn about other cultures beyond what they see in the media.

However, international sports events can create rivalry between nations. Athletes compete to win medals or trophies for their countries. National pride can make supporters extremely competitive; therefore, losing can sometimes lead to hostility between rival groups. For instance, football World Cup matches between traditional rivals can create intense emotions among fans, and sometimes this competition can lead to arguments or conflict. As a result, it will create competition between nations instead of friendship.

In conclusion, although international sporting events can create strong competition between countries, I believe they are more beneficial in bringing nations together by encouraging cultural exchange and mutual understanding.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both perspectives and providing a clear personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The ideas are relevant and supported with examples, such as the mention of cultural exchange during the Olympics and the potential for rivalry in football. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, the development of the 'competition' argument could be slightly more nuanced, perhaps by exploring how these events can be used for political posturing rather than just fan-based conflict. Overall, the response is well-focused and meets the requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, such as 'To begin with, there are several reasons...' and 'However, international sports events can create rivalry...'. Cohesive devices like 'The primary reason', 'For example', and 'As a result' are used appropriately to guide the reader. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the two opposing viewpoints. The structure is coherent and demonstrates a good command of organizational features.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is sufficient and generally appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'contemporary era', 'mutual understanding', and 'traditional rivals' show a good level of control. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'various varieties of food', which is redundant, and 'bringing close to each other', which lacks an object. However, these do not impede communication. To improve, the student should aim for more precise collocations and a slightly wider range of academic vocabulary to demonstrate more flexibility in expressing complex ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and complex sentences are generally accurate, such as 'In my opinion, while competition is inevitable, these events ultimately serve as a powerful tool for global unity.' There are occasional minor errors, such as 'athletes, and spectators meet together' (unnecessary comma) and 'it will create competition' (tense consistency). Despite these, the majority of sentences are error-free, and the errors present do not cause any difficulty for the reader. The punctuation is generally sound throughout the text.

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