Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-16
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 7.0)
In the modern era, international sports events are increasingly popular across the world. Some people advocate that sports events that are organized internationally are advantageous in bringing the countries together. However, others highlight that these events can create a sense of competition among countries. I strongly align with the viewpoint that major sporting events can unite different countries. This essay will discuss both sides and my perspective.
On the one hand, some people believe that sports events can bring different countries together. One main reason is that it offers the opportunity to meet and interact with several people with different backgrounds. By participating in and watching sports, people can learn about different cultures, traditions and lifestyles. Moreover, organizing such events can improve cooperation among nations, which is significant for organizing successful competitions. Thus, international sports can improve the mutual understanding and cooperation between countries.
On the other hand, others argue that sports events can foster a sense of rivalry rather than companionship. Firstly, the players are emotionally invested in their own team and want to represent their country internationally for their fans and the nation's dignity, which can create disagreements and conflicts within the team. Secondly, hosting major sports events can create financial competition between countries. The government spends a huge amount of money on stadiums, security, and infrastructure to compete for international recognition, which increases players' urge to win.
To recapitulate, although international sports events can create a competitive spirit and a financial burden rather than friendship, they also create opportunities to explore their traditions and lifestyles. In my opinion, setting up various sports events can bring nations together, increase mutual understanding, and cultural exchange between nations that makes their links stronger.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 7.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 6.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 7.0 |
| Overall | 7.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0
The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on international sports events—uniting nations versus creating competition—and clearly stating a personal opinion in the introduction and conclusion. The writer develops ideas reasonably well, such as explaining how international sports offer opportunities to interact with people from diverse backgrounds, and conversely, how national pride and financial investments can foster rivalry. The position is maintained clearly throughout the essay, meeting the Band 7 criteria where all parts of the prompt are addressed with a clear stance and extended ideas.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0
The essay displays a clear overall progression and logical organization. Information and ideas are presented coherently with appropriate paragraphing, dedicating distinct body paragraphs to each perspective followed by a concluding summary. Cohesive devices are utilized to connect ideas, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'Moreover', although some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Referencing is generally clear, and each paragraph maintains a distinct central topic, fitting the Band 7 requirements for logical organization and flexible use of cohesion.
Lexical Resource — Band 6.5
The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary suitable for the task, successfully attempting less common items such as 'mutually understanding', 'emotionally invested', and 'financial burden'. There are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'Some people advocate that' instead of 'Some people argue that', and 'setting up various sports events'. However, spelling and word-choice errors are rare and do not impede communication, placing the response comfortably at Band 6 with elements of Band 7 flexibility.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0
The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including relative clauses and subordinate clauses (e.g., 'By participating in and watching sports, people can learn about...'). There is a good degree of control over grammar and punctuation, and the majority of sentences are grammatically sound. While occasional minor slips occur, such as awkward phrasing in 'mutual understanding and cooperation between countries', they do not hinder understanding. This demonstrates the control and variety typical of a Band 7 performance.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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