Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-17

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)

International sports events such as the Olympics or the Football World Cup are often criticized over whether they create competition or build strong ties among countries. In my view, there is definitely competition during these events, but they also bring people closer together, including both players and audiences. In this essay, I will discuss how people can develop friendships through these events and why they are also criticized for creating competition.

At international sports events, players as well as audiences can become friends. This is particularly true because, although there is always competition among countries, it often ends in friendship, such as by connecting with each other on social media. At the end of a competition, players demonstrate respect towards each other by shaking hands, showing that everyone is a winner in some way. In addition to this, there is an exchange of skills, strengths and weaknesses, which helps participants learn from each other for future competitions. Therefore, genuine friendships can help eliminate the boundaries between different cultures at international sports events.

On the other hand, some events can create hatred during the competition and often result in tension between countries. This is because all participants take part in order to win and show the opposing countries as losers through the international media when they announce the winner. By doing this, they can spread hatred between each other, which can sometimes affect international relations and businesses. For example, India and Pakistan sometimes show their true intentions after a game and upload hateful comments on social media about the competition.

To conclude, it is true that some people consider international sports events a way to create closeness among countries, while others think that these events exist only for competition. According to me, these events are not only organized for countries to compete with each other, but they also bring people closer together and help build strong ties among nations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response successfully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views—that international sports events bring countries together and that they create competition and friction—while also clearly stating the writer's own opinion in the introduction and conclusion. Ideas are adequately extended and supported, such as when the student explains how players demonstrate respect or how nations might clash on social media, exemplified by mentioning India and Pakistan. The position remains clear throughout the essay. However, some arguments, like the brief mention of businesses and international relations, remain slightly underdeveloped and could benefit from further elaboration. Overall, the task is well handled, fitting comfortably within the Band 7 criteria for task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay presents a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct and clear purpose, starting with an introduction that outlines the essay structure, followed by body paragraphs dedicated to each opposing view, and a neat concluding summary. Cohesive devices are used reasonably well, such as 'In addition to this,' 'On the other hand,' and 'To conclude,' though some transitions feel slightly formulaic. Paragraphing is used appropriately, separating the distinct ideas effectively. Referencing is generally clear, and the overall progression guides the reader smoothly from the introduction to the final verdict, supporting a solid Band 7 performance.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate and sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-specific terms such as 'international relations,' 'social media,' 'exchange of skills,' and 'opposing countries.' There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, but word choices occasionally lack precision, such as 'show their true intentions' or 'create hatred,' which sound slightly unnatural in this academic or formal context. Spelling and word-choice errors are minimal and do not impede communication at all. The control of lexis is characteristic of a Band 6.5 to 7.0, leaning towards a secure Band 6.0 due to the occasional slight awkwardness in phrasing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional or subordinate clauses like 'This is particularly true because, although there is always competition among countries, it often ends in friendship...' The majority of basic sentences are accurate, and punctuation is handled competently. There are occasional awkward grammatical patterns or minor inaccuracies, such as 'criticized over whether' instead of 'criticized for whether' or 'According to me' instead of 'In my opinion,' but these errors do not impede communication. The control over grammar is fairly consistent, matching the descriptors for Band 7 well.

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