Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-09-29
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)
A number of people believe that international sports organizations, such as the Olympics or the Football World Cup, are a better medium to bring nations together. Others think that these events create competition, not friendship, between countries. I have to discuss both issues.
On the one hand, many people believe that this type of event is necessary for making friendships among the countries, as it is an international event that is not limited to two or three countries overall; it is a meeting place for different cultures and traditions, and also offers the chance to learn about the world. Like in the Olympics, there are 32 sports and 329 events, and almost 206 countries participate. Thus, it is a great event that develops countries' closeness.
On the other hand, some individuals say that it does not build friendship but creates competition because this type of sport often creates excitement among teenagers. As a result, they divide themself and make their own sporting team. If they fail to win the match, they take it personally. I think that, though there are several contradictions, this international match is mandatory for bringing the nation together. Despite being a competition, it is a good way to express a country to another. Also, this is a platform where a country can show its people's talent, and its individuals get benefits, which also improve a country's economic conditions. Like in the football World Cup, the organizer and the host country both work together, which ultimately brings these countries wellbeing
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5
The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both views on international sports events—whether they foster unity or create competition—and providing a personal opinion in the conclusion. The ideas presented, such as cultural exchange and economic benefits, are relevant, though they are somewhat general and lack deeper development. For instance, the mention of teenagers dividing themselves lacks sufficient explanation or evidence to fully support the competitive aspect. Nevertheless, a clear position is maintained throughout the essay. The response meets the minimum word count requirement of 250 words and explores the prompt adequately, aligning best with a Band 6.0 descriptor.
Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5
The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs addressing opposing views, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used to separate distinct ideas, such as the benefits of sports versus the competitive drawbacks. However, logical progression is occasionally disrupted by mechanical or faulty cohesive devices. Phrases like 'On the one hand' and 'On the other hand' are correctly introduced, but internal referencing and transitions between sentences can feel abrupt, such as the sudden shift to economic conditions at the end of the final paragraph. Overall, the organizational structure is functional but lacks smooth transitions, fitting the Band 6.0 criteria.
Lexical Resource: Band 5.5
The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, successfully communicating the main points. The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'contradictions', 'mandatory', and 'economic conditions', but inaccuracies in word choice and collocation appear, as seen in 'better medium to bring nations together' or 'express a country to another'. Spelling is generally accurate, though minor grammatical-lexical slips occur, such as 'themself' instead of 'themselves'. The range of vocabulary is sufficient to allow some flexibility, but precision is lacking at times, making Band 6.0 an appropriate score for this criterion.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5
The writer employs a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating an ability to construct multi-clause sentences, such as 'I think that, though there are several contradictions, this international match is mandatory for bringing the nation together.' However, there are noticeable grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('this international match is mandatory for bringing the nation together' where 'nations' is more appropriate) and pronoun errors ('divide themself'). Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while these errors do not impede overall communication, their frequency prevents the essay from reaching a higher band, placing it firmly at Band 6.0.
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