Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-19

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 6.0)

Sports at an international level can bring different countries together or act as a rivalry to each other. According to some people it is believed that international sports events can create rage amongst the opposing team players whereas others think that it is a good way to unite countries across the world. I would like to discuss both views in the following paragraphs.

Sports events can play a good role in teaching respect for sports and players of opposing teams. It helps in understanding that a sport is played with an aim to win the game and not with an aim to defeat the opposition. While playing a sport one can learn many values like respecting different cultures and ethnicities despite political tensions amongst the two. For example, in any match of cricket, the players shake hands with each other after playing the match which reflects respect for the other player. In addition to this, citizens unite in the stadium to support their team.

On the other hand, this can be contrary for some people. Many people see the opposing team as rivals which they want to defeat and win. In some countries, due to political tensions, the audience of one team hates the other team which also creates many fights in the stadium. For example, during India vs Pakistan cricket match there has been so many cases of fights amongst the people of both the countries. This creates a hostile environment and have a cold war with each other by teasing them. Furthermore, in many events, one player comments badly to the other player just to humiliate the other and cause a scene. This also ignites rage amongst the citizens of the countries.

In conclusion, I believe that sports should be played with discipline of behavior and respect towards the opposing team and this would be helpful in setting standards for future players.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both views and give a clear personal position in the conclusion: international sport can unite people when players and supporters show respect. The two body paragraphs also present relevant reasons, including shared support in stadiums and hostility linked to political tensions, with the India–Pakistan example. This meets the task, but the views are not developed equally in depth. The unifying side relies mainly on handshakes and spectators supporting their team, while the opposing view has several consequences but little explanation of how competition itself may undermine friendship between countries. The conclusion restates your principle rather than weighing the two views. Develop each argument with a fuller explanation and make your judgement about the overall effect more explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each view, and a conclusion. The progression from the benefits of sport to its potential for conflict is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help orient the reader. This is a strong foundation, with some effective linking within paragraphs, including “For example” and “Furthermore.” To make the organisation more flexible and cohesive, avoid relying on formulaic transitions and ensure each sentence connects clearly to the argument. For instance, “This creates a hostile environment and have a cold war” does not clearly link its ideas, and the reference in “This also ignites rage” could be more precise. Use clearer referencing and explain how each example supports the paragraph’s main point.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “political tensions,” “opposing team,” “hostile environment,” and “humiliate,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts to express more specific ideas about respect and rivalry. However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which limits precision: “create rage amongst the opposing team players,” “act as a rivalry,” and “have a cold war with each other” do not sound natural in this context. “Sports events can play a good role” is also vague. Aim for more precise, conventional phrasing and avoid repeating broad terms such as “people” and “countries.” More accurate collocations would make your arguments sound clearer and more controlled.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use both simple and more complex sentence forms, including clauses beginning with “While” and “which,” and most of the message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors occur, particularly with agreement and sentence construction. For example, “This creates a hostile environment and have a cold war” shifts from singular “This” to the plural verb “have”; “there has been so many cases” has a mismatch between “has” and “cases”; and “the audience … hates” is awkwardly constructed for the intended general meaning. The opening sentence also has an unclear structure around “According to some people it is believed.” Work on subject–verb agreement, sentence boundaries, and building direct, complete clauses. Greater accuracy in these areas would make your complex sentences more reliable.

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