Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 21 · 2026-10-25

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)

Sports play a substantial role for any country. Opinions are divided that, whether the games become helpful for the unity of countries, while some people believe that, such kind of activities become the reason of controversies among nations. I think, it depends on the conditions, such as, Olympics are useful when all play together for their success. And sometimes games can cause critical situations between different states.

On the one hand, international sports events are a good way to bring countries together, as all the players come from diverse areas, from all over the world. They spend many days with each other, and as a result, it develops great bonding. In addition, it strengthens the international relations, and have a chance to visit their neighboring countries, it boosts the economy and resolve the economic crisis. For instance, if a country's players feel safer in a country during their stay, it has a positive impact and increase the chances of investment over there.

On the other hand, international sports can create competition between countries. When some states have personal issues with each other then, they play the games according to them and this will lead to non-friendship behavior in them. Moreover, players feel uncomfortable and don't want to stay there for longer durations.

In conclusion, I believe that, international games are beneficial for all countries in the globe, because it bring them together and have advantages for the economy of the state. Disadvantages are also present because, sometimes, these games cause severe issues in the nations.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

You discuss both views and give a personal position, saying international games can unite countries but may also cause serious problems. The first body paragraph explains how athletes build bonds, while the second mentions tensions between states, so the response is relevant. However, the ideas are limited and not fully developed: the claim that events “resolve the economic crisis” is unclear, and the example about players feeling safe is not explained in enough detail. Your conclusion repeats the main position rather than adding support. The response is 247 words, three words below the 250-word minimum; the eight words copied from the prompt are excluded from the count. Develop each view with a clearer, specific example and ensure the response meets the required length.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two views, and a conclusion. The signposts “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes weakened by unclear links between ideas. For example, the sentence about international relations shifts abruptly to visiting neighboring countries and then to economic benefits, without showing how these points connect. Some linking phrases also feel mechanical, and the final paragraph largely repeats the introduction. To improve, organise each body paragraph around one main claim, explain it, and then give a directly relevant example. Use pronouns and linking expressions only where their references and logical relationships are clear.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of topic vocabulary, including “international sports events,” “unity,” “controversies,” “international relations,” and “investment.” These choices make the subject clear, and some less common terms show an attempt to express more than basic ideas. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “non-friendship behavior,” “play the games according to them,” and “great bonding.” “Resolve the economic crisis” is also too strong and imprecise for the point being made. These expressions sometimes make the intended meaning less clear. Aim for natural combinations and precise wording, such as describing athletes as “building friendships” or countries as “competing intensely.” Check that each chosen phrase conveys the relationship you intend.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “as,” “when,” and “because,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, the range is limited by repeated sentence patterns, and complex sentences often contain errors. For example, “it strengthens the international relations, and have a chance to visit” has a subject–verb agreement problem and an unclear subject; “it bring them together” also needs agreement. Punctuation is sometimes misplaced, as in “I think, it depends” and “because, sometimes.” There are also awkwardly joined clauses, particularly in the sentence about international relations and economic benefits. Practise building accurate compound and subordinate clauses, checking that each verb matches its subject and that commas separate ideas appropriately.

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