Some people think that competition at work, at school and in daily life is a good thing. Others believe that we should try to cooperate more, rather than competing against each other.

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.

It is often argued that a sense of competition in life, education, and career is beneficial, while others believe cooperation should be encouraged. In my opinion, the latter is better, as it leads to higher efficiency and success.

Competition in different aspects of life can help individuals to improve themselves. It begins with education, where people dedicate years of their lives to becoming experts in their chosen fields. When they reach working age, they realize that in a world where all brands compete for consumer attention, companies tend to hire people who excel beyond their peers to achieve corporate goals. These individuals then strive to enhance their skills to secure promotions, gaining career prestige. Ultimately, this relentless effort is believed to bring various types of comfort, from financial stability to a respected position in society.

However, the benefits of a competitive spirit come at dire costs. For example, when children are taught to surpass their peers in all educational aspects, they may overlook the unique talents each person possesses, exhausting themselves and missing friendship opportunities. Instead of focusing solely on individual achievements, training people to recognize each other’s strengths can facilitate breaking large projects into manageable tasks. This approach not only creates lasting bonds among team members but also contributes to faster task completion at school and the workplace. Implementing such an attitude at home also leads to more open communication among family members and prevents conflicts caused by misunderstandings, eventually resulting in a happier life. 

In conclusion, although some argue that promoting competitiveness leads to personal rewards in all life aspects, I firmly believe that nurturing individual talents and combining complementary skills results in collective benefits more quickly, ultimately benefiting everyone involved.

Source of the task: Cambridge IELTS book number 19

Sample Written by: ESL Fluency