Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-05

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

In many countries, primary and secondary schools close for two months or more in the summer holidays.

What is the value of long school holidays?

What are the arguments in favour of shorter school holidays?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

It is a common knowledge that many primary and secondary schools remain close for two or more than two months in many countries due to summer vacations. While these long holidays give break and family time to students, but shorter holidays prevent them from wasting their time in meaningless activities.

In many countries due to summer vacations, junior and high schools close for two months. These vacations are helpful to give students some break from their hectic schedule, as many pupils get up early in the morning for school and come back late in evening, with less or no time spare for fun activities. Moreover, bonding with family members is also essential for the emotional development of students and these holidays provide enough time for family-related activities, which is lost due to hectic routine.

While these long holidays offer great benefits to the students but shorter school holidays are much better and should be take into consideration. The short holidays give students enough time to enjoy with their families as long holidays. Reference to a study, students who has less holidays but spent quality time with their families show better behaviour change as compared to the students who get more holidays because most of their time was wasted in meaningless activities which have no impact on the future and make the students idle.

In conclusion, long school holidays give students enough time to enjoy but it can also become harmful for students' future. While the shorter holidays are better solution for students' relaxation and behaviour dehaviour development along with fruitful progress.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions and present a discernible preference for shorter holidays, while recognising that longer breaks offer rest and family time. The discussion of long holidays is relevant, especially the point that students have little time for leisure during a busy school routine. However, the case for shorter holidays is less fully explained: the claim that students waste time on “meaningless activities” is broad, and the reference to a study gives no source or specific evidence. The conclusion repeats the comparison but does not develop the reasons further. To strengthen the response, explain more precisely how shorter breaks could support learning or routine, and balance this with the value of extended rest and family time.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph on the benefits of long holidays, a paragraph favouring shorter breaks, and a conclusion. This makes the main line of discussion easy to follow. Linking expressions such as “Moreover,” “While,” and “In conclusion” help signal relationships between ideas. However, some connections are awkward or unclear, particularly “While these long holidays offer great benefits to the students but shorter school holidays…” because the contrast is not smoothly constructed. The second body paragraph also moves quickly from family time to a study claim without clearly showing how the evidence supports the argument. Use more precise transitions and develop each paragraph around one clearly connected line of reasoning.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use a relevant range of vocabulary, including “hectic schedule,” “emotional development,” “bonding,” and “quality time,” which helps communicate the topic. Some expressions are also appropriately formal, such as “in conclusion.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive: “remain close” should be “remain closed,” “time spare” is unnatural, and “behaviour change” does not clearly express the intended idea. The repeated use of “holidays,” “students,” and “time” also limits variety. Aim for more precise topic vocabulary and check common word partnerships; for example, describe breaks as providing “time to recharge” and discuss “academic progress” rather than using broad phrases such as “fruitful progress.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “as,” “which,” and “because.” These allow you to explain reasons, and the overall meaning is generally understandable. However, errors occur in several sentence patterns and sometimes make the relationships between ideas harder to follow. For example, “While these long holidays offer great benefits … but” uses two contrasting structures together, and “students who has” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. Other examples include “should be take into consideration” and “students’ relaxation and behaviour … development,” where the verb form or sentence construction needs correction. Practise building accurate complex sentences and check agreement, articles, and verb forms during revision.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.