Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-08

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)

The Primary and secondary schools remain close for a couple of months in many countries during the summer holidays. While the longer school holidays are liked by number of students, I believe the shorter school holidays could be a better approach in order to keep the students in touch with the studies and at the same time organizing different events at the school instead of long off times from the premises.

At the young age, students like the perks of a long break from studies in the form of two months summer holidays. They believe that this break from studies enable them to relax. For instance in our school days, there were multiple exams scheduled throughout the term, we get so occupied in the studies that we barely got some time for ourselves and that long awaited break gave us relaxation.

I am in the favour of shorter holidays but they need to be planned in such a way, that the two months longer break should be replaced by mutiple events after short intervals in order to keep students in touch with studies as well as schools. For example schools can organize events like mango party during summers, where students can dress flexibily, have playcards and dress as per their interest. This will be a fun activity as well as a source of learning and attracting students to school in a fun way by minimizing the bigger offtime.

In conclusion, while I completely understand the students point of view of taking longer breaks after a hectic routine, I maintain my stance, that it should be planned in a fun way that student will stay less time out of school and have shorter holidays in general as compared to full two months out of the school.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You give a clear preference for shorter holidays and address the value of longer breaks by explaining that students need time to relax after demanding terms. The personal example about exams and having little time for themselves supports this point. However, the second part of the task—arguments in favour of shorter holidays—is less fully developed: the proposed school events are described, but you do not explain clearly how shorter breaks might benefit learning, routines, or students’ progress. The mango-party example is also quite narrow and does not establish why this approach would work broadly. Develop both sides with specific reasons and explain the likely effects of each.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two perspectives, and a conclusion that restates your position. Ideas generally follow a sensible order, and phrases such as “For instance” and “In conclusion” help signal examples and closure. Some connections are less clear or feel mechanical, particularly the long sentence beginning “I am in the favour of shorter holidays,” where several proposals and benefits are joined together. The conclusion also repeats the introduction rather than drawing the discussion together. Use clearer links between each reason and its explanation, and make references such as “it” and “that” more precise so readers can follow the argument without pausing.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “summer holidays,” “exams,” “relaxation,” and “learning.” There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “hectic routine” and “short intervals.” However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, including “remain close,” “liked by number of students,” “long off times,” and “bigger offtime.” Spelling and word-form errors such as “mutiple” and “flexibily” also reduce precision. These issues do not prevent the reader from understanding the overall message, but they make parts of it less natural. Aim for accurate, conventional phrases and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including a contrastive opening with “While” and a reason clause beginning “in order to.” The overall meaning is usually understandable, but errors in agreement, tense, articles, and sentence construction occur across the response. For example, “this break from studies enable them” needs subject–verb agreement, while “we get so occupied” shifts tense within a past-time example. The sentence beginning “For instance in our school days” also combines several clauses without clear control, and the final sentence has an unclear structure around “that student will stay less time.” Practise building shorter, accurate sentences first, then combine ideas using controlled subordinate clauses and consistent tense.

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