Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-10

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 6.0)

There is a trend of giving more than two months summer holiday in primary and secondary schools in many countries. This essay will discuss about the value of long school holidays and why the shorter school holidays is better than longer one.

First of all, long school holidays can be beneficial to students in various ways. During long school holiday students can have the chance to learn things that are out of their text books and learn things that will help them in the future. They can also focus on practical implications of their textbook. Futhermore, they could also get work experience in their interested fields and also earn money doing that work. Also, they could also focus on their hobbies more. So that is why long school holidays have their importance.

However, shorter school holidays can be much more beneficial in primary and secondary schools because during that time the students are not matured as they are in their teen ages. They will not have the idea of what to do in the holiday. Some children might end up just playing games all day in the home which will harm their brain and thinking capacities as they are on their maturing period. Some student might just stay in the home which will make them socially awkard due to low exposure to communication. Studies have also suggested that students tend to be more lazy after a long holiday. So instead of giving long holidays schools should focus on giving less holidays.

In conlusion, while there are advantages of long school holidays, the drawbacks far outweigh the advantages. Schools should focus on finishing the course fast and instead of giving them holidays they should focus on teaching them practical things beside the text book.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both questions and maintains a clear preference for shorter holidays, while acknowledging benefits of longer breaks. Relevant points include gaining work experience, developing hobbies, and the risk that some children may spend holidays playing games or have limited social contact. However, the value of long holidays is less fully explained: the claim that students can learn beyond textbooks and apply knowledge practically would benefit from a specific example or clearer explanation. The case for shorter holidays is more developed, but claims about children becoming socially awkward or lazy are broad and unsupported. To strengthen the response, explain how shorter breaks help learning—for example, by reducing the loss of knowledge between terms—and qualify generalisations about children.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two sides, and a conclusion. The contrast between the main body paragraphs is easy to follow, and signposts such as “First of all,” “However,” and “In conclusion” help readers track the argument. This organisation is effective, though some linking is mechanical and ideas within paragraphs are sometimes presented as a list, particularly the sequence of benefits beginning with “They can also” and “Furthermore.” The reference in “During long school holiday” is also not fully clear in number. For stronger progression, group related points and explain the connection between each claim and the main argument, rather than relying mainly on repeated additive transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas, and the response attempts some topic-related expressions, including “work experience,” “practical implications,” and “communication.” However, range and precision are limited, with repeated general words such as “things,” “focus,” and “holiday.” Several choices or collocations sound unnatural, including “maturing period,” “in the home,” and “finish the course fast”; spelling errors such as “Futhermore,” “awkard,” and “conlusion” are also noticeable. These do not prevent understanding, but they reduce accuracy and fluency. Build a more precise vocabulary for education and learning, and check spelling carefully. For example, describe “practical implications” more specifically as applying classroom knowledge in real situations.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses both simple sentences and some attempts at complex structures, such as “Some children might end up just playing games all day in the home which will harm their brain…” Communication remains clear overall, but there are some recurring grammatical errors. Examples include “This essay will discuss about” (the verb “discuss” does not take “about”), “the shorter school holidays is” (subject–verb agreement), and “Some student might” (plural agreement with “some”). Articles and number are also inconsistent in “During long school holiday” and “longer one.” To improve, check agreement and singular/plural forms, and practise combining clauses with accurate relative clauses and punctuation. Greater control of these patterns would make the argument smoother.

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