Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

In some other countries, people believe that long school holidays are crucial for mental health and personal growth while shorter holidays may prevent academic regression and lack of interest as well as for working families. I believe both holidays gives break for students and teachers for recreation.

One of the main reasons to support the long holidays for primary and secondary schools is that it is beneficial for mental health, relieving stress and for extra-curicular activities. Long holidays in schools gives a break to students and teachers. So that, they may have time for leisure activities such as students can spend their hoildays for sports and and some other activities. These activities may allows them to learn about social skills and to take part in differenent physical activities. To relieve stress,teachers may go for adventure in hilly areas and spend time with their loved ones to relieve stress and for good mental health.

On the other hand, for shorter holidays may prevent academic strain lack of interest for students and teachers as well as for working families. Shorter holidays. Shorter holidays may support students for their academic progress. It also prevent the lack of interest in their studies. For example, shorter holidays help students to retrieve their lessons to solve their problems in maths or in other subject because of the lowest gap in their studies. Shorter holidays are also crucial for teachers to interact with their daily tasks and daily assesment tasks.

In conclusion, I believe that both hoilidays are important for both students and teachers but there should be a balance between their daily routine, academic, their learning and their social activities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions by explaining that long breaks can support mental health and extracurricular activities, while shorter breaks may help students retain learning and support working families. Your position that both types of holiday have value is clear in the introduction and conclusion. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the point about working families is mentioned but not explained, and the benefits of long holidays rely mainly on general claims rather than a specific example. The argument about shorter holidays would be clearer if you explained how a shorter break helps students maintain progress without reducing their opportunity to rest. Develop each main point with a reason and a relevant example.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two sides, and a conclusion. Phrases such as “On the other hand” and “In conclusion” help signal the direction of the discussion. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes disrupted by repetition and incomplete transitions. “Shorter holidays” is repeated in consecutive sentences, including the fragment “Shorter holidays.”, and “So that” does not connect smoothly to the preceding sentence. Some links between ideas are also unclear, particularly the shift from students’ activities to teachers’ holidays. Organise each body paragraph around one clear main idea, then explain and illustrate it in sequence, using linking phrases only where they clarify the relationship.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “mental health,” “academic progress,” “social skills,” and “leisure activities,” so the reader can follow the main ideas. There are also attempts at more specific expressions, such as “academic regression.” However, the range is limited and several word choices or collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, which sometimes makes the meaning less natural. For example, “academic strain” does not clearly express the intended concern about losing progress, and “interact with their daily tasks” is an awkward description of teachers’ work. Spelling errors such as “hoildays,” “differenent,” and “assesment” also reduce accuracy. Aim for precise, natural phrases and proofread spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a sentence beginning “while shorter holidays may prevent…” and explanations introduced by “because.” However, the range is limited, and errors occur frequently enough to make some sentences difficult to follow. Examples include “both holidays gives” instead of a plural verb, “Long holidays in schools gives,” and “These activities may allows.” Sentence boundaries are also problematic: “So that, they may have time…” is not a complete sentence, and “Shorter holidays.” is a fragment. There are also issues with articles and punctuation, as in “for good mental health” and “stress,teachers.” Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and build complete sentences before adding more complex clauses.

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