Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-13

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)

In many nations, Primary and secondary schools are closed for two or more months during summer vacations. Some people argue that holidays should be short while some argue that they should be shorter. The longer holidays provide advantages like better rest and time for other activities. whereas the shorter holidays gives advantages like less learning loss and easier childcare.

The advocates shorter holidays says that it provides less learning loss. In addition, vacation for longer durations can affect a students academic but shorter durations can create less academic gaps which helps children to score more. Secondly, it makes childcare easier. Moreover, during shorter vacation parents does not have to spent more money in summer camp activities which could save a lot money and can be helpful in future.

Whereas the defenders of long holiday provide advantages like better rest. Moreover, students are also human and they require rest rather than studying all years long. Therefore long holidays are really necessary to provide better rest to the students. For instance, a study of the France suggests that students with better rest have better learning and memory power compare to students with less or zero rest. Secondarily, it provides children's time for other activity besides academic such as swimming, wall climbing, cycling and all. Children with legal age can also do a part time job can which can help their families and support their needs. For example, students in the united states does a pert time job at different types of stores to pay up their tuition fees.

In conclusion, although there are advantages of shorter vacations such as less learning loss and easier childcare long holidays also have better and justified advantages like better rest and time for other activities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both questions and present a balanced response: shorter holidays are linked to reduced learning loss and easier childcare, while longer breaks are said to offer rest and time for non-academic activities. The examples about summer camps, swimming and part-time work help make the discussion relevant. Your conclusion also restates the comparison. This meets the task well, and the explanation of rest is supported with a reason and an example. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained: for instance, the claim that shorter breaks help children “score more” needs a clearer link to how learning loss affects achievement. The childcare point could also be developed beyond saving money on camps. More precise support and fuller development of these ideas would make the response more consistently convincing.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two positions, and a conclusion. The reader can follow the main contrast, and signposts such as “In addition,” “Secondly,” and “For instance” help identify supporting points. However, some linking is mechanical or awkward: “Whereas the defenders of long holiday” begins a paragraph as a fragment-like contrast, and “Secondarily” is an unnatural transition. The order of the two sides is understandable, but the relationship between some claims and examples could be made clearer, particularly the move from rest to memory and then to other activities. Use fewer formulaic connectors and make each paragraph’s progression more explicit through clear topic sentences and references.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic vocabulary to discuss the issue, including “learning loss,” “academic gaps,” “childcare,” “summer camp activities,” and “part time job.” These choices make the main ideas clear, and there are attempts at more specific language. However, several word choices and collocations are inaccurate or repetitive, which limits precision: “the advocates shorter holidays,” “better and justified advantages,” and “time for other activity besides academic” do not sound natural. There are also spelling and form errors, such as “pert time” and “all years long.” Aim to learn common word partnerships and use more precise terms—for example, “advocates of shorter breaks,” “benefits,” and “extracurricular activities.” This would make the vocabulary more controlled and appropriate to an academic discussion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including clauses with “although,” “which,” and “rather than,” and the overall meaning is generally understandable. Some sentence patterns are effective, such as “although there are advantages of shorter vacations…” in the conclusion. However, there are several errors in agreement, articles, verb forms and sentence construction. Examples include “shorter holidays gives,” “parents does not have to spent,” and “students in the united states does.” The opening also has a punctuation problem in “activities. whereas,” and “Children with legal age can also do a part time job can” contains an extra verb and an unclear structure. Review subject–verb agreement and verb patterns, and proofread sentence boundaries. Greater accuracy across these structures would strengthen the response.

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