Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-14

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 most of the countries students in primary and secondary schools have summer vacations for two months or more. This two months break is given to the students because of the extreme heat sustained during those periods. In India, students recieve two months vacation due to harsh climatic conditions during the month of april and may. In the afternoons temperautre reach upto 45 degrees, and students are are not acclemetized to these condition; due to which they can fall ill. Hence it is adviced to stay home or be in cooler temperature during these hours.

The long school holidays also give them a break from academic learning, and give them a chance to explore their hobbies or passion. Students learn new skills, join different classes, such as learning how to bake a cake, to take a pottery lesson, or just play games with their friends helps them in their overall development. As mentioned by multiple scholars, students learn many things by "hands on experience" rather than just academic learning.

Although students get ample amount of time to explore new hobbies, they are losing lot of time which can be utilized efficiently, if it is planned smartly. If the temperature are not suitable during the summer break we can keep a half day school, which will reduce the risk of students getting in the harsh environments but will keep learning new things everyday in their school. By this, we can ensure students also get a break from their academics as well as they don't have too much work load on their hands. So if we keep an half day for 1 or 2 months during the summer break, this will ensure students loose their grip on the concept they learnt earlier, but will recieve free time to explore new things as well.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both questions: it explains the value of a long break through relief from extreme heat and opportunities to develop interests, then argues for shorter holidays by suggesting half-day schooling. The examples from India make the climate point concrete, and the reference to practical learning supports the benefits of time away from lessons. However, the case for shorter holidays is less fully developed: the claim that students lose time and may lose their grip on concepts is asserted rather than explained or supported with an example. The proposed half-day arrangement also needs clearer justification as a solution. Develop this side with a specific benefit, such as maintaining learning continuity, and explain how it can coexist with rest and enrichment activities.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay has a coherent overall arrangement: it moves from the reasons for long holidays, to their developmental value, and then to the case for a shorter break. Paragraphing helps distinguish these points, and links such as “Although” and “Hence” show the intended relationships. Some connections are less clear or mechanical, however. The final paragraph shifts from the drawbacks of long holidays to a half-day proposal without fully explaining the link, while “By this” and “So” repeat the same conclusion. The sentence beginning “Students learn new skills” also combines examples and a general claim in a way that makes the progression harder to follow. Use clearer topic sentences and make each paragraph’s main point and supporting explanation explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The response uses an adequate range for the topic, including phrases such as “harsh climatic conditions,” “overall development,” “hands on experience,” and “academic learning.” These help communicate the main ideas, and the India example gives the vocabulary a relevant context. However, several spelling and word-choice errors reduce precision, including “recieve,” “temperautre,” “acclemetized,” and “loose” where “lose” is intended. Some expressions are also unnatural or imprecise, such as “extreme heat sustained during those periods,” “ample amount of time,” and “keep learning new things everyday in their school.” Aim for accurate spelling and more natural collocations, and choose precise terms such as “retain previously learned concepts” when discussing the effect of a long break.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a conditional proposal (“If the temperature are not suitable…”) and a concession introduced by “Although.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors recur. Subject–verb agreement is inaccurate in “the temperature are,” and the phrase “students are are not” contains a repeated verb. Articles and number are also problematic in “an half day” and “these condition.” The sentence about learning new skills and taking classes has an unclear grammatical structure because the examples do not fit smoothly with “helps them.” To improve, check agreement, articles, and singular/plural forms, and divide long sentences when the relationship between clauses becomes difficult to control.

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