Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-24

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 6.5)

In many parts of the world, students have a long summer break that lasts for two months or even longer. While extended holidays have several advantages for students and teachers, there are also strong arguments for making these breaks shorter.

On the one hand, long school holidays have great value for students. Firstly, children need a long break to rest after a difficult school year. Studying for many months can make students feel tired and stressed, so a long break helps them relax their minds. Secondly, long holidays give students time to spend with their families and travel to new places. For example, many families go on vacations or visit relatives in other cities during the summer. Furthermore, students can use this extra time to learn practical life skills or practice hobbies like sports, music, or cooking, which they cannot do during the busy school term.

On the other hand, many people argue that school holidays should be shorter. One main reason is that students often forget what they learned during a long break. When they return to school after two months, teachers usually have to spend several weeks reviewing old lessons. Another important reason is that long holidays can create problems for working parents. Many parents cannot take two months off work, so they have to pay a lot of money for daycare or summer camps to look after their children.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which limits the depth of development. While the ideas presented are relevant and logical, they are somewhat brief. To achieve a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed examples or deeper analysis. For instance, when mentioning 'practical life skills,' you could specify how these contribute to a child's holistic development. The position is clear, but the lack of a concluding paragraph prevents a full summary of your stance, which is a key requirement for a complete task response.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction and separate paragraphs for each side of the argument. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Firstly,' 'Secondly,' and 'Furthermore' to guide the reader. However, the transition between the two main body paragraphs could be smoother, and the lack of a concluding paragraph makes the overall structure feel incomplete. The progression of ideas is generally clear, but the mechanical nature of the linking words suggests a need for more sophisticated cohesive devices to improve the flow between sentences and paragraphs.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'extended holidays,' 'holistic development,' and 'daycare' appropriately. The language is natural and conveys your meaning clearly without any significant errors. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the 'less common' or 'idiomatic' items required for higher bands. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and synonyms to avoid repeating words like 'students' and 'holidays' too frequently. Your spelling is accurate throughout the text, which is a positive aspect of your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use subordinate clauses effectively, such as 'When they return to school after two months...' and 'Many parents cannot take two months off work, so they have to pay...'. The grammar is generally accurate, with very few errors that impede communication. To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as passive voice or conditional sentences, and ensure that your punctuation is consistently precise. The current control is solid, but more variety would enhance the sophistication of your writing.

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