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 countries, primary and secondary schools close for a duration of two months or more on account of summer holidays. While long school holidays allow students to rest , play and spend their time with families, shorter school holidays provide more time for academics. This essay will examine both perspectives before arguing in favour of shorter school holidays.

Longer summer vacations are preferred by most children and their parents because students get plenty of time to rest, play and spend quality time with their families. In addition, long school holidays provide the opportunities to participate in many recreational and arts related activities such as swimming and calligraphy, respectively.Moreover, students who may be weak in a particular subject get additional time to work on it and taking extra coaching if required.

By contrast, short school holidays are appreciated by some parents because they provide enough time to rest and refresh while saving enough time for academics. Moreover, hildren don't feel disconnected from curriculum because of shorter gap in studies. Short holidays also preferred by some school teachers who believe that a long holiday may suffer students' performance after holidays. In addition, due to long holidays teachers may find it difficult to complete the school curriculum in time which may badly affect learning of students.

Considering above mentioned point I conclude that for better academics short school holidays are a better choice. Short holidays provide recreational time and rest without compromising academics.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt, identifying the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the response is under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of the arguments. While the position is clear, the development of ideas is somewhat superficial. For example, the point about teachers struggling to complete the curriculum is a strong argument but is not fully explored or supported with specific examples. To reach a higher band, you should expand on your points with more detailed explanations and concrete examples to ensure the response meets the length requirement and provides a more comprehensive analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use some cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'Moreover', and 'By contrast' to link ideas. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be improved. For instance, the transition between the benefits of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones is abrupt. Additionally, some referencing is slightly unclear, such as 'Considering above mentioned point', which lacks a specific reference. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring smoother transitions would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'recreational', 'curriculum', and 'disconnected'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'taking extra coaching' (should be 'receiving' or 'attending') and 'suffer students' performance' (should be 'negatively affect' or 'hinder'). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more precise collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing. Expanding your range of topic-specific vocabulary related to education would also be beneficial.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors, such as 'Short holidays also preferred' (missing the auxiliary verb 'are') and 'hildren' (spelling error). There are also issues with article usage and prepositional phrases, such as 'on account of summer holidays'. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and proofreading for minor slips would help improve your accuracy.

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