Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-28
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 8.0)
In many countries, primary and secondary schools close for two months or more during the summer holidays. What are the advantages of long school holidays? What are the arguments in favour of shorter school holidays?
In many countries, schools close for an extended period during the summer, often lasting two months or more. While long holidays provide several benefits for students and teachers, some people believe that shorter breaks would be more effective for learning. This essay will discuss both views.
On the one hand, long school holidays offer many advantages. First, students have enough time to relax after a demanding academic year, which helps reduce stress and improve their mental well-being. They can also spend quality time with their families, travel to new places, or take part in sports and hobbies that are difficult to pursue during the school term. In addition, teachers benefit from a long break as it allows them to rest, prepare lesson plans, and return to work feeling refreshed.
On the other hand, there are strong arguments in favour of shorter school holidays. One major reason is that students may forget what they have learned during a long break, making it harder for them to resume their studies. Shorter holidays can help maintain learning continuity and improve academic performance. Furthermore, long holidays can be inconvenient for working parents, who may struggle to arrange childcare. A shorter summer break with more frequent holidays throughout the year could be more practical for many families.
In conclusion, although long summer holidays provide valuable opportunities for rest, family time, and personal development, shorter holidays may support better academic progress and make life easier for parents. Therefore, a balanced school calendar with moderate breaks throughout the year could be the most beneficial approach.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 7.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 8.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 7.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 8.0 |
| Overall | 8.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5
The response addresses all parts of the prompt clearly. You have provided a balanced discussion regarding the advantages of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. Your position is consistent throughout the essay, and the ideas are well-developed with relevant examples, such as the mention of childcare difficulties for working parents and the benefits of rest for teachers. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific examples or deeper analysis of the 'learning continuity' point, perhaps by mentioning the 'summer slide' phenomenon, to further extend your arguments.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5
The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use cohesive devices effectively, such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'Furthermore', which help guide the reader through your arguments. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the response. The transition between the benefits of long holidays and the drawbacks is smooth and well-managed.
Lexical Resource — Band 7.5
You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for the task. Phrases like 'demanding academic year', 'learning continuity', and 'balanced school calendar' show an ability to use topic-specific language accurately. While the vocabulary is sufficient and precise, it is mostly standard. To achieve a higher band, you could incorporate more sophisticated or less common collocations to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of lexical items. Overall, your word choice is natural and there are no errors that impede communication.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 8.0
The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Your grammar is generally accurate, and you use punctuation correctly throughout the text. Most of your sentences are error-free, which indicates a strong command of English syntax. There are no significant grammatical errors that distract the reader. To improve further, you could experiment with a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or more advanced passive constructions, to demonstrate greater flexibility in your writing.
Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.