Band 8.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-07-30

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 8.5)

In many countries, primary and secondary schools close for two months or more during the summer. While long summer holidays offer significant benefits to students and families, there are also strong arguments in favour of shortening these breaks.

On the one hand, long summer holidays provide students with essential rest and recreation. Throughout the academic year, children face high stress levels from coursework, examinations, and strict daily routines. A long break allows them to recharge mentally and physically. Furthermore, extended holidays give young people the opportunity to explore non-academic interests. Students can travel with their families, participate in summer camps, or learn practical life skills such as swimming or cooking, which are often not taught in the classroom.

On the other hand, opponents of long holidays argue that they can negatively affect education. Research shows that students often forget a significant amount of what they learned over a two-month break, a phenomenon known as "summer learning loss." Consequently, teachers must spend the first few weeks of the new school term revising old material rather than introducing new concepts. Additionally, long holidays can create difficulties for working parents, who often struggle to find or afford childcare for such an extended period. Shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year could provide continuous learning while still allowing time to rest.

In conclusion, long summer holidays are valuable because they help students relax and gain real-world experiences. However, shorter holidays could prevent academic loss and support working parents. In my opinion, a balanced calendar with slightly shorter summer breaks and more frequent short holidays throughout the year is the best approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 8.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have clearly identified the value of long holidays (rest, recreation, and non-academic skill development) and provided strong arguments for shorter breaks (preventing learning loss and assisting working parents). Your position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion provides a thoughtful synthesis of your arguments. The ideas are well-developed and supported with logical reasoning, such as the mention of 'summer learning loss' and the practical challenges faced by parents. The response is balanced and directly answers both components of the task question.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 8.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones is smooth, facilitated by effective cohesive devices like 'On the one hand,' 'On the other hand,' and 'Consequently.' The use of referencing is precise, and the paragraphing is appropriate, with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion. The flow of information is natural, making the text very easy to follow.

Lexical Resource — Band 8.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic context. Phrases such as 'recharge mentally and physically,' 'non-academic interests,' and 'phenomenon known as' show a level of sophistication. The word choice is generally precise and fits the context well. While the vocabulary is effective and accurate, it could be pushed slightly further toward more advanced, academic collocations to reach the highest band, but it is certainly sufficient for a high score as it stands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 9.0

The essay displays a wide range of grammatical structures, including complex sentences with subordinate clauses (e.g., 'While long summer holidays offer significant benefits..., there are also strong arguments...'). Your control over punctuation and sentence structure is excellent, and the text is virtually error-free. The use of modal verbs and conditional-like structures is accurate. The writing is fluent, and the grammatical accuracy is consistent throughout, which indicates a high level of proficiency.

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