Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-02

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 several nations, there is a holiday in elementary and secondary schools for more than two months as a summer holiday. Holidays are extremely crucial for pupils' concentration and their happiness. This essay will elucidate the value of holidays and their impact on students.

1. As we are aware, school life is full of strict rules and regulations that should be followed by learners. In this strictness, students want loopholes for their enjoyment and to live their life which is not accessible easily. For instance, schools expect their students to give them the best results without any enjoyable activities; instead, they impose pressure on their pupils.

Furthermore, learners are not provided with much time to play with their peers and to play games. They consider studies as a burden rather than an enjoyable activity; that's why they do not want to learn or do their homework. In addition, they are required to do assignments and a lot of homework which they do not want. A case at that point is, if a student of grade 6 doesn't get time to play with his friends, he will get aggressive and stressed. That's why long holidays play such an important role in their life.

There are several reasons why holidays are pivotal.

They will get time to play with their peers and to spend quality time with their parents which is very significant to create a close-knit relationship with family.

However, a few parents and teachers believe that long holidays can disturb the routine of learners as they get used to living without studying that has a bad impact on their brain. The plus point is that, they disturb their routines so it becomes challenging for them to wake up in the morning for school; as a result they want to have a day off. For instance, a student who did not study for two months will be used to it. He wont try hard and even commence to make lame excuses to have another day off.

To conclude, longer holidays cause pleasure of mind to pupils and their brains a fresh start. Nonetheless, it can cause some harm as students waste most of their time. Shorter holidays are much preferable as for pupils to remain stable in academic scores.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. The first body paragraph focuses heavily on the stress of school life, which is relevant, but the second body paragraph is quite brief and lacks depth. While you present a clear position, the conclusion contradicts the earlier argument by suggesting shorter holidays are preferable, which makes your overall stance slightly confusing. To reach a higher band, ensure each point is fully extended with clear, logical explanations and maintain consistency in your argument throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices like 'Furthermore', 'In addition', and 'To conclude'. However, the use of these markers is sometimes mechanical or slightly unnatural, such as starting a paragraph with '1. As we are aware'. The progression of ideas is generally logical, but the transition between the benefits of long holidays and the drawbacks could be smoother. Referencing is mostly clear, though some sentences feel disjointed. Improving the variety and flow of your linking words will help create a more cohesive piece of writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your ideas, including terms like 'elucidate', 'pivotal', and 'close-knit'. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural word choices or phrasing, such as 'cause pleasure of mind' or 'commence to make lame excuses'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more precise collocation and idiomatic usage. To improve, focus on learning how words are typically grouped together in English rather than just learning individual synonyms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'a holiday in elementary and secondary schools for more than two months as a summer holiday' (which is slightly awkward) and 'He wont try hard' (missing apostrophe). Additionally, some sentences are slightly repetitive in structure. While you attempt complex sentences, they are not always perfectly controlled. To reach a higher band, focus on reducing minor errors in punctuation and subject-verb agreement, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex grammatical structures with greater accuracy.

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