Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-03

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 5.5)

For decades, schools have been giving summer holidays to the students especially in hotter countries to prevent the students from heat-stroke while some schools are against this activity due to some genuine reasons. I strongly agree with those who support shorter school holidays for some reasons.

Initially, primary and secondary schools have been closing in the extreme hot months of summer because they argue that they want to protect students from extreme heat which can cause serious health problems. They also claim that students take less interest in studies due to severe weather conditions and transport is also a serious issue in hot days in underdeveloped countries. Schools also claim that these long holidays are beneficial for physical health of the students because they can participate in different sports activities and hobbies. For example, in many South Asian countries schools usually give students more than two months off in summer and the students participate in different sports events in this time and even some students visit historical places.

Secondly, some schools argue that longer holidays can cause students to lose interest in their studies and also schools may fail to complete the syllabus of the semester which ultimately negatively affect their academic progress. These schools always demand shorter holidays from the government for these reasons. For instance, in some countries, schools have started summer camps during summer holidays for one month to reduce the holidays period and to cover their syllabus which is giving better results in these countries.

In conclusion, I reach to this point that opinions of both types of schools are correct for the mentioned reasons but I am in favour of the shorter holidays due to their strong reasons.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the development is somewhat superficial. While you mention health and sports for long holidays, and syllabus completion for shorter ones, these points could be expanded with more depth or specific examples beyond the general mention of South Asian countries. The position is clear, but the conclusion is brief and lacks a summary of the main points. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph provides a more detailed explanation of the 'why' and 'how' behind your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Initially', 'Secondly', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the transition between ideas within paragraphs is sometimes mechanical. For example, the shift from discussing health benefits to transport issues in the first body paragraph feels abrupt. Improving the use of referencing and more sophisticated linking words would help the flow of ideas. Paragraphing is used appropriately, which helps the overall structure.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific terms like 'heat-stroke', 'academic progress', and 'syllabus'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing. Phrases like 'give students more than two months off' or 'reach to this point' are slightly informal or unnatural. To improve, try incorporating more precise academic collocations and avoiding repetitive word choices.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are recurring grammatical slips, such as 'the students' (unnecessary article usage), 'in hot days' (preposition error: should be 'on hot days'), and 'reduce the holidays period' (should be 'holiday period'). There are also minor issues with verb agreement and article usage throughout. The sentences are generally understandable, but the frequency of these small errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band for accuracy.

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