Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-06

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 5.0)

Now a days, primary and secondary schools were closed for two months in the summer holidays in many countries however it was the most awaited thing among students.

The students of primary and secondary schools mostly a waited for their summer breaks however it was sufficient and long enough to take break from their studies and enjoy what they love to do like going to the home-town or vacation with family. Thus it increases the value of long summer school holidays in the childrens.

However these huge long school holidays can create a backlog in the education of primary and secondary school childrens. Sometimes school educators won't be able to complete syllabus on time due to this long school holidays and additional festival holidays and diwali break ultimately then students have to suffer and attending extra class to complete the syllabus. In fact shorter holidays are good so that learners and educators so they won't have to suffer later.

For example, when i was in secondary school i also have two months summer holidays and i really enjoyed it well. Nevertheless we also have fastival and diwali holidays. but later on we have to suffer because our syllabus won't be able to complete in last.

In conclusion, both primary and secondary schools have to provide enough summer holidays not too short or long so at the end pupils and instructor won't have to suffer in completion of syllabus. additional long summer holidays won't have to affect the studies of higher and lower grade students

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.0
Lexical Resource5.0
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.0
Overall5.0

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the development is quite limited. The ideas regarding the 'value' of holidays are somewhat repetitive, focusing mainly on visiting family, and the arguments for shorter holidays are underdeveloped, relying heavily on the single point of syllabus completion. The position is clear, but the supporting arguments lack depth and specific examples beyond a brief personal anecdote. To improve, you should expand on the psychological or developmental benefits of long breaks and provide more nuanced arguments regarding the educational impact of shorter terms.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate. For example, the transition 'Thus it increases the value' does not logically follow the previous sentence. Additionally, the referencing is sometimes unclear, such as the use of 'it' to refer to abstract concepts. Paragraphing is present, but the logical progression within paragraphs is weak, as the ideas do not flow smoothly from one to the next. Improving the variety and accuracy of linking words would significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. You rely on basic phrasing such as 'enjoy what they love to do' and 'suffer later'. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'a waited' (should be 'awaited') and 'fastival' (spelling error). The vocabulary is repetitive, particularly the use of 'suffer' and 'holidays'. To reach a higher band, you should aim to use more academic collocations and precise terminology related to education and time management.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Issues include inconsistent verb tenses (e.g., 'schools were closed' instead of 'are closed'), subject-verb agreement errors ('syllabus won't be able to complete'), and punctuation mistakes. The misuse of articles and pluralisation (e.g., 'the childrens') is also persistent. While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic sentence construction and proofreading for tense consistency would be beneficial.

See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.

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