Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

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

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)

Most of the primary and secondary schools globally close for two months or more in the summer holidays. Some people believe that this is a great time for students especially young people to be involved in physical activities like sports and go on vacation with family for relaxation. While others argue to shorten the school holidays to ensure consistent learning and more time for academic and school activities.

On one hand, students spend their summer vacations joining different activities like sports and clubs, which enhance certain skills other than academic. Participating in team sports like soccer and basketball helps young people collaborate with others to achieve common goals. Also, they learn how to be disciplined and follow the instructions of their coach. While clubs nurture their talents and promote creativity. In addition, this time can also be spent with family to unwind and relax. Most families use this time to connect with their children and build lasting memories. These activities are essential for the overall development of children both physically and mentally.

On the other hand, other people prefer shorter summer holidays to ensure continuous academic learning of the students. Building a good study habit at an early age is important to help maintain consistency throughout the years. Students who spend more time studying will acquire the knowledge that will help them graduate on time and secure employment in the future. Also, schools can organize events where students can connect and socialize with their peers. Therefore, longer school days will benefit the young people both in academic and social interaction.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. The ideas are relevant and clearly presented. However, the development is somewhat limited; while you provide examples like 'soccer and basketball', the arguments could be extended further to reach a higher band. For instance, you mention 'consistent learning' but do not elaborate on the specific cognitive benefits of shorter breaks. The position is clear throughout, but the conclusion is missing, which is a significant omission for a balanced essay. To improve, ensure you provide a clear summary or final thought to round off your argument.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear structure. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Also', and 'Therefore' to link your points. However, the use of these devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive. To reach a higher band, try to vary your linking words and ensure that the transition between sentences is smoother. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the lack of a concluding paragraph affects the overall cohesion of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'nurture', 'consistent', and 'socialize'. The meaning is consistently clear, and there are no significant spelling errors. However, the vocabulary is somewhat basic and lacks the 'less common' items required for higher bands. For example, instead of 'great time', you could use 'beneficial period', and instead of 'good study habit', you could use 'academic discipline'. Expanding your range of collocations and using more precise academic terminology would significantly improve your score in this criterion.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are grammatically accurate, and errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. For example, 'Students who spend more time studying will acquire the knowledge that will help them graduate on time' is a well-constructed complex sentence. However, there are minor issues, such as 'Most of the primary and secondary schools globally close' (which could be phrased more naturally) and the occasional missing article. To improve, focus on incorporating a wider variety of complex grammatical structures, such as conditional sentences or passive voice, while maintaining your current level of accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.