Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-09

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)

In many countries, schools close for some period of time during the summer. While long holidays provide numerous benefits for children, shorter school breaks can also have important advantages.

I believe that there are several reasons why long school holidays has more valuable. Firstly students needs some time for relax after studying all the academic year. A long break helps them to refresh their mind and return to school with a fresh mind and good feelings. In addition children can spend for time with their families and friends so that they can learn about the tradition and culture from families and other cultures.

On the other hand, shorter school holidays have some other advantages

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 114 words. Consequently, the task is only partially addressed. While the introduction acknowledges both sides of the prompt, the body paragraphs are severely underdeveloped. The arguments regarding the value of long holidays are brief and lack specific examples or depth. Furthermore, the second part of the prompt—the arguments in favour of shorter holidays—is introduced but not developed at all, leaving the response incomplete. To improve, you must expand each point with detailed explanations and relevant examples to ensure all parts of the prompt are fully explored.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay shows a basic attempt at logical organisation, using transition signals like 'Firstly' and 'In addition' to introduce points. However, the paragraphing is incomplete, as the second paragraph is left unfinished. The progression of ideas is hindered by the lack of development and the abrupt ending of the text. Cohesive devices are used in a somewhat mechanical fashion. To reach a higher band, you should ensure that each paragraph is fully developed and that ideas flow smoothly from one to the next, using a wider variety of linking words to connect sentences and arguments more naturally.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is generally appropriate for the topic but remains quite basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'good feelings' and 'spend for time' are unnatural or grammatically incorrect. There is little evidence of less common lexical items or idiomatic language. To improve, focus on using more precise vocabulary related to education and child development, such as 'academic burnout,' 'extracurricular enrichment,' or 'socio-economic implications.' Expanding your range of collocations and avoiding simple, repetitive phrasing will help demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The response contains several grammatical errors that affect clarity. Subject-verb agreement is inconsistent, such as 'students needs' and 'holidays has more valuable.' There are also issues with preposition usage, for example, 'spend for time.' The sentence structures are mostly simple, with limited attempts at complex sentences. To improve, you should focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and sentence construction. Once these are consistent, try to incorporate a wider variety of complex structures, such as relative clauses or conditional sentences, while ensuring they are punctuated correctly.

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

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