Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Across the globe, primary and secondary school shut down for a period ranging from a month or a two during the summer break. I believe these long holidays are very essential for all students, teaching and non teaching staff. These are non negotiable and I disagree with shorter holiday period. The following essay covers my opinions along with relevant examples.

With increase in global warming and drastic climate changes, the overall temperature is rising year by year. As a result, it becomes very difficult to engage in studies and work by students and teachers respectively. For instance working with younger kids is tough as they are unable to withstand such rough conditions, they may even pass out due to such high heat. Through this long period, we all together are able to skip through the peak summer season with ease, also providing with a good time frame to relax, enjoy and recharge mood.

Shorter school breaks leads to contradiction to the purpose the holidays were proposed in the first place. This would lead to reopening of school during the peak season itself. It also discourages for people to take a vacation. For instance A teacher or a student will avoid a vacation plan as they would be stuck regarding the departure and the return to their home back.

Through this, I conclude that a long school holidays holds a great importance in today's world and serves a medium of enjoyment and relaxation to all, while shorter school holidays eventually contradicts the purpose of holidays.

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 quite limited. The argument regarding climate change is somewhat hyperbolic, and the point about shorter holidays discouraging vacations is not fully explored or logically convincing. The essay lacks depth and specific, real-world examples beyond general statements. While a position is clear, the ideas are under-developed, preventing the essay from reaching a higher band. To improve, you should provide more nuanced arguments, such as the impact on student learning retention or the economic benefits for families, rather than relying on extreme scenarios like students passing out from heat.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the progression of ideas is sometimes disjointed. The use of cohesive devices is basic and occasionally mechanical, such as 'Through this' and 'For instance'. Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the second paragraph where the link between climate change and school closures is asserted rather than logically explained. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear, unified topic sentence would significantly enhance the flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the precision and range required for a higher score. You rely on common phrases like 'very essential', 'good time frame', and 'stuck regarding the departure'. There are also some awkward collocations, such as 'recharge mood' and 'discourages for people'. While the meaning is clear, the lexical range is limited, and there is little evidence of less common or idiomatic language. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and precise terminology related to education and social policy to demonstrate a more sophisticated command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. Examples include 'a month or a two', 'Shorter school breaks leads to', and 'a long school holidays holds'. These errors in subject-verb agreement and article usage are noticeable. While the meaning is rarely obscured, the lack of consistent control over complex structures limits the score. To improve, pay closer attention to pluralisation and subject-verb agreement, and try to incorporate a wider variety of error-free complex sentences to demonstrate better grammatical control.

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

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