Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Vacation is an important thing in everyones life either for entertainment purposes or to break the monotony of daily routine.

Many countries allow summer vacation to be two or more months long, while some provide less holidays. Often it is argued that shorter holidays are better than longer holidays, but I agree to those who allow longer vacation because it provides individuals with a break that can be used for a multitude of self development tasks.

On one hand, those who allow longer vacation believe that, it provides student with sufficient time for self development. Instead of just receving formal education, in these breaks student can do a variety of activities that can improve their personal skills. Student can learn things that are not often taught in school but can be helpful in their future. For example, if someone likes coding, he/she can learn to code during the vacation. Those who like to travel can gather practical knowledge on different cultures, societies, or communities by travelling, thus learning about others perspective on different things. Moreover, often, students fail to cope up with their studies for various uncertain downtimes. Those, who lack behind can recover from the downfall in a longer vacation. Again, I think, to have some refreshment and to unwind, one needs a longer vacation.

Admittedly, it is argued that shorter vacation is better than the longer ones. They support this with several claims. Some think that students may loose track during a long vacation. Student may not feel the need to study during vacation, instead they just procrastinate without utilizing the vacation. They believe, school keeps a student in track and they are more disciplined when the school is open. As a result, for these reasons, they prefer shorter vacation over the longer ones. But from my perspective, the advantages of longer vacation far outweights the disadvantages of smaller vacation. The most important thing is it gives you a freedom to choose what you should do in a vacation. I don't think it's always necessary to be disciplined all the time. Sometimes having some adventure moments is necessary. And as one will have longer holidays, they can utilize it in a more better way if properly managed, whereas in shorter holidays one will just rest and nothing productive will come out from a shorter holiday.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. Your position is clear throughout. The ideas are relevant, such as self-development and the risk of losing academic momentum. However, the development of these points is somewhat repetitive. For instance, the argument about 'self-development' is mentioned multiple times without adding significant new depth. To reach a higher band, ensure each paragraph introduces a distinct, well-supported idea rather than restating the same point in different words. Overall, the task is fully addressed, but the depth of analysis could be more consistent.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs, each with a central theme. You use cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'For example', and 'Moreover' to link ideas. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are instances where the flow is interrupted by awkward phrasing, such as 'Again, I think, to have some refreshment'. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the connection between sentences could be smoother to improve the overall progression of your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different viewpoints.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'monotony', 'multitude', and 'procrastinate'. However, there are several instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'lack behind' (should be 'lag behind'), 'loose track' (should be 'lose track'), and 'more better' (a grammatical error that also affects lexical precision). While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the inaccuracies occasionally draw attention. To improve, focus on collocations and ensuring that words are used in their correct context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation. Common issues include subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'student can do', 'student may not feel') and incorrect pluralization (e.g., 'less holidays'). Additionally, there are punctuation errors, such as unnecessary commas in 'Again, I think, to have some refreshment'. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Increasing your control over basic grammatical structures will significantly improve your writing.

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