Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-10

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)

In many nations, schools shut down for two months or longer during summer. While some people view this school break is beneficial, other think short period may have more advantages. This essay discuss both perspectives.

The value of long school holidays is significant for both students and teachers. Firstly, it provides opportunity for students to rest and relax from the academic pressure of the school year. Secondly, long holidays allow students to pay Attension on ther out door activities which make students sharp and activity. Students also spend time with their family and cousins which gives a chance to learn practical. Specially in summer holidays the weather there was very hot so, mostly students goes to Northen areas of Pakistan with their families. There is a lot of things to learn and it gives opportunity to student to see different rivers, lakes, mountain and different culture. It also benefical for teachers, during the holidays they attend training sessions and plan lessons.

However, there are strong arguments in favour of shorter school holidays.When students are away from curriculum activities for long period they forget a significant amount of what they learned. Another problem related to working parents these vacations creates a childcare problems, as mostly people can not bear the expensive of summer camp or take break from their work because companies do not offer long braek to their workers. Mostly countries like Japan, where summer holidays are only 5-6 weeks, in this way students maintain both curriculum and social activities.

In conclusion, long term holidays are only benefical for rest and personal development. I believe shorter break are preferable because they maintain learing loss and reduce difficulties for working families.

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. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. While the benefits of long holidays are supported with examples like travel in Pakistan, the arguments for shorter holidays are less developed and rely on general statements. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is fully extended with more specific reasoning or evidence. The essay covers all requirements of the task, but the depth of analysis remains at a moderate level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'However', and 'In conclusion', which help the reader follow the argument. However, some transitions are mechanical, and there are instances where referencing is slightly unclear, such as the sentence 'Mostly countries like Japan, where summer holidays are only 5-6 weeks, in this way students maintain...'. The flow between sentences could be improved by varying the cohesive devices used rather than relying on simple listing words. Overall, the paragraphing is appropriate and the progression of ideas is clear.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. There are several word-choice errors, such as 'pay Attension on ther out door activities' (pay attention to their outdoor activities) and 'make students sharp and activity' (make students sharp and active). Additionally, there are spelling errors like 'benefical' and 'learing'. While the student uses some relevant topic-specific vocabulary, the range is limited, and the errors occasionally distract the reader. To improve, the student should focus on accurate word forms and collocations, and attempt to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('mostly students goes'), article usage, and sentence fragments ('Another problem related to working parents these vacations creates a childcare problems'). Punctuation is also inconsistent, with some run-on sentences and missing commas. While the meaning is generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents the writing from reaching a higher band. Focusing on basic grammatical accuracy and proofreading for common errors would significantly improve the quality of the writing.

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