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)

People have different views about schools holidays. While some people believe that school must close for two months , others argue that school must have shorter holidays in summers. This essay will discuss both perspectives before explaining why i believe that longer holidays are more beneficial.

On one hand , there are several reason why people believe that school must have shorter holidays. The primary reason is that why people think about shorter holidays because longer holidays put gap between the students and studies also the long gap decrease the interest of the students, moreover it also effect the routine of the students. For example when schools are open students have good routine like they have to wake up early but in longer holidays they woke up late so this effect their routine.

On other hand, others argue that school must close for two or more months. One major reason is that they can learn different kind of skills or they can participate in any sports activities during this period. For example during summer holidays student can learn how to play music instruments , moreover they can learn painting , dance and other skills which help them in future. They can also participate in sports activities like they can join football club in their summers holidays which is very good for their physical and mental health. therefore, I believe that longer holidays have more benefits for the students.

In conclusion, although longer holidays affect the routine of the students. I believe that students have more options in longer holidays like they can participate in physical activities and also learn some new skills in their 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 somewhat limited. While you provide examples like learning music or sports, the explanation of why shorter holidays are beneficial is repetitive and lacks depth. The position is clear, but the arguments could be more thoroughly extended to reach a higher band. To improve, ensure that each point is supported by a clear explanation or a more detailed example, rather than just listing activities or repeating the idea that routines are affected.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'On one hand', 'On other hand', and 'In conclusion'. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or slightly inaccurate, such as the missing 'the' before 'other hand'. Additionally, the flow between sentences within paragraphs could be smoother. Some sentences are quite short and choppy, which limits the overall cohesion. Using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring they are used correctly will help improve the logical flow of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it is somewhat repetitive. You frequently use basic terms like 'good', 'very good', and 'things'. There is an attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'physical and mental health' and 'participate in sports activities', which is positive. However, the range is limited, and there are some minor errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'effect the routine' (should be 'affect'). To achieve a higher score, try to incorporate more precise and varied vocabulary, such as 'academic regression' instead of 'gap between students and studies'.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and some complex sentence structures. However, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement ('they woke up late', 'this effect their routine') and article usage. Some sentences are also poorly constructed, such as 'The primary reason is that why people think about shorter holidays because...'. These errors are noticeable and occasionally make the reader pause, though they do not completely impede communication. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and proofreading for common errors like verb tense consistency and articles.

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

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