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

On the 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 a gap between the students and studies also the long gap decreases the interest of the students, moreover it also affect 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 wake up late so this affects 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 musical 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 essay addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that long holidays allow for skill development, the points remain at a surface level. The argument for shorter holidays focuses primarily on the disruption of routine, which is a valid point but could be expanded with more depth regarding academic retention or parental convenience. Your position is clear throughout, but the essay would benefit from more detailed examples to fully satisfy the requirements for a higher band score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices like 'On the one hand', 'On other hand', and 'In conclusion' to signal transitions. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the second paragraph relies heavily on 'they can' and 'moreover' to link ideas. Additionally, the flow within paragraphs is occasionally disrupted by awkward phrasing, such as the repetitive structure in the second paragraph regarding why people think about shorter holidays. Improving the variety of linking words would enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some topic-specific vocabulary such as 'physical and mental health', 'musical instruments', and 'academic routine'. However, the range is somewhat limited and repetitive. There are instances where word choice could be more precise, such as using 'good routine' instead of a more descriptive term like 'structured schedule'. To reach a higher band, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range of vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'there are several reason why' should be 'reasons why', and 'it also affect' should be 'it also affects'. There are also issues with punctuation and sentence fragments, such as the sentence starting with 'For example when schools are open...'. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and consistent verb tense usage will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.