Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

The topic mentioned here is about long school holidays, especially during the months of summer. We've all been a school student in our life and, who does not love a long summer break? I certainly do. But here we should discuss about the value of long school holidays, and on the flip side, the arguments in favour of shorter school holidays.

Let us dive into the reasons why long school holidays are required. A two month long summer break is a very common phenomenon for the schools of the Indian subcontinent. This can be either pre exam or post exam holidays. Pre exam holidays make sure the students get ample amount of learning time for their upcoming tests whereas not compromising on their playing time or family travel plans. Whereas, a post exam holiday feels like heaven for students where they can play throughout the day, visit their family members nearby, enroll for new skills and activities like swimming, singing, dancing, recitation or some sports like cricket, football, chess and others.

Now, we have some valid points too in favour of a shorter school holiday than a long one. The most important one of them is, shorter holidays make sure the consistency and routine of going to school every day and planning your day around that do not get compromised. Oftentimes this becomes an issue for students coming back from a long holiday. Shorter holidays would not only ensure the continuation of a consistent routine, but also it would give the teachers and professors a lenient deadline to properly finish up the syllabus. This ensures a proper knowledge transition from the teacher to the students as hard deadlines tend to get softened.

To conclude, we can see valid arguments for both the types of holidays. Whereas each has their positives and limitations, my suggestion would be to take the weather into account before deciding on the same, as weather in various parts of the world can turn very harsh during the summers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. The ideas are relevant and generally well-developed, particularly the discussion on routine and syllabus completion. However, the introduction is slightly informal and conversational ('We've all been a school student'), which detracts from the academic tone required for Task 2. While the position is clear, the development of the 'value' of long holidays could be more analytical rather than just listing activities. Overall, the response covers all requirements of the task effectively.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones is smooth. Cohesive devices such as 'Whereas', 'Now', and 'To conclude' are used effectively to guide the reader. However, some linking phrases are slightly repetitive or mechanical. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the distinct arguments, contributing to the overall coherence of the piece.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

The vocabulary is generally appropriate and sufficient for the task. You use some good topic-specific collocations like 'consistent routine', 'syllabus', and 'knowledge transition'. However, there are some informal choices, such as 'feels like heaven' and 'who does not love', which are not ideal for an academic essay. Additionally, some phrasing is slightly awkward, such as 'lenient deadline' (which implies a deadline that is easy to meet, rather than the intended meaning of a more flexible or extended timeframe). Expanding your range of academic vocabulary would help reach a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There is good control over basic grammar, and errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. For example, 'Shorter holidays would not only ensure... but also it would give...' is a well-constructed complex sentence. However, there are minor errors, such as 'discuss about' (discuss is transitive and does not require 'about') and 'both the types of holidays' (which is slightly unnatural). Punctuation is generally accurate, though some sentences could be refined for better flow.

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