Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-11
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)
The school is a second home for all the children. Most of the knowledge and discipline children get from school. In many countries, primary and secondary schools have holidays for more than 2 months. This has many effects on the child as well as on education. In this esaay i will elaborate on my view about long holidays and they bentifits, as well as why not have long holidays.
The counrty were i live they is only have or I can say the longest holiday are the summar that is up to 30 days only. But many countries like Canada and Russia have holidays for more than 2 months because of the weather they have. This happens for the children's safety, and mare internation students get the opportunity to meet their families.
The value of long holiday s all ways depends on the student because they should know how to use this time; for instance, in this huge time period they can learn a new language which can get helpfull in the future or career. Next think s that they can travel to different countries and get more experience with the variety of cultures and the people living there.
The notion about ot get shout holiday rather than a long one is that a long period of time if children don't go for the schhol than he/she will refuse to go to school. Another thing is they might get distracted in the study beacuse long study break, or learning something, gives more challenges. In my opinion student not get long holidays.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
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 of these ideas is limited. While you mention learning a language or traveling as benefits, these points are not fully extended with specific examples or deeper analysis. The arguments for shorter holidays are also somewhat brief and repetitive. To improve, you should aim to provide more detailed explanations and concrete examples for each point raised. Your position is generally clear, but the overall structure of your argument could be more robust to reach a higher band.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or inaccurate, such as 'Next think s that' or 'The notion about ot get shout holiday'. Some transitions between sentences feel abrupt, and the logical progression of ideas is occasionally hindered by these issues. To improve, focus on using a wider variety of linking words and phrases more naturally, and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects back to the main prompt.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several spelling errors ('esaay', 'bentifits', 'counrty', 'summar', 'schhol') and awkward word choices ('huge time period', 'get shout holiday'). You rely on basic vocabulary and struggle with collocations. To improve, try to incorporate more academic vocabulary related to education and time management, and proofread your work carefully to eliminate basic spelling mistakes that distract the reader.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include subject-verb agreement ('they is only have'), article usage, and sentence fragments ('In my opinion student not get long holidays'). These errors are noticeable and occasionally make the text difficult to follow. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction, specifically subject-verb agreement and the correct use of auxiliary verbs. Increasing your control over simple structures will provide a stronger foundation before attempting more complex ones.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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