Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In many countries, primary and secondary schools close for two months or more in summer holidays due to excessive heat released by the sun as temperature rise drastically which prevent school going pupils to tolerate such weather conditions. This essay will discuss both questions in detail.

The primary reason for long summer holidays is the amount of excessive heat of sun which is dangerous for human beings. For instance, if a person stands for about 1 hour in the sun exposure, they will become dehydrated and will become extremely sick. Moreover, direct exposure to the sun in peak summer also causes many skin related issues which take years of medication to cure. Furthermore, students get a chance to interact and spend time with their loved ones, because otherwise they are busy in their regular schoolwork and tuition work.

Some people argue for shorter school holidays, because even if school authorities assign homework to students during their summer break, they complete that work within first 10 to 15 days of their break and do nothing in their rest of the holidays. This is evident because many children are found using mobile phones and other electronic gadgets during a survey conducted by school teachers. Mobile phones and other gadgets not only affect their mental and physical health but also distract them from studies.

In conclusion, every part should be taken into account and the span of holidays should be decided carefully. No doubt, students should be at home because of extreme summer conditions but their academics should also be considered.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the development is somewhat limited. The argument regarding heat is repetitive, and the discussion on shorter holidays relies on a single point about mobile phone usage, which lacks depth. To reach a higher band, you should expand on the educational or economic implications of shorter holidays, such as the impact on working parents or the potential for continuous learning. The position is clear, but the ideas are not fully extended, leading to a somewhat superficial treatment of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear central topic. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'For instance', 'Moreover', and 'In conclusion', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel a bit mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For example, the jump from discussing homework to mobile phone usage in the third paragraph is a bit abrupt. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall progression of ideas could be more sophisticated to achieve a higher score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'dehydrated', 'medication', and 'academics'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'excessive heat released by the sun' and 'school going pupils'. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and a wider variety of academic vocabulary. The current range is sufficient for a 6.0, but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For instance, 'as temperature rise drastically' should be 'as temperatures rise drastically', and 'prevent school going pupils to tolerate' should be 'prevent school-going pupils from tolerating'. Additionally, there are issues with article usage and prepositions throughout the text. While these errors do not significantly impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and prepositional phrases will help improve your accuracy.

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

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