Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · 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 7.0)

Across the globe, several countries offer their students extensive two-month long summer holidays and perhaps more. This essay will discuss the value of providing long holidays, as they allow the students to relax and thoroughly take care of themselves before entering another year of studies, as well as the arguments circulating around the benefits of providing shorter holidays instead.

Summer holidays are intended to be a period of stress-free activities and deep relaxation after a long year full of exams and homework. As a result of the intense workload that the students must endure throughout the year, they are drained and often sleep-deprived, and for some, their mental health takes a huge dip due to the great stress. Therefore, long school holidays hold great value, as they allow the student to reset and catch up on all the rest they lost. Sleep-debt is not something that can be made up in a few days, but rather a couple months. As a student who is currently on a 2-month long holiday, I have spent a majority of my time catching up on sleep I've missed. These holidays also give students the opportunity to travel, whether that may be to visit family elsewhere or simply experience a new environment after months of being locked in your room stuck between your books.

However, many people would actually argue that shorter holidays hold greater value as opposed to longer ones. They claim that longer holidays are often wasted due to the amount of free time that you have, that it may get to a point where you do not know how to fill your excess time and will subsequently fall into the trap of doomscrolling for hours on end. Shorter holidays would often be carefully thought out to make the most of your time and leave little time to be wasted on meaningless matters. Hence, you will feel more productive, as you could've participated in volunteer work or a short summer program instead of rotting on your bed for countless hours. Shorter holidays will allow you to adjust to the new school year easily and it will all feel familiar, whereas longer holidays may leave you feeling very anxious about returning to a stressful environment after a very long time.

In conclusion, long school holidays often hold great value as they enable students to get adequate rest and reflect on the previous year with no rush. It also provides sufficient time for travel and leisure. However, some would argue that shorter holidays are more favorable as they can be more productive and will allow students to return to the school environment with great ease and less tension.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt effectively. You clearly identify the value of long holidays, such as mental recovery and travel, and contrast this with the arguments for shorter holidays, focusing on productivity and smoother transitions back to school. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of 'sleep-debt' and the potential for 'volunteer work'. The position is consistent throughout the essay. To reach a higher band, ensure that the conclusion does not merely repeat the body paragraphs but provides a more nuanced synthesis of the two perspectives.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the progression of ideas is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'As a result of', 'Therefore', 'However', and 'In conclusion' to link your arguments effectively. The paragraphing is appropriate and contributes to the overall clarity of the text. The flow is natural, and the relationship between the two sides of the argument is clearly signposted, making the essay easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary, including some less common items like 'doomscrolling', 'sleep-deprived', and 'adequate'. The language is generally precise and appropriate for an academic context. There are occasional informal choices, such as 'rotting on your bed', which detract slightly from the formal tone required for Task 2. However, these do not impede communication. To improve, try to incorporate more sophisticated collocations and academic phrases to elevate the register further, ensuring that all word choices remain consistently formal throughout the piece.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You show control over punctuation and grammar, with the majority of sentences being error-free. There are some minor slips, such as 'a couple months' (missing 'of') and 'could've participated', which is slightly informal for an essay. However, these errors are rare and do not affect the clarity of your message. Your use of conditional structures and relative clauses is accurate, which helps in conveying complex ideas clearly. Continued focus on maintaining a formal tone in verb contractions will further improve your accuracy.

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