Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-12

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 7.5)

In many countries, schools give students a summer holiday lasting two months or even longer. Although extended breaks can provide several important benefits, shorter holidays may also be advantageous for students’ academic progress and daily routines.

Long school holidays are valuable because they allow children to recover from the pressures of studying. After spending many months attending classes, completing assignments and preparing for examinations, students need sufficient time to relax both mentally and physically. In addition, a long break gives families an opportunity to travel, visit relatives and spend quality time together. For example, parents who live far from their children’s grandparents can use the summer holiday to make extended family visits, which may strengthen relationships.

However, there are strong arguments in favour of shorter school holidays. The main benefit is that students are less likely to forget what they have learned during the academic year. After a two- or three-month break, younger children in particular may need considerable time to recall basic knowledge and regain effective study habits. Shorter holidays can also provide a more consistent routine, which may improve students’ discipline and academic performance. Furthermore, working parents may find shorter school holidays more convenient because they do not have to arrange childcare for such a long period.

In conclusion, long holidays are beneficial for rest, family activities and personal development, while shorter breaks can help maintain academic continuity and reduce difficulties for working parents. In my view, a balanced school calendar with reasonably long but not excessive holidays would be the most beneficial approach.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You have clearly identified the value of long holidays, such as mental recovery and family bonding, and provided logical arguments for shorter holidays, including academic continuity and childcare convenience. Your position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes your views. The ideas are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as the mention of family visits and the challenges of recalling knowledge after a long break. The response is balanced and directly answers both questions posed in the task, demonstrating a clear understanding of the requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

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, facilitated by the use of the contrastive linker 'However'. Cohesive devices such as 'In addition', 'For example', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to connect sentences and ideas. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument. The flow of information is natural, and the reader is guided through your reasoning without any confusion or disjointed transitions.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'academic continuity', 'excessive holidays', and 'strengthen relationships' show a good command of language. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the context, it is functional rather than highly sophisticated. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate more precise collocations or less common lexical items related to education and social development. However, the current range is more than adequate for the task, and there are no errors in word choice that impede communication or cause ambiguity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a good variety of complex structures, such as the use of conditional and concessive clauses (e.g., 'Although extended breaks can provide...', 'parents who live far from...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and tense usage is excellent. You maintain a formal tone throughout, and the grammatical accuracy is high. There are no significant errors that distract the reader. The sentence structures are varied, moving between simple, compound, and complex forms, which demonstrates a strong command of English grammar.

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