Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-13

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)

In this modern era holidays are quite necessary for school children .In many notions schools closed for two or more months in summer vacations . Long term holidays provide various benefits to students as it helps them to learn more curricular activities in long vacations . I will be discussing relevant points in subsequent deliberations .

In this modern era schools are providing long vacations for students in summer it is beneficial for students because it helps them to learn new curricular activities . During school time student always focus on their studies .They do not get enough time to do such activities. Moreover they spend a lot of time with their family members as Nowadays all people are busy in their work They do not have time to spend with their family .They share various things related to their life with family . As a result long holidays provide various benefits to children .

On the other hand short term holidays are also beneficial .As it is beneficial for students to continuo their syllabus . For example in India 10th and 12th classes are CBESE board classes .It is important for them to complete their syllabus on time . Moreover their is no gap between children studies . They remember all things that they have learnt before holidays . Hence schools should provide short term holidays because learners will not loss their interest in studies .

To conclude in my opinion schools should provide longer holidays as students get a chance to learn different activities .On the other hand in short term holidays learners will not loose their interest in their studies .

AI examiner evaluation

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 is quite limited. The ideas regarding 'curricular activities' and 'family time' are mentioned but not sufficiently extended with specific examples or deeper analysis. The position is clear, but the arguments remain somewhat superficial. To reach a higher band, you should provide more detailed explanations of how these holidays impact student development or academic outcomes, rather than simply stating that they are 'beneficial'. The conclusion is also quite brief and does not fully synthesize the points raised.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. However, the use of cohesive devices is often mechanical or repetitive. For example, 'Moreover' and 'In this modern era' are used frequently, and some transitions feel forced. The progression of ideas within paragraphs is sometimes disjointed, particularly in the second paragraph where the link between family time and academic benefits is not clearly established. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and better logical connectors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There is some repetition of basic words like 'beneficial', 'holidays', and 'students'. You attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary, but there are errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'notions' (likely meant 'nations') and 'continuo' (meant 'continue'). The spelling error 'CBESE' and the confusion between 'loss' (noun) and 'loose' (adjective) also detract from the overall quality. To improve, focus on using more precise synonyms and ensuring correct word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures. While there are attempts at complex sentences, they are often marred by grammatical errors, such as 'their is no gap' (should be 'there is') and 'all people are busy in their work'. Punctuation is inconsistent, with several instances of missing spaces after periods and incorrect comma usage. Subject-verb agreement and article usage also show frequent errors. To achieve a higher score, you need to demonstrate better control over complex sentence forms and reduce the frequency of basic grammatical slips that occur throughout the text.

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

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