Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

Primary and secondary schools in some countries provide students with two months or more of summer holidays. Long school holidays can be valuable because they give students an opportunity to engage in extracurricular activities and develop themselves outside the classroom. However, there are also arguments in favour of shorter holidays, particularly because prolonged breaks may cause students to lose their academic focus.

One of the main benefits of long summer holidays is that they allow students to develop their intellectual and personal abilities through activities beyond their regular studies. During the school year, students are often occupied with academic responsibilities, leaving them with little time to pursue other interests. In contrast, during a long holiday, they can spend more time with their families, travel, explore new places, meet different people, learn new skills or develop a hobby. Such experiences can broaden their perspectives and contribute to their overall development. For example, a student who takes up painting, learns a musical instrument or participates in a sports programme during the summer may develop creativity, discipline and social skills that are not necessarily acquired through academic study alone.

Nevertheless, there are strong arguments in favour of shorter school holidays. A prolonged break from studying can cause students to lose their academic focus and make it difficult for them to readjust to a structured learning environment. After spending several weeks enjoying leisure activities, some students may struggle to return to their previous study routines and concentration levels. This can be particularly problematic for younger students, who may require additional time to regain their learning habits after an extended absence from school. For instance, teachers often find that students need several days or even weeks to fully readjust to regular lessons after a lengthy summer break. Therefore, shorter holidays could help maintain continuity in education while still providing students with sufficient time to rest.

In conclusion, long school holidays are valuable because they give students time to relax, spend time with their families and participate in activities that contribute to their personal and intellectual development. However, shorter holidays can help students maintain their academic focus and make the transition back to school easier. Therefore, although extended breaks have clear benefits, holidays should be long enough to provide adequate rest without unnecessarily disrupting students' learning.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt clearly and maintains a consistent position throughout. The arguments regarding the value of long holidays (personal development, skill acquisition) and the arguments for shorter holidays (academic continuity, ease of transition) are well-developed and supported with relevant examples, such as learning a musical instrument or the teacher's perspective on student readjustment. The ideas are extended logically, and the conclusion effectively synthesises the main points. The response fully satisfies the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised 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, using effective signposting language like 'In contrast', 'Nevertheless', and 'Therefore'. Cohesive devices are used naturally and accurately throughout the text. The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall clarity of the argument, making the essay easy to follow from start to finish.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

The vocabulary is precise and appropriate for an academic context. The student demonstrates a good range of topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'extracurricular activities', 'academic responsibilities', 'structured learning environment', and 'continuity in education'. The word choices are natural and contribute to the clarity of the arguments. There are no significant errors in word choice or collocation, and the student successfully uses a variety of terms to express complex ideas without repetition.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a high level of grammatical control. A variety of complex sentence structures are used effectively, such as conditional-like structures ('a student who takes up painting... may develop') and subordinate clauses ('After spending several weeks enjoying leisure activities, some students may struggle...'). Punctuation is accurate, and the majority of sentences are error-free. The control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the response, reflecting a high level of proficiency.

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