Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-14

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 modern times, there is a growing endorsement of the idea that schools must be remained closed for longer periods in summer. While others argue that holidays must be of shorter period. The primary benefits of longer school vacations are more time to learn other skills and relaxation to children.

The significance of summer vacation for more than two months is clear for several reasons. Firstly, it allows parents to enroll their children in other learning institutes. Due to hectic schedule of school, it is not possible to acquire knowledge about other practical skills such as music, karate classes or swimming. Therefore, in summer vacations, children can spend time efficiently to acquire these skills. For example, during peak summer months, admissions in non compulsory subjects are at its peak as compare to remaining months of the year. These advantages notably boost confidence of school going kids and also helps them in practical life .

Conversely, the drawbacks associated with long holidays cannot be denied. The main challenge is the addiction to mobile phones. When children stay at home longer period, they waste their time on digital gadgets more. As a result, their attention from studies decreases. Additionally, school routine helps children to stay disciplined in life. Staying at home for extended periods result in laziness in students. It will be extremely challenging for them to resume their normal activities again. Therefore, due to these consequences, some people are in the favor of shorter summer vacations. For example, in Japan, even in summer holidays, various institutes open summer camps. These camps help students to maintain their routine.

In conclusion, closing school for two months has benefits such as personal grooming of children and mental relaxation. However, some concerns are also associated with this approach which favors the shorter holidays.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. The ideas are relevant, such as the opportunity for extracurricular skill-building versus the risk of digital addiction and loss of routine. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the point about 'personal grooming' is vague, and the argument regarding Japan is a good example but could be better integrated to explain how it specifically addresses the 'shorter holiday' argument. The position is clear, but the essay would benefit from more depth in the analysis of the trade-offs between academic continuity and student well-being.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main viewpoints. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Conversely', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the phrase 'some people are in the favor of', which is slightly awkward. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the structure supports the argument effectively.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'extracurricular', 'digital gadgets', and 'personal grooming'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'must be remained closed' (should be 'remain closed') and 'admissions... are at its peak' (should be 'their peak'). The range is sufficient to convey your meaning, but to reach a higher band, you should aim for more precise collocations and a wider variety of sophisticated vocabulary to express complex ideas more fluently.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text, such as 'holidays must be of shorter period' (missing article), 'as compare to' (should be 'compared to'), and 'result in laziness' (should be 'results in'). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and the correct use of articles and prepositions. The control of complex structures is present but inconsistent.

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

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