Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-17

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 many nations, primary and secondary study institutions close for around two months or more in the summer vacations. There is a huge debate on the duration of the school holidays. Some people think that the vacations should be two months or more. However in contrast, a number of people argue that the schools should cut the duration of the holidays.

The length of the vacations play a vital role for the students. During the holiday time period students involve themselves in extra curricular activities like sports and travelling. For example, the students travel to different places in summer vacations where they learn and discover a lot of new things which is beneficial for their growth. They get more time to spend with their family which is very useful in building a strong bond between the parents and students. Kids also get exposure to variety of things.

Although, there are many benefits of long holidays but there are also a number of arguments in favour reduction of the school vacations, because many people believe that the long holidays have a negative impact on student's studies. Their grades after the holidays are lower as compared to when they are coming regularly in the classes. Students also feel emotionally upset coming to school after the long holidays. During the holidays students who are given the holiday homework they are least interested to complete it on time and are not focused on studies.

In conclusion, we can say that the length of the holidays should stay the same as it has a positive impact on the students overall.

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. However, the development is somewhat superficial. While you mention extracurricular activities and family bonding, these points could be expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis. The conclusion is a bit abrupt and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. To reach a higher band, ensure that each body paragraph provides a clear, well-supported argument rather than a list of general points. Your position is clear, but the overall depth of the discussion is limited, which prevents a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices, such as 'However', 'For example', and 'Although', to link ideas. However, the transition between the second and third paragraphs is slightly abrupt, and some of the linking is a bit mechanical. The use of referencing is generally clear, but the flow could be improved by using a wider variety of cohesive markers to connect sentences more fluidly. Overall, the structure is coherent, and the progression of ideas is easy to follow throughout the response.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'extracurricular activities', 'exposure', and 'negative impact'. However, the vocabulary is somewhat repetitive and lacks the precision or sophistication required for higher bands. There are some minor issues with word choice, such as 'coming regularly in the classes' instead of 'attending classes regularly'. To improve, try to incorporate more topic-specific collocations and less common lexical items to express your ideas with greater nuance and precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent errors in grammar and punctuation that occasionally affect the flow. For instance, 'The length of the vacations play' should be 'plays' (subject-verb agreement), and 'in favour reduction' is missing a preposition ('in favour of the reduction'). Additionally, there are minor issues with articles and pluralization, such as 'in the summer vacations' (should be 'during summer vacation'). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher band score. Focus on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and preposition usage.

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

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