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 several countries, an increasing number of people are taking an interest in discovering the history of the houses and buildings in which they live. This growing curiosity can be attributed to a desire to understand the past and establish a stronger connection with one's property and community. There are also several reliable ways in which such information can be investigated.

One significant reason for this trend is people's natural curiosity about the origins of their homes. Residents may want to discover when their property was constructed, who designed it and who occupied it in previous decades. This can become particularly meaningful if the building has a connection with a person's family or local community. For instance, homeowners may discover that their ancestors or other notable local residents once lived there. Furthermore, older properties may have considerable cultural or architectural significance, meaning that learning about their past can encourage people to appreciate and preserve local heritage. In some cases, historical information may even explain why a property has a distinctive architectural design or unusually high value.

There are numerous ways to investigate the history of a property. One of the most reliable approaches is to consult official land and property records held by municipal authorities or government archives. These documents can reveal previous owners, construction dates and changes in ownership. Libraries and historical archives can also provide valuable evidence through old newspapers, maps, photographs and local records. In addition, the Internet has made historical research considerably easier because many archives and databases are now available digitally. Finally, speaking to elderly neighbours, former residents or previous owners can provide first-hand accounts that may not appear in official documents. Combining these sources is likely to produce a more accurate picture of a building's past.

In conclusion, people's growing interest in the history of their homes stems mainly from curiosity, personal connections and a desire to understand and preserve cultural heritage. Official records, archives, digital resources and conversations with people familiar with the property can all help residents uncover its history.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 1.0

The response is completely off-topic. The prompt asks for a discussion on the value of long school holidays and arguments for shorter ones. However, the essay provided discusses the history of houses and buildings. Because the student failed to address the task prompt entirely, the score for Task Achievement is significantly impacted. While the essay is well-written in terms of structure and language, it does not fulfill the requirements of the task set by the examiner. It fails to address any part of the prompt regarding school holidays.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Despite being off-topic, the essay itself is very well-structured. It uses clear paragraphing, with each paragraph focusing on a distinct aspect of the topic (reasons for interest in home history and methods of investigation). Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'In addition', and 'Finally' are used effectively to guide the reader through the argument. The logical progression of ideas is clear, and referencing is accurate throughout the text. The writing flows smoothly, demonstrating a high level of control over discourse markers and paragraph organization.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The vocabulary is sophisticated and precise. The student uses a wide range of topic-specific vocabulary such as 'architectural significance', 'municipal authorities', 'historical archives', and 'first-hand accounts'. The collocations are natural and accurate, and there is evidence of a flexible range of vocabulary used to convey complex ideas. There are no spelling or word-choice errors that impede communication. The lexical control is strong, demonstrating an ability to use less common items with precision and stylistic awareness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a wide range of complex grammatical structures, including passive voice ('can be attributed to', 'are now available'), conditional-like structures, and varied sentence lengths. The majority of sentences are error-free, and the punctuation is used correctly to enhance clarity. There is a high level of grammatical control, with only rare, minor slips. The variety of sentence forms used—ranging from simple to complex—is consistent with a high level of proficiency in English grammar.

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