Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-20

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 5.0)

In many countries, primary and secondary schools are close for two months or more in the summer holidays. However, some people argue that many schools give less holidays to students in the summer. As they don't forget what they learned whole year.

To begin with, every school craves to teach their students because they wants their students to become successful persons in the future. It is crucial for them to study in this society. Many individuals remain uneducated due to massive expense of studies. Numerous people can't afford such expense. so, that they can educate their children.

There are several reasons why students need to take rest from schools. Firstly, after spending enough time in the school due to learning. They need some quality time to spend with their families and friends. After hanging out with friends, they can comeback to their daily routine. That is why summer holidays are vital.

Secondly, many people argue that shorter school holidays have positive benefits. Here is various reasons why less holidays are important. There is less chance of students to forget what they have learned. They pass quality time at home. When they revise every subject, they don't need to consume much hours to remember what they have learned in school. However, after being away from the school for two to three months. Some students may forget the important things. But, after all of this teachers still support their students by taking online classes.

In conclusion, longer school holidays are good to provide time to students to take rest, enjoy games, spending time with family and friends. Nevertheless, shorter school holidays are better for students as well. Since, they don't have to struggle with their books all the time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the development of ideas is inconsistent. The first paragraph is largely irrelevant, discussing the importance of education and costs rather than the specific topic of school holidays. The arguments regarding the benefits of long holidays (rest, family time) and shorter holidays (retention of knowledge) are mentioned but remain under-developed. The position is somewhat unclear, as the conclusion suggests both are beneficial without providing a cohesive synthesis. To improve, ensure every sentence directly supports the prompt and provides specific examples or logical extensions of the arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical progression is frequently interrupted by disjointed sentences and unclear referencing. For example, the transition between the introduction and the first body paragraph is abrupt, and the connection between ideas within paragraphs is often weak. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'To begin with', 'Firstly', and 'In conclusion', but they are sometimes used mechanically or incorrectly, such as starting a sentence with 'As they don't forget...' which is a sentence fragment. The use of referencing is occasionally confusing, making it difficult for the reader to follow the flow of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally basic and repetitive. Phrases like 'successful persons', 'massive expense', and 'quality time' are used, but there is little attempt to use more sophisticated or precise academic vocabulary. There are also issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'give less holidays' instead of 'provide shorter holidays' or 'consume much hours' instead of 'spend many hours'. While the meaning is generally conveyed, the lack of range and the frequent errors in word choice limit the score. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic collocations would significantly improve your writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay contains a high frequency of grammatical errors, including sentence fragments ('As they don't forget what they learned whole year.'), subject-verb agreement issues ('every school craves... because they wants'), and incorrect punctuation. There is a limited range of complex structures, and the attempts at them are often inaccurate. For instance, the sentence 'So, that they can educate their children' is a fragment. While the meaning is usually clear, the persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction impede the overall fluency and accuracy of the response.

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