Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

In several nations, lower and higher schools close for two or more months in the summer holidays. The importance of this long vacation is that students are able to learn new activities, while arguments regarding shorter summer holidays is that young pupils does not get distracted which helps them to focus on their academic goals.

First and foremost, the value of long summer vacations is good thing as it introduces new things in the life of students. This is because children visited with their guardians at different places or taking interest in other activities such as sports, art or music. For example, a child who has interest related dance classes which take place at his cousin place can join academy for two or three month which give him chance to get excel in this field also. As a result, pressure overcomes related study and students can learn other co-curricular activities.

Furthermore, there are also some benefits of shorter school holidays. It does not create gap between studies and plays a role of getting attach to education system. For instance, if there are holiday for more than three months students in early age easily distract themselves in any other activities. Therefore, this reduces their newly build learning skills and issues when they come back after small period of time.

In conclusion, in many countries school and colleges are closes for more than two or more months. The best thing of this long holidays that children focuses on learning other activities instead of academic in which they are interested, whereas the arguments in favour of shorter school holidays that students stick with their studies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

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 somewhat limited. While you mention that long holidays allow for new activities, the explanation is repetitive and lacks depth. For instance, the example of a child attending dance classes is a bit vague. The arguments for shorter holidays are also underdeveloped, focusing primarily on the idea of 'distraction' without exploring broader educational or social implications. To improve, ensure that each main point is supported by a more detailed explanation or a more specific, well-integrated example to fully satisfy the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'First and foremost', 'Furthermore', and 'In conclusion' to signal transitions. However, the flow within paragraphs is sometimes hindered by awkward phrasing and mechanical transitions. For example, the sentence 'This is because children visited with their guardians...' feels disconnected from the previous point. Additionally, some referencing is unclear, such as 'the arguments in favour of shorter school holidays that students stick with their studies', which lacks a proper verb or logical link to the preceding clause. Improving the variety and precision of your linking words will enhance the overall flow.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but it lacks the precision and range required for a higher band. You rely on basic terms like 'good thing' and 'new things', which are too informal for an academic essay. There are also some issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'pressure overcomes related study' and 'getting attach to education system'. While your meaning is generally clear, the lack of sophisticated vocabulary and occasional errors in word formation (e.g., 'newly build' instead of 'newly built') limit your score. Try to incorporate more academic collocations and precise terminology related to education.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede the reader's understanding. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('young pupils does not get distracted', 'school and colleges are closes'), incorrect verb forms ('children visited', 'there are holiday'), and awkward sentence construction. While you attempt to use complex sentences, the control over these structures is inconsistent. To reach a higher band, focus on mastering basic subject-verb agreement and ensuring that your verb tenses are used consistently throughout the essay. Proofreading for these common errors will significantly improve your accuracy.

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

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