Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-21

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)

Many countries close primary and secondary schools for two months or more in the summer. These long holidays are great because they give children so much of time to rest and travel. However, some people believe shorter breaks are better for student education. This essay will discuss the main benefits of both school holiday systems.

Long holidays are valuable because they provide essential mental and physical rest. Children can escape academic pressure, which helps them recharge their energy levels. Furthermore, this free time allows kids to explore creative interest, play games, and build independence outside the classroom. Long breaks also strengthen family connections, as relatives can travel or spend weeks together. Finally, teachers get necessary recovery time to rest and plan effectively for the next term.

On the other hand, people argue for shorter holidays to prevent learning loss. During two long months. students often forgot important lessons, which hurts their academic progress. Shorter holidays help students maintain a daily learning routine. Additionally, long summer breaks create serious difficulties for working parents. Finding and paying for childcare for several continuous weeks is hard. Shorter, more frequent breaks throughout the year would make scheduling much easier for busy families.

In conclusion, long summer breaks are wonderful or relaxation, personal growth and family bonding. However, shorter school holidays can prevent learning loss and greatly assist working parents. Both systems have clear advantages for children and society and also best solution for children, families and teachers in the future. And childrens are also happy.

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 position is clear throughout, and the ideas are relevant. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For example, the point about 'learning loss' is mentioned but could be expanded with more specific examples or evidence to reach a higher band. The conclusion is a bit repetitive and introduces a slightly awkward final sentence ('And childrens are also happy') which does not add value to the argument. Overall, the response covers all requirements but lacks the depth of analysis expected at higher bands.

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 sides of the argument. Cohesive devices such as 'Furthermore', 'On the other hand', and 'Additionally' are used effectively to guide the reader through the text. However, the flow within paragraphs is occasionally slightly mechanical, and the final sentence of the conclusion feels disconnected from the rest of the paragraph, which slightly impacts the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate and appropriate for the task. You use some good collocations like 'academic pressure', 'recharge their energy levels', and 'learning loss'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there are minor errors in word choice and form, such as 'explore creative interest' (should be 'interests') and 'wonderful or relaxation' (should be 'for'). To reach a higher band, you should aim to incorporate more precise, less common lexical items and ensure accurate word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist. For instance, 'so much of time' (should be 'so much time'), 'students often forgot' (should be 'forget'), and 'childrens' (should be 'children'). Additionally, the final sentence 'And childrens are also happy' is grammatically incorrect and stylistically informal. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and pluralization will help improve your accuracy.

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

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