Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-22

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 6.5)

Increasingly, the widespread shift towards the duration of summer vacations in many countries has gained significant attention. Although there are different views on this matter, I strongly believe that allowing long summer vacations to increase students' productivity is the most pragmatic approach to adopt in modern society.

A primary justification for this view is that, most of the students like to participate in activities, such as dancing, swimming, sports, and painting in their vacations, which plays a major role in their development. Additionally, in some countries, where summers are extremely hot, summer vacations would be a great relief to the students. For instance, many schools in India reported a massive improvement in students' health after extending summer vacations to two months due to heat waves.

However, there are some strong arguments in the favour of reducing the duration of vacations. Addimitedly, a noticeable decline in the students' interest in academics cannot be ignored. This is specifically because, children usually go in interia after not studying for longer durations, and they take a significant amount of time to pick it up again. To illustrate this drawback, many students in India often face extreme difficulties while focusing on studies after vacations. However, provided there is sensible management this issue can be resolved. Therefore, we should still focus on allowing long summer vacations to increase student's productivity.

In conclusion, when looking at the issue of duration of summer vacations the best choice is clear. I firmly maintain that allowing long summer vacations to increase student's productivity is the most effective approach. While concerns regarding a noticeable decline in the students' interest in academics are valid, the long-term advantages ultimately outweigh any temporary setbacks.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. The position is clear throughout. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention activities like 'dancing' and 'swimming', these points could be expanded with more depth regarding how they specifically foster long-term skill acquisition or social development. The argument for shorter holidays is also a bit brief, relying on the concept of 'inertia' without fully exploring the educational or economic implications. To reach a higher band, ensure that each supporting point is fully elaborated with specific examples or logical consequences.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main viewpoints. You use cohesive devices such as 'Additionally', 'However', and 'To illustrate', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be smoother. For instance, the transition into the counter-argument in the third paragraph is a bit abrupt. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear, and the essay maintains a consistent focus on the topic throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'pragmatic', 'justification', and 'inertia'. There are some minor errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'Addimitedly' (Admittedly) and 'interia' (inertia). Additionally, the phrase 'go in interia' is not a natural collocation. While you attempt to use less common vocabulary, the precision is occasionally lacking. To improve, focus on using collocations more accurately and proofreading for spelling errors, as these small slips prevent the vocabulary from being considered 'wide and flexible' in a sophisticated way.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical errors, such as 'shift towards the duration' (which is slightly awkward phrasing), 'in the favour of', and 'student's productivity' (which should be plural 'students''). Punctuation is generally correct, but there are some minor issues with article usage and prepositional phrases. While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent the essay from reaching the 7.0 band. Focusing on subject-verb agreement and more varied, error-free complex structures will help elevate your score.

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

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