Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-25

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 countries, primary and secondary schools are given lengthy two-month breaks, which serve many crucial benefits. There are also compelling arguments in favor of shorter school breaks.

There are an enormous number of benefits to students from long school holidays; for instance, students get breaks from their long, hectic schedules and get some free time to focus on their hobbies and skills. Summer holidays allow parents to spend quality time with their children, and they go on vacation with them. These types of long holidays make them homework-free and give them a chance to recover from academic pressure. In addition, students can learn extra things that they are never taught in school.

During a long school break, students may forget lessons they studied during the academic year; for instance, a child who spent several hours on various subjects may forget their basic formulas after the long break. Additionally, shorter holidays are much better for working parents; they can manage their workforce with childcare without asking for any housemaid and relative help. Mainly, shorter holidays mean students spend more time on their academic this means student more concentrated on their long-term and short-term goals. Moreover, due to this, students get more focused on their daily routine.

In contrast, longer holiday breaks provide rest for their mental state and time to spend time with their parents and relatives, whereas shorter holidays provide work-life balance for parents, and students stay goal-oriented and focused on their academic journey.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the essay is under the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the main points are relevant, they are somewhat repetitive and lack depth. For instance, the argument about working parents is mentioned, but it could have been expanded with more specific examples or consequences. The position is clear, but the overall development is limited by the brevity of the response. To improve, ensure each point is fully explored with supporting evidence or examples to meet the word count and provide a more comprehensive analysis.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the benefits of long holidays to the drawbacks and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'In addition', 'Additionally', 'Moreover'). The concluding paragraph is quite weak and merely restates the previous points rather than synthesising them effectively. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that the conclusion provides a more insightful summary of the arguments presented throughout the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary used is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are some attempts at topic-specific vocabulary, such as 'academic pressure' and 'work-life balance'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a tendency to repeat simple words like 'students' and 'holidays'. Some phrasing is slightly unnatural, such as 'manage their workforce with childcare' or 'academic this means student more concentrated'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and a broader range of academic vocabulary to express ideas with greater sophistication and variety.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'students more concentrated on their long-term' is missing a verb, and 'without asking for any housemaid and relative help' is slightly awkward. Punctuation is generally functional, but there are minor slips. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring that complex sentences are constructed accurately. Proofreading for small errors in articles and verb forms would also help to increase the overall accuracy of the writing.

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

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