Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-26

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)

### Essay

In many countries, primary and secondary schools have a summer break of two months or even longer. While long school holidays provide several important benefits for students, there are also strong arguments in favour of shorter holidays. This essay will discuss both views.

One major value of long school holidays is that they give students enough time to relax and reduce their stress. During the school year, students have to attend classes, complete homework and prepare for examinations. Therefore, a long break allows them to rest, spend time with their families and enjoy their hobbies. For example, students can travel, play sports or take part in outdoor activities during the summer. As a result, they can return to school feeling refreshed and more motivated.

Another benefit is that students can develop useful skills for their future careers. During a long holiday, they can learn computer skills, improve their communication abilities or learn a new language. These activities can provide practical knowledge that may be useful in their future working life. For instance, a student could join a short computer course and learn skills that are not normally taught in school.

On the other hand, shorter school holidays can help students maintain their learning habits. If students stay away from education for too long, they may forget some of the knowledge they gained during the academic year. Shorter breaks can also provide more study time and may help students achieve better academic results.

In conclusion, long school holidays are valuable because they reduce stress and allow students to develop useful skills. However, shorter holidays can help students maintain their academic knowledge. In my opinion, a balanced holiday period would be the most beneficial.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt clearly. You have identified the value of long holidays (stress reduction and skill development) and provided arguments for shorter holidays (maintaining learning habits). The position is clear throughout, and the ideas are extended with relevant examples, such as mentioning specific activities like learning computer skills or playing sports. To reach a higher band, you could further develop the arguments by discussing the potential societal or economic impacts of these changes, rather than focusing solely on the individual student's perspective. Overall, the response is well-structured and directly answers the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each paragraph has a central topic sentence, such as 'One major value of long school holidays...' and 'Another benefit is...'. Cohesive devices are used effectively, including transition words like 'Therefore', 'For instance', and 'On the other hand'. The progression of ideas is smooth and easy to follow. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the different aspects of the argument. The structure is consistent and supports the overall flow of the essay well.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'maintain their learning habits', 'practical knowledge', and 'academic year' are used correctly. While the vocabulary is accurate and appropriate for the task, it is somewhat functional. To achieve a higher score, you should incorporate more sophisticated or less common lexical items to demonstrate a wider range. For example, instead of 'useful skills', you could use 'transferable competencies' or 'enriching extracurricular pursuits'. The spelling is accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional sentences ('If students stay away...') and relative clauses ('...knowledge that may be useful...') effectively. The grammar is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. Most sentences are error-free, showing good control over punctuation and syntax. To move into the higher bands, you could experiment with more varied complex structures, such as inversion or more sophisticated passive constructions, to show greater flexibility in your writing.

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