Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-27

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 7.5)

Extended summer breaks, typically lasting two months or more, provide significant psychological and developmental benefits for students. First and foremost, they offer a vital period of rest and recuperation. The academic year can be intensely stressful, and a long break helps prevent student burnout, allowing children to recharge their mental and physical faculties.Furthermore, long holidays foster holistic development outside the traditional classroom environment. During these months, children have the time to pursue non-academic interests, such as attending summer camps, traveling, participating in sports, or learning practical life skills like cooking and swimming. For instance, traveling exposes students to diverse cultures and environments, which can enhance their social awareness and adaptability far better than reading a textbook. Finally, long breaks allow for valuable family bonding time, helping strengthen relationships that are often strained by the daily routine of school, homework, and extracurricular activities during the academic term.Arguments in Favour of Shorter School HolidaysOn the other hand, a compelling case can be made for shortening school holidays and redistributing that time more evenly throughout the year. The primary argument centers on the phenomenon known as "summer learning loss." Research consistently shows that students lose a significant portion of their academic progress, particularly in mathematics and reading, during extended absences from school. Teachers often have to spend the first few weeks of a new school year re-teaching old material, which compromises curriculum efficiency.Shorter, more frequent breaks would also better align with the needs of modern working families. Managing childcare for a continuous two-month period poses a major financial and logistical challenge for parents who work full-time. Affordable summer programs can be difficult to find, often leading to a situation where children spend excessive hours in front of screens instead of engaging in productive activities. By contrast, a balanced school calendar with shorter breaks helps maintain a consistent routine for children and reduces the socioeconomic gap, as wealthier families can afford enriching summer activities while disadvantaged students often lack similar opportunities during long breaks.ConclusionIn conclusion, long school holidays offer irreplaceable opportunities for rest, personal growth, and family time, which are essential for well-rounded development. However, shorter holidays mitigate the risks of academic regression and alleviate practical burdens on working parents. A balanced compromise, such as a year-round school calendar with shorter but more frequent breaks, may offer the best of both worlds by maintaining learning momentum while still ensuring adequate periods of rest.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt. You have provided a clear, well-developed argument for the value of long holidays, citing psychological benefits and holistic development. Similarly, the arguments for shorter holidays—specifically 'summer learning loss' and the logistical challenges for working parents—are well-supported and relevant. The position is consistent throughout, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the two sides. The ideas are extended with logical reasoning and relevant examples, such as the mention of summer camps and the socioeconomic gap, which demonstrates a high level of task fulfillment.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'First and foremost,' 'Furthermore,' 'Finally,' and 'On the other hand.' The paragraphing is logical and contributes to the overall flow of the argument. The referencing is clear, and the relationship between ideas is easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary, which allows for precise expression. Phrases such as 'psychological and developmental benefits,' 'holistic development,' 'curriculum efficiency,' and 'socioeconomic gap' show a high level of lexical control. The use of collocations is natural, and there are no significant errors in word choice. You successfully use less common items to convey complex ideas, which is indicative of a strong command of the language.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a wide range of grammatical structures with high accuracy. You effectively use complex sentences, such as 'Managing childcare for a continuous two-month period poses a major financial and logistical challenge for parents who work full-time.' Punctuation is used correctly to manage sentence structure, and there are no noticeable errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and the control over tense and subject-verb agreement is consistent throughout the response.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.