Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
In a recent period, in many developing countries usually there are two months or more vacations in the summer. The long holidays play an indispensable role in both students and their families lives, as these vacations provide a meaningful time period to students to make memories with family. On the other side there are arguments that shorter holidays will be beneficial to get better grades as it will help to be engaged with studies which will reduce the gap during studies.
On the one side, extended vacations seems beneficial to built stronger bond between children and parents as holidays allows to spent quality time with parents by plaining trips. During that period students can also learn extra curricular activities such as sports, computer skills and language courses by getting extra classes. It enhances overall fitness of children and helps them to be all rounder in all areas. For instance, during vacations generally families plain trips towards northern areas, which help then to explore new environment and the beauty of nature, as a result they rejuvenate after the hectic session.
On the other side, it can sometimes affect the results. For that it is believed by some proponents that the summer holidays should be shorter so that students get few days to be relaxed after few months hectic schedule and then being connect with their studies. Consequently, it will help them to continue their studied easily with full focus. For instance, during prolong vacations children distract from the studies, and some how they become lazy, it directly affects their annual results. If school holidays become shorter, it will be beneficial for students as it will give few days to rejuvenate and then come back with full of energy and focus towards studies. As a result, they will pass with good grades.
In conclusion, while long holidays bring multiple opportunities it somehow is detrimental for studies, shorter holidays will be beneficial to give relaxation and also keep students connected with studies.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
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 repetitive. For instance, the argument about 'rejuvenation' is mentioned in both body paragraphs, which limits the depth of the analysis. While the ideas are relevant, they could be extended further with more specific examples beyond general mentions of 'trips' or 'sports'. The conclusion effectively summarizes the main points, but the overall development remains at a Band 6 level as it lacks the depth required for higher bands.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. Cohesive devices are used, such as 'On the one side', 'On the other side', and 'Consequently', which help guide the reader. However, some transitions are mechanical or slightly awkward, such as 'For that it is believed by some proponents'. Additionally, there are instances where referencing is slightly unclear, such as the use of 'it' in 'For that it is believed', which lacks a clear antecedent. Paragraphing is appropriate, but the flow between sentences could be smoother to achieve a higher band.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task, allowing the student to express ideas clearly. There are attempts to use less common vocabulary, such as 'indispensable', 'rejuvenate', and 'detrimental'. However, there are several errors in word choice and collocation, such as 'plain trips' (should be 'plan'), 'all rounder' (should be 'all-rounder'), and 'prolong vacations' (should be 'prolonged'). These errors do not impede communication, but they indicate a lack of precision. To reach a higher band, the student should focus on more accurate collocations and avoid repetitive phrasing.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The student uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While there is an attempt at complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with verb forms and articles, such as 'in many developing countries usually there are' (word order), 'holidays allows to spent' (subject-verb agreement and infinitive usage), and 'being connect with their studies' (incorrect passive/participle usage). Punctuation is generally functional, but the frequency of errors in basic grammar prevents the essay from reaching a higher band. The errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the intended meaning.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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