Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-30

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 many countries, schools close for an extended period during the summer. However, this action has both positive and negative consequences. These lengthy breaks help students learn new skills, develop hobbies and rest. In my view, both have similar advantages but a moderate long summer break is quite beneficial for students,

Focusing on positive side of longer breaks assist students with valuable opportunities. During this time, they can learn new skills which will be remarkable for their future, They can pursue the hobbies they want by giving them an extra time. Physical activities and a long period of relaxation can free them from a hectic, monotonous and crippled routine, They will be able to broaden their perspective by learning and seeking new things. Long term break can help students spend quality time with their family. It facilitates teachers to rest and prepare.

Some people argue that shorter school holidays are quite convenient and reliable due to several major reasons.

They believe that students forget everything they learned before long term holidays. One of the other major reason is that students are not able to complete their curriculum due to the shortage of time . They waste much time in getting use to the routine which impacts their studies and outcomes. Some individuals believe that shorter breaks are more convenient for parents managing childcare.

In conclusion, although shorter breaks can help students maintaining a regular routine and reduce the study loss.

I believe longer term holidays will help students as they can learn new skills, develop a hobby and spend quality time with their family.

AI examiner evaluation

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. However, the development is somewhat uneven. While you provide several points for both sides, they are presented as a list of ideas rather than fully extended arguments. For example, the point about students forgetting what they learned is a strong argument, but it lacks specific examples or further explanation to reach a higher band. Your position is clear in the introduction and conclusion, but the body paragraphs would benefit from more depth and logical expansion to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 7 or higher.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. However, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or repetitive. For instance, you start several sentences with 'They' or 'Some', which makes the flow feel a bit disjointed. Additionally, the transition between the two main body paragraphs is abrupt. To improve, try using a wider variety of linking words and phrases (e.g., 'Furthermore', 'Conversely', 'In light of this') to connect your ideas more fluidly and improve the overall progression of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using words like 'monotonous', 'facilitates', and 'curriculum'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation that prevent a higher score. For example, 'crippled routine' is not a standard collocation in this context, and 'study loss' is slightly unnatural. You also rely on some basic vocabulary, such as 'good' or 'bad' (implied), which limits the sophistication of your writing. Focusing on more precise collocations and academic phrasing will help elevate your lexical score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent errors in punctuation and grammar, such as comma splices (e.g., '...for their future, They can pursue...') and subject-verb agreement issues (e.g., '...shorter breaks can help students maintaining...'). These errors are noticeable but do not generally impede communication. To reach a higher band, you should focus on ensuring that your complex sentences are grammatically sound and that your punctuation, particularly the use of commas and periods, is accurate throughout.

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

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