Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In many countries students have given a holidays of two months or more, while these longer holidays have some benefits, but some people argue that shorter holidays would be more beneficial for students. This essay will discuss both views before explaining why a balanced approach is preferable.

There are several advantages to having a long holidays. Students may get the opportunity to relax and break from a long term academic pressure and recover from a exams burden. They may get the opportunity to have travelling, playing sports and spend more quality time with their families.

These activities have built their energy to do work hard and study better after having relaxation. Moreover long holidays gives opportunity to participate in outdoor activities that they may not have access during schools. For example, a student who student who participate in some musical classes or some playing sports, they may get some valuable skills outside the classroom.

However, there are also strong arguments in favor for short term holidays, the main concern is that students may forget the knowledge and skills that have acquired during a lengthy break. And teacher often have to spend a lot of considerably time for reviewing previous lessons before starting a new material. Shorter and more frequent holidays could help students maintain a regular learning routine and retain information more effectively. Furthermore, shorter breaks may be particularly useful for younger children, who can find it difficult to return to an academic routine after a long period away from school.

in conclusion, long school holidays give students time to rest, spend time with their families and develop interest outside school, while shorter holidays reduce learning loss. Therefor, a balanced holiday schedule is likely to be the most effective solution.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The essay addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. The position is clear, and the ideas are relevant. However, the development is somewhat superficial. For instance, the point about 'learning loss' is mentioned but could be expanded with more specific examples or deeper analysis to reach a higher band. The conclusion introduces a 'balanced approach' which was briefly mentioned in the introduction, but the essay does not fully explain what this balance would look like in practice. To improve, ensure that each point is supported by a concrete example or a more detailed explanation of the underlying logic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized into clear paragraphs. There is a progression of ideas from the benefits of long holidays to the drawbacks and the counter-arguments for shorter ones. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'However', and 'Furthermore' are used effectively to link sentences and paragraphs. However, there are some minor issues with referencing and flow; for example, the phrase 'a student who student who participate' contains a repetitive error that disrupts the flow. Additionally, some transitions feel slightly mechanical. Overall, the structure is coherent and easy to follow, meeting the requirements for a band 6.5 or 7.0.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to convey their meaning clearly. There are attempts to use topic-specific vocabulary like 'academic pressure', 'learning loss', and 'academic routine'. However, there are several instances of awkward phrasing and word choice errors, such as 'have given a holidays' (should be 'are given holidays') and 'spend a lot of considerably time' (should be 'considerable time'). These errors do not impede communication, but they limit the score. To reach a higher band, focus on more precise collocations and avoid repetitive or grammatically incorrect word forms.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the writer attempts complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, particularly with subject-verb agreement and article usage (e.g., 'a exams burden', 'a holidays', 'a student who student who participate'). These errors are noticeable but do not prevent the reader from understanding the main points. The punctuation is generally correct, but the sentence construction could be more varied and accurate. To improve, focus on proofreading for basic grammatical agreement and ensuring that complex structures are formed correctly without redundant words.

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