Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31

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)

In many countries, schools close for two months or even longer during the summer. While extended holidays provide students with valuable opportunities to rest and pursue activities outside the classroom, there are compelling arguments for shortening these breaks. In my view, a balanced academic calendar with moderately long holidays is preferable to either extremely short or excessively long vacations.

One major advantage of lengthy school holidays is that they allow students to recover from the demands of academic life. Studying continuously throughout the year can be mentally exhausting, particularly for children who face examinations, homework and extracurricular commitments. A substantial break gives them time to relax, spend quality time with their families and engage in activities that schools may not have sufficient time to accommodate, such as travelling, playing sports or developing creative interests. These experiences can contribute significantly to children’s emotional well-being and personal development. Furthermore, teachers also benefit from an extended break, as it allows them to recharge and prepare lessons and curricula for the following academic year.

However, excessively long holidays can have considerable educational drawbacks. The most significant concern is the loss of academic knowledge and skills, particularly among younger students. After being away from formal education for several months, children may forget mathematical concepts, vocabulary and other material they previously learned, meaning that teachers have to spend valuable classroom time revising old content rather than introducing new material. This problem can be especially serious for disadvantaged children who may not have access to books, tutoring or educational activities during the holidays. Consequently, long vacations may inadvertently widen the achievement gap between students from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

Shorter school holidays, by contrast, can promote greater continuity in learning. Regular but shorter breaks would reduce the amount of knowledge students forget and enable teachers to maintain a more consistent academic pace. In addition, a shorter summer vacation could help working parents, many of whom struggle to arrange childcare when schools remain closed for several months. From an economic perspective, a more evenly distributed school year may also make it easier for parents to maintain stable working schedules and reduce the financial burden associated with prolonged childcare.

In conclusion, long school holidays provide essential opportunities for rest, family time and personal development, but excessively lengthy breaks can cause learning loss and create difficulties for working families. Therefore, rather than eliminating long vacations altogether, governments should consider a more balanced academic calendar in which students receive sufficient time to relax while avoiding an unnecessarily prolonged interruption to their education.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt. You clearly articulate the value of long holidays, such as mental recovery and personal development, and provide strong arguments for shorter breaks, including the prevention of 'learning loss' and the practical benefits for working parents. Your position is consistent throughout, and the ideas are well-developed with relevant examples and logical reasoning. The structure is balanced, and you successfully cover all requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Furthermore', 'However', 'Consequently', and 'In addition'. These transitions guide the reader smoothly through your arguments. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the benefits of long holidays from the drawbacks and the arguments for shorter ones. The flow is natural and professional throughout.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

You demonstrate a wide and flexible range of vocabulary. Phrases like 'compelling arguments', 'academic calendar', 'inadvertently widen the achievement gap', and 'prolonged interruption' show a sophisticated command of language. The word choice is precise and appropriate for an academic context. There are no noticeable errors in spelling or collocation, and the vocabulary is used with a high degree of naturalness.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a wide range of complex structures, including conditional-like reasoning and well-constructed subordinate clauses. The majority of sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation and tense usage is excellent. You maintain a formal tone throughout, and the grammatical accuracy is consistent, with no errors that impede communication. The complexity of your sentence structures is well-suited to a high-band response.

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