Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-02

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)

Primary and secondary schools remain close for two or more months for summer holidays in many countries. Longer or shorter summer breaks have merits as well as demerits.

The advocates of longer holidays say it give students a chance to relax and learn different skills. They can also study for their exams much better during the holidays because they do not have to go school which reduces the commuting time and give them more opportunity to study. Moreover students can take a break from their academics it mitigates the chances of boredom and improves their focus. For instance it is reported that students who do side hustles and learn skills alongside their academics grow and thrive better as compared to their peers who only focus on course.

Nevertheless, on the contrary some people say there should be shorter holidays because children spend their time more in recreational pursuits rather than learning, improving their skills or innate abilities. In a contemporary society children spend significant durations on screens during their leisure times rather than doing something productive. It is worth stressing that children during their break spend significant amount of time playing outside with their friends in spite of doing their work. For example during the break students forgets the things they studied before the break.

To conclude with the benefits include enhanced performance and they could make a greatest version of themselves. On the other hand it could be overwhelming as they could spend the free hours on screens and playing rather then doing their homework.

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 of ideas is somewhat limited. While you mention that long holidays allow for skill-building, the explanation is brief. Similarly, the arguments for shorter holidays focus on screen time and forgetting academic material, but these points could be expanded with more specific reasoning or examples. The position is generally clear, but the conclusion is slightly repetitive and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented. To reach a higher band, ensure that each main point is supported by a clear, logical explanation or a more detailed example.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, each with a clear focus. You use some cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'Nevertheless', and 'For instance' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is occasionally mechanical, and some transitions feel abrupt. For example, the jump from discussing screen time to children playing outside in the second paragraph lacks a smooth connection. Additionally, the use of referencing is sometimes unclear, such as in the conclusion where 'they' is used without a clear antecedent. Improving the variety of cohesive devices and ensuring smoother transitions between sentences would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing you to convey your meaning clearly. You use some relevant terms like 'recreational pursuits', 'innate abilities', and 'contemporary society'. However, there are instances of imprecise word choice and minor errors, such as 'mitigates the chances of boredom' (which is slightly awkward) and 'side hustles' (which is informal). Additionally, there are some repetitive structures. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic collocations and avoid informal phrasing. Expanding your range of vocabulary to include more sophisticated synonyms would help you move into a higher band.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You demonstrate a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For instance, subject-verb agreement issues are present, such as 'it give students' instead of 'it gives students' and 'it mitigate' instead of 'it mitigates'. There are also punctuation errors, such as missing commas after introductory phrases. Furthermore, there are minor errors in tense and pluralization, such as 'students forgets' instead of 'students forget'. Focusing on proofreading for basic subject-verb agreement and punctuation will significantly improve the accuracy of your writing.

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

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