Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · 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 7.5)

In many countries, schools provide students with a summer break lasting two months or more. Although an extended holiday can offer several important benefits, there are also compelling reasons why a shorter and more evenly distributed break may be preferable.

Long school holidays are valuable primarily because they allow students to recover from the academic demands of the school year. After months of lessons, examinations and homework, children need sufficient time to relax and restore their motivation. Moreover, an extended break gives them opportunities to pursue activities that are difficult to accommodate during term time, such as travelling, reading for pleasure, playing sports or developing creative skills. It can also strengthen family relationships because parents and children have more time to spend together. For example, families can take longer trips or visit relatives without having to interrupt the school timetable.

However, shorter holidays have several significant advantages. The most obvious is that students are less likely to forget knowledge and skills acquired during the previous term. After a very long break, teachers often need to spend valuable classroom time revising earlier material before introducing new concepts. Shorter, more frequent holidays could therefore provide students with regular opportunities to rest while maintaining greater continuity in their education. Furthermore, shorter summer breaks can be more convenient for working parents, who may otherwise face difficulties arranging childcare for several weeks.

In conclusion, long holidays provide valuable opportunities for rest, family time and personal development. Nevertheless, I believe that a slightly shorter summer break, combined with several shorter breaks throughout the academic year, would create a better balance between students’ well-being and their educational progress.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses both parts of the prompt. You clearly identify the value of long holidays (recovery, personal development, family time) and provide logical arguments for shorter breaks (knowledge retention, educational continuity, childcare convenience). The position is consistent throughout, and the ideas are well-developed with relevant examples. The structure is balanced, and the conclusion effectively synthesises your viewpoint. To reach a higher band, you could further extend the arguments by providing more specific real-world examples or deeper analysis of the long-term impact on student performance, but the current development is sufficient for a high score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organised with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the benefits of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'Moreover', 'Furthermore', and 'Nevertheless', which help guide the reader through your argument. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. The flow is natural, and there is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive linking. The logical structure ensures that the reader can follow your reasoning without any difficulty.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic context. Phrases such as 'academic demands', 'maintaining greater continuity', and 'compelling reasons' show a level of sophistication. The word choice is generally precise, and there are no spelling errors. While the vocabulary is accurate and fits the context well, it could be slightly more ambitious to reach the highest band. Incorporating a few more idiomatic collocations or nuanced academic terms would further elevate the quality of your writing, but your current usage is precise and error-free.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your control of grammar is excellent. You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional clauses ('who may otherwise face...') and concessive clauses ('Although an extended holiday...'), with high accuracy. Punctuation is used correctly throughout, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. The majority of your sentences are error-free, and you display a strong command of tense and subject-verb agreement. The writing is fluent and demonstrates a high level of grammatical flexibility, which is consistent with the requirements for a high band score.

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