Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-04
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)
A lot of early age students experienced summer holidays from school. It is happening all around the world. Some people believe that long school holidays have significant importance and have great value , the opponents argued that shorter school holidays preferable.
At the outset, long educational breaks gave their students a better change to refresh and time for travelling. No doubt travelling is the best way to explore the world and gain knowledge. For instance, students perform better when they intrected more . Consequently, they enhance their communication skills , confidence and academic performance.
However, people in the favour of shorter school holidays argued that it is good for students to be regular and punctual and students get discontinued by long educational breaks. In essence, students follow the proper routine and be regular connected to academics. As a result, children became more punctual and take more responsibility of their studies.
In conclusion, summer breaks that last for two or more months have great impact on students performance. Long breaks give them a time to utilise for travelling and exploring that have positive impact on students confidence and communication. However, short term breaks helpful to regulate the life and to keep connected with their studies that ultimately gives good academic performance.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the essay is significantly under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of development. Ideas are presented but remain somewhat superficial; for example, the point about 'travelling' is mentioned but not fully explored with specific examples or logical consequences. Because the response is 40 words short, the development of ideas is constrained, preventing a higher score. To improve, you should expand on your points with more detailed explanations and concrete examples to meet the length requirement.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the structure. There is a logical progression from the introduction to the body paragraphs and the conclusion. However, the use of cohesive devices is somewhat mechanical and repetitive (e.g., 'Consequently', 'In essence', 'In conclusion'). While the paragraphing is appropriate, the transition between ideas could be smoother. The referencing is generally clear, but the overall flow is hindered by the brevity of the arguments and the limited variety of linking words used to connect sentences.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary is adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for a higher band. You use some relevant terms like 'academic performance' and 'punctual', but there are instances of awkward phrasing, such as 'students get discontinued' and 'intrected' (spelling error). The range is somewhat limited, relying on basic vocabulary to express ideas. To improve, try to incorporate more precise collocations and academic vocabulary, and ensure you proofread for spelling errors to avoid impeding the reader's understanding.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally affect clarity. For instance, 'A lot of early age students experienced' should be 'experience', and 'people in the favour of' should be 'people in favour of'. There are also issues with verb tense consistency and word forms (e.g., 'short term breaks helpful' is missing a verb). While the meaning is generally understandable, the frequency of these errors prevents a higher score. Focus on subject-verb agreement and ensuring every sentence has a clear main verb.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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