Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-05

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)

For balanced arguments,it is widely contented that,School holidays are very significant for childrens,However there is divided belief that weather longer vacations are crucial or shorter are.

To sound objective and academic evidence suggested that primary and secondary school children are young,And for their personal growth school holidays are vital.But giving them vacations for too long can also make them distracted from their studies.And Pupils are most likely to forget what they study.

Longer holidays gives to the students because of hot summer days.As we all knew in summer days sepecially in mid june and july the temperature increses.And in this situation,going to school for younger childrens are not safe.In many private institutes,schools didn,t close even in hot summers.Students have to come to campus to attend summer camps.Even in my schools due to summer camps I have to go to school to take summer classes .Concequently,many students fall ill or even got dehayrated because of not drinking enough water.Therefor,giving break during dogdays are essential for students.

But I inclined to beleive that giving holidays for period of two months and more had bad impact on student studiesThere are high chances that they will forget everything from their previous classes. Because many learners don't focus on their studies in summer vacations.They waste their time in playing.In today's world many students waste alot of time on phone. Their screen time increased because of that much leisure time.because of not doing anything productive many students grades droped which strongly effect their studies.Both of things have some advantages and disadvantages but by some efforts these problems can be solved.

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 superficial. While you mention health concerns regarding heat and the potential for academic regression, these points are not fully extended with specific examples or logical depth. The position is generally clear, but the introduction is weak and lacks a strong thesis statement. To improve, ensure that each paragraph focuses on a single, well-developed argument supported by a clear illustration or reasoning, rather than listing several points briefly.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into paragraphs, but the logical flow is often interrupted by awkward transitions and sentence-level errors. The use of cohesive devices is mechanical and sometimes inaccurate, such as starting sentences with 'And' or 'But' repeatedly. Referencing is occasionally unclear, making it difficult for the reader to follow the progression of your argument. To achieve a higher band, focus on using a wider variety of linking words (e.g., 'furthermore', 'consequently', 'on the other hand') and ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence that connects back to the main prompt.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task but lacks the range and precision required for higher bands. There are several instances of word-choice errors, such as 'contented' instead of 'contended' and 'dogdays' used in an unnatural context. Spelling errors, such as 'sepecially', 'increses', 'dehayrated', and 'droped', occur frequently enough to be noticeable. To improve, focus on learning collocations and academic vocabulary related to education and health, and proofread your work to eliminate basic spelling mistakes.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay relies heavily on simple sentence structures, and attempts at complex sentences are often marred by grammatical errors. There are frequent issues with subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'holidays gives', 'schools didn,t close'), punctuation (e.g., unnecessary commas, incorrect apostrophes), and sentence fragments. The misuse of articles and verb tenses also hinders clarity. To improve, focus on mastering basic sentence construction and subject-verb agreement. Practising the use of relative clauses and subordinating conjunctions will help you move beyond simple, repetitive sentence patterns.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.