Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-08

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)

Nowadays, there are numerous countries where primary and secondary schools are closed for two months or more during the summer holidays. Additionally, there should be changes in the schedule that are crucial to shorter school holidays.

Firstly, school systems allow long holidays in both primary and secondary schools. Parents plan their vacations according to the time period. Two or more months are not too much because students study a whole year. The year is full of stress due to classes, mock tests, and exams. Their whole year is very packed, so students deserve the holidays. During this time, students enjoy their freedom from studies and plan get-togethers with their friends. Even though some students enroll in different courses, which they really want to do, including pottery, swimming, and karate classes, etc.

Conversely, some parents are satisfied with this rule, but others are concerned about it. Those two months or more are a big loss, and it also diverts students' minds from their studies as well. After this duration, they do not have interest in restarting their studies, and that is very bad impact on them. Eventually, students' futures will be affected their career. School systems need to add some activities rather than holidays. Those activities will help students to take a break from studies, but it do not make them uninterested.

In conclusion, the changes in favour of shorter school holidays are necessary and effective for students. The longer vacations concept indicates a diverted mind of students from their studies, and less interest is not beneficial for their career.

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 students need a break from stress, the explanation could be more deeply explored with specific examples of how this impacts mental health or academic performance. Similarly, the argument for shorter holidays is presented, but the reasoning regarding 'diverted minds' is a bit repetitive and lacks depth. To improve, ensure that each paragraph provides a clear, well-supported argument rather than just stating the points. The position is clear, but the overall development remains at a basic level.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use basic cohesive devices like 'Firstly', 'Conversely', and 'In conclusion' to signal transitions. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing is occasionally unclear, such as in the sentence 'Eventually, students' futures will be affected their career.' The connection between ideas within paragraphs could be smoother; for instance, the transition from discussing summer courses to the disadvantages of long holidays feels abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that pronouns clearly refer to their antecedents would enhance the overall coherence.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have an adequate range of vocabulary to convey your meaning, though it is somewhat repetitive. Phrases like 'two months or more' and 'students' are used frequently. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, such as 'diverts' and 'beneficial', but there are also instances of awkward word choice, such as 'that is very bad impact on them' and 'the longer vacations concept indicates a diverted mind'. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and varied synonyms to express your ideas, and ensure that your word choices are grammatically appropriate for the context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is generally clear, there are several grammatical errors that persist throughout the text. Examples include 'it do not make them uninterested' (subject-verb agreement), 'affected their career' (missing preposition), and 'the changes in favour of shorter school holidays are necessary' (slightly awkward phrasing). While these errors do not impede communication, they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct preposition usage, and proofreading for minor slips in sentence construction.

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

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