Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-11

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 7.0)

On the one hand, long school breaks facilitate much-needed rest for students and teachers after a demanding year and provide a good reset before returning to school. Extended holidays allow children to spend quality time with their families, travel, and experience life outside the classroom. Unstructured learning is crucial for young minds as it positively contributes to their cognitive development and critical thinking skills. For instance, a longer break during the summer can be utilized by enrolling kids in summer school, where they can learn new skills. These experiences can enhance children's motivation levels to return to school after a well-spent holiday.

Nevertheless, there are drawbacks to prolonged holidays. Firstly, long breaks can lead to holiday blues. If schools were to implement shorter, more frequent breaks, students might experience less academic regression. Moreover, if summer breaks are prolonged, working parents will have to find suitable childcare during working hours, which can be challenging. In addition, smaller, frequent off periods can cater better to exhaustion and effectively manage burnout that most students and faculty face throughout the academic year. This burnout is usually due to high stress levels and academic pressure. A case in point: countries that offer shorter summer holidays and frequent breaks throughout the year perform better in academia.

In conclusion, while long breaks seem very relaxing and provide an opportunity to engage in activities outside school, shorter breaks spread out throughout the year can work best for schools, as they provide the required rest period while avoiding academic regression.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt: the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. The ideas are relevant and logically developed. For instance, you discuss cognitive development and family time for the first part, and academic regression and childcare challenges for the second. However, the development is somewhat concise. To reach a higher band, you could expand on the 'academic regression' point with more specific detail or provide a more concrete example of how shorter, frequent breaks function in a specific educational system. Your position is clear throughout, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes the main points.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is well-organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and you use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand,' 'Nevertheless,' 'Firstly,' and 'In addition' to link your arguments effectively. The transition between the benefits of long breaks and the drawbacks of them is smooth. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two sides of the argument. The flow of ideas is logical, and the referencing is clear throughout the text, making the essay easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Phrases like 'cognitive development,' 'academic regression,' and 'manage burnout' are used accurately and appropriately in context. There is a good attempt to use less common vocabulary, such as 'unstructured learning' and 'faculty.' While the vocabulary is effective, it is generally functional rather than highly sophisticated. To improve, you could incorporate more nuanced collocations or idiomatic expressions to demonstrate a wider, more flexible range of lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. You use conditional sentences ('If schools were to implement...') and complex noun phrases effectively. The grammar is generally accurate, and there are no significant errors that impede communication. Most sentences are error-free, and punctuation is used correctly. While the control is good, the range of complex structures is somewhat limited; incorporating a wider variety of subordinate clauses or passive constructions could further enhance the grammatical complexity of your writing.

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