Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Some countries close their primary and secondary schools for almost two months in severe summer season. The primary reason of giving these holidays is that the summer is cruel in the countries that are farther away from equator.

The extended holidays keep school and college going children away from heat of summer season. In summers, the heatwaves are common, which can have bad impact on student's health and in worst case scenario even death. Every year, hundreds of people die due to heathwave in southeast asia. With long holidays, learners will be protected from harsh weather conditions. Moreover, holidays can give students more time to spend on their hobbies, and they can aquire new skills. With enough time, they can focus on what they actually wanted to do. There's another positive aspect of summer holidays is that students will get more time to spend with their parents that can result in stronger family bonding.

There are also multiple arugments that are against giving longer school holidays. One such arguement is that extended holidays can impact student's educational learning negatively. With some additional cultural and religous holidays on top of summer holidays, it will be difficult for both students and teachers to complete course. Shorter holidays can be given in those regions where summer is not too harsh.

In conclusion, the number of holidays depends highly on region. If the region is warm like Pakistan, India or Bangladesh, there is no option of shorter holidays, but it can be compensated with shorter winter breaks. While on the other hand, moderate regions like Malaysia, Veitnam or Singapore can give shorter summer breaks.

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. The ideas are relevant, such as health concerns regarding heatwaves and the impact on curriculum completion. However, the development is somewhat limited. While you mention family bonding and hobbies, these points are not fully extended with specific examples or deeper analysis. The conclusion introduces a regional perspective that is interesting but slightly shifts the focus away from the general arguments requested. To reach a higher band, ensure that each point is supported by a clear explanation or a concrete example to demonstrate a more thorough exploration of the topic.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is logically organized into paragraphs, each with a clear central theme. You use some cohesive devices like 'Moreover', 'In conclusion', and 'While on the other hand' to link ideas. However, the flow between sentences is sometimes mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more precise. For instance, the transition between the health benefits of holidays and the mention of hobbies is abrupt. Improving the variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence would enhance the overall progression of your argument. The paragraphing is appropriate, but the internal cohesion within paragraphs needs more refinement.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'cruel', 'heatwaves', 'harsh weather conditions', and 'compensated'. There are some spelling errors, such as 'aquire' (acquire), 'arugment' (argument), 'religous' (religious), and 'Veitnam' (Vietnam). Additionally, some word choices are slightly unnatural, such as 'severe summer season' or 'educational learning'. While these errors do not impede communication, they indicate a need for more attention to spelling and precise collocation. To improve, focus on learning the correct spelling of common academic terms and practice using collocations in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are several grammatical slips, particularly with articles ('the' equator, 'the' heat of summer) and subject-verb agreement. For example, 'There's another positive aspect... is that' is grammatically awkward; it should be 'Another positive aspect... is that'. You also have some punctuation issues, such as missing commas in complex sentences. While you attempt complex structures, they are not always error-free. To increase your score, focus on consistent article usage and refining your control over complex sentence construction to ensure they are accurate.

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

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