Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-13

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)

In many countries, schools close for two months or more during the summer holidays. Some people think that these long holidays are useful, while others believe that shorter holidays are better. This essay will discuss the value of long school holidays and the reasons for shorter holidays.

There are several benefits of long school holidays. First, students get enough time to relax after studying for many months. They can spend time with their families and friends. This is important because students sometimes feel tired and stressed due to their studies. Second, students can learn new skills during the holidays. For example, they can learn computer skills, play sports, or join English language classes.

On the other hand, shorter school holidays also have some advantages. One important reason is that students can continue their studies without a long break. During long holidays, many students forget what they have learned. As a result, teachers need more time to revise previous lessons when school starts again.

In my opinion, schools should have shorter summer holidays, but students should still get enough time to rest. For example, schools can give students four or six weeks of summer holidays instead of two or three months. This will give them time to relax and enjoy different activities. At the same time, they will not forget too much of their studies.

In conclusion, long school holidays are useful for relaxation and learning new skills. However, shorter holidays can help students continue their education more effectively. I believe that a balanced holiday period is the best choice for students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the value of long school holidays and the arguments in favour of shorter ones, as seen in paragraphs outlining relaxation, skill acquisition, and academic continuity. A clear position is presented in the conclusion and opinion paragraph. Ideas are relevant, but some could be extended further with more specific examples or depth to reach higher band levels. For instance, the discussion on skill learning mentions computer skills and sports, but lacks detailed explanation. Overall, the task is properly fulfilled with a clear structure that covers the prompt effectively, aligning well with the descriptors for a Band 6.5 or solid 6.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response presents a coherent overall arrangement with clear paragraphing, separating the introduction, the benefits of long holidays, the advantages of short holidays, the personal opinion, and the conclusion. Logical progression is visible through sequencing phrases such as First and Second in the second paragraph, and On the other hand in the third. However, some of the cohesive devices are quite basic and mechanical. Referencing and paragraph transitions work sufficiently to guide the reader through the text without confusion, fitting the criteria for Band 6.0 well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-related terms like relaxation, academic continuity, skills, and education. There are attempts at less common vocabulary such as "academic continuity" or descriptive phrases, but much of the language remains fairly everyday and repetitive (e.g., repeating "students", "holidays", and "studies"). Spelling and word choice are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication, matching the expectations for a Band 6.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, utilizing relative clauses and conditional-like structures successfully (e.g., "This is important because students sometimes feel tired..."). There are several error-free sentences throughout the essay, and punctuation is handled correctly. While the range of structures is somewhat limited and avoids more ambitious complex grammatical forms, the control over the basic and moderately complex sentences used is generally good, supporting a Band 6.5 score.

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