Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-14

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 7.5)

In many countries, children have a summer break lasting two months or even longer. Although extended holidays give students valuable time to recover from academic demands and pursue activities outside school, shorter breaks can help maintain learning continuity and make family life easier. In my view, both arrangements have merits, but a reasonably long summer break is more beneficial to children.

The strongest argument for lengthy school holidays is that education does not take place exclusively in the classroom. During a long break, children can develop practical abilities, pursue personal interests and gain experiences that a conventional curriculum may not provide. They may learn to swim, play an instrument, read for pleasure, help with household responsibilities or participate in sports and community activities. Younger children, in particular, benefit from unstructured time in which they can play and interact with others without the pressure of examinations and homework. Furthermore, a substantial break allows students to recover from the mental demands of a full academic year. Returning to school after adequate rest can improve their concentration and motivation.

There are, however, compelling reasons to shorten school holidays. The most important is the risk of learning loss. When students remain away from formal education for several months, they may forget previously acquired knowledge, particularly in subjects such as mathematics and foreign languages that depend on regular practice. Teachers may then have to spend part of the new term revisiting old material instead of introducing new concepts. Shorter breaks can also provide greater stability for working parents, who may otherwise have to arrange expensive childcare or reduce their working hours while their children are at home.

Nevertheless, these disadvantages do not necessarily justify eliminating long holidays. Schools can reduce learning loss by providing optional reading programmes or light academic activities during the summer, while parents can combine these with travel, recreation and family time. This would preserve the educational benefits of a long break without allowing students to become completely disconnected from learning.

In conclusion, shorter school holidays can preserve academic momentum and reduce practical difficulties for families, but longer holidays give children greater scope to rest, develop life skills and learn through real-world experiences. For these reasons, I believe that an extended summer break, supported by limited educational activities, offers the best balance between academic progress and children's broader development.

This is the standard you should study from: not “difficult English,” but controlled English. Every sentence has a clear purpose, the arguments are developed rather than listed, and the vocabulary is precise without sounding unnatural.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

The response fully addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the value of long school holidays and the arguments in favour of shorter ones, maintaining a clear and consistent personal position throughout. In the introduction, the writer outlines both perspectives and states their view clearly. Body paragraph one thoroughly explores the benefits of extended breaks, noting how children develop practical abilities and recover from mental fatigue. Body paragraph two logically contrasts this by addressing the risks of learning loss and childcare challenges for working parents. Furthermore, the fourth paragraph nuances the argument by suggesting practical solutions to mitigate downsides. Ideas are well developed and extended with relevant examples and explanations, fulfilling the requirements for Band 8.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Cohesion and coherence are managed to a very high standard. The essay is logically sequenced, moving smoothly from introduction to distinct body paragraphs covering contrasting viewpoints, a counter-argument reconciliation, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used naturally and unobtrusively, as seen with transitional phrases like 'Although extended holidays', 'Furthermore', 'There are, however', and 'Nevertheless'. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, with each paragraph focusing on a clear central topic. The progression of ideas is easy to follow, and referencing is handled adeptly throughout the text, demonstrating strong control over the macro-organization of the essay.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.5

The writer demonstrates a wide, flexible, and natural lexical range. Vocabulary is used with precision to convey nuanced ideas without sounding overly forced or unnatural, perfectly aligning with the standard of controlled English described in the prompt. Examples of skilful phrasing include 'academic demands', 'learning continuity', 'unstructured time', 'risk of learning loss', and 'academic momentum'. There are only occasional minor limitations or standard collocations, but word choice is consistently appropriate and aids communication. Spelling and word formation are entirely accurate throughout the response.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

The essay displays a wide range of complex sentence structures used with a high degree of accuracy. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, featuring sophisticated subordination and coordination, such as 'When students remain away from formal education for several months, they may forget previously acquired knowledge, particularly in subjects such as mathematics and foreign languages that depend on regular practice.' Control over punctuation, tense consistency, and agreement is robust. While there might be a very rare minor slip if scrutinized under native-speaker academic standards, the structural variety and precision easily support a Band 8 score under official IELTS criteria.

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