Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)
It is generally argued that holidays act as an energy booaster for the young scholors. I believe long vacations play a pivotal role in growth and development of young individuals.
Holidays help students to spend time with their families and friends. It allows them to share family values and culture. Young individuals spend time with family can participate in socail works such as scouting and taking part in cleanness drives. In addition, it can undeniably helps them to develop a sense of responsibility.
Students studing theories and bookish knowledge all year can get a chance to express themselves in practicle lives. On the other hand, a break from regular activities can act as a energizer for them to take part more actively. Furthermore, it gives young scholors a chance to study independently about their desire topics.
However, some people are inclined to the fact that shorter holidays helps students in many ways. For instance it keeps a decipline life, to the track and students keep learning that way. I respectfully, disagree with this beacuse a child overloaded with numerous burdens can not act wisely and attentively at school. Instead of bombarding information and knowledge on a child like a machine withot days off may harm the mental capacity of the students. Moreover, it may negatively influence a child to get rid of studies.
Taking all the arguments into consideration it is evidant that long summer holidays are crucial for young students.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.5 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the value of long school holidays and the arguments in favour of shorter ones, such as maintaining discipline and preventing mental overload. However, the ideas are somewhat generalized and lack fully realized support or concrete examples. Furthermore, the response is penalized for length, as it contains 241 words, falling short of the 250-word minimum requirement. The student takes a clear position, but the under-length nature and limited depth of development place this at Band 5.5.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5
The essay displays a logical overall arrangement with basic paragraphing. Paragraphs are divided by topic, moving from the value of holidays to counter-arguments about shorter breaks. However, cohesive devices are at times faulty or repetitive, and referencing can be imprecise (e.g., 'In addition, it can undeniably helps them...'). Paragraph transitions are mechanical rather than smooth. While the text is generally readable, the management of cohesion and logical progression reflects Band 6.0 descriptors rather than higher bands.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The student attempts some less common vocabulary, such as 'pivotal role', 'undeniably', and 'bombarding information'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('booaster', 'scholors' instead of scholars, 'socail', 'cleanness', 'studing', 'practicle', 'energizer', 'decipline', 'beacuse', 'withot', 'evidant') and awkward word choices ('energy booaster', 'desire topics'). These lexical errors and spelling mistakes occasionally impede communication, placing this response firmly in the Band 5.0 range.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The writer attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional or participial clauses ('Students studing theories...'). However, grammatical accuracy is weak, featuring frequent errors such as subject-verb agreement issues ('it can undeniably helps'), fragment sentences ('For instance it keeps a decipline life...'), and awkward phrasing ('a child overloaded with numerous burdens can not act wisely'). These frequent errors can cause some difficulty for the reader, aligning with the Band 5.0 descriptors.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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