Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

In recent years, there has been growing debate about whether primary and secondary schools should close for two months or more during the summer vacations. From my perspective, both arguments are equally important for individuals and society. Although extended holidays provide a break from stressful workload to students, I believe shorter vacations provide a better understanding of practical skills and improve academic performance.

On the one hand, there are several arguments which contribute to in favor of extended school vacations. Longer school holidays provide more time to relax and help students unwind because learners are frustrated due to heavy workload. Moreover, students feel stressed because of regular assignments and tests. Therefore, they need more time to enjoy their own leisure time with their favorite activities. For instance, students can take part in extracurricular activities, such as sports and swimming. Students could spend more time with family and enjoy leisure hours during extended holidays.

On the other hand, shorter holidays also provide some benefits to students, such as they are able to review their syllabus without forgetting their previous topics. As a result, they need less revision when they return to school and improve academic performance. For example, students who have less study break may remember mathematical and communication skills. Despite this, shorter holidays are more beneficial for the working parents because they have less need to look after their children.

In conclusion, although longer school holidays allow students to break from study and spend more time with their families, I believe shorter vacations are more beneficial because they help students retain their knowledge and maintain their academic progress.”

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, discussing both the value of long school holidays and the arguments in favour of shorter ones. A clear position is established in the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. The ideas are generally relevant and supported with examples, such as taking part in extracurricular activities for long holidays and reviewing syllabi for short ones. However, some ideas tend to be repetitive, particularly the points regarding relaxation and academic performance, which prevents the development from reaching a higher band. Overall, the task is adequately addressed in line with Band 6 descriptors.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate different viewpoints. Cohesive devices are employed, such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', 'Moreover', and 'Therefore', although some transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Referencing is generally clear, though occasional minor cohesion issues appear, such as the awkward phrasing in 'contribute to in favor of'. The progression of ideas is logical and easy to follow, making this performance a solid fit for Band 6.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-related terms like 'extracurricular activities', 'academic performance', and 'working parents'. There are some attempts at less common vocabulary, though these are occasionally marred by slight inaccuracies in collocation or word choice, such as 'contribute to in favor of' and 'stressful workload'. Spelling and word formation are generally accurate, and errors do not impede communication. This reflects the characteristics of Band 6 lexical resource.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional and relative clauses. There are several error-free sentences, but also a number of grammatical errors and awkward structures, such as 'learners are frustrated due to heavy workload' and 'students who have less study break may remember mathematical and communication skills'. Punctuation is generally sound, and while errors are present, they rarely impede communication. This balance of controlled structures and frequent minor errors aligns well with a Band 6 score.

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