Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-21

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 this essay, we are going to discuss the value of long school vacations which is offered to students in some parts of the world. And we will evluate the other side of the argument, that is in the favour of shorter holidays. Overall, longer holidays offer better oppurtunities to spend time with the family and improve family bonding. Conversely, shorter holidays allow more focus on studies and ease in completing syllabus.

Long holidays from studies help young pupils to develop strong bond with their families. Children especially with siblings, have more time to play with each other and spend time together. As a result, this helps them to know eachother better and increases their affection with each other. Moreover, the plenty of time lets parents to know more about thier kids and in response children have time for their paternal love. For example, young students that are not allowed longer holidays have very limited time to bond with their family as they are in constant cycle of school, homework and sleep.

Less off days from school has its own merits such as students have consistent focus on their studies and they have ample time to cover their syllabus with ease. When students spend a lot of time absent from their schools, they tend to indulge in the activities that are more likely to divert their concentration from studies and it takes a lot of time to get back on track. In additon, if teachers have very limited time to cover the syllabus, they tend to rush the syllabus and in some cases they are not able to covers it completely. For instance, two months of holidays along with 52 weekends in the year, leave very limited time for the teachers and the students to go about their education.

In conclusion shorter holidays allow better chances of completing syllabus and enhanced focus on studies, while longer holidays help students to develop better connection with their family.

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. In the introduction, the writer outlines both sides of the debate, stating that longer holidays improve family bonding while shorter holidays enhance focus on studies. The body paragraphs further develop these ideas with relevant explanations, such as siblings having more time to play together or teachers rushing through the syllabus due to time constraints. However, some arguments remain slightly under-developed or general, such as the mention of paternal love and children indulging in distracting activities. Overall, the task is addressed clearly and appropriately, earning a Band 6.5.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression. Information is organised into appropriate paragraphs, starting with an introduction, followed by two distinct body paragraphs representing each side of the argument, and a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'moreover', 'for example', 'conversely', and 'in conclusion' are used to connect ideas, though some referencing and transitions feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. Paragraphing is utilised sufficiently, and each paragraph has a clear central topic, such as family bonding in the second paragraph and academic focus in the third paragraph. This performance aligns well with the Band 6 descriptor.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'vacations', 'affection', 'indulge', and 'concentration'. However, there are noticeable spelling errors ('evluate', 'oppurtunities', 'thier', 'additon', 'covers') and occasional awkward collocations or word choices, such as 'paternal love' instead of parental bonding. Despite these inaccuracies, the vocabulary is sufficient to communicate the main ideas without impeding the reader's understanding. This lexical control reflects a solid Band 6 level.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, including conditional and relative clauses, such as 'When students spend a lot of time absent from their schools, they tend to indulge in the activities that are more likely to divert their concentration'. There are several grammatical errors and awkward phrasings throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues like 'the plenty of time lets parents to know' and 'shorter holidays allow'. Punctuation is generally acceptable, and while errors are present, they rarely impede overall communication, placing the response securely in the Band 6 category.

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