Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-26

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 7.0)

Most of the schools around the world close for two or more months in summer each year and it is debatable if that is favourable or not.

Long summer vacations don't only have advantages but also disadvantages.

They are surely important for children to take a breather after two consecutive terms of academics since resting is equally essential with studying and working hard throughout the year. Students get a period of break in which they can do their desired activities, which are unlikely to fetch time for during school tenures. For instance, children take swimming classes mostly during their summer holidays because taking classes after school gets hectic for most of them.

Moreover, travelling becomes easier for majority of the students and their families as well. When children collectively get longer holidays, it is easier for most of them to plan their national and international trips conveniently. For instance, given two months of time, a father can appeal for a holiday period to their employer knowing that a trip could be planned anytime within two months considering his children's vacations.

Adding to that, it is favourable for a lot of teachers and parents as well. Just like students, teachers get to have time off after working for two consecutive terms and focus on themselves to wind down and freshen up before the next term. Similarly, most of the parents spend months catering to their children's needs and routines, a long summer break provides them with an opportunity to take a break from their tiring schedules. For example, a working mother spends everyday looking after her children, accommodating their pick-and-drops, while also working a 9-to-5 shift. Long summer holidays could potentially spare her time to focus on other things including herself.

However, there are drawbacks of long school vacations as well. A greater gap between two terms can interupt with the temperament of the child's academics. There is a flow that is created with two back to back periods of academic classes, which gets disrupted with holidays stretching for 2 months or more. With shorter school holidays, this factor is eliminated since learning for children stays consistent.

Moreover, a shorter vacation period would also provide them with a break from studies, while making sure their flow of academics is not heavily impacted.

Furthermore, lesser free days will also result in lesser negative impact on their routines, making it easier for them to bounce back to their school and study schedules. Many students often find it harder to go back to school aafter a long time off because they struggle with getting out of the vacation-mode.

In conclusion, long summer holidays do hold value but there are considerable drawbacks that need to be looked after.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.0

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. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay. Ideas are extended and supported with relevant examples, such as mentioning swimming classes, family travel planning, and working mothers. However, some arguments tend to over-generalise or lean slightly repetitive towards the end, which places the response firmly within the Band 7 descriptor for fully addressing all requirements with well-supported, extended ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Information and ideas are grouped effectively into paragraphs, with an introduction, body paragraphs addressing the two prompt questions, and a conclusion. Cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'For instance', 'Adding to that', and 'However' are used generally well to link ideas, although referencing and transitions can occasionally feel slightly mechanical (e.g., 'Adding to that, it is favourable...'). Paragraphing is used sufficiently and appropriately, ensuring the overall progression remains easy to follow for the reader.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

The student demonstrates an adequate to sufficient range of vocabulary for the task, successfully attempting less common items and phrasal phrasing such as 'consecutive terms', 'fetch time', 'vacation-mode', and 'interupt'. There are occasional minor lexical and spelling inaccuracies, such as 'interupt' instead of 'interrupt', 'majority of the students' lacking an article in places, and slight awkwardness in phrasing like 'unlikely to fetch time for during school tenures'. However, these errors do not impede communication, and the vocabulary allows the writer to convey their points with reasonable precision and flexibility.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The writer uses a good mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating control over subordinate clauses and conditional concepts (e.g., 'When children collectively get longer holidays, it is easier...'). There are frequent error-free sentences, alongside a few persistent errors in articles, prepositions, and verb patterns, such as 'fetch time for during school tenures', 'appeal for a holiday period to their employer', and 'aafter a long time off'. Punctuation is generally sound, and the grammatical errors do not impede communication, supporting a solid Band 6.5 or 7.0 descriptor profile.

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