Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-28

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)

In differet countries, schools provide two or more then two months vacations.Long vacations have many benifits but short holidays have also advantages. This essay wil discuss both arguments with example.

On one side, Long holidays have a lot of benifits,they provide a freedom to students from the stressful education environment and student can recover the acedamic pressure. Also, Teachers have more time to take rest and prepare themselves for the next academic year. Families spend more time together. Students can develop more personal skills during the holidays whcih could be helpful for their future. For example, A student can learn computer skills which can be helpful to earn money or it would be helpful to complete their academic tasks.

On the other side, some arguments are in the favour of short holidays. Although, Long breaks can cause students to forget previously learned material. Shorter breaks help to maintain regular study habits. Younger children need more frequent practice regarding thier acedamics. For example, Long holidays can also create problems for the working parents in terms of childcare. A more evenly distrubed calendar can reduce this difficulty.

In Conclusion, Some countries close the schools for two or more than two months but some arguments in the favour of short duration of holidays, Both have thier own advantages. Long vacation provide some freedom of life from the acadamic stress and families can spend more time together while short holidays can also help parents to manage their working schdule,So, both arguments have thieir benefits.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The student addresses both parts of the prompt, discussing the value of long school holidays and the arguments in favour of shorter ones. A clear position is maintained throughout the essay. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited and repetitive, which places the response firmly in the band 6 category. For instance, the points about teachers resting and family time are introduced but not fully extended. Examples are provided, such as students learning computer skills or parents dealing with childcare, which are relevant and support the overall argument. To achieve a higher band score, the student should provide deeper analysis and more fully developed explanations for each point raised rather than listing multiple ideas quickly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear introduction and conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate the two main views, with clear transitional phrases such as 'On one side' and 'On the other side'. However, cohesion is at times mechanical and repetitive, particularly in the conclusion where phrases echo earlier sentences without adding new progression. Referencing is generally clear, but some cohesive devices feel forced. The logical organisation is sufficient to guide the reader through the text, satisfying the requirements for a band 6 score. For a higher score, smoother transitions and a more sophisticated flow of ideas between paragraphs would be necessary.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully communicating ideas about education, holidays, and family life. There are several spelling and word-choice errors throughout the text, such as 'differet' instead of 'different', 'benifits' instead of 'benefits', 'acedamic' instead of 'academic', 'whcih', 'thier', and 'distrubed'. Despite these noticeable errors, communication is not impeded, and the meaning remains clear. The student attempts some less common vocabulary items like 'stressful education environment' and 'working schedule', but spelling inaccuracies hold the score down. To improve, the student needs to pay closer attention to basic spelling rules and expand their range of precise lexical items.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some control over grammar. Examples of complex structures include 'Although, Long breaks can cause students to forget previously learned material' and 'A student can learn computer skills which can be helpful...'. However, there are frequent errors in punctuation, capitalization, and minor grammatical structures, such as comma splices and incorrect clause integration ('Also, Teachers have more time...'). While these errors do not severely impede communication, they occur regularly enough to prevent the essay from reaching a higher band. A greater variety of error-free complex sentences and more careful proofreading would improve this score.

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