Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-29

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)

There has been long debate over whether long break from schools is beneficial becuase it give student mental break from studies, make them spend time family and to make childhood memories while some people believe that extended holidays result in less concentration in studies and it effects student academic performance.This essay will provide both views.

On one hand, long summer holidays are beneficial becuase it gives student rest from year long academics, Also students can visit thier hometown or relatives and they are able to make bonds with cousins. Infact, extended holidays are crucial for activities other than curriculum. Students can play thier favourite games which require more time for learning new skills, For example horse riding require student to give two to three month spare for daily practice.

Meanwhile, some people argue that long holidays make students less focused on studies and even after break, student find difficulty to keep the focus and to return on routine and because of loosing concentration on studenties it effect academic performance. for example during long break children are more likely to wake up late in morning and after opening of school, it is difficult for them to get up early in the morning.

In conclusion, I would say that long summer holidays are important becuase students also need time for enjoyment, family and spending time for learning new things.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses the two key parts of the prompt: the value of long school holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. However, the student's text suffers from a major negative constraint violation, as it contains only 227 words, falling short of the required 250-word minimum. This under-length impacts the depth of development, particularly in the introduction and conclusion, which are brief. While the writer outlines relevant ideas such as mental breaks, family bonding, and loss of concentration, these points are somewhat underdeveloped due to the brevity. A clear position is stated in the introduction and maintained throughout the essay. Because the length requirement was not met, a penalty must be applied to Task Achievement.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear organisational structure consisting of an introduction, body paragraphs addressing each side of the prompt, and a brief conclusion. Cohesive devices are used to signal transitions, such as 'On one hand,' and 'Meanwhile,'. However, referencing and cohesion are sometimes faulty or mechanical, as seen in repetitive phrasing and minor structural disconnects. Paragraphing is present and separates the opposing views appropriately, but overall progression could be smoother. The mechanical nature of the cohesive links and occasional lack of clear referencing place this criterion firmly at a band 6.0.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating topic-related terms like 'curriculum,' 'academic performance,' and 'extended holidays.' However, there are notable spelling errors ('becuase', 'thier', 'Infact', 'loosing', 'studenties') and awkward word choices ('effect student academic performance' instead of 'affect'). The vocabulary is occasionally repetitive, utilizing basic descriptors. The writer attempts some less common lexical items, but the frequency of spelling mistakes and minor collocation errors means the writing does not consistently achieve a higher band. Communication is not seriously impeded, but the lexical control is limited.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting relative clauses and conditional structures. However, there are persistent errors in grammar, punctuation, and subject-verb agreement (e.g., 'breaks from schools is beneficial becuase it give student', 'horse riding require student to give', 'student find difficulty'). Punctuation is weak, particularly with run-on sentences in the introduction and body paragraphs lacking proper commas or full stops. While these errors rarely completely impede communication, their frequency prevents the writer from achieving a band 7.0. The control over complex structures is still developing.

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