Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-09-30

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 multiple countries, schools are closed for more than a month during the summer season for many positive reasons. But many people argue that school holidays should be shorter. This essay will intend to examine the potential benefits and what the drawbacks are.

First and foremost, the reasons behind the long breaks during the summer are stress relief and the exploration of new pursuits. Since many of the pupils felt education was overwhelming and draining, long breaks relieve stress and strengthen the relationship with their parents. Moreover, because students can spend leisure time on what they are passionate about, such as flying to a different country with their family, trying out new dishes, or researching their interests, their mental states are likely to be improved. Furthermore, this not only helps brighten their mood but also puts them in a better condition once school reopen.

However, the significant disadvantage of this is that pupils frequently forget or lose their knowledge of what they have already studied. Additionally, inertia may hold back students from working hard when they return to school. Children may find it difficult and stressful to get back on track after no revision of what they have learned for 2 or more months. Therefore, this can put teachers, including pupils, in a difficult situation.

In conclusion, it is good to have a holiday during the summer break, but it harms students' education and knowledge. I firmly believe that if the vacation is reduced by 2 weeks, then everything will be balanced the pros and cons of this issue.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses all parts of the task by discussing both the value of long school holidays and the arguments in favor of shorter ones. The writer establishes a clear position and supports main ideas with relevant explanations, such as stress relief, personal exploration, and the academic regression often caused by extended breaks. However, some ideas remain slightly underdeveloped; for instance, the conclusion mentions a compromise ('reduced by 2 weeks') that was not fully integrated into the body paragraphs. Overall, the content is relevant, adequately addresses the prompt, and meets the requirements of a Band 6.5 to 7.0 profile. Looking closely at the descriptors, the response successfully addresses all parts, earning a solid Band 6.5, rounded to a 6.0 or 7.0 depending on extension. Given the clear positioning and explanation of both prompt questions, a Band 6.5 or Band 7.0 is appropriate, but due to slight generalisations and lack of deeper development in the final paragraph, a Band 6.5 is assigned.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The essay displays a coherent overall arrangement with a clear logical progression from introduction to body paragraphs and conclusion. Paragraphing is utilised appropriately, with each paragraph serving a distinct function (introduction, benefits, drawbacks, conclusion). Cohesive devices are employed to connect ideas, such as 'First and foremost', 'Moreover', and 'Furthermore', though some transitional phrases feel slightly mechanical or repetitive ('Furthermore', 'Additionally'). Referencing is generally clear, as seen in phrases like 'the significant disadvantage of this is that pupils frequently forget'. However, some minor awkwardness in logical flow prevents it from reaching the higher band. Overall, the structural framework is clear and follows standard IELTS essay conventions, easily satisfying the Band 6.5 to 7.0 criteria.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The student uses an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common words and phrases such as 'stress relief', 'exploration of new pursuits', 'overwhelming and draining', and 'academic regression' equivalents like 'forget or lose their knowledge'. There are occasional inaccuracies in word choice and collocation, such as 'This essay will intend to examine' (redundant use of 'will intend') and 'once school reopen' (grammatical error affecting word form). Despite these minor lexical slips, communication is never impeded, and the vocabulary remains sufficiently flexible to convey precise meanings regarding student wellbeing and educational setbacks. This fits comfortably within the Band 6.0 descriptor range.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, incorporating relative clauses and conditional structures, such as 'Since many of the pupils felt education was overwhelming...' and 'if the vacation is reduced by 2 weeks, then everything will be balanced'. However, there are notable grammatical errors and awkward phrasing that persist throughout the text, including subject-verb agreement issues ('once school reopen' instead of 'schools reopen') and stylistic clumsiness ('will intend to examine', 'balanced the pros and cons'). While these errors do not impede communication, they lower the frequency of error-free sentences. The control of grammar and punctuation is adequate for a Band 6.0, reflecting a reliable mix of structures with recurring minor errors.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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