Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Nowadays in many nations, both primary and secondary schools close for long period. This essay will examine the value of this statement.

Firstly, school is the primary learning basis of every pupils. Recently a significant number of schools providing long term rest days or even more in summer. This rule has some benefits for both students and teachers. First of all, the students may get some time to focus on other activites like playing outside more or visit their long distance reletives, this will help them to gain good mental health as well as the bond between their cousins can be strong. Beside the tutors might get good time to do same activity also they can spend more time with family due to long vacation.

Coversely, The statement has some arguements such as too much off days can distruct childreen's mind towards study. Some people believe that it is not necessary to give long term holidays, instead they can provide some more extra classes in these days. The argue has some strong point like the parents saw that students do not complete their homework at vacation they just do fun activity rather than studying, from this prasprective they argue about long term rest days. For example, Japan is only country to provide strict rules about the holidays they prefer short time vacation.

In conclusion, In various county, schools vacation are lille longer than many individuals expect, tho from my view there is no difficulity about the vacation it's all about the mindset and the attention about the student from parents. Despite this view it is benificial for both students and teachers.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

The response addresses both parts of the prompt by discussing the value of long holidays (mental health, family bonding) and the arguments in favour of shorter holidays (loss of study focus, parental concerns). However, the introduction misinterprets the prompt by stating 'This essay will examine the value of this statement' rather than outlining the two specific questions asked. Ideas are presented and supported with reasons and examples, such as mentioning Japan, though some points remain somewhat general and lack deeper development. The position is generally clear throughout the essay, meeting the requirements for Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a logical overall arrangement with a four-paragraph structure comprising an introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. However, cohesion at the sentence level is frequently faulty or mechanical. Words like 'Firstly', 'First of all', and 'Coversely' are used, but transitional phrases are sometimes awkward, such as 'The argue has some strong point' and 'tho from my view'. Paragraphing is attempted, but internal cohesion lacks seamless progression. Referencing is occasionally unclear, as seen in the ambiguous pronoun use in the conclusion. These features align with the Band 5.5 to 6.0 descriptors, comfortably sitting at Band 6.0 for a coherent overall structure despite mechanical links.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

The vocabulary used is adequate for the task, attempting some less common lexical items such as 'mental health', 'persprective', and 'benificial'. However, there are numerous word-choice and spelling errors that impede fluency, including 'activites', 'reletives', 'distruct', 'childreen', 'prasprective', and 'county'. The writer also relies on repetitive phrasing, such as 'long term rest days' and 'long term holidays'. While the range is sufficient to convey the main ideas, the frequent errors in spelling and word formation keep the lexical score at a Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The response demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, attempting structures such as subordinate clauses ('if they can provide', 'due to long vacation'). However, grammatical accuracy is weak, with frequent errors that cause some difficulty for the reader. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('every pupils', 'parents saw'), incorrect prepositions ('at vacation' instead of 'on vacation'), and tense inconsistencies. Punctuation and capitalization are also flawed in places, such as 'Coversely, The statement'. Because errors are frequent and occasionally obscure meaning, a Band 5.0 is appropriate.

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