Band 8.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 8.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-02

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 8.0)

Here is a strong **IELTS-style answer** with advanced but natural vocabulary:

In many countries, schools close for two months or even longer during the summer. While long holidays provide students with opportunities to relax and develop outside the classroom, shorter holidays can help them maintain academic progress and avoid forgetting what they have learned.

There are several benefits to having long school holidays. Firstly, students need sufficient time to recover from the pressures of studying, examinations, and daily school routines. A lengthy break allows them to relax mentally and spend quality time with their families. Secondly, summer holidays give children an opportunity to participate in activities that may not be possible during the academic year, such as travelling, playing sports, learning new skills, or pursuing creative hobbies. These experiences can contribute to their personal development and independence. Moreover, teachers can also use this period to rest and prepare lessons for the upcoming academic year.

However, there are convincing arguments in favour of shorter school holidays. The most significant concern is that students may forget some of the knowledge and skills they acquired during the previous term, particularly in subjects that require regular practice, such as mathematics and languages. Consequently, teachers may need to spend considerable time reviewing old material when school resumes. Shorter breaks could help students maintain a more consistent learning routine. In addition, frequent and extended holidays may be inconvenient for working parents, who may have difficulty arranging childcare for their children.

In conclusion, long school holidays offer important opportunities for relaxation, family time, and personal development. Nevertheless, shorter holidays can help students retain their academic knowledge and make life easier for working parents. Therefore, schools should aim for a balanced holiday schedule that provides adequate rest without causing significant disruption to students' education.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 7.5

The response effectively addresses all parts of the prompt, exploring both the value of long school holidays and the arguments in favour of shorter ones. The writer establishes a clear position from the outset and maintains it throughout the essay. Ideas are well developed and extended, such as discussing how long breaks foster personal development and independence, while shorter breaks prevent learning loss in subjects like mathematics and languages. Although there is a slight tendency to over-generalize in some points, the coverage is thorough, well-supported with relevant examples and explanations, and demonstrates a strong understanding of the prompt's requirements, fully aligning with the expected level.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.5

The essay displays a clear logical organisation and progression throughout. Each paragraph has a distinct focus, beginning with a balanced introduction, followed by well-structured body paragraphs exploring both sides of the debate, and culminating in a concise conclusion. Cohesive devices are used flexibly and appropriately, with transitional markers like "Firstly", "Secondly", "Moreover", and "Consequently" guiding the reader smoothly between ideas. Paragraphing is used sufficiently and effectively. While referencing and substitution are managed well, slightly more varied or subtle transitional phrases could push the cohesion to an even higher level of sophistication.

Lexical Resource: Band 8.0

The student demonstrates a wide, fluent, and flexible vocabulary range suitable for discussing academic and social topics. Uncommon lexical items are used skillfully, such as "academic progress", "recover from the pressures", "personal development", and "consistent learning routine". Word choice and collocations are generally accurate and natural throughout the text. There are only occasional minor limitations or standard phrasings, but these do not impede communication. The control over style and register is strong, contributing significantly to the overall professional tone of the writing.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 8.0

The response features a wide range of complex sentence structures, including conditional meanings, subordinate clauses, and participial phrases used accurately. The majority of sentences are completely error-free, reflecting a high level of grammatical control. Verb forms, tenses, subject-verb agreement, and punctuation are handled with precision. Minor slips are virtually absent, and the structural variety—such as "While long holidays provide...", "activities that may not be possible...", and "parents, who may have difficulty..."—demonstrates excellent flexibility in syntax and punctuation.

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