Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-10

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 5.0)

In recent years, a prominent proposal currently gaining traction is the introduction of a set duration for summer holidays for primary and secondary schools. One school of thought maintains that a longer duration of summer holidays is extremely important for students' well-being and entertainment, while the advent of this directive drastically decreases students' learning capabilities, leading some to contend that longer durations later on lead to dwindling interest in studies.

First and foremost, long school holidays are vital for children's mental growth; they need time to spend with their family. Pupils get tired of the daily 9 hours of hustle at school, and then on weekends they get plenty of homework that doesn't give them time to plan a picnic or a long tour to their relatives. So, for planning a long trip abroad or out of the city, they at least need more than two months of holiday. Furthermore, the daily hectic routine of students leaves them with no time to seek co-curricular activities such as swimming and practical skills like art, which are immensely significant for improving physical health and their practical and cross-cultural growth.

Conversely, opponents argue that during long holidays, students lose interest in studies, primarily because childrens have shorter attention spans, and they forget all the directives and concepts. Additionally, it is extremely difficult for childrens to adapt again the school routine after a long time of freedom. Moreover, the shorter school holidays

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You address the value of long holidays with relevant points about family time, rest, travel and co-curricular activities. You also begin to discuss the case for shorter holidays, mentioning loss of interest and difficulty returning to school routines. However, the response is incomplete: the final point, “Moreover, the shorter school holidays”, is unfinished, so the second question is not properly answered or supported. The opening is also unclear about the proposal being discussed, and the ideas are mostly asserted rather than explained with specific examples. The response is 12 words below the required minimum. To strengthen the answer, state your position clearly, complete both sides of the discussion, and develop each main point with a concrete example or explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph supporting long holidays and a paragraph beginning the opposing view. Linking phrases such as “First and foremost”, “Furthermore” and “Conversely” help signal the direction of the discussion. However, progression is limited because the final paragraph stops mid-sentence, leaving the argument unfinished. Some connections between ideas are also abrupt: the opening moves from a proposal to claims about learning without clearly explaining the relationship. The long first body paragraph combines family time, travel and activities without a clear internal sequence. Use a complete paragraph for each question, organise each around one main claim, and make the links between reasons explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You show some range beyond basic vocabulary, including “co-curricular activities”, “attention spans”, “adapt” and “well-being”. These choices help communicate the topic, and the meaning is generally understandable. However, several expressions are awkward or imprecise, such as “daily 9 hours of hustle”, “long tour to your relatives” and “directives and concepts”. “Entertainment” is also not the most suitable term for the broader benefits of holidays. The repeated use of “long” and “students” limits flexibility, while “childrens” is a spelling/word-form error. Aim for natural collocations and precise academic wording, for example, “a demanding school day”, “visit relatives” and “retain what they have learned”.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of sentence forms, including complex clauses with “while”, “because” and “after”, and most of the main ideas remain understandable. However, control is uneven in longer sentences. The opening sentence is difficult to follow because its structure combines several claims without a clear grammatical relationship. There are also errors such as “childrens have shorter attention spans” and “it is extremely difficult for childrens”, where the plural form is incorrect; the final sentence is incomplete. Some sentences rely on repeated simple patterns, while longer ones would benefit from clearer clause boundaries and punctuation. Practise building complex sentences around one clear main clause, and check plural forms and sentence completeness before finishing.

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