Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Primary and secondary schools, in numerous countries, close in summer holidays for about two or more months. This essay will discuss the importance of long school holidays and the arguments in favour of shorter school vacations.

In my opinion, a long school holidays, in summer season, in some countries have significant importance. Summer holidays are given to pupils for their well-being from sharp sun rays that can cause skin damage, eye infections and various other health issues. Furthermore, some parents cannot afford to drop their children to school in cars, going to school through motorbikes and cycles can significantly increase the health issues in both parents and children. Additionally, from the busy academic curriculum, students get a chance in their long term holidays to acquire new skills such as cooking, drawings, paintings and many more. They get a chance to enjoy different activities and games such as Luddo with their family.

On the other hand, certain parents have arguments in favour of shorter school holidays. I beleive that some children waste the significant period of time in using mobiles in their vacations, watching useless content on televisions and playing outdoor games with their friends which automatically destroys the main objective of summer holidays. They don't focus on their studies therefore, they cannot maintain a good percentage in their exams after holidays.

In conclusion, long school holidays have significant value but it depends upon the child itself whether he uses that time to acquire new skills and focus on their academic curriculum or wastes that period of time with useless activities.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both questions and maintains a clear overall view: long holidays can support children’s well-being and allow time for other activities, while shorter breaks may help prevent disengagement from study. The points about exposure to strong sunlight and learning skills such as cooking are relevant. However, some ideas are not fully explained: the link between parents’ transport costs or travel by motorbike and the value of school holidays is difficult to follow, and the argument for shorter holidays focuses mainly on children’s use of screens and games rather than explaining how shorter breaks could benefit learning or families. Develop each side with clearer reasoning and a specific example to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure, with an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two sides, and a conclusion. Signposting such as “Furthermore,” “Additionally,” and “On the other hand” helps readers follow the progression, and the conclusion returns to the central issue. This meets the lower-band expectations securely and shows some features of stronger organisation. However, the second body paragraph presents only one main argument, and the connection between transport difficulties and the need for long holidays is not made explicit. Some linking is also formulaic. Improve progression by grouping related points, explaining how each supports the paragraph’s main idea, and using clearer references rather than relying mainly on transition words.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

The vocabulary is adequate for discussing school holidays, and the response attempts some topic-related expressions, including “well-being,” “academic curriculum,” and “acquire new skills.” Meaning is generally clear, but several choices are inaccurate or unnatural, which limits precision: “sharp sun rays,” “useless content,” and “maintain a good percentage” do not express the intended ideas naturally. There is also repetition of “significant” and “holidays,” while “beleive” is misspelled. To strengthen this criterion, use more precise collocations and vary repeated wording—for example, describe harmful exposure to sunlight, unproductive screen use, or exam performance. Check spelling and word forms carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “that,” “which,” and “whether.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, and errors rarely prevent understanding. Some grammatical problems remain, however. In “a long school holidays … have significant importance,” the article, plural noun, and verb do not agree; “a long holiday … has” or “long holidays … have” would be consistent. “In summer holidays” also needs a more natural article or preposition pattern, and the final sentence shifts from “the child” and “he” to “their.” Continue practising agreement, articles, and consistent pronoun reference, while retaining the complex structures already attempted.

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