Band 4.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 4.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-11

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 4.0)

IN SEVRAL STATES, DUE TO SUMMER HOLIDAYS PRIMARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS CLOSE FOR TWO MONTHS OR MORE. I BELIEVE THAT LONGER BREAKS ARE VALUEABLE BECAUSE IT GIVES TIME TO STUDENTS TO EXPLORE MORE APART FROM BOOKS WHILE SHORTER BREAKS ARE PREFERABLE DUE TO THAT STUDENTS MIGHT NOT LOSS THEIR INTEREST IN STUDY IN EARLY AGE.

INTIALLY, LONGER BREAKS ARE VALUEABLE BECAUSE IT PROVIDES ENOUGH TIME TO ATTEND EXTRA CURRICIULAM ACTIVITY. FOR INSTANCE, STUDENTS CAN ATTEND SWIMMING CLASSES, LEARN NEW LAGUAGE

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 3.0

You identify a position on both sides: longer holidays give students time for activities beyond books, while shorter breaks may help them retain interest in studying. The example of swimming classes begins to support the first point. However, the response stops before either argument is explained or supported in enough detail, and the second view is only briefly stated. The required minimum of 250 words is not met: the response contains 70 words, with 10 words copied from the prompt excluded from that count. This leaves the task substantially incomplete. Develop each side with reasons and relevant examples, then add a conclusion that answers both questions directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

There is a basic progression from an opening statement to a paragraph about the benefits of longer holidays, and signposts such as “For instance” help introduce an example. The contrast between longer and shorter breaks is also visible in the opening sentence. However, the response is too brief to establish a complete line of development: the shorter-holiday argument is not given its own explanation, and there is no concluding paragraph. The link “while” joins the two positions, but the relationship between them could be made clearer through separate paragraphs and more explicit transitions. Organise the response into an introduction, one paragraph for each argument, and a conclusion, with each paragraph developing one main idea.

Lexical Resource: Band 4.5

The response uses some relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “summer holidays,” “extra-curricular activity,” “swimming classes,” and “interest in study.” These choices make the main ideas understandable. However, the range is limited by the short response, and several spelling errors reduce accuracy, including “SEVRAL,” “VALUEABLE,” “INTIALLY,” “CURRICIULAM,” and “LAGUAGE.” Some phrasing is also unnatural, such as “explore more apart from books” and “due to that.” Aim for accurate spelling and more natural collocations, for example, “explore interests beyond academic study” and “because students may.” Extending the response would also give you room to use a broader range of precise vocabulary.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 4.5

You attempt a compound sentence to present contrasting views, using “while,” and a further sentence to introduce an example with “For instance.” This shows some ability to connect clauses, and the intended meaning is generally recoverable. However, grammatical control is uneven. In “longer breaks are valuable because it gives time,” the pronoun and verb do not agree with the plural subject, and “gives time to students” needs a more natural grammatical pattern. “Students might not loss their interest” also contains an incorrect verb form after “might.” Use “they give students time” and “might not lose interest.” Practise subject–verb agreement, modal verb patterns, and sentence boundaries, while varying sentence structures beyond the current basic patterns.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.