Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-14

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 many nations, the summer holiday of primary and secondary schools lasts for two months or more. Many people believe that long holiday is suitable for student, while others argue that short holday is more practical.

on the one hand, extended summer holidays may allow student to relax and enjoy Summer with their families. It also help them engage in different educational courses, gain new skills or explore a new country. In addition, student may miss their schools and their peers and start to be ready and excited to the next year.

On the other hand, people who argue in fevour of short holidays, they think that they help pupils to stay connected to the learning process and guarantee not to forget or be unfocused when return to school. Short holiday may not be enough for vavations but it will provide more tim

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You address both questions by giving benefits of long holidays—rest, family time, courses and new experiences—and reasons for shorter breaks, such as maintaining learning and avoiding loss of focus. However, the response is only a minimal treatment of the task: these points are listed rather than explained or supported with relevant examples, and the comparison is not developed. The final sentence is cut off, so the argument about shorter holidays remains incomplete. The response also contains 143 words, below the required 250, which leaves too little space to develop the ideas. To improve, explain how each benefit or drawback affects pupils and add a specific example, then complete the discussion and give a clear concluding view.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a basic, recognisable structure: an introduction is followed by one paragraph on long holidays and one on shorter holidays. The signposts “on the one hand” and “On the other hand” help readers identify the two sides. However, progression within the paragraphs is limited because points are mostly placed in a list, with little explanation showing how they connect. The second paragraph ends abruptly at “more tim,” which disrupts the overall flow and leaves the argument unfinished. Develop each main point in a logical sequence—for example, state the benefit, explain its effect, and illustrate it—and add a brief conclusion. Use linking phrases selectively so that relationships between ideas are clear rather than relying mainly on contrast markers.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use a small range of relevant vocabulary, including “extended summer holidays,” “educational courses,” “gain new skills,” and “learning process.” These phrases communicate the main ideas, but the vocabulary is limited and some choices or spellings make the writing less clear or natural. Examples include “short holday,” “fevour,” “vavations,” and “student” where the plural is intended. “Explore a new country” is understandable, though “travel abroad” would be more natural in this context. Build a wider set of accurate terms for school breaks and learning, and check spelling and word forms carefully. More precise phrasing would help you explain the effects of holidays rather than repeating general references to students and holidays.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

The writing relies mainly on simple sentences, with a few attempts to combine ideas using “while,” “and,” and “when.” Some sentence patterns are understandable, but errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction are frequent enough to affect accuracy. For example, “It also help them” needs a singular verb, while “Many people believe that long holiday is suitable for student” needs clearer article and plural forms. The construction “people who argue in fevour of short holidays, they think” repeats the subject and does not form a controlled sentence. The final sentence is incomplete. Practise accurate subject–verb agreement and complete clauses first, then use a wider mix of simple and complex structures, checking each sentence for a clear subject and verb.

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