Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Primary and secondary schools in many regions around the world close for longer summer vacations of two or more months. Longer summar vacations prioritize safety of children from extreme heat of summer and give them an opportunity for experiencing life beyond the school walls. However, some people believe that longer vocations degrades education quality and students get bored, therefore schools should replace it with shorter holidays.

The primary benefit of long summer vacation is protecting the students from the extended scorching heat of the summer. In many countries, summer peaks around the end of may till the end of july, a duration of two to two and half months. Heat waves are usually encountered and therefore a relatively longer exposure to the heat can negatively affects the health. Since schooling is a day activity, therefore it is suspended for longer period avoid any negative developments on the children's health. Secondly, longer holidays give students enough time to experience life beyond classrooms. Students take a long break to relax, think about life, spend time with family and friends and learn about the life in general which is important for a balanced life

In contrast, some people argue that longer holidays have cons. They argue that students disconnects from school for extende period of the time which leads a fall of their interest in their studies. Others belive, that many students bore in these longer holidays and therefore they consider it a waste of their time. However in general, many students have reported that extended holidays refreshes them and give them energy for a new start.

In conclusion, although some people believe that shorter holidays should replace longer summer vacations inorder to reduce the amount of time studnets spend in disconnection from the schools. Longer vacation is viewed as a positive option taking into account the general well being of the students.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

The response addresses both questions and presents a clear overall view: long holidays can protect children from summer heat and give them time beyond school, while shorter breaks are argued to prevent disengagement and boredom. The heat-related point is relevant and supported with a seasonal example, and the conclusion restates the preference for longer holidays. However, the two benefits are not developed equally: the claim that time with family and friends supports a balanced life is listed rather than explained with a specific example. The case for shorter holidays is also less fully explored, and the final paragraph briefly mentions students feeling refreshed without clarifying how this relates to the opposing argument. Develop each side with clearer explanation and evidence.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph on the value of long holidays, a contrasting paragraph, and a conclusion. The progression from heat protection to broader life experience is easy to follow, and signposts such as “Secondly,” “In contrast,” and “In conclusion” help the reader navigate the argument. This meets the lower-band expectations securely and shows some stronger control through clear paragraphing and logical sequencing. However, cohesion is occasionally mechanical, with repeated “therefore” and “longer holidays,” and some links between ideas are unclear. For example, “However in general” introduces a counterpoint but does not explain how students feeling refreshed answers the concerns about lost interest or boredom. Use more precise referencing and make the relationship between contrasting points explicit.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

There is an adequate range for the topic, including phrases such as “scorching heat,” “heat waves,” “balanced life,” and “disconnect from school.” These choices communicate the main ideas, and the writer attempts some less common vocabulary. However, several word-choice, collocation, word-form, and spelling errors reduce precision: “summar vacations,” “longer vocations,” “degrades education quality,” and “students bore” are inaccurate or unnatural. Repetition of “longer holidays” also limits flexibility. Aim to learn vocabulary in natural combinations and check spelling and word forms carefully. For instance, “summer vacation” should be used consistently, and “students become bored” is more idiomatic than “students bore.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a relative clause in “which is important for a balanced life” and a contrastive opening with “although” in the conclusion. Most meaning remains understandable, but some grammatical errors occur across the response. Examples include subject–verb agreement in “longer holidays degrades” and “students disconnects,” the verb form in “can negatively affects,” and missing or incorrect articles and prepositions in “for longer period” and “leads a fall.” Some long sentences also need clearer punctuation and clause structure, particularly the sentence beginning “Since schooling is a day activity.” Review agreement, verb patterns after modal verbs, and article use, then divide complex ideas into well-controlled clauses.

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