Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-16

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 5.5)

In many countries, primary and secondary schools close for two months or more in the summer holidays, as a tradition titled summer vacation holidays. These holidays usually lies in may to august time period. They came with a specified homework or activities assigned by the schools to do in the holidays.

Long school holidays are valued for many reasons. One of them are the time children got to spent with their families and the break from usual routine of going school and learning. As the life has many ways to to give opportunities to learn so do schools adopt this pattern. Grinding in school, doing homeworks and learning, writing, speaking, reading are not exactly the skills one should have in life. These long holidays play a significant role in the upbringing and exposure expansion of children.Doing things that are out of box and out of rooms help them to get broad mindset.

While, on the other hand, there are some arguments in favour of shorter school holidays. One of them are that it disrupt the routine and regular work of child. Straight holidays for two or more months create irregularity in the usual work, children start waking up late and procrastinate their learning activities and homeworks.

From my experience, I can say that longer holidays are necessary. I remember one of the holidays period from my childhood, in which I went to a countryside home of my relative and learn new things about farming and fresh fruits. This help me to understand the difference of urban and rural living as well.

In conclusion, I state that the long summer holidays play evident part in learning. It also secure a child from hot and harsh weather

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions and give a clear preference for longer holidays, supported by a personal example about visiting a relative’s countryside home and learning about farming. This makes the response relevant and gives the reader a concrete illustration of the holidays’ value. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the benefits are described broadly as family time, a break from routine and wider exposure, without explaining in detail how these experiences support children’s development. The case for shorter holidays is also limited mainly to disrupted routines and procrastination. The conclusion introduces protection from hot weather, but this point is not developed earlier. Explain each side more fully and connect examples directly to your claims.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs on the two positions, a personal example and a conclusion. This helps the reader follow the main topic. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes unclear, and links can feel mechanical or inaccurate. For example, “While, on the other hand” combines two contrasting signals, while “As the life has many ways to to give opportunities to learn so do schools adopt this pattern” is difficult to follow and does not clearly connect to the preceding point. The personal example is relevant but appears after the shorter-holiday argument without a clear transition back to the writer’s position. Use simpler, more precise links and organise each paragraph around one claim followed by its explanation or example.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “usual routine,” “upbringing,” “exposure,” “procrastinate” and “urban and rural living,” and the reader can generally understand your intended meaning. However, the range is uneven, with several awkward or imprecise expressions that make parts of the response harder to interpret. Examples include “a tradition titled summer vacation holidays,” “exposure expansion,” “out of box and out of rooms,” and “evident part.” Some word forms and collocations are also inaccurate, such as “homeworks” and “holidays period.” Aim for natural, precise combinations rather than unusual phrasing: for instance, describe holidays as a “long-standing tradition,” and say children can “broaden their perspectives” through experiences outside school.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentences, and the main ideas are usually recoverable. However, control is inconsistent, with frequent errors in agreement, verb forms, articles and sentence construction. For example, “These holidays usually lies” should have a plural verb, and “One of them are” has a subject–verb agreement error. In “I went … and learn new things,” the verb form does not match the past-tense narrative; “This help me” also needs agreement and tense correction. Some sentences are difficult to parse, particularly “As the life has many ways to to give opportunities to learn so do schools adopt this pattern.” Practise building accurate clauses first, then combine them using clear subordinate structures. Check agreement and tense consistency when proofreading.

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