Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-19

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 6.5)

Summer holidays lasting two months or more are common in many countries.They have many advantages for both students and teachers.Hoewever, some people argue that school holidays should be shorter because long breaks can disturpt children's routine and cause them to forget what they have learned.

Extended holidays lasting two months or more give students an opportunity to explore interest beyond their academic studies. For example many students are interested in sports but their hectic routine prevent them from devoting sufficient time to practice.This long break help them focus on sports, while other children can develop practical skills such as cooking, sewing and basic plumbing. Parents who want to go on vacation with their children have plenty of time to travel and enjoy family quality time. Extended holidays also allow teachers to relax and take courses that support their professional development. Therefore, long school holidays can be valuable when students and teachers use this time productively.

However, some people argue that school holidays should be shorter. Some parents cannot afford to take their children on vacation, which may cause frustration when children see their friends enjoying trips that they cannot afford. Furthermore, secondary school students may develop unhealthy habits during long breaks, such as watching films late at night and waking up late in the morning. This can disrupt their daily routines and negatively affect their health. Moreover, extended breaks may cause children to forget some of what they learned during the school term because they have fewer opportunities to revise it.

In conclusion, long school holidays offer several benefits, although they can also disrupt children's routines and affect their learning. However, if parents plan productive activities for their children, these breaks can be beneficial while allowing students to relax and develop new skills.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

The response addresses both questions and maintains a clear overall view: long breaks can be valuable, but their benefits depend partly on how the time is used. Relevant advantages include developing interests and practical skills, family travel, and teachers’ professional development; the opposing case covers unequal access to holidays, disrupted routines, and loss of learning. This breadth meets the task well. However, some points are more fully explained than others. The examples of sports and practical skills are useful, while the concern that children may forget material would be stronger with an explanation of how this affects their return to school or progress. The conclusion largely restates the discussion rather than weighing the arguments more explicitly. Further development and a sharper comparison would strengthen the response.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The essay has a clear overall structure: an introduction, one paragraph for the benefits, one for arguments for shorter holidays, and a conclusion. The contrast signalled by “However” is easy to follow, and ideas within each body paragraph generally progress in a sensible order. Linking phrases such as “For example,” “Furthermore,” and “Moreover” help readers identify relationships between points. At times, though, the connections feel somewhat formulaic, and the benefits paragraph moves quickly from students’ interests to family travel and teacher development without much transition. The final sentence also introduces a condition about parents planning activities that is not fully developed earlier. More varied linking and clearer connections between related examples would make the progression smoother.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

The vocabulary is adequate for discussing education and holidays, with useful phrases such as “professional development,” “practical skills,” “daily routines,” and “revise.” The response also attempts more specific language, including “hectic routine” and “devoting sufficient time,” although some choices are not fully natural or precise. There are spelling errors in “Hoewever” and “disturpt,” and “explore interest” needs a plural form; these do not prevent understanding but reduce accuracy. Some wording is also repetitive, particularly “long” and “extended holidays.” To improve, check spelling carefully, use more natural collocations, and vary repeated terms—for example, refer to “summer breaks” or “lengthy vacations” where appropriate.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex structures, including a relative clause in “Parents who want to go on vacation…” and a conditional clause in “if parents plan productive activities.” Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and the paragraphing supports readability. Some grammatical errors remain. In “many students are interested in sports but their hectic routine prevent,” the singular subject should be plural or the verb should agree with a singular subject; “This long break help” also needs subject–verb agreement. “For example” should be followed by a comma, and “explore interest” requires a plural noun. These are generally local errors rather than obstacles to understanding. Greater consistency with agreement, articles and punctuation, alongside continued use of varied sentence forms, would improve control.

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