Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-22

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)

In many parts of the world, especilly hot countries, schools, colleges and universities are closed for two or more than two months in summer. It is often argued by many people that long summer vacations have positive effects on the health of the students, while other believe that school holidays should be shorter because it faour the academic career of the students. I firmly agree with former opinion because health of the students should be placed above everything.

On the one hand, the supporter of long summer holidays hold the opinion that the health of the students should be prioritized and come on the top of the list. In those hot countries, during summer, temperature ranges between 35 and 50 degree centigrade which can be proved harmful, especially to youngsters. Extreme heat is considered to be the reason for many diseases. For instance, heat strokes are common in many parts of pakistan and the main reason is extreme heat. Therefore, longer vacations in summer are necessary for the overall wellbeing of the students.

On the other hand, many people place too much importance on shorter summer-vacations. One of the reason is that it increases productivity because there we sufficient time for teachers and students to complete their courses and prepare for examinations. Furthermore, long vacations lead to laziness in students which consequently lead to lower grades in the upcoming examinations. For example, most of the kids play sports most of their time during holidays and neglect their studies which in turn effect their grades.

In conclusion, while many people contend that shorter summer vacations results in students' productivity, I think that longer holidays are necessary because health comes on top of the list and when used responsibaly, even laziness can be overcomed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both questions and maintain a clear preference for longer holidays, supported by the argument that extreme summer heat can harm students’ health. The example of heatstroke in Pakistan makes this point relevant, while the opposing view is represented through course completion, exam preparation and possible effects on grades. This meets the task well, with some elements of the stronger performance already present in the clear position and relevant support. However, the case for shorter holidays is less fully explored: the claim that they increase productivity is asserted rather than explained, and the example about children playing sports does not show how a shorter break would solve the problem. Develop both sides more evenly and clarify the conditions behind your conclusion that holidays can be used responsibly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, separate paragraphs for the two positions, and a conclusion. The progression from the health argument to the academic argument is easy to follow, and signposts such as “On the one hand,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help readers navigate the discussion. This logical organisation is a strength. To make the flow more flexible and polished, avoid relying so heavily on formulaic transitions and strengthen links between claims and explanations within paragraphs. For example, the move from “long vacations lead to laziness” to lower grades would benefit from a clearer explanation of how a shorter holiday addresses this concern. More precise referencing would also help connect ideas without repeating “students” and “holidays.”

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of topic vocabulary, including “overall wellbeing,” “productivity,” “academic career,” and “extreme heat,” and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “prioritized” and “contend.” However, some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or awkward, which limits precision: “come on the top of the list,” “faour the academic career,” and “overcomed” do not sound natural in this context. Spelling errors such as “especilly,” “responsibaly,” and “pakistan” also reduce control. Aim to learn common academic collocations as complete phrases and proofread spelling, while retaining the useful topic-specific vocabulary already present.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including a contrastive opening and clauses introduced by “because,” “which,” and “while.” Most sentences remain understandable, and the argument is not obscured by grammatical problems. Some errors in agreement, articles, and sentence construction persist, however. For example, “other believe” should be “others believe,” “the supporter … hold” needs plural agreement or a singular subject, and “One of the reason” should be “One of the reasons.” In “because there we sufficient time,” the verb construction is incomplete; use “because there is sufficient time.” Check subject–verb agreement and article/plural forms, then review each sentence for a complete, correctly formed clause.

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