Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-24

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, primary and secondary educational facilities are closed for more than two months during the summer. In this essay, I will explain how going on long school vacation can help students to unwind during the summer and also discuss how shorter holidays aid students to remain focused in the academic pursuit.

Students usually go on long vacations after the third term. During this period, they no longer bother about setting their alarm clocks to wake them up by 5am, they go on trips, visit amusement parks and even spend quality time with their families at large. This helps them to unwind the stress from the previous terms.

Going for long holidays can be a form of distractions for students. Some learners tend to forget some of the things they were taught in school while some might have start having a second thought on whather they should resume for school or engage in something else.

In conclusion, embarking on long holidays by schools help students to ease the stress from other terms

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 4.0

You identify a relevant benefit of long holidays: students can relax, travel, visit amusement parks and spend time with family. You also briefly mention a possible drawback, that students may forget what they learned. However, the task asks for the value of long holidays and arguments in favour of shorter holidays, and the second part is not actually explained: there is no clear argument that shorter breaks help students maintain focus or learning continuity. The final paragraph repeats the relaxation point rather than drawing together both sides. The response is also 77 words below the required minimum, which leaves too little space to develop and support the ideas. Address each question directly and add specific explanations or examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 4.5

The response has a basic overall shape, with an introduction, a paragraph about long holidays, and a concluding sentence. The opening also signals that two aspects will be discussed. However, the promised discussion of shorter holidays does not follow, and the paragraph beginning “Going for long holidays can be a form of distractions” shifts to a drawback without clearly connecting it to the case for shorter breaks. The conclusion repeats the earlier point instead of summarising the argument. Some linking is present, such as “During this period” and “In conclusion,” but progression between ideas is limited. Use separate, clearly focused paragraphs for the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones, then link each explanation to the task.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “educational facilities,” “unwind,” “academic pursuit,” and “amusement parks.” These choices make the general meaning clear, and you attempt some less common expressions. However, several phrases are inaccurate or unnatural, such as “unwind the stress,” “a form of distractions,” and “at large” in “families at large.” There is also a spelling error in “whather.” These slips do not prevent understanding, but they reduce precision and naturalness. Prefer familiar, accurate collocations and check spelling; for example, say students can “relieve stress” and that a long break “can be a distraction” from learning.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and more complex sentence forms, including the opening sentence with “how” clauses and the sentence beginning “During this period.” Most ideas remain understandable, and errors rarely obstruct the message. Some grammatical problems are present, however. In “some might have start having a second thought,” the verb form and singular/plural construction are incorrect; a clearer form would be “some might start having second thoughts.” In the conclusion, “holidays by schools help” has an agreement problem, and “ease the stress from other terms” uses an unclear grammatical pattern. Continue practising verb forms, subject–verb agreement and sentence construction, while retaining the complex structures you already attempt.

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