Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-25

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)

There is a vacation for two or more months in primary and secondary schools during summer time in many countries. This vacational time is beneficial for students to give them break from a daily fixed schedule.

The long school holidays are meant to provide pupils with relief so they can enjoy and study with their own flexible schedule. In countries where summers are too much hot these vacations let the children to stay at home or in some cases families plan a trip to northern or country sides so they can get amused by the weather there and students can also do their summer homework. In cold countries, summer holidays are a blessing for these people so they can enjoy this beautiful weather. Lengthy school holidays grant the primary and secondary school children escape from busy and tiring schedule and provide students with enough time so they can explore some new things and get involve in extra curricular activities.

However, these holidays should not be too much long as students will lose their interest in studies. This will give them substantial freedom and pupils will be reluctant to go back to their normal routine. Students have to face challenges in going back to the disciplined schedule and will have forgotten most of the crucial concepts and knowledge. This will also affect the literacy rate of the nation as students will become ignorant of their studies. Shorter school holidays will give pupils some relaxation but it will not make them lose their interest in education. For instance, Chinese educational system provide shorter school vacations and the impact of this can be seen in their highest literacy rate.

To conclude, summer vacations should be of reasonal number so students in primary and secondary schools will have sufficient time to relax without becoming ignorant of their studies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both parts of the question and maintain a clear overall view: long breaks allow rest, travel and extracurricular exploration, while shorter breaks may help students retain interest and knowledge. These points are relevant, and the examples of hot and cold climates help explain the value of summer holidays. The case for shorter holidays is also supported by the concern that pupils may forget concepts. However, some claims are asserted rather than explained: the link between long holidays and a lower national literacy rate, and the claim about China’s literacy rate, need clearer evidence or qualification. To develop the response further, explain more precisely how shorter breaks support learning and balance this against the benefits of extended rest.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: it introduces the topic, discusses the benefits of long holidays, presents arguments for shorter breaks, and concludes with a recommendation. The contrast signalled by “However” is useful, and ideas within the main paragraphs generally follow a sensible order. Some connections are less clear or feel mechanical, particularly the repeated use of “students” and “holidays,” and the progression from climate-related benefits to homework and extracurricular activities could be made more deliberate. The conclusion also repeats the general position without drawing together the two sides of the discussion. Use clearer referencing and vary linking expressions, while ensuring each paragraph develops one central point in a more connected sequence.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for the topic, including “flexible schedule,” “disciplined schedule,” “literacy rate,” and “extra curricular activities.” There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “substantial freedom” and “relief,” though some choices are inaccurate or unnatural. For example, “vacational time,” “too much hot,” “get amused by the weather,” and “reasonal number” do not express the intended meanings naturally; “lengthy” is also repeated in a context where simpler wording would be clearer. These choices do not prevent the reader from understanding the main ideas, but they limit precision and naturalness. Focus on accurate collocations and standard forms, and avoid using elevated vocabulary when a familiar phrase is more idiomatic.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional clauses (“In countries where…”) and cause-and-effect structures (“as students will…”). The main message remains understandable, but some grammatical errors recur and reduce accuracy. Examples include the missing article in “give them break,” the infinitive pattern in “let the children to stay,” and subject–verb agreement in “Chinese educational system provide.” There are also problems with plural and article use in “these people” and “the disciplined schedule,” as well as some long sentences that would benefit from clearer punctuation or division. To improve, check articles, verb agreement and verb patterns systematically, and make sure complex sentences remain controlled rather than joining several ideas together.

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