Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-26

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)

Nowadays, people often debate over the value of long summer holidays. Some believe it is essential for students to take a long break from school, while some believe that this gap produces counterproductive results. While i agree that summer holidays are vital, I disencourage giving too long of a school holiday.

Summer holidays are very crucial. Firstly, students make most memories of their lives in this time. This memories serve as an anchor to their future self. Looking back, they become nostaligic as it reminds them of their school days and the fun moments hidden within. Secondly, many students work during holidays to earn and save money. Some even travel around the country, while some take part in extra-curriculam activities. There are many who prepare to take part in university entrance exams during their holidays. Everyone spends their time according to their own accord. Holidays also help students to be free from their academic stresses and relax.

Although holidays are important for many reasons, giving too long of a holiday serves no purpose. Most school set their finals or mid exmas after summer holidays. Too long of a break will make the students neglectant towards their studies, consequently making them fall behind academically. Moreover, during summer holidays students are set free of the school rules and duties. As a result they may get involved in many illegal or immoral acts. Therefore longer holidays aren't practical.

In my opinion, shorters holidays are more helpful and practical. Shorter holidays can help the students replinsh their energy and also to focus on their studies. Instead of long holidays, institutions could provide with shorter holidays every 2-3 months. It would be better if the holidays are given before exams so that students can focus on their studies within this time. And if longer holidays are given, then schools can arrange for programs or educational seminars for the students.

In conclusion, we should focus on shorter school holidays as they provide the students with both time for fun and studies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both questions and maintain a clear position: long holidays offer benefits, but shorter breaks are more practical. The discussion of students earning money, travelling, joining activities and relaxing gives relevant value to extended holidays. You also explain that shorter breaks may help students retain focus and avoid falling behind. This meets the task well, while the balanced position shows some development beyond a basic response. However, several points need fuller explanation: the claim that holidays preserve important memories is personal but not clearly linked to educational value, and the suggestion that students may engage in “illegal or immoral acts” is broad and unsupported. Develop these points with specific reasoning or examples, and compare the benefits of the two holiday patterns more directly.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response has a clear overall progression: an introduction states your position, the next paragraphs consider the value of long holidays and the case against them, and the conclusion restates your preference. Paragraphing is appropriate, and signposts such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” “Although,” and “In conclusion” make the argument easy to follow. This logical organisation is a strength. At times, however, the links between ideas are more list-like than fully developed. For example, the paragraph on holiday benefits moves from memories to earning money, travel, activities, exams and relaxation without showing how these points relate. The final paragraph also shifts from shorter breaks to exam preparation and school programmes. Use clearer transitions and build each paragraph around a central claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss education and holidays, including “academic stresses,” “university entrance exams,” “neglectant towards their studies,” and “replenish their energy.” Some less common expressions are attempted, but several choices or forms are inaccurate or unnatural, which limits precision. Examples include “disencourage,” “nostaligic,” “extra-curriculam,” and “shorters holidays”; “serve no purpose” and “set free of the school rules” are also not the most natural collocations in context. These errors do not prevent the reader from understanding your main points, but careful proofreading and more natural phrasing would strengthen the response. Aim to use precise expressions such as “discourage excessively long breaks” and “fall out of the habit of studying.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including contrast clauses (“Although holidays are important…”) and cause-and-effect structures (“As a result…”). Most sentences communicate their meaning clearly, and the overall argument remains understandable. Some grammatical errors persist, however. In “This memories serve,” the demonstrative and noun do not agree; “Most school set” also needs a plural subject or a singular verb. The opening “While i agree” needs a capital letter, and “giving too long of a holiday” shows an awkward grammatical pattern. There are also some sentence-boundary and punctuation issues, such as the long final paragraph sentence beginning “And if longer holidays are given.” Review agreement, articles and sentence construction, while continuing to practise varied complex structures.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.