Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-27

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 5.5)

In different countries, during summer holidays primary and secondary schools are closed for almost two or three months.These holidays are basically given to the children to explore,learn and also participate in various activities. Many people argue that schools should minimise the duration of the holidays from months to a week. Because parents believe that should will loose their interest in their studies.

First of all,the possible values and advantages of long school hoildays,especially during summer's will motivate the students to take part in different short-term courses.For example students can enroll in different activities like tailoring,painting and mehendi courses .If they want to practice how to make mehendi desings and what are the strategiesare required in this field.Once a student learned about mehendi designs they can generate they own income from the skill.Some people utilize the duration of summer holidays in a very beneficial way through which they can earn money.

Following this, many people arguing about long school holidays and some are totally agianst this conception.Parents believe that schools shoud be closed only for a week not more than that. Long holidays would be the main reason behind student's are not focusing on their studies. However, to control this behaviour primary and secondary schools should change their timings.Instead of closing the schools for months they just need to change the timings from full day to half day school throughout the summer's.

In conclusion,These holidays are basically given to the children to explore,learn and also participate in various activities.Because parents believe that should will loose their interest in their studies.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions: the first body paragraph explains that long holidays allow students to take short courses and develop skills, while the next presents parents’ concern that extended breaks reduce focus on study. The mehendi example gives one relevant illustration, and the suggestion of half-day schooling adds a possible response. However, the value of long holidays is developed mainly through earning income, and the case for shorter holidays is largely limited to parents’ belief about lost interest. The conclusion repeats the introduction rather than summarising your answer or clarifying your own view. To strengthen the response, explain further benefits and drawbacks, support them with specific reasoning, and make your position clear throughout.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.0

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, two body paragraphs and a conclusion, and the paragraphs broadly correspond to the two sides of the question. Sequencing phrases such as “First of all” and “Following this” help signal movement between points. However, progression within paragraphs is uneven: the first body paragraph shifts from courses to earning money without fully explaining the connection, and the second moves from parents’ concerns to changing school hours without a clear link. The conclusion repeats earlier wording instead of bringing the discussion together. Some linking is mechanical, and sentence boundaries and spacing are inconsistent. Use clearer topic sentences and connect each example directly to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use some relevant topic vocabulary, including “short-term courses,” “duration,” “activities,” and “focus on their studies,” and the examples make the subject clear. There are also attempts at more specific language, such as “generate their own income” and “change their timings.” However, the range is limited and several spelling or word-choice errors reduce precision, including “hoildays,” “agianst,” “desings,” and “strategiesare.” Some expressions are awkward or repetitive, such as “possible values and advantages” and “totally against this conception.” Aim for accurate spelling and more natural collocations, and choose precise terms for the benefits and concerns being discussed.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and more extended sentence forms, including a conditional example beginning “If they want to practice…” and a contrast introduced by “However.” Nevertheless, control is inconsistent, and faulty sentence construction sometimes makes meaning difficult to follow. For example, “Because parents believe that should will loose their interest” is incomplete and has an unclear subject, while “Long holidays would be the main reason behind student's are not focusing” combines incompatible structures. There are also errors in agreement and verb forms, as in “many people arguing,” and punctuation is often missing after sentence openings. Practise complete clauses, subject–verb agreement, and accurate sentence boundaries before adding complex structures.

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