Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Many countries grant holidays to primary and secondary schools for about two months and some close their schools for more than two months in summer. This essay will examine both views.

Although there are numerous countries who choose to close their schools for longer time during summer. Consequently, the students can take a break from their daily hectic routine and provide them the opportunity to spend quality time with their families. One of the underlying factor is that, these vacations could be the golden period for secondary school students, they can join any internship related to their field or interest to gain experience. Nevertheless, longer holiday would also have some detrimental effects on students. For instance, student will forget the lessons they had been learning therefore it will be harder for teachers and students to learn all those lesson again.

In contrast, there are some countries who closes their schools for shorter time in summer. However, shorter holidays are beneficial for students, teachers and parents as well. For example, it will be easier for working parents to manage and take care of their child. Another advantage for teachers is that students remember their lessons taught before the holidays and they try their best to adopt next lessons.

In conclusion, longer schools breaks lead to several opportunities, such as students can join internships and student can spend time with their families, while short summer break is good for working parents and for teachers, they do not need to put extra efforts to teach them previous lectures.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions: the first main paragraph explains benefits of longer breaks, including family time and internships, while the next gives reasons for shorter holidays, especially helping working parents and maintaining continuity in learning. These are relevant points, and your conclusion restates the contrast. However, the discussion is uneven and several ideas are asserted rather than explained. For example, the claim that students will “forget the lessons” could be supported with a clearer consequence, while the benefit to teachers from shorter breaks needs more explanation. Your opening says the essay will examine both views but does not establish a clear overall position. Develop each argument with a specific example or explanation and make your view on the relative value of the two holiday patterns explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs for longer and shorter holidays, and a conclusion. This makes the two sides easy to identify, and examples such as internships and parents’ childcare needs are placed with the relevant argument. However, some linking is mechanical or confusing. The longer-holiday paragraph begins, “Although there are numerous countries,” but does not complete the contrast expected after “Although”; “Consequently” then links ideas whose relationship is not fully clear. “In contrast” is useful, but the repeated “For example” and “Another advantage” create a list-like progression. Improve cohesion by using complete, logically connected sentences and clearer referencing, and organise each paragraph around one main claim followed by its explanation.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range for the topic, including “hectic routine,” “quality time,” “internship,” “detrimental effects,” and “beneficial.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and the meaning is generally clear. There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “underlying factor” and “golden period,” though some expressions are imprecise or do not fit naturally: “grant holidays to schools” and “golden period for secondary school students” are awkward in this context. Repetition of “students,” “holidays,” and “lessons” also limits flexibility. Aim for more accurate collocations and vary key terms—for example, refer to “school breaks,” “pupils,” or “learning continuity” where appropriate. Check word forms and phrasing when revising.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including a conditional-style explanation and clauses introduced by “although,” “therefore,” and “while.” Most of the message remains understandable, but some errors in sentence structure and agreement reduce accuracy. “Although there are numerous countries who choose…” is an incomplete construction, and “some countries who closes” has incorrect subject–verb agreement. In “the students can take a break … and provide them the opportunity,” the subject changes awkwardly, while “student will forget” and “all those lesson” need plural forms. The conclusion also contains a long, loosely joined sentence. Practise building complete clauses, maintaining the same subject across coordinated verbs, and checking agreement and singular/plural forms. More accurate complex sentences would strengthen the range you are already attempting.

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