Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-28

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 many countries, primary and secondary schools close for two months or longer during summer holidays. Extended breaks provide very valuable opportunities to relax and spending quality time with family while some people believe that shorter holidays are very beneficial for youngsters academic progress.

To begin with, some community members believe that longer holidays is very paramount for students personality such as they feel relaxes from continuous studies and get opportunity to take part in games and spend quality time with family and can experince a trip in these schools breaks. In addition, some other individuals of society altercate that shorter school holidays plays an isurmountable role in student's academic progress such as when learner takes a large gap from education they return with blank mind and did not take interest in further studies and also it is difficult for job holder parents to take care of them in long school breaks.

Moreover, in my opinion longer school holidays are very indispensable for pupils personality becuase when they have same routine whole year they become bored from studies and they want to get rid from studies and did not take interset in futher qualification. But longer school hollidays has solved this problem for example in longer school break pupils can spend most time with family and relatives and also they can enjoy a trip and explore something new which is very refreshing for their mind.

In conclusion, some community members believe that longer holidays are best for student's mental and physical health while other argue that shorter holidays are more favourable but in my opinion, longer school breaks are more beneficial foe individuals.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions: the first body paragraph gives reasons for long holidays, including rest, family time and trips, while the second presents arguments for shorter breaks, such as maintaining academic progress and helping working parents. Your final paragraph also makes your preference for longer holidays clear. However, the discussion is only partly developed: the shorter-holiday case is brief, and claims such as students returning with a “blank mind” are not explained or supported with a specific example. The value of long holidays is repeated more than it is extended. Develop each side with a clearer explanation and a relevant example, and maintain a precise position throughout. The response meets the stated length requirement; the 12 words copied from the task prompt are excluded from the count.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, with an introduction, discussion of both viewpoints, a paragraph explaining your preference, and a conclusion. Linking phrases such as “To begin with,” “In addition,” and “Moreover” help signal movement between points. However, progression within paragraphs is sometimes difficult to follow because several ideas are joined into long sequences, particularly in the first body paragraph. The contrast between the two sides is also not consistently signposted, and the conclusion largely repeats earlier claims. Use one main idea per paragraph, connect explanation and example clearly, and use referencing such as “this break” or “these benefits” to make relationships between ideas easier to follow.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You attempt a range of topic-related vocabulary, including “academic progress,” “continuous studies,” “quality time,” and “refreshing.” These choices show an effort to discuss education and family life beyond very basic terms. However, several inaccurate or unnatural expressions make the meaning less clear, such as “very paramount,” “altercate,” “blank mind,” and “get rid from studies.” Spelling and word-form errors, including “experince,” “becuase,” and “interset,” also reduce accuracy. Aim for natural collocations and check spelling carefully; precise, familiar wording is more effective than using an uncommon word incorrectly. For example, describe students as “losing momentum” rather than returning with a “blank mind.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.0

You attempt both simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “while,” “because,” and “when.” This gives the response some structural variety, but complex sentences are often faulty, and errors frequently make the reader work to understand the relationships between ideas. Examples include “longer holidays is,” “shorter school holidays plays,” and “they return with blank mind and did not take interest,” where agreement, articles, and verb forms are not controlled. Some sentences also run together without clear punctuation. Practise checking each clause for a clear subject and correctly matched verb, and divide long sentences into shorter units. More accurate control of these basic patterns would make your ideas substantially easier to follow.

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