Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-10-29

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 recent years, school holidays have gained significant attention. It is common for children to have more holidays. It gives them a chance to explore their habits. Whereas, shorter holidays can also help students to retain what they have learned and stay organized.

Children may have the opportunity to find their passion in extended holidays. They get a chance to explore their interests and learn valuable skills. For example, students who find coding interesting can learn coding during their vacations. They will be able to learn programming and explore their interest in it. But if they have shorter holidays, they would not be able to learn coding properly, because coding takes time to learn. If they start to learn coding in their shorter holidays, they would just learn the concepts of coding.

However, shorter holidays might be better for children to stay focused on their studies and daily routine. For example, when children are on holidays, they do not have a proper routine for their studies and eating. When they are home they just want to play, and their good habits turn into bad ones. As a result, when they go back to school, they have to learn everything from start. Moreover, during long holidays, children get bored of their routine at home if they are not learning anything new.

In conclusion, as extended holidays help students explore their interests, such as coding and programming, and learn new skills. Shorter school holidays also help children to stick to the good habits and remember what they have learned.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions and present a balanced view: extended holidays can give children time to explore interests such as coding, while shorter breaks may help them retain learning and maintain routines. These are relevant points, and the coding example gives one side some support. However, several claims remain general or are not fully explained. For instance, you say children “have to learn everything from start” after a long break, but do not explain how shorter holidays would prevent this or give a specific example. The value of extended holidays is also focused mainly on learning hobbies, with little consideration of rest or family time. Develop each argument with clearer reasoning and support to make the response more complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph for each side of the discussion, and a conclusion. The contrast between the two main arguments is easy to follow, and linking expressions such as “For example,” “However,” and “Moreover” help signal relationships. Some connections are less smooth or precise. “Whereas” is used as a sentence opener without a complete contrast structure, and the conclusion begins “as extended holidays help,” which makes it read as a dependent clause rather than a complete summary. There is also some repetition of “holidays,” “children,” and “learn.” Use linking phrases more selectively and make sure each paragraph’s ideas build clearly from claim to explanation and example.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including relevant terms such as “extended holidays,” “interests,” “programming,” and “daily routine.” The wording is generally understandable, but the range is limited and several expressions are repetitive or imprecise. “Explore their habits” does not clearly express the intended idea, while “learn everything from start” is an awkward phrase. “Good habits turn into bad ones” is also broad and would be stronger if you named the habits or described the change more precisely. Try using a wider range of accurate phrases for learning continuity, personal development, and routines, while avoiding repeated use of “learn” and “holidays.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mixture of simple sentences and some longer structures, including conditional forms such as “if they have shorter holidays” and “if they are not learning anything new.” Most ideas remain understandable, but there are some errors in sentence construction and punctuation. “Whereas, shorter holidays can also help…” is not correctly joined to the preceding sentence, and the conclusion’s “as extended holidays help…” is a dependent clause presented as a sentence. In “when they go back to school, they have to learn everything from start,” the article is missing before “start.” Practise joining contrasting ideas with a complete clause and checking that each sentence has a main clause. Greater control of these structures would make the argument clearer.

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