Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-02

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)

Several countries around the world shutdown institutions for two months or more in summer holidays so that children can have quality time with their family, while others agrue that shorter school holidays are better as they keep children busy and well mannered.

The most compelling reason is that long school holidays improves learners quality time with their family. This means that students can refresh their mind and spend most of their precious time with their loved ones, catching up on Llife. In addition this can also improve children's mental health as they can relax and free themselves from academic pressure. For example, Zimbabwe school holidays last for at least a month and most learner's travel from different cities experiencing different activities. As a result, this can help them to relax their mind and have more time to interact with peers as well as different people in the society.

However, others believe that shorter school holidays are the best as they keep children busy with academic work and keep children away from long holiday peer pressure. Having a shorter break cannot have a greater impact on learners as they have limited time to play with friends and interact more with individuals in the society. This can protect them from dangerous people in the society as they have shorter holidays and their minds are always fixed on their academic. For instance, this days many young ones are pressuring each other to participate in drug abuse. Consequently the number of young students partaking drugs is increasing. This means that shorter holidays are better as they keep students busy and focused in their studies. In addition, in schools there is also constant monitoring and this can shape learners behaviour leaving them with limited school holidays.

In conclusion long school holidays plays a crucial role in learner's life as it improve their quality time with family and improve their mental wellbeing. However, shorter schools holidays also plays a significant role as it keep student's busy with academic schools and limited time interacting with individualls in the community.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both questions and maintain a clear comparison: long breaks are linked to family time and mental wellbeing, while shorter breaks are presented as keeping pupils focused and supervised. The Zimbabwe example gives the first view some concrete support, and the discussion of peer pressure and drug use supports the second. However, the two sides are not developed equally clearly. The claim that shorter holidays protect children from dangerous influences is asserted more than explained, and the point about limited time to interact with others is difficult to reconcile with the later emphasis on supervision. Explain the mechanisms more carefully and add a specific example of how shorter breaks support learning. This would make the relevant ideas more fully developed and precise.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, one paragraph for each position, and a conclusion that returns to both sides. Linking expressions such as “However,” “For example,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the discussion, and the main ideas generally progress logically. This already provides a coherent structure, but some connections are mechanical or unclear. In the second body paragraph, the move from limited social interaction to protection from dangerous people needs a clearer explanation; “This means” then repeats the conclusion rather than advancing the reasoning. The conclusion also largely restates earlier points. Use referencing more precisely and connect each supporting sentence explicitly to its main claim to make progression smoother and cohesion less repetitive.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “academic pressure,” “mental health,” “peer pressure,” and “constant monitoring,” which helps communicate the main arguments. There are also attempts at more specific phrasing, such as “interact with peers” and “partaking drugs.” However, word choice and collocation are often inaccurate or repetitive: “improves learners quality time,” “refresh their mind,” and “fixed on their academic” do not sound natural, while “children” and “students” recur frequently. Spelling errors such as “agrue,” “Llife,” and “individualls” also reduce control. Build a bank of natural education-related collocations and check spelling; for example, use “spend quality time with family” and “focus on their studies.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentences, including clauses with “as,” “while,” and “as a result,” and the overall meaning is usually understandable. Some sentence patterns are controlled, such as “This means that students can…” However, errors in agreement, possessives, articles, and verb forms occur across the response. For example, “long school holidays improves” should use a plural verb, and “shorter schools holidays also plays” has both a plural-form and agreement problem. “Zimbabwe school holidays last” also needs a possessive or article construction. Review subject–verb agreement and possessive forms, then proofread each sentence for a clear subject and verb. More accurate control of these patterns would strengthen the range you are already attempting.

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