Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · 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 6.5)

Nowadays, students from primary and secondary schools get a long vacation for more than two months specially in the summer. Some people prefer getting shorter holidays instead. Both situations have some points of merits and advantages.

At first, getting longer holidays are beneficial for the students, living in hostels and are unable to visit their houses frequently. If they get a long vacation, they will have some time to spend with their family. For example, in Europe, there is a tradition of going on a trip during summer. Students could join their family on that trip, if they had long holidays. Moreover, different extra-curricular activities take place during vacations. Students can attend those programmes, such as, charity works, sports, cultural competitions etc. All these activities help the children to boost their productivity and confidence.

On the other hand, shorter holidays are also advantageous. The students having some psychological challenges like ADHD, autism need incentive care from the specialised teachers and school environments plays a role in their wellbeing. Getting longer holidays may disrupt their daily routines and habits of going schools, whereas shorter holidays are a suitable option for them. In addition, students involved in applied subjects like physics, chemistry etc may get disconnected from the education due to a lack of practical classes for a long time. Shorter holidays ensure the students to get on tract in due time.

In conclusion, both long school holidays and shorter holidays have some positive impacts on the education system of a country. However, incorporating both of them according to the needs of the students may come with the best result.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

You address both parts of the question and maintain a balanced position: long breaks allow students to spend time with family and join activities, while shorter breaks may preserve routines and continuity in practical subjects. The examples about family trips and students with additional needs make the discussion relevant. This meets the core requirements well, and the conclusion clearly favours adapting holiday arrangements to students’ needs. However, some points are asserted rather than fully explained. For instance, the link between shorter holidays and better support for students with ADHD or autism could be clarified, and the point about practical subjects would benefit from a specific example of what is lost during a long break. This is why the response shows some, but not complete, development of its ideas.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The response is organised clearly into an introduction, one paragraph for each side of the argument, and a conclusion. The progression from the benefits of longer holidays to the case for shorter ones is easy to follow, and signposts such as “Moreover,” “On the other hand,” and “In conclusion” help guide the reader. The examples are generally placed alongside the ideas they support. Some linking is a little mechanical, however, and the opening phrase “At first” is not the most natural way to introduce the first main point. The final sentence also introduces a compromise without explaining how it would work. More varied transitions and clearer links between claims and explanations would make the progression feel more seamless.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including “extra-curricular activities,” “psychological challenges,” “specialised teachers,” and “practical classes.” These choices help communicate the main ideas, and the meaning remains clear despite some imprecise or unnatural expressions. There are several word-choice and collocation issues, such as “points of merits,” “incentive care,” and “get on tract”; these reduce precision. “Boost their productivity” is also less natural in this context than a phrase focused on personal development or skills. Aim to learn vocabulary in common word partnerships and check spelling carefully. More accurate use of topic-specific terms would add flexibility and precision without requiring unnecessarily complex words.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including conditional structures (“If they get a long vacation, they will have some time…”) and a contrast clause beginning “whereas.” Most sentences communicate the intended meaning, but some grammatical errors remain. For example, “getting longer holidays are beneficial” has a subject–verb agreement problem, while “school environments plays” also needs agreement. Articles and plural forms are inconsistent in phrases such as “going schools” and “a long vacation.” The sentence about students with additional needs is also difficult to control because several ideas are joined together. Review agreement, articles, and sentence boundaries, then proofread complex sentences to ensure each clause is grammatically complete.

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