Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · 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 5.5)

Most of the primary and secondary schools have summer vacations for two or more than two months. There are multiple reasons behind this closure. For example students are safe at home from various diseases in summer like heatwaves, sunstroke and sunburn.

During the peak summer season, most of the primary and secondary school are off so that students can be save from various diseases. As there many side effects of hot weather for example sunstroke and heatwaves which are sometime life threatning for them.

Another benefits of long school holidays is that students can enjoy the vacations. As study is hard activity so the summer vacations are very essentials for them to refresh thier minds. During the off days they can perform multiple activities like learning new skills, practical internships and other physical activities.

On the one hand there are mutiple benefits of two or three month summer vacations but, on the other hand there are few disadvantages, for example students are not studying for one fourth part of the year so it waste a lot of time, energy and resources. More than that, when the school are open the stamina for study is not same as before the vacations.

Instead of long vacation, it is recommended to have shorter school holidays, which will not only save time of the students but will also maintain the health.

In conclusion, primary and secondary school must be closed during the summer, but for a shorter period of time. This way the students can take the benefits of summer vacation by enjoying the time and keep them save at home from the hazards of hot weather.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions: you explain that long breaks protect pupils from summer heat and give them time to rest or pursue activities, then argue that shorter holidays would reduce lost study time and help students return to learning. Your conclusion also gives a clear preference for shorter breaks while retaining a summer holiday. However, the discussion is only partly developed. The health point is repeated in the opening and second paragraph, while the case for shorter holidays is brief and the claim that they would “maintain the health” is not explained. Develop each side with a specific example or clearer reasoning, and make the comparison between the benefits of long and short breaks more balanced.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The response has a recognisable structure, moving from the value of long holidays to disadvantages and a concluding recommendation. Paragraph breaks help distinguish the main points, and phrases such as “On the one hand” and “In conclusion” signal transitions. However, progression is weakened by repetition: the opening and second paragraph both focus on protection from summer heat. Some links are mechanical or unclear, particularly “More than that,” and the shift to “Instead of long vacation” does not fully explain how the preceding points lead to the recommendation. Organise each paragraph around one distinct argument, avoid restating the same benefit, and use clearer links between claims and explanations.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use relevant vocabulary for the topic, including “heatwaves,” “sunstroke,” “internships,” “stamina,” and “hazards,” and the reader can generally understand your intended meaning. There is some repetition of basic terms such as “summer vacations,” “students,” and “activities,” which limits the range and precision of the discussion. Several word choices or forms are inaccurate, including “save” where “safe” is intended, “essentials” for “essential,” and “life threatning.” Phrases such as “one fourth part of the year” and “the stamina for study” are also unnatural. Build a more precise range of collocations and check spelling and word forms; for example, use “summer break,” “academic progress,” and “return to lessons refreshed.”

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a reason clause beginning “so that” and a contrast structure with “on the one hand … on the other hand.” These attempts show some range, but errors occur often enough to make parts of the response less smooth. Examples include “most of the primary and secondary school are off,” “As there many side effects,” and “it waste a lot of time,” where agreement or sentence structure is faulty. Articles and plurals also need attention, as in “a hard activity” and “the school are open.” Practise checking subject–verb agreement, complete clause structure, and singular/plural forms, then proofread punctuation and sentence boundaries.

See this exact question answered at other band scores. The same prompt compared across bands.

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