Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-03

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)

It is fact that in many countries, primary and secondary schools are closed for two months or more in summer holidays. Both long and shorter school holidays are important because understanding both perspectives are crucial for children's well-being.

To begin with, the long school holidays are also very important for children. When they study several months and then they prepare for exams, they feel stressed and they need a break from hectic routine. This routine causes both mental and physical health problems so long holidays from school is significant for child's mental and physical health. They are relaxed and spend quality time with their family. They go on vacations that gives them a sense of relaxation and help feel refreshed. Long holidays have some drawbacks, when the children come back from holidays, they become mobbile addict and there is learning loss.

Moreover, shorter holidays have their own values. Shorter school holidays are beneficial for both children and teachers, they get some time to relax and refreshed. In shorter school holidays, there is no learning loss because they is short break from hustle and bustle of daily routine. They can spend time with their family and friends and they also learn some skills which is useful for them. In shorter school holidays children get a short-term break from studies and exam pressure.

In conclusion, both the shorter and longer school holidays are important for children's health and they can also learn some skills and spend quality time with their families. They both holidays have their own values.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both questions and present relevant reasons: long breaks allow children to recover from exam stress and spend time with family, while shorter breaks may reduce learning loss. However, the discussion is uneven and several points are asserted rather than explained. For example, you mention that children become “mobile addict” after long holidays, but do not clarify how this supports the case for shorter breaks. The benefits of shorter holidays—such as learning skills and spending time with friends—also need a specific example or explanation. Your opening says both arrangements are important, but a clearer comparison of their value and the arguments for shorter holidays would make your response more complete and developed.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a clear overall arrangement: an introduction, separate paragraphs on long and shorter holidays, and a conclusion. Sequencing phrases such as “To begin with,” “Moreover,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the main sections. However, connections within paragraphs are sometimes mechanical, and ideas are occasionally joined without showing their relationship. For instance, the sentence about long holidays’ drawbacks follows the benefits abruptly, while the shorter-holiday paragraph repeats the idea of relaxation and family time without developing a clear progression. Some references are also unclear, as in “They both holidays.” Grouping benefits and drawbacks more deliberately, and using clearer links between claims and explanations, would improve cohesion.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “exam pressure,” “learning loss,” “well-being,” and “quality time.” There are also attempts at less common expressions such as “hectic routine” and “hustle and bustle,” although some combinations are not natural or precise. Noticeable word-choice and spelling problems include “mobbile addict,” “holidays from school is significant,” and “a sense of relaxation.” Repetition of “important,” “holidays,” and “children” also limits variety. Aim to use accurate collocations and a wider range of terms for the effects of breaks, such as recovery, academic continuity, and family interaction. Proofreading spelling and choosing natural word combinations would make your meaning more precise.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and more complex sentences, including a reason clause in “When they study several months…” and a contrast between benefits and drawbacks. The main ideas are generally understandable, but errors in agreement, articles, and verb forms recur. For example, “understanding both perspectives are crucial” has a subject–verb agreement problem, and “holidays that gives them” should use a plural verb. In “there is no learning loss because they is short break,” the verb and article are incorrect. Some sentences also run two independent ideas together, as in “Shorter school holidays are beneficial for both children and teachers, they get some time…” Practise checking agreement and sentence boundaries, while retaining a mix of sentence patterns.

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