Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

School going kids are always eyeing on the calender to lookout for holidays. A vacation is the most enjoyable time for a child. In many countries like India, schools give ample time for vacations - not to mention the festive holidays throughout the year. This time of the year can be utilised by kids to play outside all day with their friends. Playing outside with friends is as crucial as studying because it helps a child grow not just physically but mentally as well. This time can also be utilised by spending time with their families. Most families plan adventeurous trips in order to spend quality time with their kids and make wonderful memories.

Although, having fun outside and going on trips is tempting, it is also important to invest some time in learning new things. This can be achieved by signing up for workshops, student camps or exhibitions. Workshops can be of various types including science, arts, and music. These can give students an experience which will shape their future. Personally, I attended a science summer workshop as a kid in 6th grade. I learnt a lot about motors, electricity and circuits. The knowledge that I gained from this tremendously helped me when I was learning physics in 12th grade.

Now that we know the benefits of long school holidays, we should also shed some light on shorter holidays. Students can reap the benefits of long holidays only when their time is managed and structured properly. Without a plan, their precious time can go to waste. Schools can bridge this gap by introducing extracurricular activities like science and arts workshops. These mandatory courses can help a child in expanding their horizons and gaining valuable knowledge.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.0

The response addresses both questions: it explains the value of long holidays through play, family time, trips and learning opportunities, then gives a reason for shorter holidays by arguing that schools can structure students’ time. The personal example of attending a science workshop supports the learning point effectively. However, the discussion of shorter holidays is much less developed and does not clearly explain the advantages of reducing holiday length itself; instead, it mainly proposes activities during holidays. The position is also not fully clear, as the essay does not weigh the benefits of long breaks against the case for shorter ones. Develop the second part with specific outcomes, such as maintaining learning continuity or easing the return to school, and make the comparison explicit.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 5.5

The essay has a generally understandable paragraph structure: the first two paragraphs discuss benefits of long holidays, while the final paragraph turns to shorter holidays. Linking phrases such as “Although” and “Now that we know” signal shifts in the discussion, and the science-workshop example follows logically from the point about learning. However, the progression is not fully balanced because the final paragraph moves from shorter holidays to mandatory extracurricular courses without clearly connecting this proposal to shorter breaks. Some ideas are repeated, particularly the value of workshops and structured activities. Use clearer topic sentences to distinguish the two sides of the question, and connect each supporting point directly to the paragraph’s main claim.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

There is an adequate range of vocabulary, with some effective topic-specific choices such as “extracurricular activities,” “quality time,” “expand their horizons” and “valuable knowledge.” The writer also uses phrases such as “managed and structured” to express the need for purposeful use of time. Some wording is informal or imprecise for an academic essay, including “School going kids,” “eyeing on the calendar” and “go to waste.” There are also spelling errors, for example “calender,” “adventeurous” and “learnt” (use a consistent spelling variety). These do not prevent understanding, but more accurate collocations and a consistently formal register would improve precision. Aim to use less conversational expressions and check spelling carefully.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex structures, and several sentences are controlled well, including “Playing outside with friends is as crucial as studying because it helps a child grow…” and the sentence describing the workshop’s effect on later physics learning. There are some grammatical and punctuation errors, but meaning remains clear. For example, “Although, having fun outside…” incorrectly places a comma after the subordinating conjunction; “This can be achieved by signing up…” has an unclear reference to what “this” means; and “help a child in expanding” uses an awkward grammatical pattern. Review punctuation around introductory clauses and make pronoun references explicit. Greater consistency in sentence construction would help the complex forms sound more natural.

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