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)

It is widely accepted that, summer school holidays for two or more months are good for children and its value among people is high, however there are some arguments for schools to give shorter holidays. Both these questions are explained in the forthcoming paragraphs.

Discussing the first question, the most important is that school holidays give mental peace to children and adults of all ages. In long school holidays, young pupils can rest for a good amount of time also they can do some part-time job to earn money. For example, with a long summertime available most individuals try to recover themselves from mental stress. By having free days, they can get jobs and save some money for future days. Moreover, having free summer days gives them extra time to spend with their parents and family. Also, by these holidays they can cover their remaining courses which can ease their stress and anxiety about the exams.

On the contrary, considering to the second question there are some arguments between parents of different children that there should be school holidays but of shorter span. Because most of the children waste their whole summer vacations by watching movies and playing video games. By this their overall health gets disturbed and their interest in studies vanished in these months. Also, some parents argue in the favour of shorter school holidays because according to them there should not be much free time in children school life, so they don't get distracted and move in a wrong direction.

In conclusion, I believe that primary and secondary schools should provide students with summer holidays lasting two to three months. These breaks can improve children's physical and mental health while giving them an opportunity to relax and enjoy their free time.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

You address both questions and give a clear overall view: long breaks offer rest and family time, while shorter holidays may reduce unproductive habits and distraction. These are relevant points, and the examples about part-time work and exam stress help explain the value of a break. However, the two sides are not developed equally. The benefits of long holidays receive several points, while the case for shorter holidays relies mainly on children watching films or playing games and a general concern about being distracted. Explain more fully how shorter breaks could support learning—for example, by helping students retain routines or reducing the need to relearn material after a long absence. Your conclusion supports long holidays but does not weigh the arguments or clarify why this position is preferable.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.5

The response has a clear overall structure: an introduction, one paragraph for each side, and a conclusion. The sequence is easy to follow, and signposts such as “Discussing the first question” and “On the contrary” make the organisation explicit. This coherent arrangement is a strength. However, some linking is mechanical or imprecise: “Also” and “Moreover” repeatedly introduce additional points, while “On the contrary” suggests a direct contradiction rather than a shift to the other argument. The opening sentence also joins contrasting ideas with “however” in a way that makes the relationship awkward. To strengthen progression, use more natural transitions and make each paragraph develop a central point through explanation and example. Clearer references would also help connect claims to their subjects.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.5

You use enough topic-related vocabulary to communicate the main ideas, including “mental stress,” “anxiety,” “part-time job,” and “distracted.” There are also attempts at more formal phrasing, such as “considering to the second question.” However, several word choices and collocations are unnatural or imprecise, which limits the clarity and flexibility of the vocabulary. For example, “mental peace” is less idiomatic than “mental well-being,” “free days” is vague in this context, and “their interest in studies vanished” is an awkward way to describe a decline in motivation. “Wrong direction” is also too general to explain the concern. Aim for precise, natural combinations and avoid repeating broad terms such as “holidays” and “free time” when a more specific expression is available.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt a mixture of simple and complex sentences, including clauses introduced by “because” and “while,” and the main ideas remain understandable. Some sentence patterns are controlled, such as “These breaks can improve children's physical and mental health while giving them an opportunity to relax.” However, there are several grammatical errors in longer sentences. In “school holidays … are good for children and its value … is high,” the pronoun does not agree with the plural subject. The sentence beginning “Because most of the children…” is a fragment, and “By this their overall health gets disturbed” has an unclear grammatical construction. Punctuation also needs attention, particularly the comma after “accepted” and the comma splice before “however.” Review agreement, complete-sentence structure, and punctuation when joining contrasting clauses.

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