Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-11-05

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)

Summer holidays are provided to primary and secondary school children for two months or more in many countries. Long school holidays provides enough time to children to learn new skills such as communication skill through reading, and more free time to identify their hidden talents. Many people argue that school holidays should be shorter, so children can learn more in school instead of playing around, and wasting their time.

Firstly, I will discuss the value of long school holidays.

To begin with, school holidays with longer period are beneficial to enhance children certain abilities. For instance, students are most likely to keen on reading comic books, and novels. These comic books or short novels helps them to imagine the characters while reading. It boost their thinking ability. In addition, reading books enhance also their pronunciation of difficult words, and also makes them familiar with variety of new words which increase their vocabulary. In result, this helps them in communicating with others, and to describe their point of view.

Furthermore, long holidays gives enough time to identify pupil's hidden talent. For example, many parents admit their children to private art academies. There children attend different classes including music, singing, sketching, painting, and acting. In result, parents and children identify their hidden talent with the help of instructor, which further they can persuade as a career too.

Now, lets discuss about the other point of view, where some people says that school holidays should be shorter. It is because they think that it is waste of students precious time, as students should spend their most of time in schools among academic books. In addition, they also think that course studies are more effective than anything else to avail better job in future.

In conclusion, school long holidays provides benefits if designed perfectly, as children can work on their additional skills, and identifying and polishing their talent, which further helps them in future.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 5.5

You address both parts of the question: the benefits of long holidays and the case for shorter ones. The discussion of reading and extracurricular classes gives relevant examples, and your conclusion reinforces the value of holidays for developing skills and talents. However, the two sides are not developed equally. The benefits receive two paragraphs, while the argument for shorter holidays is mainly presented as what “some people think”; explain more clearly how shorter breaks might support learning, such as by helping pupils retain knowledge or maintain study routines. Your position is implied in the conclusion, but a clearer statement of your view earlier would make the response more fully focused. Some claims, such as the link between reading and communication, would also benefit from more explanation.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a coherent overall arrangement: an introduction, a paragraph on each benefit, a paragraph presenting the case for shorter holidays, and a conclusion. Signposts such as “Firstly,” “Furthermore,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the sequence. However, the transitions are sometimes mechanical, particularly “Now, lets discuss about the other point of view,” and the opening sentence of the first body paragraph repeats the idea already announced in the introduction. Some references are unclear, as in “There children attend different classes,” where the reader must infer that “there” refers to the art academies. Improve cohesion by linking each example directly to its main point and using clearer references, rather than relying mainly on formulaic transitions.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.0

You use an adequate range of vocabulary for the topic, including phrases such as “hidden talents,” “thinking ability,” “vocabulary,” and “academic books.” These choices make the main ideas understandable, and you attempt more specific language when describing extracurricular activities. Some word choices and collocations are inaccurate or unnatural, however, such as “keen on reading” in this sentence, “admit their children to private art academies,” and “persuade as a career.” “In result” is also repeated where a more natural linking phrase would help. These issues do not prevent understanding, but they limit precision and fluency. Aim to learn common word partnerships and check whether a verb expresses the intended meaning in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You attempt both simple and complex sentence forms, including clauses introduced by “as” and “which,” and most of the message remains understandable. Some grammatical errors recur, especially subject–verb agreement and verb forms: “Long school holidays provides” should be “provide,” “These comic books or short novels helps” should be “help,” and “It boost” should be “It boosts.” There are also problems with articles, plurals, and sentence construction, as in “enhance children certain abilities” and “spend their most of time.” These errors sometimes make sentences less smooth, although the overall meaning is generally clear. Practise checking agreement and article use, and revise complex sentences to ensure each clause has a clear, correctly formed subject and verb.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.