Cambridge IELTS 20 Test 2 Writing Task 2: Long School Holidays
Cambridge IELTS 20 · Test 2 · Academic Writing Task 2Two-part questionEducation
The question notes that primary and secondary schools in many countries close for two months or more over the summer. Candidates must answer two direct questions: what the value of long school holidays is, and what arguments can be made in favour of shorter school holidays.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write about the following topic: 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? Write at least 250 words.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.
How to read the question
- This is a two-part question: you must answer both What is the value of long school holidays? and What are the arguments in favour of shorter school holidays? in roughly equal depth.
- The question does not ask for your opinion, so a personal view is optional. If you give one, keep it brief, for example in the conclusion, and make sure it does not replace either of the two required parts.
- Value means the benefits of long holidays, for children, families or teachers, so focus on what is gained by a break of two months or more, not on holidays in general.
- Arguments in favour of shorter holidays can include learning loss, childcare problems for working parents and unequal opportunities for children from poorer families.
- The question is about primary and secondary schools only, so arguments about university vacations are irrelevant.
- A clear structure is one body paragraph for each question, with the introduction stating that the essay will consider both.
Suggested position
Long summer holidays give children valuable time to rest, explore their interests and be with their families, but shorter breaks would reduce learning loss over the summer and make life easier for working parents and disadvantaged children.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase the situation (schools in many countries close for two months or more each summer) and say that long holidays have clear benefits, but there are also strong reasons for shortening them.
- 2
Body paragraph 1: the value of long holidays
Explain that a long break lets children recover from a demanding school year, develop interests such as sport, music or reading, and spend time with family, including travelling or visiting relatives. Add that teachers also need time to rest and prepare.
- 3
Body paragraph 2: arguments for shorter holidays
Explain learning loss: pupils forget skills, especially in maths, and teachers spend weeks revising at the start of the new year. Add that working parents struggle to find and pay for childcare, and that the gap between wealthier and poorer children widens because only some families can afford enriching activities.
- 4
Conclusion
Summarise both answers and, optionally, suggest a balance, such as a shorter summer break with longer holidays spread through the year.
Ideas and arguments
- Children need a long, unstructured break to recover from the pressure of tests and homework and to return to school refreshed.
- Long holidays give time for activities that schools have little room for, such as sports camps, music, reading for pleasure or part-time work for older teenagers.
- Families can travel, visit relatives abroad or simply spend more time together, which strengthens family relationships.
- Teachers use the summer to rest, train and plan the next year's lessons.
- Over a long break, many pupils forget what they have learned, especially in maths, so the first weeks of the new year are spent on revision.
- Working parents often struggle to arrange and pay for two months of childcare.
- Children from wealthier homes enjoy educational trips and activities, while those from poorer homes may have little stimulation, which widens the attainment gap.
- Some schools and countries have moved to a calendar with a shorter summer break and more frequent short holidays during the year.
Band 8+ model answer
298 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
In many parts of the world, children are out of school for two months or more every summer. While such a long break offers genuine benefits, there are also persuasive reasons for making it shorter.
The main value of an extended summer holiday lies in the rest and freedom it provides. After a demanding academic year of lessons, homework and examinations, pupils need time to recharge their batteries, and a long break allows them to return to school refreshed and motivated. It also gives children time for activities that crowded timetables leave little room for, such as sports camps, learning a musical instrument or simply reading for pleasure. Furthermore, families can travel together or visit relatives who live far away, experiences that strengthen family bonds and broaden children's horizons. Teachers, too, benefit from the opportunity to rest and plan the following year.
On the other hand, there are strong arguments in favour of shorter holidays. The most significant is learning loss: during a long break, many pupils forget much of what they have learned, particularly in mathematics, so teachers often spend the first weeks of the new year revising old material rather than teaching new content. A second problem is childcare. When both parents work, arranging supervision for two months can be difficult and expensive. Finally, long holidays can widen the attainment gap, because children from wealthier families tend to enjoy enriching trips and courses, whereas those from disadvantaged homes may spend the summer with little stimulation.
In conclusion, long summer holidays allow children to rest, pursue their interests and spend time with their families, but shorter breaks would reduce learning loss and ease the pressure on working parents. A sensible compromise might be a shorter summer holiday, with the remaining weeks spread more evenly across the year.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Response
- The essay answers both questions fully and in balanced depth, develops each main idea with explanation and examples, and adds a brief, relevant suggestion in the conclusion without neglecting either required part.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Each body paragraph answers one question and opens with a clear topic sentence, and ideas within paragraphs are linked with devices such as furthermore, as a result and on the other hand, as well as clear referencing.
- Lexical Resource
- Topic-specific vocabulary such as learning loss, the attainment gap, enriching experiences and recharge their batteries is used accurately, and the key words of the question are paraphrased.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- The essay uses a range of complex structures, including relative clauses, conditional and passive forms, and participle phrases, with full control of tense and agreement.
Useful vocabulary
- the summer break
- the long holiday from school in summer
- the academic year
- the period of the year during which pupils attend school
- recharge their batteries
- rest in order to regain energy
- unstructured time
- free time without planned activities or lessons
- extracurricular activities
- activities such as sport or music done outside normal lessons
- learning loss
- the forgetting of knowledge and skills during a break from school
- retain knowledge
- keep and remember what has been learned
- childcare
- looking after children while their parents are working
- working parents
- mothers and fathers who have jobs
- disadvantaged pupils
- children from poorer or less supportive backgrounds
- the attainment gap
- the difference in school results between different groups of pupils
- enriching experiences
- activities that help someone learn and develop
- spread more evenly
- divided more equally across a period of time
Common mistakes
- Answering only one of the two questions, or writing one long paragraph on long holidays and one sentence on shorter ones.
- Treating the question as an opinion essay and arguing only for or against long holidays, instead of answering both questions.
- Writing about university holidays or adult holidays from work, which are outside the scope of the question.
- Listing many benefits and drawbacks briefly without developing any of them with explanation and examples.
- Confusing shorter holidays with fewer holidays in total; shorter summer holidays may be balanced by more breaks during the year.
- Repeating long school holidays throughout instead of paraphrasing with the summer break, an extended vacation or time away from school.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- This question about the value of long school summer holidays and the arguments for shorter ones is Writing Task 2 of Test 2 in Cambridge IELTS 20 Academic.
- Do I need to give my opinion in this essay?
- No. The two questions ask you to explain the value of long holidays and the arguments for shorter ones. You may add a brief view in the conclusion, but answering both questions fully matters most.
- How should I organise a two-part question like this?
- Use an introduction that refers to both questions, one body paragraph for each question, and a short conclusion that summarises both answers.
- How many words should I write for this Task 2?
- Write at least 250 words; about 270-310 words is usually enough to answer both questions fully in 40 minutes.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.