Cambridge 20 Writing Task 2 Test 2 - Sample Answers (Band 9 to 4-5)

Summer break in most education systems stretches to two months or longer, and opinion is fairly evenly split on whether this length serves pupils well. In my view, long holidays offer real developmental benefits, but the case for trimming them is far from groundless.

The value of an extended break lies chiefly in recovery and unstructured growth. Ten months of structured learning leaves both teachers and students in need of genuine rest, and a short two- or three-week holiday rarely achieves this; children return almost as tired as when they left. A longer break also creates space for experiences school timetables cannot accommodate: family travel, part-time jobs for teenagers, or simply the kind of unsupervised play that builds independence and social skills in ways a classroom cannot replicate.

Even so, shortening the summer holiday has a credible case behind it. Research consistently shows a phenomenon known as summer learning loss, where students, particularly those from lower-income households without access to enriching activities, regress academically over an extended break and arrive back needing weeks of revision before new material can begin. Shorter, more frequent holidays spread throughout the year, as several European countries have already adopted, would reduce this loss while still giving families regular opportunities to rest. There is also a practical argument for working parents, who often struggle to arrange childcare for two continuous months.

On balance, I would favour keeping a long holiday but shortening it modestly while adding a further short break elsewhere in the calendar, since this addresses the risk of learning loss without sacrificing the recovery time that a lengthy holiday genuinely provides.

Summer holidays in many countries last for two months or more, and people have different opinions about whether this is a good length of time. I think long holidays have real value, but there are also good reasons for making them shorter.

The main benefit of a long break is that it gives both students and teachers proper time to rest after many months of study. A short holiday of only one or two weeks may not be enough for children to recover their energy before starting again. A long holiday also gives families the chance to do things that are difficult during term time, such as travelling together, or lets older students get part-time jobs and learn skills outside the classroom.

However, there are strong arguments for shortening the summer break too. Many studies have shown that students, especially those from poorer families, can forget a lot of what they learned during a long holiday, meaning teachers have to spend the first weeks of the new year going over old material again. Having several shorter holidays spread across the year, which some countries already do, could reduce this problem while still giving everyone regular breaks. It would also be more convenient for working parents, who often find it hard to arrange childcare for two whole months.

Overall, I believe it would be better to keep a fairly long summer holiday but make it a little shorter, while adding another short break at a different time of year. This would help reduce the amount that students forget without taking away too much of the rest that a long holiday provides.

In many countries, schools are closed for the summer for two months or even more, and people don't always agree if this is good or not. I think long holidays are useful, but there are also some good points for making them shorter.

One value of long holidays is that they give students and teachers time to rest properly after a long school year. If the holiday is too short, students might still feel tired when school starts again. Long holidays also let families spend time together, for example going on trips, and older students can get a job during this time to earn some money and learn new things.

On the other hand, there are some good arguments for shorter holidays too. Some studies say that students forget things they learned before the holiday, especially students who don't have money to do extra activities during the break. This means teachers must spend time at the start of the year teaching the same things again. If holidays were shorter but happened more often during the year, this problem could become smaller, and parents would also find it easier to take care of their children during this time.

In conclusion, I think schools should still have a long summer holiday because rest is important, particularly for younger children who need longer to properly switch off from schoolwork, but maybe it could be a bit shorter, with another short holiday added somewhere else in the year. This way, students would not forget as much, but they would still get enough time to relax.

In many country, school is close for two month or more in summer, and people have different opinion if this is good or not. I think long holiday have value, but there is also good reason for shorter holiday.

One value of long holiday is student and teacher can rest after long time of studying. If holiday is too short, student still feel tired when school start again. Long holiday also give family chance to travel together, and older student can get job in this time to learn new thing and earn money too. This kind of experience is hard to get during normal school week, and it help student grow up and become more independent.

But there is also argument for shorter holiday. Some study show student forget what they learn before, especially student who don't have money for extra activity in holiday time. This mean teacher must teach same thing again when school start, and this waste some week that could use for new lesson instead. If holiday is shorter but happen more time in year, this problem can be less, and parents also find easier to take care their children.

In conclusion, I think long summer holiday is good because rest is important, but maybe school can make it shorter a little bit, and add another short holiday in different time of year. This way student will not forget too much information, but still have enough time to relax and enjoy their summer break together with family and friends.