Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-12

IELTS Writing Task 2 question

People should never eat meat because raising animals for human consumption is cruel.
To what extent do you agree or disagree with this opinion?

Give reasons for your answer, and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Student answer (Band 5.5)

It is believed by some people that the cut-off meat because livestock framing is cruel is overly simplistic. I strongly disagree with this opinion, while meat is a fundamental component of the human diet. This essay will discuss the solutions lies in reforming farming standards rather than eliminating meat consumption entirely.

To begin with, meat has been an essential part of human evolution and remains a crucial source of high-quality protein, iron and essential vitamins like B12. If synthetic supplements exist, they are not universally accessible or affordable for everyone. For Instance, In many developing regions or rural communities, raising small livestock in the only reliable way of families can prevent malnutrition and secure food safety. forcing a blanket ban on meat consumption would disproportionately harm vulnerable populations who rely on it for survival.

Why raising animal for food does not automatically equate to cruelty? The reason behind this is that livestock not only raised humanely but also traditional and sustainable method forms. For example, traditional free-range cattle framing i countries like New Zealand allows animals to graze openly in pastures, ensuring a natural and stress-free life. Furthermore, free-range and organic labels, consumers can demand higher ethical standards without abandoning meat entirely.

In conclusion

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, reaching only 204 words. This significantly impacts the development of ideas, as the conclusion is incomplete and the arguments are somewhat truncated. While you clearly state your position and provide relevant points regarding nutritional needs and farming practices, the lack of length prevents a full exploration of the topic. To improve, you must expand on your examples and ensure that your conclusion is fully developed rather than just a heading. The ideas presented are relevant, but they require more depth and elaboration to meet the requirements of a full essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is organized into paragraphs, and there is a logical progression of ideas. You use some cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'For instance', and 'Furthermore'. However, the flow is occasionally disrupted by mechanical errors and the abrupt ending of the essay. The referencing is generally clear, but the transition between the introduction and the body paragraphs could be smoother. To reach a higher band, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your concluding paragraph is fully written out to provide a sense of closure to the reader.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'fundamental component', 'synthetic supplements', and 'disproportionately'. However, there are several errors in word choice and spelling, such as 'cut-off meat' (likely meant 'cutting out meat') and 'framing' instead of 'farming'. These errors do not impede communication, but they do limit the precision of your writing. To improve, focus on using collocations correctly and proofreading for minor spelling mistakes. Expanding your vocabulary to include more academic synonyms will also help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you attempt complex sentences, there are frequent grammatical errors, such as 'raising small livestock in the only reliable way of families can prevent' and 'livestock not only raised humanely but also traditional and sustainable method forms'. These errors, including issues with subject-verb agreement and preposition usage, occur throughout the text. While the meaning remains generally clear, the frequency of these errors prevents a higher score. Focus on mastering basic sentence construction and checking for subject-verb agreement before moving on to more complex structures.

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

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