Band 7.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.5 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-26

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 7.5)

The consumption of meat has become a controversial issue, particularly because of concerns about animal welfare. Some people argue that eating meat should be completely avoided as raising animals for food is inherently cruel. Although I agree that certain farming practices cause unnecessary suffering, I disagree with the view that people should never eat meat.

There is no doubt that intensive livestock farming can involve considerable cruelty. In some industrial farms, animals are kept in overcrowded and unnatural conditions, with limited space to move freely or behave naturally. In addition, the transportation and slaughter of animals can cause considerable stress and suffering when proper welfare standards are not followed. For example, chickens and pigs raised on large-scale farms may spend their entire lives in confined environments. Such practices are ethically concerning and should be strictly regulated.

However, I do not believe that eating meat itself is necessarily cruel. Humans have consumed animal products for thousands of years, and meat can provide valuable nutrients, including protein, iron and vitamin B12. More importantly, it is possible to raise animals under considerably better conditions, where they have sufficient space, access to natural environments and humane treatment throughout their lives. In many rural communities, for instance, livestock are raised on small farms where animals can graze freely rather than being kept in overcrowded facilities. Therefore, the real issue is not necessarily meat consumption but the methods used to produce it.

In conclusion, while I strongly believe that cruel and unethical farming practices should be eliminated, I do not agree that everyone should stop eating meat. A more practical solution would be to enforce strict animal-welfare regulations and encourage consumers to choose meat produced through humane and sustainable farming methods.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.5

You have fully addressed all parts of the prompt. You clearly stated your position in the introduction, maintained it throughout the essay, and provided relevant, well-developed arguments. You balanced the discussion by acknowledging the validity of the opposing view regarding intensive farming while providing a counter-argument based on the distinction between meat consumption and production methods. The ideas are extended with logical examples, such as the mention of small-scale rural farming, which effectively supports your stance. The conclusion provides a clear summary that aligns with your initial position, demonstrating a well-structured and focused response that meets all the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

Your essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the acknowledgement of cruelty and your counter-argument is smooth, using effective cohesive devices like 'However' and 'Therefore'. The use of referencing is accurate, and the paragraphing is logical, moving from the problem to the nuance of the solution. The flow of information is natural, and the cohesive devices are used flexibly without being mechanical. The structure is coherent throughout, guiding the reader through your argument without any confusion or unnecessary repetition.

Lexical Resource — Band 7.0

You demonstrate a good range of vocabulary that is appropriate for an academic discussion. Phrases such as 'inherently cruel', 'intensive livestock farming', 'ethically concerning', and 'humane and sustainable farming methods' show a strong command of topic-specific language. You use these terms with precision and natural collocation. While the vocabulary is consistently accurate and fits the formal tone required for IELTS writing, it stays within a standard range. To reach a higher band, you could incorporate slightly more sophisticated or idiomatic academic collocations, but your current usage is already highly effective and error-free.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.5

Your writing displays a high level of grammatical control. You use a variety of complex sentence structures, such as conditional-like reasoning ('if... then' implied) and concessive clauses ('Although I agree...', 'while I strongly believe...'). The majority of your sentences are error-free, and your punctuation is used correctly to manage complex ideas. There are no significant grammatical slips that impede communication. The control over verb tenses and modal verbs is consistent, and the overall accuracy is very high, which is characteristic of a strong performance in this criterion.

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