Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · Barron's Writing · 2026-08-28

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 7.0)

It is often argued that people should stop consuming meat in their diet because raising animals for human consumption is cruel. I partly agree with the statement because animals should be treated humanely, in contrast I do not believe that individuals altogether should stop eating meat.

To begin with, there are a number of reasons to reduce meat consumption. The prominent one is the intensive farming systems where animals are kept in a crowded place and they might not even have the proper conditions to move naturally. They may also be transported long distances before being slaughtered which can cause unreasonable stress and suffering. If fewer people consume meat, then the demand for large scale farming will also decrease, potentially reducing the number of animals that are subjected to such harsh circumstances. Therefore, avoiding meat can be an effective way of supporting animal welfare.

However, completely prohibiting people from eliminating meat from their daily diet is not necessarily the best solution. This is because meat is an important source of protein, iron, vitamin B12, and it can be valuable for people who have limited access to a variety of foods. Furthermore, not all animals are subjected to harsh conditions. Small-scale farms and producers that follow the animal welfare guidelines strictly, can provide the animals with sufficient space, and relatively humanely conditions. In such cases, consuming meat does not always mean supporting cruel treatment. As a result, governments could therefore focus on enforcing stronger regulations rather than expecting everyone to become vegetarian.

In conclusion, although I believe that cruel farming practices should be reduced and people should consider consuming less meat, I disagree that everyone should stop eating meat. Improving animal-welfare standards would be a more practical way to address the problem while allowing people to maintain their dietary choices.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

The response fully addresses all parts of the prompt. You clearly state your position in the introduction and maintain it throughout the essay. The arguments are well-developed, with the first body paragraph focusing on the ethical concerns of intensive farming and the second providing a balanced counter-argument regarding nutritional needs and ethical small-scale farming. The ideas are relevant and supported by logical reasoning. To reach a higher band, you could provide more specific examples, such as mentioning specific animal welfare certifications or global dietary trends, to further extend your arguments.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. Each paragraph has a central theme, and the transition between the arguments is smooth. You use a variety of cohesive devices effectively, such as 'To begin with', 'However', and 'In conclusion'. The referencing is clear, and the paragraphing is appropriate for the task. The flow of the argument is consistent, making the essay easy to follow. There is no evidence of mechanical or repetitive use of linking words, which demonstrates a good level of control over the structure of the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with precision. Phrases like 'intensive farming systems', 'subjected to such harsh circumstances', and 'dietary choices' are used accurately. There is an awareness of collocation, although some minor improvements could be made to sound more natural, such as changing 'humanely conditions' to 'humane conditions'. The vocabulary is varied and appropriate for the formal tone required in an IELTS essay. You avoid repetition and use a range of topic-specific terminology effectively to convey your points.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 7.0

The essay displays a good mix of simple and complex sentence structures. Most sentences are error-free, and your control over punctuation is generally strong. There are a few minor slips, such as 'in contrast I do not believe' (which would be better as 'by contrast, I do not believe') and 'humanely conditions' (which should be the adjective 'humane'). However, these errors are infrequent and do not impede communication. You show a good command of complex structures, such as conditional sentences ('If fewer people consume meat, then the demand... will also decrease'), which contributes to the overall quality of the writing.

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

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