Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-12
IELTS Writing Task 2 question
We no longer need to have animals kept in zoos, so zoos should be closed.
Do you agree or disagree?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Student answer (Band 5.5)
It is believed that animals should not be kept in zoos and zoos should be closed. I do not agree with this statement, as zoos plays a key role in displaying the animal varieties. However, amenities should be given to animals with liberty.
To begin with, zoos contains a variety of animals from different parts of the globe. And it makes easier for people to have a chance to explore about these animals and they can watch them in a safe manner. For example, Toronto zoo have African tiger. Visitors are fortunate to see tiger from Africa in Canada and in safe way. Moreover, animals which are on extension list should be hibernated inside the zoo to save their population as it could not be possible in jungle or forests.
On the contrary, animals who are in zoos are alone. They do not have families and can feel loneliness and they can forget their skills easily if kept inside for a longer period. So, animals should be kept in groups inside the zoo or we can say with their family members with some freedom. In addition to this, some activities should be launched for animals time to time so they can practice their skills.
To conclude, I believe that animals should be kept in zoos because people can get chance to see them and acquire knowledge about them. Therefore, animals should be kept in herds by conducting activities on timely manner to keep them healthy.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.5 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 6.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.5 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.5 |
| Overall | 5.5 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5
The response addresses the prompt by taking a clear position against closing zoos. However, the essay falls short of the 250-word minimum requirement, which negatively impacts the development of ideas. While the main arguments regarding education and conservation are relevant, they are somewhat underdeveloped. For instance, the mention of 'extension list' (likely meaning endangered species) and 'hibernated' (likely meaning protected or bred) shows a lack of precision in vocabulary and conceptual clarity. The ideas are presented but lack the depth and supporting detail required for a higher band score. The conclusion is brief and does not fully synthesize the arguments presented.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0
The essay is organized into logical paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the progression of ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Moreover', 'On the contrary', and 'To conclude' are used to signal transitions between points. However, the use of these devices is sometimes mechanical, and the flow between sentences within paragraphs can be slightly disjointed. Referencing is generally clear, though the connection between the idea of 'liberty' in the introduction and the subsequent body paragraphs could be more tightly integrated to improve the overall cohesion of the argument.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.5
The vocabulary range is adequate for the task but lacks precision and sophistication. There are several instances of inappropriate word choice, such as 'extension list' instead of 'endangered species' and 'hibernated' instead of 'protected' or 'conserved'. Additionally, 'animal varieties' is a weak collocation for 'biodiversity' or 'diverse species'. While the meaning is generally clear, the lack of precise terminology and the presence of word-choice errors limit the score. To improve, you should focus on learning topic-specific collocations related to conservation and animal welfare.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5
The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede fluency. Examples include subject-verb agreement issues ('zoos plays', 'zoos contains'), incorrect article usage ('in safe way'), and awkward phrasing ('on timely manner'). While the meaning is usually understandable, these persistent errors in basic grammar and sentence construction prevent the writing from reaching a higher band. Increasing the variety of complex structures while ensuring accuracy in basic subject-verb agreement and preposition use would significantly enhance the quality of the writing.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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