Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · 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 6.0)

Thers is ongoing debate about whether animals should no longer be needed to keep in zoos, therefore zoos should be shut down. I completely disagree with the statement, as zoos play an important role in the wildlife conservation, educating people and scientific research.

To begin with, one of the main reasons that zoos are important is to protect the endangered animals.

Many species are on the verge of extinction forever because of habitat loss, hunting and climate change. Zoos provide a safer environment where these animals cared and bred, which helps to increase their numbers. Many animals that were once at the brink of extinction like the giant panda have survived because of zoos conservation program. Secondly, zoos are a valuable source of education. It provides people with opportunity to witness animals in real, which otherwise they cannot ever see them. They also provide education and information about animals' behaviour, habitats and the threat they may face. This experience inspires people to care about wildlife and environment.

In addition to these advantages, zoos have great contribution in scientific research. They provide important information about animal's health, reproduction and behavior, which helps scientists find ways to protect them from diseases and ways to improve their health.

In conclusion, zoos are not just only places for entertainment, they serve important role in wildlife, including protecting endangered animals, educating people about animals and developing scientific research.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have clearly stated your position and provided relevant arguments regarding conservation, education, and research. However, the response is under the 250-word minimum, which limits the depth of your development. While you mention the giant panda as an example, your points could be further extended with more specific details or real-world examples to fully satisfy the requirements of a Band 7 or higher. Because the response is under-length, the development of ideas is necessarily restricted, preventing a higher score in this criterion.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'To begin with', 'Secondly', and 'In addition to these advantages' to signal transitions between ideas. However, the flow is sometimes mechanical, and the paragraphing is slightly unbalanced, with the second body paragraph being quite short. To improve, try to use a wider variety of linking words and ensure that each paragraph has a more substantial development of the main idea to improve the overall progression of the argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'endangered', 'extinction', 'conservation', and 'reproduction'. However, there are some minor inaccuracies and awkward phrasing, such as 'animals cared and bred' (should be 'are cared for and bred') and 'witness animals in real' (should be 'in real life'). The vocabulary is generally functional but lacks the precision and less common collocations required for higher bands. Expanding your range to include more sophisticated synonyms and idiomatic expressions would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally distract the reader. For example, 'Thers is ongoing debate' (spelling/article error), 'animals should no longer be needed to keep in zoos' (awkward passive construction), and 'zoos have great contribution' (missing article 'a'). While these errors do not completely impede communication, they are persistent throughout the text. To reach a higher band, focus on subject-verb agreement, correct use of articles, and ensuring that passive voice constructions are grammatically accurate.

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

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