Band 7.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 7.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-16

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 7.0)

Whether animals should be kept in the zoo is a complex debate. Proponents argue that accredited zoos aids species conservation, advance scientific research and educate the public. Critics contend that confinement causes physical and physiological harm, stressing that enclosures cannot replace natural habitats. I disagree with the statement that zoos should be closed.

The first argument in favour of zoos is the need for conservation and breeding of endangered species. This is because captive breeding programs help prevent endangered species from extinction. Secondly, the zoos help in Public education by raising awareness about biodiversity, wildlife issues and natural habitats.

Additionally, studying captive animals helps veterinarians and scientists to improve health care and conservation strategies for both captive and wild populations. To exemplify, zoologists at the Toronto zoo have identified vaccines for deadly diseases which are common in animals through the advancement in their research on captive animals at the zoo.

On the contrary, some critics contend that zoos are not ideal places for the animals. The reason is that confinement can cause physical and psychological problems in animals causing repetitive abnormal behaviour called zoochosis. Furthermore, they maintain that keeping sentient animals in captivity for human entertainment and profit is unethical.

In conclusion, although the physical, psychological and ethical concerns of keeping animals in zoos cannot be overlooked, I maintain my stance that zoos are beneficial because they help to conserve endangered species from extinction and allow scientific research for the far betterment of the animals both in captivity and in wild environments.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have addressed all parts of the prompt, providing a clear position and supporting it with relevant arguments. Your introduction sets the stage well, and you balance the discussion by acknowledging the opposing view before reinforcing your own stance. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are more fully developed. For instance, while you mention 'captive breeding programs', providing a more specific example or explaining the mechanism of how this aids conservation would strengthen your argument. The conclusion effectively summarizes your position, ensuring the task requirements are met with a clear, consistent viewpoint throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear progression of ideas. You use a variety of cohesive devices such as 'The first argument', 'Additionally', 'To exemplify', and 'On the contrary' to guide the reader through your points. Paragraphing is used effectively, with each paragraph focusing on a central theme. While the flow is generally smooth, some transitions could be more sophisticated to avoid a slightly mechanical feel. Overall, the structure is clear and supports the development of your argument well, meeting the requirements for a Band 7.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.5

You demonstrate a sufficient range of vocabulary to discuss the topic with some precision. Terms like 'accredited', 'biodiversity', 'sentient', and 'zoochosis' show an awareness of style and topic-specific language. There are occasional minor errors, such as 'aids' (should be 'aid' to agree with the plural 'zoos') and 'the zoos' (the article is unnecessary here). While you use some less common items effectively, further variety in your collocations would help elevate the response. The vocabulary is adequate for the task and allows for clear communication of your ideas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this task. There is good control over grammar, though a few slips occur, such as 'zoos aids' (subject-verb agreement) and 'the zoos help in Public education' (capitalization error). You also have some minor phrasing issues, such as 'for the far betterment of the animals'. Despite these occasional errors, your meaning is always clear, and the errors do not impede communication. To improve, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the use of articles in more complex sentences.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.