Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-19

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 6.5)

From quite a long period, animals are kept in zoos, but now some people believe that animals should not be kept there and zoos should be shut down. I disagree with that, as zoos help in maintaining an eco-system for the animals in which they can flourish and prosper.

That being said, I do understand why some individuals would think, that zoos should be closed. The animals are not meant to be in closed cages and human beings should not control all species on the planet. In a lot of zoos, the environment is also not very well maintained. But, closing down the zoos is not the solution. There are a lot of benefits that the zoos bring in. For example, they can provide a habitat to the animals, which can help them to survive and live in harmony with nature. Instead of closing down the zoos, we should focus on improving the conditions of the zoos. Also, zoos should be designed in such a manner, that it provides a hospitable environment to the animals, as per their respective habitats and natural surroundings.

I vividly remember the Vienna zoo, which I visited a couple of years back. The zoo was not only very well maintained, but it also provided an apt environment to each animal. For example, hippopotamus had its own pond, in which it could freely roam around in water. Reptiles had a very humid environment, which suits their natural environment.

In conclusion, I would like to disagree that zoos should be closed altogether. Instead, we should think of an alternate plan, which focuses on the architecture and maintenance of the zoos, rather than closing them completely.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have clearly stated your position and maintained it throughout the essay. You addressed both sides of the argument by acknowledging the concerns regarding animal welfare before presenting your counter-argument. The ideas are relevant and supported by a personal example (the Vienna zoo). To reach a higher band, you could further develop the 'benefits' of zoos beyond just providing a habitat, such as mentioning conservation, scientific research, or public education, which would provide a more comprehensive and sophisticated response to the prompt.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'That being said', 'For example', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, the flow between some sentences is slightly mechanical. For instance, the transition between the second and third paragraph could be smoother. Additionally, ensure that paragraphing is used to separate distinct ideas more effectively; your second paragraph is quite long and covers multiple points that could be better structured to improve the overall progression of your argument.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'flourish', 'prosper', 'hospitable', and 'vividly'. However, there are some instances of slightly unnatural phrasing, such as 'From quite a long period' (should be 'For a long period') and 'alternate plan' (where 'alternative approach' would be more precise). While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the variety and precision required for higher bands. Expanding your use of topic-specific collocations related to animal conservation would enhance your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. There are some grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'animals are kept' (should be 'have been kept' to reflect the duration) and unnecessary commas, for example, 'think, that' and 'manner, that'. While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. To improve, focus on mastering the use of articles and refining your punctuation, particularly avoiding unnecessary commas between verbs and their subordinate clauses.

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

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