Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-08-26

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)

It is widely believed that there is no need to keep animal species in zoos, and they should be shut down. I strongly agree with this statement due to the availability of options such as forest tours. Moreover, some creatures need a large area to survive. Both of the reasons will be explained in the upcoming paragraphs.

In this day and age, zoos are no more required because we have options like forest tours in a protected vehicle. Thus, animals can live freely as well as we can explore them. For instance, in China, the authorities have demolished all the zoos, and all animals have been moved to their natural habitat. So, now everyone can explore them through forest tours without keeping animals in cages. Therefore, zoos are no longer required.

Secondly, it has been observed over the years that certain creatures need large space to live and behave naturally. To explain it further, keeping wild animals in restricted areas can negatively affect their behavior and well-being. Thus, to prevent animals from stress and psychological pressure, we should not keep them in zoos.

Thirdly, there are numerous unorganized zoos where animals die due to their poor system. To elaborate on it further, in certain zoos, due to cost cutting and poor management, so many animals are left without food for so many days. Consequently, they die or suffer from hunger and other illnesses. For example, a recent article by CNC News reported that more than [redacted phone] animal species died in zoos in 2024 all over the world due to hunger and sickness.

In conclusion, although it is affecting tourism and zoo owners' income, zoos should be closed for animal freedom and their well-being.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses the prompt clearly and maintains a consistent position throughout. You have provided relevant reasons, such as animal welfare and the availability of alternative tourism models. However, the development of ideas is somewhat uneven. For instance, the example regarding China demolishing all zoos is factually questionable and lacks nuance, which weakens the persuasiveness of your argument. While the ideas are relevant, they could be extended further with more sophisticated analysis rather than relying on sweeping generalizations. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting examples are plausible and that you explore the implications of your arguments in greater depth.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 7.0

The essay is organized into clear paragraphs, each with a distinct focus. There is a logical progression of ideas from the introduction to the conclusion. You use basic cohesive devices such as 'Moreover', 'For instance', 'Secondly', and 'Consequently' to link your points. However, the transition between some sentences feels slightly mechanical, and the use of referencing could be more varied. The paragraphing is appropriate, and the overall structure is easy to follow, which provides a coherent framework for your argument. To improve, try to use a wider range of cohesive devices to connect ideas more fluidly rather than relying on simple sentence-initial connectors.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'natural habitat', 'psychological pressure', and 'well-being'. However, there are instances of slightly unnatural word choices, such as 'no more required' instead of 'no longer necessary' or 'poor system' instead of 'poor management standards'. Some phrasing is repetitive, and there is a lack of more sophisticated, academic collocations that would elevate the tone of the essay. While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher band scores. Focus on learning topic-specific collocations to improve your lexical precision.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The essay uses a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While many sentences are clear, there are recurring grammatical errors, such as 'Both of the reasons will be explained' (passive voice is slightly awkward here) and '100000 animal species died' (the number is likely an exaggeration, but grammatically, the sentence structure is simple). You have control over basic punctuation and sentence construction, but there is a lack of variety in complex structures. Errors are present but do not impede communication. To achieve a higher score, incorporate more varied complex sentence forms, such as conditional clauses or relative clauses, and ensure greater accuracy in subject-verb agreement.

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

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