Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-09-06

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)

Some people argue that zoos are unnecessary and keeping animal in captivity is unethical. Although, there are valid reasons of closing zoos due to the conditions in which animals are kept. But I disagree with the point that all zoos should be closed. Well managed zoos can play an important role in education, scientific research and wild life conservation.

On the one hand, major reason of retaining zoos is it provides protection to endangered species. Some animals are threatened by illegal hunting and climate change, making it difficult to survive in wild. Zoos can provide a safe environment where they can be protected an bred. The increase in breeding will support the introduction of the species into their natural habitat, thus protecting them from being extinct.

On the other hand, zoos also provide great educational value to children and adults. Visiting a zoo allows children to learn about habitats, behaviour and needs of animals. This direct experience provides better awareness about them rather than studying from books. For example, children who see endangered species may develop a strong sense in preserving their natural habitats and protecting them from danger.

In my opinion, all zoos should not be closed as it provides a positive experience for both children and adults. Although, keeping animals in captivity is unethical and should be avoided. As some people believe that limited space in zoos donot allow them to behave naturally. It affects their psychological and physical wellbeing. Poorly managed zoos can cause unnecessary suffering. But with better arrangements and facilities these disadvantages can be overcome. Government should make strict welfare standards and the zoos with inadequate facilities and lack in providing required habitat to the animals should be closed.

In conclusion, zoos provide protection to animals. All zoos should not be closed. Strict rules should be followed in providing the protection and needs of animals at zoo.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

The response addresses all parts of the prompt, clearly stating a position that disagrees with the total closure of zoos while acknowledging the ethical concerns. The ideas regarding conservation and education are relevant and supported with examples. However, the development is somewhat uneven; the discussion on the negative aspects of captivity in the fourth paragraph is a bit repetitive and could have been more tightly integrated into the main argument. Overall, the position is consistent throughout, and the main points are sufficiently developed to meet the requirements of the task.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used effectively to separate the different sides of the argument. Cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'On the other hand', and 'In conclusion' are used to guide the reader. However, there are some minor issues with sentence-level cohesion; for example, starting sentences with 'Although' or 'But' is occasionally informal or grammatically awkward in this context. The flow between ideas is generally smooth, though some transitions could be more sophisticated.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The vocabulary is generally adequate and appropriate for the task. You use some topic-specific terms like 'endangered species', 'natural habitat', and 'wildlife conservation'. There are some minor inaccuracies, such as 'retaining zoos' (maintaining/keeping) and 'protecting them from being extinct' (preventing their extinction). While the range is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, there is limited use of less common or idiomatic vocabulary that would be required for a higher band score. The word choice is functional but lacks precision in certain areas.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is always clear, there are several grammatical slips, such as 'reasons of closing' (reasons for closing), 'protected an bred' (protected and bred), and 'all zoos should not be closed' (not all zoos should be closed). Punctuation is generally fine, but there are some issues with subject-verb agreement and article usage. The errors do not impede communication, but they occur frequently enough to prevent a higher score. A greater variety of complex sentence forms would also improve the score.

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