Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS General Essentials · 2026-10-10

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 5.5)

Nowadays, many people believe that we should release all the animals from the zoos and zoos should be closed permanently. I completely agree with this thought.

There are many adverse effects of the zoos on animlal's health. Firstly, it takes away the freedom from the animals which results in mental health problems such as depression and anxiety while they are in zoos. Secondly, animals loss their natural habiate in zoo. For example, many wild animals don't get sufficient space for living while they are in cage. Moreover, they loss their natural hunting skills for survival as zoo serves them food everyday. Lastly, zoos are often located in urban areas and that makes the zoo environment very noisy. However, animals are inclined to live in quiet and natural environment which is not avaliable in city zoos.

Nevertheless, terminating the zoos will have positive effect on animals health as they will receieve their freedom and natural habitate back. Often, zoos are filled with lots of people which make it very stressful for animal to sleep and relax. Therefore, they will improve their mental helath and lifestyle a lot in jungle.

To conclude, zoos casuses harmful effects on animals that's why it should be closed.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.0

Your position is clear from the introduction: “I completely agree,” and the response gives relevant reasons, including restricted freedom, loss of natural behaviours, and stress from crowds and noise. These points address the question, but they are not all developed equally. The example about animals having insufficient space is relevant, while the claims about mental health and improved life “in jungle” would benefit from explanation or a specific example. The conclusion restates your view but does not add a developed final reason. The response is also 48 words below the required minimum, which limits the space available to explain and support your ideas. Develop each main point with clearer reasoning and examples.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 6.0

The response has a recognisable structure: an introduction, a paragraph presenting harms, a paragraph describing benefits of closure, and a conclusion. Sequencing words such as “Firstly,” “Secondly,” “Moreover,” and “To conclude” help readers follow the main points. However, the progression is somewhat mechanical, and the second body paragraph largely repeats the idea that animals would benefit from freedom without extending the argument. Some references are unclear, as in “it makes it very stressful for animal,” where the reader must infer what “it” refers to. Build a clearer progression by grouping related reasons, using pronouns with precise references, and linking each example directly to the point it supports.

Lexical Resource: Band 5.0

You use some topic-related vocabulary, including “freedom,” “natural hunting skills,” “urban areas,” and “mental health,” which makes your main meaning understandable. There are also attempts at less common expressions, such as “adverse effects” and “inclined to,” but some choices are inaccurate or unnatural. For example, “loss their natural habiate” and “receieve their freedom and natural habitate back” contain spelling and word-form problems, while “quiet and natural environment” would be more natural as “a quiet, natural environment.” Repetition of “animals,” “zoos,” and “natural” also limits range. Check spelling carefully and learn common collocations for animal welfare and captivity.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple sentences and some longer structures, including a relative clause in “which results in mental health problems” and a contrastive transition with “Nevertheless.” Most ideas remain understandable, but some grammatical errors affect accuracy. For example, “animals loss” needs a correctly formed verb, and “it should be closed” does not agree with the plural subject “zoos.” Articles and number are also inconsistent in “for animal” and “in cage.” Practise subject–verb agreement, singular and plural forms, and article use. To show a wider and more controlled range, build complex sentences carefully and check that each clause has a clear subject and correctly formed verb.

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