Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-04

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 believe that we do not need to keep animals in zoos anymore, so zoos should be closed. I strongly disagree with this opinion because giving freedom to animals can cause danger to humans and impact animals' habitats. It also helps in performing wildlife research about different species.

Firstly, zoos help to protect humans from dangerous animals. Many dangerous animals, such as lions, tigers, crocodiles, and venomous snakes, when allowed to roam in the open world, might kill human beings. Recently, many crocodiles came out of the river in one of the states in India due to heavy floods, which killed many children and women. Secondly, zoos protect the animals' habitats from extinction. In the 19th century, many of the animal species became extinct because they were killed by other animals and by humans. Humans kill animals to get their body parts, such as elephant tusks, the skin of the crocodile, and so on. They sell this to vendors to get a huge amount of money.

Additionally, zoos encourage many scientists to perform wildlife research. If animals are not found, the research cannot be carried on. Dr. Harry Parker, one of the greatest wildlife researchers, has recently done research about the hybrid snake containing two heads. It also helps researchers to understand the reproduction of different animals. Furthermore, animals can live long in zoos compared to forests. Several animals die due to various diseases, but in zoos, doctors cure the disease by providing medicines to them. In addition, animals living in forests sometimes die due to hunger, this situation is not created in zoos.

In conclusion, although closing zoos might have certain benefits. I strongly believe that zoos should exist to provide a better life for animals and protect humans from venomous species. It also helps to discover more about their behavior and reproduction.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

You have clearly stated your position and maintained it throughout the essay. You addressed the prompt by providing reasons for your disagreement, such as human safety, research, and animal welfare. However, some arguments are slightly underdeveloped or rely on questionable logic. For example, the claim that animals in the wild are killed by other animals as a primary cause of extinction in the 19th century is a broad generalization that lacks nuance. Additionally, the argument regarding human safety is somewhat hyperbolic, as most zoo animals are not a direct threat to the general public. To reach a higher band, ensure your supporting examples are more logically sound and directly address the core of the debate regarding the ethics of captivity.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use transition signals such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, some cohesive devices feel a bit mechanical or repetitive. For instance, the transition between the point about research and the point about animal longevity in the third paragraph is slightly abrupt. Furthermore, the referencing in the second paragraph ('They sell this to vendors') is clear, but the overall flow could be improved by using a wider variety of linking words and ensuring that each paragraph focuses strictly on one central theme to avoid minor shifts in focus.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'venomous', 'extinction', and 'reproduction' appropriately. There are some instances of slightly unnatural collocations or word choices, such as 'open world' instead of 'the wild' or 'perform wildlife research' which could be more naturally phrased as 'conduct scientific research'. While your vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, it lacks the precision and sophistication required for higher bands. To improve, focus on using more academic collocations and avoiding repetitive phrasing like 'many' and 'animals' throughout the text.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is generally effective. However, there are several grammatical errors that occur throughout the text. For example, 'If animals are not found, the research cannot be carried on' is slightly awkward, and 'this situation is not created in zoos' is a passive construction that feels unnatural in this context. There are also minor punctuation and article errors, such as 'the skin of the crocodile' (generic reference). While these errors do not impede communication, they are frequent enough to prevent a higher score. Focus on refining your use of articles and ensuring subject-verb agreement in more complex sentences.

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

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