Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-05

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)

The statement gives a view that people should not have the need to keep animals in zoos hence why zoos should be closed. I completely agree with this statement due to the following reasons.

Firstly, talking about how zoos keep animals in captivity and they have to suffer in closed caged environments. The animals don't have the freedom nor the required space they need to explore and feel freedom. An animal like the cheetah which has the ability of speed, needs to run in big huge fields not being kept captive in a cage for people to see. Secondly, zoos restrict natural behaviour that the animals need for their survival. Animals like to hunt, explore, chase each other but in a zoo environment they aren't getting the chance to practice their behaviour.

Moving on, zoos were initially built for the reason to educate people on animals and for them to see how each animal survives, looks like, behaves etc. With modern technology and wildlife documentaries being filmed it has gotten easier for people to learn and educate themselves without even visiting zoos in the first place hence the actual need of zoos is lost. Lastly, conservation practices can be carried out instead to help the animals in natural sanctuaries instead of keeping them caged in a zoo. Conservation practices can help reduce extinction and preserve wildlife.

Conclusively, I agree with the view that there is no longer a need to keep animals in zoos so they should be closed down. It is important to keep the animals in their natural environment where they thrive instead of keeping them in a man-made environment that doesn't allow them to practice their behaviour and freedom.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The response clearly addresses the prompt and maintains a consistent position throughout. The arguments regarding animal welfare and the availability of educational alternatives are relevant and well-supported. However, the development of ideas is somewhat limited; for instance, the point about conservation could be expanded with more specific examples or a deeper explanation of how sanctuaries function compared to zoos. While the position is clear, the essay would benefit from a more nuanced exploration of the counter-arguments or a more sophisticated analysis of the role of modern zoos in scientific research to reach a higher band.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas. Cohesive devices such as 'Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Moving on', and 'Conclusively' are used to guide the reader through the argument. However, some transitions are slightly mechanical, and the flow between sentences could be improved by using a wider variety of referencing and substitution techniques. Overall, the progression of ideas is clear and easy to follow throughout the text.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, allowing the writer to express their ideas clearly. There is some attempt to use topic-specific vocabulary such as 'captivity', 'natural behaviour', 'conservation practices', and 'extinction'. However, the range is somewhat limited, and there is a reliance on simpler phrasing like 'big huge fields' and 'the actual need of zoos is lost', which lacks precision. To improve, the student should focus on using more sophisticated collocations and academic vocabulary to convey their arguments with greater nuance and impact.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay demonstrates a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While the meaning is consistently clear, there are several grammatical inaccuracies, such as 'The statement gives a view that people should not have the need to keep animals in zoos hence why zoos should be closed' (awkward phrasing) and 'zoos were initially built for the reason to educate' (unnatural collocation). Punctuation is generally functional, but some sentences are slightly clunky. The student needs to focus on improving sentence variety and ensuring that complex structures are used with greater accuracy to minimize errors.

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