Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-08

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 often argued that it's no longer necessary to keep animals in zoos, hence zoos should be closed. While I agree that traditionally zoos which are made for human entertainment should be phased out, but I disagree that all zoos should be discontinues as some of them play a vital role in conserving wildlife and educating humans.

The zoos which are solely made for human entertainment should be discontinued. This is because it has a harmful effect on animals in the zoo as they may get stressed due to everyday tourist visits. For instance, in zoos such as Chatbir Zoo, many animals there are forced to stay active to entertain humans which do not let them have proper sleep. Another significant reason is the animal's natural habitat loss. In other words, natural habitat is crucial for wild animals such as lion, tiger and many more. For instance, lion, tiger, jaguar and many more may lose their predatory skills as they cannot hunt in zoos. Therefore, zoos which are only built to amuse humans should be phased out.

There are still many zoos which are made to conserve wildlife. Many animals which have been found seriously ill are immediately moved to conservative zoos. These zoos provide essential care to animals which are in need for it. Additionally, when a species of wild animal is bought to zoo which is found to have a risk of extinction. Hence, zoos like this must continue to remain as they are crucial for maintaining our natural wildlife.

In conclusion, zoos which are specially made for entertainment purposes only should be closed as they stress the animal and takes away their predatory skills. However, zoos which are built for wildlife conservation play a vital role in taking care of animals which are sick and are on a verge of extinction should be continued.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 7.0

You have clearly addressed the prompt by presenting a balanced position. You argue that while entertainment-focused zoos should be closed, conservation-focused ones should remain. Your ideas are relevant and supported by examples, such as the mention of Chatbir Zoo and the concept of predatory skills. However, the development of your arguments could be more nuanced. For instance, you could further explain how conservation zoos specifically prevent extinction beyond just stating they provide care. Overall, you have maintained a clear position throughout the essay, which satisfies the requirements for a Band 7.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.5

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'For instance', 'Additionally', and 'In conclusion' to guide the reader. However, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing. For example, in the second paragraph, the phrase 'zoos like this' is a bit vague. Additionally, the sentence structure in the introduction contains a minor error ('While I agree... but I disagree'), which slightly affects the flow. Improving the variety of linking words would help elevate this score.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'conserving wildlife', 'predatory skills', and 'extinction'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, you use 'discontinues' instead of 'discontinued' and 'conservative zoos' instead of 'conservation zoos'. These errors do not impede communication, but they show a lack of precision. To reach a higher band, you should focus on using more sophisticated vocabulary and ensuring that words are used in their correct grammatical form and context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, which is appropriate for this level. However, there are several grammatical errors throughout the text. For instance, 'zoos which are made' is repetitive, and there are subject-verb agreement issues, such as 'zoos... which is found' and 'takes away their predatory skills' (where the subject 'zoos' is plural). While these errors are frequent, they rarely impede the reader's understanding. To improve, pay closer attention to pluralization and subject-verb agreement, and try to incorporate a wider variety of complex sentence forms with greater accuracy.

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

Browse more IELTS Writing model answers or get your own writing scored by the same AI examiner.