Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-18

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 5.0)

While some argue that it is no longer necessary to keep animals in zoos and therefore zoos should be closed, I strongly believe that zoos are essential for teaching the next generation about nature and guaranteeing funding for animals preservation efforts.

The role of zoos exceeds the obvious recreational and entertainment purposes, they are extremely essential to fostering empathy and draw attention to some of most pressing environmental issues. While adults can be moved by watching animals in captivity as result of loss of habitat, schoolchildren are the primary reason why zoos should remain open. Most excursions, for example, take place in zoos and not in the wild which is practically impossible. Thus, had it not been for zoos, the educational endeavor would not be complete.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 4.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, as it is only 126 words long. This significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you have stated a clear position and introduced relevant arguments regarding education and conservation, the brevity prevents you from fully developing these points or providing sufficient supporting evidence. To achieve a higher band, you must expand your arguments with more detailed explanations and specific examples. Currently, the response is underdeveloped, which limits your ability to address all parts of the task in the depth required for a higher score.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0

The essay is organized into two paragraphs, which is a start, but the limited length makes it difficult to assess your ability to manage a full-length essay structure. You use some cohesive devices such as 'While', 'for example', and 'Thus', which help link ideas. However, the connection between the recreational purpose of zoos and the educational argument in the second paragraph is slightly abrupt. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that your ideas flow logically from one to the next using a wider variety of linking words.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'recreational', 'captivity', and 'endeavor'. There are some minor issues with word choice and collocation, such as 'animals preservation efforts' (should be 'animal preservation efforts') and 'draw attention to some of most pressing' (missing 'the'). While the vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning, it lacks the precision and flexibility required for higher bands. Focus on using more sophisticated collocations and ensuring grammatical accuracy when using complex nouns or phrases.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You attempt a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as the conditional 'had it not been for zoos'. However, there are several grammatical errors, including 'as result of' (missing 'a'), 'some of most pressing' (missing 'the'), and a comma splice in the second paragraph ('...entertainment purposes, they are...'). These errors are noticeable but do not completely impede communication. To improve, focus on sentence boundary punctuation and the correct use of articles and prepositions. Increasing the variety of your sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will help you reach a higher band.

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

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