Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-08-26

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)

In today's modern world, there has been ongoing debate where some peoploe think that zoos are not necessary anymore and it should be closed as people have significantly become caring towards protecting other species and have understood the importance of preserving and saving them from the danger and everyone deserves to live peacefully in safer environment. But the illegal hunting, natural disasters and danger from other species affects severely on many endangering species to survive. I strongly disagree with this view and will further discuss in the following paragraphs.

One of the major reason for the zoos to still kept open is preserving and protect the endangering species around the world. To give them a safer environment and secure from any natural calamities like forest fire. For example, China has developed special zoo cares for Panda species to revive them by working with professional teams who takes care of their food and health as they were on endangered species list till the year 2010. However, the numbers improved afterwards from 20 to 145 in the span between 2010 to 2015.

Secondly, most of the animals are always in danger of illegal hunting for manufacturing furniture, bags, perfumes using animals skin, horns, teeth and other body parts. Due to this reasons, zoo is very crucial for animals protections and

AI examiner evaluation

CriterionBand
Task Achievement / Task Response5.0
Coherence and Cohesion5.5
Lexical Resource5.5
Grammatical Range and Accuracy5.5
Overall5.5

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0

The response fails to meet the minimum word count requirement of 250 words, which significantly impacts the development of ideas. While you clearly state your position in the introduction, the essay is incomplete, ending abruptly in the second body paragraph. The arguments regarding conservation and protection are relevant, but they are not fully extended or supported due to the unfinished nature of the text. To improve, you must ensure that you complete your arguments and provide a concluding paragraph that summarises your main points. The current length prevents a full development of the task requirements.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay shows an attempt at logical organization with clear paragraphing, but the abrupt ending disrupts the overall flow. You use some cohesive devices like 'One of the major reason' and 'Secondly', which help guide the reader. However, the lack of a conclusion and the incomplete final sentence make the progression of ideas feel disjointed. To improve, ensure that each paragraph has a clear topic sentence and that you provide a cohesive summary at the end. The referencing is generally clear, but the mechanical nature of the transitions could be improved with more varied linking phrases.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

Your vocabulary is generally adequate for the task, but there are several errors in word choice and form, such as 'peoploe' (spelling), 'endangering species' (should be 'endangered'), and 'zoo cares' (should be 'care programs'). You attempt to use some topic-specific vocabulary like 'natural calamities' and 'illegal hunting', which is positive. However, the range is somewhat limited, and the errors occasionally draw attention. To reach a higher band, focus on using more precise collocations and ensure that you use the correct word forms, such as distinguishing between adjectives and verbs.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

The essay contains a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but there are frequent grammatical errors that occasionally impede clarity. Examples include 'there has been ongoing debate where some peoploe think' (missing article/awkward phrasing), 'zoos to still kept open' (incorrect verb form), and 'who takes care' (subject-verb agreement error). Punctuation is generally acceptable, but the sentence structure is often repetitive. To improve, focus on mastering subject-verb agreement and the correct use of passive and active voice. Increasing the variety of complex sentence structures while maintaining accuracy will help raise your score.

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

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