Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-02

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)

Nowadays, although many people consider that zoos are unnecessary, I partly disagree because well maintained zoos can contribute not only conservation but also education. This essay give the proper reason about my perspective in the following paragraphs.

On the one hand, well maintained zoos can prove beneficial for wildlife conservation. To illustrate, zoos can protect endangered species through controlled breeding program. Some animals can later be returned to protected natural environment. For instance, In India, lions were endangered but government arranged breeding program which proves beneficial to protect lions. In addition, zoos are proven helpful for education. In detail, people specially children can learn more about zoos and environment problems. Seeing animals can become children more interested to protecting wildlife and become aware about their lives and problems.

On the other hand, some zoos should be closed because of animal welfare and better alternatives exist. To illustrate, small or unsuitable enclosures can prevent animals to behave naturally. Captivity may cause stress especially when animals need large territories. Moreover, natural parks can provide more natural environment and technology such as, documentaries and movies can help visitors to learn about wildlife without keeping animals in captivity. Consequences, some zoos should be closed.

In conclusion, although zoos proves helpful to educate people about wildlife conservation and how it proves beneficial to children and become aware, I partly disagree with this idea because zoos should not necessarily all be closed, but those that fail to provide proper conditions should be shut down or improved.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.5

You have addressed all parts of the task by presenting a clear position that is 'partly' in agreement. You provide relevant arguments for both sides: conservation and education as benefits, and animal welfare and alternatives as reasons for closure. The ideas are generally well-supported with examples, such as the breeding program in India. However, the development of some points is slightly limited; for example, the mention of 'technology' as an alternative could be expanded further to fully explore the argument. Overall, your position is consistent throughout the essay, and the conclusion effectively synthesizes your main points, suggesting a nuanced approach rather than a binary one.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay is logically organized with a clear introduction, two body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You use cohesive devices such as 'On the one hand', 'In addition', and 'Moreover' to guide the reader through your arguments. While the progression is generally clear, some transitions feel slightly mechanical, and there are minor issues with referencing, such as the use of 'Consequences' at the start of a sentence, which should be 'Consequently'. Paragraphing is used appropriately to separate distinct ideas, and the overall structure supports the development of your argument well.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You demonstrate an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, using terms like 'endangered species', 'wildlife conservation', and 'captivity' correctly. There are some instances where word choice could be more precise, such as 'proper reason' instead of 'valid reasons' or 'arranged breeding program' instead of 'implemented a breeding program'. You attempt to use less common vocabulary, which is generally successful, though there are occasional inaccuracies in collocation. The vocabulary is sufficient to convey your meaning clearly, but increasing the variety of synonyms and more sophisticated collocations would help elevate your score.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

You use a mix of simple and complex sentence structures. While you successfully use complex sentences, there are several grammatical errors that persist, such as 'This essay give' (subject-verb agreement), 'prevent animals to behave' (should be 'prevent animals from behaving'), and 'zoos proves helpful' (subject-verb agreement). Additionally, there are minor punctuation and article errors throughout the text. Despite these errors, your meaning is always clear, and the mistakes do not impede communication. To reach a higher band, focus on ensuring subject-verb agreement and refining the use of prepositions after specific verbs.

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