Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-03

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)

It is argue that animals should no longer kept in the zoos, and we should close the zoos. I completely disagree with this view, because zoos are an important part of the country heritage and tourism. Which provides social and economic benefits.

The animals kept in the zoo resembles the culture of the country. There are many national animals like lions, elephants and rabbits which can be seen in the national zoos. Also people go to those zoo with their families, friends and children for leisure, which provides social benefits. If we close those zoos then all these would be lost. For example, In Abbottabad, parents take their children to the Abbottabad zoo on weekend. Therefore it helps strengthen the parents and children relation.

Traditional zoos provides support to the economy of the developing countries. In many development countries tourist go to their local zoos to explore the national heritage and culture. Which provides financial benefits and jobs to the residents of that area. For instance, Islamabad zoo contributes a lot to the country economy, where international tours visit to see the national animals. Therefore, they need regular staff to serve the guests, which provides job opportunities to the citizens. In contrast, some people think that those places occupied by the zoos in urban areas should be free, and transferred to the industries for more economic benefits. But i still believe that traditions and culture should not be compromised.

In conclusion, the zoos preserve the culture and traditions of a country or society, while also providing the economic benefits. So i believe that zoos must be kept.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

You have clearly stated your position and maintained it throughout the essay. You address the prompt by providing reasons related to social and economic benefits. However, the development of your ideas is somewhat limited. For instance, the argument that zoos represent 'national heritage' is a unique perspective, but it is not fully explored or supported with strong logical links. The examples provided, such as the Abbottabad zoo, are relevant but could be expanded to better illustrate how zoos specifically preserve culture. To reach a higher band, ensure that your supporting points are more deeply analysed rather than just stated.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay is organised into clear paragraphs, which helps the reader follow your argument. You use some cohesive devices like 'For example', 'In contrast', and 'In conclusion'. However, there are instances where the flow is interrupted by sentence fragments, such as 'Which provides social and economic benefits' and 'Which provides financial benefits and jobs'. These should be joined to the preceding sentences to improve the logical flow. Additionally, some transitions between ideas feel a bit mechanical. Improving the variety of your linking words and ensuring that every sentence is grammatically complete will significantly enhance the coherence of your writing.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

You have a sufficient range of vocabulary to convey your meaning, using terms like 'economic benefits', 'residents', and 'compromised'. However, there are some inaccuracies in word choice and collocation. For example, 'It is argue' should be 'It is argued', and 'development countries' should be 'developing countries'. You also rely on some repetitive phrasing. To improve, try to incorporate more precise academic vocabulary and ensure that your word forms (e.g., nouns vs. adjectives) are used correctly. Your current range is adequate for the task but lacks the flexibility and precision required for higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.5

There is a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, but the accuracy is inconsistent. You frequently make errors with verb forms, such as 'animals should no longer kept' (should no longer be kept) and 'zoos provides' (zoos provide). There are also issues with sentence fragments, where dependent clauses starting with 'which' are punctuated as separate sentences. While these errors do not completely impede communication, they occur frequently enough to lower the score. To improve, focus on subject-verb agreement and ensure that complex sentences are constructed correctly without leaving fragments.

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.