Band 6.0 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.0 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-13

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)

There is a growing argument that we should close the zoos as we do not want to keep animals in the zoos. I largely disagree with this position, because zoos are important for the conservation of endangered species and because zoos are recreational places for the everyone.

The strongest argument for not closing the zoos is that they play a crucial role in the conservation of many species which are endangered. When population of a specie declines zoos provide controlled breeding of that specie. For instance, Pakistan's zoos played a significant role for the conservation of elephants in the country in the previous few decades. However, zoos are well known for their contribution in the recreations.

A second consideration concerns that recreation is also provided by the zoos. In terms of entertainment, zoos are famous as they have a variety of species in different cages and cabins which people love to watch. They help children in understanding the lifestyle of animals and birds by watching them closely. For example, last year, my nephews visited Lahore zoo where they saw habitat and activities of different birds and animal and enjoyed that tour.

Those who object usually argue that zoos should be closed so these birds and animal could live in their natural habitat. This is a fair concern, but I believe that zoos not only capture species but also help them survive in this world longer by protecting them.

In conclusion, although closing of zoos will let animals and birds live freely, I believe that zoos are way important for the conservation of species and recreation of people in the ecosystem.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student addresses all parts of the task by presenting a clear position on whether zoos should be closed. The response is divided into logical paragraphs supporting the view that zoos are vital for endangered species conservation and recreation. The main ideas are generally extended and supported, such as mentioning controlled breeding and the example of Pakistan's zoos and Lahore zoo. However, there is a minor overlap between paragraphs regarding recreation, as the second and third paragraphs both touch upon this theme, leading to some slight repetition. Overall, the task is successfully addressed with a consistent and clear personal stance throughout the essay.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 6.0

The essay displays a clear overall progression with a recognizable introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Paragraphing is used sufficiently to separate distinct points, such as conservation and recreation. Cohesive devices are employed to link ideas, such as 'The strongest argument for...', 'A second consideration...', and 'In conclusion'. However, referencing and transitions are at times slightly mechanical or repetitive, for instance repeating 'zoos are well known' and 'recreation is also provided'. Paragraph 3's topic sentence overlaps heavily with the previous paragraph's concluding point, which slightly disrupts the smooth logical flow between ideas.

Lexical Resource — Band 6.0

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task. Words such as 'conservation', 'endangered species', 'controlled breeding', and 'natural habitat' are appropriately used. However, there are notable lexical errors and unnatural collocations, such as 'contribution in the recreations' instead of 'recreational value', 'a specie' instead of 'a species' (species is both singular and plural), and 'way important' instead of 'much more important'. While these errors do not impede overall communication, they prevent the lexical score from reaching higher bands.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 6.0

The writer uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses ('because zoos are important...', 'When population of a specie declines...'). There are several grammatical errors present, such as missing articles ('When population' instead of 'When the population'), pluralization issues ('a specie' instead of 'a species', 'bird and animal' instead of 'birds and animals'), and minor prepositional inaccuracies ('contribution in'). Despite these errors, the complex structures are generally understandable, and meaning is not obscured, reflecting the characteristics of Band 6 grammar.

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

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