Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-16

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 often argued that , individual no long time of period want to have animals kept in zoos , so zoos should be closed in future. I strongly disagree with this statement. I will be discussing this in further paragraphs.

To begin with , the reasons why zoos should be closed . Firstly, animals will be no able to eat according to their environment it is because, the animals are living in a cage and the zoo workers treat them according to their own standards . They don’t know what they actually want to eat. Secondly , the behaviour of animals were getting more aggressive . For example, the animals who were living in open areas, they eat according to their needs and right to live freely . Whereas, animals were kept in a zoo for entertainment purposes and they donot have any right of life.

For these reasons zoos should be closed.

Moving towards, wild animals in captivity causes psychological distress and restricts their natural behaviors . Modern, accredited zoos have evolved from simple entertainment venues into critical institutions for species conservation, scientific research, and public education Preventing Extinction through Captive Breeding: Habitat destruction, illegal poaching, and climate change have pushed numerous species to the brink of extinction. Zoos manage global breeding initiatives, such as the Species Survival Plan (SSP), ensuring genetic diversity and establishing safety-net populations for animals that cannot survive in the wild.

Example: Species like the Golden Lion Tamarin, the Arabian Onyx, and the Przewalski's Horse were rescued from total extinction through zoo captive breeding and subsequent reintroduction into protected reserves.

In conclusion, while roadside or purely commercial animal parks should be phased out due to welfare concerns, world-class accredited zoos remain vital. Until wild habitats are safe from human destruction, these institutions serve as essential sanctuaries and breeding centers necessary to preserve global biodiversity.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.5

The student presents a clear position strongly disagreeing with the statement that zoos should be closed. The essay attempts to address all parts of the task by exploring both sides of the argument. In the second paragraph, the writer introduces some arguments for closing zoos, such as feeding issues and aggressive behaviors. However, these points are somewhat underdeveloped and confused, as seen when writing "animals will be no able to eat according to their environment." The latter sections pivot to well-developed points supporting zoos, specifically focusing on conservation, breeding programs, and species preservation with clear examples like the Golden Lion Tamarin. Despite some unevenness in the development of the opposing view, the main stance is clear throughout, earning a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The response shows an overall coherent arrangement with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. However, paragraphing and logical progression are occasionally disrupted. The transition from the arguments against zoos to the arguments for zoos feels abrupt, and some sentences are disjointed, such as "Moving towards, wild animals in captivity causes..." Furthermore, the use of cohesive devices is sometimes mechanical or faulty, as seen with standalone sentences like "For these reasons zoos should be closed." Referencing is not always clear, and punctuation around punctuation marks (e.g., spaces before commas) detracts slightly from the overall flow. These issues place the response at a solid Band 5.5.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.5

The student demonstrates an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, successfully incorporating some less common terms and topic-specific phrases such as "habitat destruction," "illegal poaching," "genetic diversity," and "species preservation." However, there are noticeable limitations and inaccuracies in word choice and collocation throughout the text, such as "individual no long time of period want" and "animals were getting more aggressive." Spelling and morphological errors, such as "no able" instead of "not able" and "onyx" instead of "oryx," indicate a restricted control over word formation. The lexical range is sufficient to communicate the central message, aligning with a Band 5.5.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The essay attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, demonstrating some ambitious structures such as relative clauses and conditional-like phrasing ("Until wild habitats are safe..."). However, the text is heavily impacted by frequent grammatical errors, particularly regarding verb tenses, subject-verb agreement, and prepositions. Examples include "individual no long time of period want," "the behaviour of animals were getting," and "animals were kept... and they donot have." Punctuation errors, such as unnecessary spaces before punctuation marks, are also persistent. Because errors frequently occur and sometimes impede smooth reading, though meaning remains understandable, this response fits the Band 5.0 descriptor.

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

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