Band 5.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 5.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-09-21

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 it is no longer need to have animals kept in zoos, so zoos should be closed. I completely agree with this view this essay will explain why.

First and foremost proponents who believe animals should not keep in zoos, because animals are wild species and its against the nature to keep them in cages. This is because animals grow in herds to learn how to prey on. For example, lions often hunt together to bring down large, dangerous prey. If association put them in a cage their survival instints eventually decreased. Therefore, it is important to keep them in wild forest and zoos should be closed, for the betterment of mammals.

Secondly, zoo maintenance is massive; it consumes a lot of funds just to provide food for one day. This is because wild kingdom are carnivore and to provide food for them is harsh on the pockets.

For instance, United States spends thousands of dollar a month to maintain wildlife park. Additionally, the funds that are using for zoo park can go for animals hospitals. In order protect their lineage, it is essential to put them in wild forests.

On the other hand, proponents who argue that zoos should not be closed for educational purposes and school trips can visit them without getting any harm. Furthermore, zoos are important to preserve animals that can be lost in the next few years. For example, Korea kept a folk of birds rare species that is being lost or rarely found in any country of the world.

Consequently. it is essential to keep animals in forest rather than in zoos to let them enjoy their wild life and also to use those finances in any substantial way.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 6.0

The student addresses the prompt by clearly taking a side and agreeing that zoos should be closed. The position is maintained throughout the essay. Main ideas are introduced, such as the unnatural nature of keeping wild animals in cages and the high financial cost of maintenance, alongside a brief acknowledgment of counter-arguments regarding education and conservation. However, the development of these ideas lacks depth and relies on broad generalisations rather than fully articulated arguments. For instance, the point about zoo maintenance is stated simply as consuming a lot of funds without a robust explanation of why this outweighs educational or conservation benefits. Furthermore, some arguments are repetitive. Overall, the response addresses all parts of the task, earning a Band 6.0.

Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.5

The essay presents a coherent overall arrangement with a clear attempt at paragraphing, moving from an introduction to body paragraphs supporting the stance, an acknowledgment of the opposing view, and a brief conclusion. However, cohesive devices are sometimes faulty, mechanical, or awkwardly applied, as seen with 'Consequently. it is essential' where punctuation is incorrect. Referencing is occasionally unclear, and logical progression within paragraphs is disrupted by abrupt shifts in topic. For example, moving from the cost of food to United States wildlife parks and then to animal hospitals lacks a smooth transition. Paragraphing is used, but the internal cohesion needs stronger linking phrases to guide the reader seamlessly. This performance aligns with Band 5.5 descriptors.

Lexical Resource — Band 5.0

The student displays an adequate range of vocabulary for the task, attempting some less common items such as 'proponents', 'lineage', and 'substantial'. However, there are noticeable inaccuracies in word choice, collocation, and word formation. For example, the student writes 'it is no longer need' instead of 'needed', 'wild kingdom are carnivore' instead of 'carnivores', and 'survival instints eventually decreased'. Additionally, 'association put them in a cage' uses 'association' incorrectly to mean zoo or authorities. Spelling errors and awkward phrasing occur throughout the text, though communication is generally maintained. These limitations place the lexical resource firmly at Band 5.0.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0

The student attempts a mix of simple and complex sentence structures, such as conditional and relative clauses. However, there is a high frequency of grammatical errors and poor punctuation throughout the text. Examples include missing articles ('in wild forest'), incorrect verb forms ('animals should not keep in cages', 'funds that are using'), and fragment sentences. Punctuation errors are also apparent, such as 'Consequently. it is essential'. While some complex forms are attempted, they are frequently faulty, causing the reader some difficulty and preventing the response from reaching higher bands. This level of grammatical control corresponds to a Band 5.0.

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

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