Band 6.5 IELTS Writing Task 2 Model Answer

Overall Band Score: 6.5 · IELTS Academic Practice Accelerator · 2026-11-02

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 6.5)

Many argue that zoos should be eradicated as there is no need for keeping animals in them. This essay disagrees with this idea as zoos are a great place to learn and they have many jobs associated with them.

Zoos are the only place for children to safely look at a variety of wild animals. This experience is an integral part of their initial learning and development. And as most of these animals are usually imported from overseas, the zoo gives children the opportunity to meet animals they might not see otherwise. For example, since kangaroos are not found anywhere except Australia, a Pakistani child would never know what sound a kangaroo makes without it being in a zoo.

Furthermore, the closure of zoos will also lead to a mass layoff. And employees such as zookeepers and veterinarians would be unemployed as they just have job-specific skills. For example, a zookeeper is trained to take care of animals and their enclosures, thus it would be hard for them to work in a different field. Additionally, there are a number of businesses such as cafes and restaurants inside most of these zoos. These establishments are usually privately owned, as a result it would harm the business-owners greatly. For instance, a cafe inside a zoo will have to shut down if the zoo is closing, this would lead to both financial losses and loss of existing customers for the owner.

In conclusion, whereas it is morally incorrect to cage animals, these animals are a great source of income and education for many. Instead of closing zoos, animals should be kept under better conditions and given bigger enclosures like those in safaris in my opinion.

AI examiner evaluation

Task Achievement / Task Response: Band 6.5

Your position is clear from the introduction: you disagree with closing zoos, and the conclusion reinforces this by proposing better conditions and larger enclosures. The educational value and employment consequences are relevant reasons, each supported with examples, such as the Pakistani child learning about kangaroos and the impact on zoo workers and café owners. This gives the response a solid, task-focused argument. However, the reasons are not equally developed: the education point relies on a broad claim that zoos are the only safe place to see wild animals, while the employment paragraph focuses substantially on business losses rather than explaining why zoos themselves remain necessary. Develop the animal-conservation or welfare case more fully, and qualify generalisations, to make the argument more convincing and complete.

Coherence and Cohesion: Band 7.0

The essay has a clear overall progression: an introduction states your view, two body paragraphs present separate reasons, and the conclusion restates your position and offers an alternative. Paragraphing is appropriate, and signposts such as “Furthermore,” “Additionally,” and “In conclusion” help readers follow the argument. Examples are generally placed close to the points they support. Some linking is a little mechanical, however, particularly the repeated sentence openings with “And” and the sequence of “For example” and “For instance.” The relationship between the final proposal for better animal conditions and the earlier education and employment arguments could also be made more explicit. Use a wider range of transitions and clearer references between ideas to make the progression feel more integrated.

Lexical Resource: Band 6.5

You use an adequate range of vocabulary to discuss the topic, including “integral part,” “mass layoff,” “job-specific skills,” and “financial losses.” These choices communicate the main ideas clearly, and the response attempts some less common expressions. At times, however, word choice or collocation is imprecise: “zoos should be eradicated” is stronger and less natural than the intended idea of closing them, while “a great source of income and education” does not clearly explain whose income is meant. “Safaris” may also not be the most precise comparison for larger, more natural enclosures. Aim for more exact topic vocabulary, such as conservation, animal welfare, and natural habitats, and check that phrases sound natural in context.

Grammatical Range and Accuracy: Band 6.5

The response uses a mix of simple and complex sentence forms, including subordinate clauses such as “as they just have job-specific skills” and “if the zoo is closing.” Most sentences are easy to understand, and the examples are expressed clearly. Some grammatical and punctuation issues remain. Beginning standalone sentences with “And” in “And as most of these animals…” and “And employees…” creates awkward connections; these ideas would work better joined to the preceding sentence or introduced with a suitable transition. The sentence “These establishments are usually privately owned, as a result it would harm…” also joins two independent clauses with only a comma. Use a semicolon or a full stop before “As a result.” More consistent control of sentence boundaries and varied complex structures would strengthen accuracy.

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