Some people feel that it is always wrong to keep animals in captivity, for instance in zoos. Other people say that there are benefits for the animals and for humans. Discuss both sides of this debate, and give your personal view.

Zoos
continue to be controversial, even now that they have evolved into ‘animal parks’ or similar facilities. Most people love
animals
, and there are strong views on both sides, which I will discuss now. People opposed to
zoos
highlight the unnatural way in which
animals
live in
such
places. For example, captive
animals
do not need to hunt or raise offspring, and
this
means that they are not living as nature intended.
Furthermore
, the anti-zoo lobby
point
Change the verb form
points
show examples
out that
animals
probably suffer mentally when kept in captivity, even if their surroundings are spacious and similar to
the
Change the word
their
show examples
natural
habitat
. Symptoms of mental issues range from repetitive behaviour to eating disorders, and these are often seen in captive
animals
.
Lastly
, it is often said that
zoos
add little to animal conservation, which is better served by preserving their
habitat
.
Conversely
, those who support
zoos
say that in most cases they offer a secure and peaceful setting for
animals
,
for example
in
high quality
Add a hyphen
high-quality
show examples
wildlife parks or reserves. They add that in many cases, the
animals
would suffer from loss of
habitat
or poaching in the wild, and in
captivity
Add a comma
captivity,
show examples
they are at least safe and able to breed successfully.
Finally
, zoo enthusiasts feel that
zoos
and animal parks are part of an integrated system of protecting
animals
, involving
habitat
protection, breeding programmes and disease control.
This
all helps to safeguard endangered species and
thus
preserve the global ecosystem for the future benefit of all life forms.
Overall
, I feel that
zoos
provide a valuable service to society and the animal world, as they help to protect many species.
This
outweighs their possible disadvantages, as long as they are properly staffed and maintained.

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Structure your answers in logical paragraphs

The easiest way to score well on the IELTS Task 2 writing portion is to structure your writing in a solid essay format.

A strong argument essay structure can be split up into 4 paragraphs, each containing 4 sentences (except the conclusion paragraph, which only contains 3 sentences).

Stick to this essay structure:

  • Paragraph 1 - Introduction
  • Paragraph 2 - First supporting paragraph
  • Paragraph 3 - Second supporting paragraph
  • Paragraph 4 - Conclusion

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