IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion — Globalization: 15 Common Mistakes and Fixes

Globalization remains one of the most frequently tested topics in IELTS Writing Task 2, appearing in various forms from cultural exchange to economic integration. However, many candidates struggle with globalization discussion essays, making fundamental mistakes that limit their band scores despite having good ideas.

This comprehensive analysis reveals the 15 most common mistakes in globalization discussion essays and provides expert solutions to elevate your writing to Band 9 level. Understanding these pitfalls and their fixes will transform your approach to complex economic and social topics in IELTS.

Understanding Globalization in IELTS Context

Globalization discussions require sophisticated understanding of interconnected economic, cultural, and social phenomena. Successful essays demonstrate nuanced thinking about how global integration affects different stakeholders while maintaining balanced perspective on benefits and drawbacks.

The complexity of globalization topics demands advanced vocabulary, varied sentence structures, and well-developed examples that show deep understanding of global issues. Your response must address multiple dimensions while staying focused on the specific question requirements.

Common Question Patterns

Globalization questions typically follow these formats:

"Some people believe globalization benefits all countries equally, while others think it mainly advantages developed nations. Discuss both views and give your opinion."
"Globalization has brought both opportunities and challenges to developing countries. Discuss both sides of this issue."
"While globalization promotes cultural exchange, it may also lead to cultural homogenization. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages."

Mistake 1: Superficial Understanding of Globalization

Common Error: Treating globalization as simply "countries working together" without understanding its economic, cultural, and political complexity.

Example of Wrong Approach: "Globalization means different countries become friends and trade with each other."

Expert Fix: Demonstrate sophisticated understanding by addressing multiple dimensions of globalization including economic integration, cultural exchange, technological connectivity, and political cooperation.

Improved Approach: "Globalization encompasses the multifaceted integration of economies, societies, and cultures through advanced communication technologies, international trade agreements, and cross-border movement of capital, labor, and ideas, fundamentally reshaping national boundaries and identities."

BabyCode Comprehensive Understanding

BabyCode's globalization module helps students grasp complex interconnections between economic policies, cultural trends, and technological advancement. Our structured learning approach has enabled over 500,000 students to develop nuanced understanding of global issues essential for IELTS success.

Mistake 2: One-Dimensional Argument Development

Common Error: Focusing solely on economic aspects while ignoring cultural, environmental, or social dimensions of globalization.

Limited Perspective: "Globalization helps countries make more money through trade."

Comprehensive Analysis: "Proponents argue that globalization facilitates unprecedented economic growth through efficient resource allocation, technology transfer, and market access expansion. However, this economic integration simultaneously promotes cultural exchange, enabling societies to share knowledge, artistic expressions, and innovative practices while potentially threatening traditional cultural preservation."

Mistake 3: Inadequate Examples and Evidence

Common Error: Using vague or irrelevant examples that fail to support arguments about globalization's impact.

Weak Example: "Many companies are international now."

Strong Example: "Multinational corporations like Apple, Samsung, and Nestlé exemplify globalization's economic dimension, maintaining supply chains across dozens of countries while creating employment opportunities in developing nations and facilitating technology transfer to emerging markets."

Mistake 4: Limited Vocabulary Range for Global Topics

Common Error: Using basic vocabulary that fails to demonstrate the lexical sophistication required for Band 7+ scores.

Basic Terms: big, important, good, bad, help Advanced Alternatives:

Integration → Convergence, unification, amalgamation
Benefits → Advantages, merits, positive ramifications
Problems → Challenges, impediments, adverse consequences
Countries → Nations, economies, sovereign states

Expert Application: "The inexorable march of globalization has engendered unprecedented economic convergence while simultaneously exacerbating inequality disparities between developed and emerging economies."

Mistake 5: Poor Balance Between Perspectives

Common Error: Developing one side of the globalization debate significantly more than the other.

Balanced Development Strategy:

Equal word allocation: Spend similar amounts discussing benefits and drawbacks
Parallel structure: Use comparable argument depth for both perspectives
Varied examples: Provide diverse evidence supporting each viewpoint

Effective Balance:

Advantages paragraph: Economic growth, cultural exchange, technological advancement (90-100 words)
Disadvantages paragraph: Cultural homogenization, economic inequality, environmental impact (90-100 words)

Mistake 6: Weak Cause-Effect Relationships

Common Error: Stating globalization effects without explaining underlying mechanisms or causal relationships.

Surface Level: "Globalization creates jobs."

Causal Analysis: "Globalization generates employment opportunities through foreign direct investment, which establishes manufacturing facilities in developing countries, creating jobs while simultaneously enabling multinational corporations to access cheaper labor markets and reduce production costs."

BabyCode Analytical Framework

BabyCode teaches students systematic cause-effect analysis techniques specifically designed for complex topics like globalization. Our AI-powered writing assistant identifies weak causal links and suggests improvements for stronger argument development.

Mistake 7: Cultural Oversimplification

Common Error: Presenting cultural aspects of globalization in stereotypical or oversimplified terms.

Problematic Approach: "Globalization makes all cultures the same."

Nuanced Understanding: "While globalization facilitates cultural diffusion through media, technology, and migration, leading to increased cultural awareness and cross-cultural understanding, it simultaneously raises concerns about cultural homogenization threatening indigenous traditions, languages, and local customs."

Mistake 8: Ignoring Different Stakeholder Perspectives

Common Error: Discussing globalization without considering how it affects different groups (developed vs. developing countries, various industries, different social classes).

Comprehensive Stakeholder Analysis:

Developed nations: Market expansion, technology export, cultural influence
Developing countries: Economic opportunity, technology access, cultural exposure vs. dependency, exploitation
Multinational corporations: Market access, cost reduction, regulatory arbitrage
Local businesses: Competition pressure, adaptation requirements

Mistake 9: Weak Essay Organization

Common Error: Disorganized structure that fails to present clear discussion of globalization's multiple dimensions.

Optimal Structure for Globalization Essays:

Introduction: Define globalization and present thesis covering both perspectives
Body 1: Economic and technological advantages of globalization
Body 2: Cultural and social disadvantages/concerns
Body 3: Personal opinion with synthesis and future implications
Conclusion: Summarize key arguments and reinforce position

Mistake 10: Insufficient Contemporary Context

Common Error: Discussing globalization without reference to current trends, recent developments, or post-pandemic changes.

Current Context Integration: "The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted both globalization's benefits through rapid vaccine development collaboration and its vulnerabilities through supply chain disruptions, prompting reassessment of global interdependence versus national resilience."

BabyCode Current Affairs Database

BabyCode maintains updated content covering recent globalization trends, trade agreements, and international developments, ensuring students can incorporate contemporary examples into their essays for maximum relevance and impact.

Mistake 11: Grammar Complexity Limitations

Common Error: Simple sentence structures that fail to demonstrate grammatical range necessary for Band 7+.

Basic Structure: "Globalization is good for trade. Countries can sell things to other countries."

Complex Structure: "The acceleration of globalization, facilitated by technological innovations and liberalized trade policies, has created unprecedented opportunities for economic cooperation, albeit accompanied by concerns regarding cultural preservation and environmental sustainability."

Mistake 12: Inadequate Position Development

Common Error: Failing to develop a clear, well-reasoned personal opinion on globalization debates.

Weak Position: "I think globalization has both good and bad points."

Strong Position: "While acknowledging globalization's undeniable economic benefits, I believe that its long-term sustainability requires careful management of cultural preservation and environmental protection, necessitating international cooperation frameworks that balance economic growth with social and environmental responsibility."

Mistake 13: Missing Future Implications

Common Error: Discussing globalization as a static phenomenon without considering future trends or implications.

Forward-Looking Analysis: "As technological advancement continues accelerating globalization, future challenges will likely center on managing artificial intelligence's global impact, addressing climate change through international cooperation, and ensuring equitable distribution of globalization's benefits across all socioeconomic levels."

Mistake 14: Weak Transition and Cohesion

Common Error: Poor linking between ideas about different aspects of globalization.

Poor Transition: "Also, globalization affects culture."

Sophisticated Transition: "Beyond economic considerations, globalization's cultural ramifications present equally complex implications for society, as increased cross-cultural interaction simultaneously promotes understanding and threatens traditional identities."

Mistake 15: Insufficient Proofreading Focus

Common Error: Submitting essays with avoidable errors in globalization-specific terminology and complex sentence structures.

Proofreading Checklist:

Spelling of globalization terminology (interdependence, multinational, sovereignty)
Agreement in complex sentences with multiple clauses
Consistent verb tenses when discussing ongoing processes
Proper punctuation in compound-complex sentences
Accuracy of economic and political terminology

BabyCode Proofreading Tools

BabyCode's advanced proofreading system specifically identifies errors common in globalization essays, including terminology mistakes, structural issues, and argument clarity problems, providing targeted feedback for systematic improvement.

Band 9 Sample Response Analysis

Question: "Some people argue that globalization has brought significant benefits to all countries, while others believe it primarily advantages wealthy nations at the expense of poorer ones. Discuss both views and give your opinion."

Model Answer: The phenomenon of globalization has fundamentally transformed international relations, economic structures, and cultural exchanges, generating intense debate about its equitable distribution of benefits. While proponents emphasize universal advantages through enhanced connectivity and economic opportunity, critics argue that globalization perpetuates existing inequalities between developed and developing nations.

Advocates of globalization contend that increased international integration creates mutual benefits through comparative advantage exploitation and technological diffusion. Developing countries gain access to advanced technologies, foreign investment, and global markets previously unavailable, potentially accelerating economic development and improving living standards. For instance, countries like South Korea and Taiwan leveraged globalization to transform from agricultural economies to technological powerhouses through foreign investment attraction and export-oriented industrialization. Furthermore, cultural exchange facilitated by globalization promotes cross-cultural understanding, educational opportunities, and knowledge sharing that benefits all participating nations regardless of development level.

Conversely, critics argue that globalization's structure inherently favors wealthy nations possessing superior technological capabilities, financial resources, and political influence. Developed countries exploit globalization to access cheaper labor and raw materials from developing nations while maintaining control over high-value manufacturing and services. This relationship creates dependency patterns where poorer countries remain suppliers of commodities while consuming manufactured goods from wealthy nations, perpetuating economic imbalances. Additionally, multinational corporations from developed countries often dominate global markets, limiting opportunities for local businesses in developing nations to compete effectively.

In my opinion, while globalization has indeed created opportunities for economic advancement in developing countries, its current structure disproportionately benefits wealthy nations due to existing power imbalances and resource disparities. However, this inequality is not inherent to globalization but rather reflects inadequate international frameworks ensuring equitable participation. Effective global governance mechanisms, fair trade agreements, and technology transfer programs could distribute globalization's benefits more equitably.

Ultimately, globalization's potential for universal benefit requires conscious effort to address structural inequalities and ensure that international integration serves all nations' development needs rather than perpetuating existing disadvantages.

[Word count: 321]

Advanced Practice Questions

"Globalization has made the world more connected, but some argue it has also made countries too dependent on each other. Discuss both sides and give your opinion."
"Some people believe globalization promotes cultural diversity through exchange, while others think it leads to cultural uniformity. Discuss both views and provide your perspective."
"The benefits of economic globalization are often accompanied by environmental costs. Discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of global economic integration."

Essential Vocabulary for Globalization Essays

Economic Integration Terms:

International trade liberalization
Foreign direct investment (FDI)
Multinational corporations (MNCs)
Cross-border capital flows
Economic interdependence
Comparative advantage
Trade agreements and treaties

Cultural Exchange Vocabulary:

Cultural diffusion
Cross-cultural interaction
Cultural homogenization
Indigenous traditions preservation
Global communication networks
Transnational media influence

Advanced Descriptors:

Unprecedented → Unparalleled, extraordinary
Integration → Amalgamation, convergence
Facilitate → Enable, expedite
Perpetuate → Sustain, maintain
Equitable → Fair, impartial

BabyCode Vocabulary Builder

BabyCode's specialized vocabulary modules for globalization topics include contextual usage examples, collocations, and practice exercises that ensure natural, sophisticated language use in your IELTS essays.

Key Globalization Dimensions to Address

Economic Aspects

Trade liberalization effects
Investment patterns and capital flows
Labor market impacts
Technology transfer mechanisms

Cultural Considerations

Language spread and preservation
Traditional practices evolution
Media and communication influence
Educational exchange programs

Environmental Implications

Global supply chain environmental costs
International cooperation on climate change
Resource exploitation patterns
Sustainability challenges

Political Dimensions

National sovereignty questions
International governance structures
Global inequality patterns
Regional integration effects

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Should I focus more on economic or cultural aspects of globalization? A: Balance both dimensions unless the question specifically focuses on one area. Economic and cultural aspects are often interconnected.

Q: Can I use statistics about globalization in my essay? A: Yes, but ensure accuracy and relevance. Use general trends rather than specific numbers unless you're certain of their correctness.

Q: How do I avoid being too political in globalization discussions? A: Focus on objective analysis of processes and outcomes rather than ideological positions. Present multiple perspectives fairly.

Q: Should I mention specific countries as examples? A: Yes, concrete examples strengthen your arguments, but ensure you present them accurately and avoid stereotypes.

Q: How do I show sophisticated understanding of globalization? A: Discuss interconnections between different aspects, acknowledge complexity, and avoid overly simplistic explanations.

Master globalization discussion essays through systematic practice and expert guidance. BabyCode provides comprehensive resources, personalized feedback, and proven strategies that help students achieve their target IELTS scores while developing deep understanding of global issues.