IELTS Writing Task 2 Discussion — Globalization: Idea Bank, Examples, and Collocations

Globalization represents one of the most complex and frequently tested topics in IELTS Writing Task 2, requiring sophisticated arguments, varied examples, and advanced vocabulary to achieve Band 7+ scores. This comprehensive idea bank provides everything you need to tackle any globalization question with confidence and precision.

Whether you're facing economic integration questions, cultural exchange debates, or environmental impact discussions, this resource equips you with proven arguments, authentic examples, and sophisticated language that IELTS examiners reward with high band scores.

Understanding Globalization Complexity

Globalization encompasses interconnected economic, cultural, technological, and political processes that reshape how nations, communities, and individuals interact. Successful IELTS responses demonstrate understanding of these multiple dimensions while developing nuanced arguments supported by relevant examples.

The key to mastering globalization topics lies in building a comprehensive knowledge base that allows you to adapt core arguments to different question formats while maintaining sophistication and relevance throughout your response.

Core Globalization Themes

Economic Integration

International trade expansion
Foreign direct investment patterns
Multinational corporation influence
Labor market transformation

Cultural Exchange

Cross-cultural communication
Traditional preservation challenges
Global media influence
Educational opportunities

Technological Connectivity

Digital communication advancement
Information sharing acceleration
Innovation dissemination
Technological dependency risks

Economic Dimensions: Comprehensive Idea Bank

Advantages of Economic Globalization

Argument 1: Enhanced Trade Opportunities Main Idea: Globalization eliminates trade barriers, enabling countries to exploit comparative advantages and access broader markets.

Evidence: The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) increased trade between member countries by over 300% between 1993 and 2017, demonstrating how reduced barriers facilitate economic growth.

Advanced Vocabulary: Trade liberalization, comparative advantage exploitation, market access expansion, bilateral agreements, economic integration

Argument 2: Technology Transfer and Innovation Main Idea: Global integration facilitates rapid technology dissemination, accelerating innovation and development in emerging economies.

Evidence: South Korea's transformation from agricultural economy to technological powerhouse occurred through strategic globalization engagement, foreign investment attraction, and technology transfer agreements with developed nations.

Expert Collocations: Technology diffusion, innovation spillover effects, knowledge-based economies, technological leapfrogging, R&D collaboration

Argument 3: Foreign Direct Investment Benefits Main Idea: Multinational investment creates employment opportunities, infrastructure development, and skill transfer in developing countries.

Evidence: China's economic miracle partially resulted from attracting over $1.4 trillion in foreign direct investment since economic reforms began, creating millions of jobs and establishing modern industrial capabilities.

Sophisticated Language: Capital inflows, infrastructure development, human capital formation, manufacturing capabilities, industrial modernization

BabyCode Economic Analysis Tools

BabyCode's globalization module provides detailed economic argument frameworks, helping students understand complex relationships between trade policies, investment patterns, and economic development. Our analysis tools have enabled over 500,000 students to master sophisticated economic arguments essential for Band 9 performance.

Disadvantages of Economic Globalization

Argument 1: Economic Dependency and Vulnerability Main Idea: Global economic integration creates dangerous interdependencies that can transmit economic crises rapidly across borders.

Evidence: The 2008 financial crisis originated in the United States but quickly spread globally through interconnected banking systems, demonstrating how globalization amplifies economic instability.

Advanced Terminology: Economic interdependence, contagion effects, financial system vulnerability, systemic risks, crisis transmission mechanisms

Argument 2: Inequality Exacerbation Main Idea: Globalization tends to benefit capital owners and skilled workers while disadvantaging less-skilled laborers and developing countries.

Evidence: Income inequality has increased in most developed countries since 1980, with the Gini coefficient rising as globalization accelerated, particularly affecting manufacturing workers in developed nations.

Expert Vocabulary: Income distribution, wealth concentration, wage polarization, skill-biased technological change, capital-labor substitution

Argument 3: Local Business Displacement Main Idea: Multinational corporations often overwhelm local businesses through superior resources, technology, and economies of scale.

Evidence: Small-scale farmers in developing countries frequently cannot compete with subsidized agricultural imports from developed nations, leading to rural poverty and urban migration.

Sophisticated Collocations: Market dominance, competitive disadvantage, economies of scale, predatory pricing, local enterprise displacement

Cultural Dimensions: Rich Example Repository

Cultural Integration Benefits

Argument 1: Enhanced Cross-Cultural Understanding Main Idea: Globalization promotes tolerance and understanding through increased cultural exposure and interaction.

Evidence: International education programs like Erasmus have facilitated cultural exchange among over 9 million students, creating networks of individuals with enhanced cultural sensitivity and global perspectives.

Advanced Language: Cultural awareness, intercultural competence, cosmopolitan outlook, cultural sensitivity, global citizenship

Argument 2: Knowledge and Innovation Sharing Main Idea: Cultural exchange accelerates human progress through diverse perspective integration and collaborative innovation.

Evidence: Scientific research increasingly involves international collaboration, with multinational research teams producing higher-impact publications and breakthrough innovations through diverse expertise combination.

Expert Collocations: Collaborative innovation, knowledge synthesis, diverse perspectives integration, intellectual cross-pollination, research synergies

Argument 3: Educational Opportunity Expansion Main Idea: Globalization provides access to world-class educational resources and opportunities regardless of geographical location.

Evidence: Online education platforms like Coursera and edX enable students worldwide to access courses from top universities, democratizing education and reducing geographical barriers to learning.

Sophisticated Vocabulary: Educational democratization, knowledge accessibility, distance learning, academic mobility, educational equity

BabyCode Cultural Analysis Framework

BabyCode provides structured frameworks for analyzing cultural impacts of globalization, including templates for discussing cultural preservation, identity formation, and cross-cultural communication. Our comprehensive approach ensures students can address any cultural dimension with confidence and sophistication.

Cultural Integration Concerns

Argument 1: Cultural Homogenization Threats Main Idea: Globalization may lead to dominant cultures overwhelming local traditions, languages, and customs.

Evidence: UNESCO reports that one language disappears every two weeks, largely due to globalization pressures favoring dominant languages like English for international communication and commerce.

Advanced Terminology: Cultural homogenization, linguistic diversity erosion, traditional practice abandonment, cultural imperialism, indigenous knowledge loss

Argument 2: Identity Crisis and Alienation Main Idea: Rapid cultural change through globalization can create identity confusion and social alienation, particularly among younger generations.

Evidence: Studies in rapidly globalizing societies show increased rates of cultural identity conflicts, with young people struggling to balance traditional values with global cultural influences.

Expert Vocabulary: Cultural identity formation, intergenerational tension, value system conflicts, cultural disorientation, identity fragmentation

Argument 3: Commercial Culture Dominance Main Idea: Globalization often promotes commercial, consumer-oriented culture at the expense of traditional cultural values and practices.

Evidence: Traditional festivals and celebrations increasingly incorporate commercial elements and Western influences, sometimes losing original cultural significance and meaning.

Sophisticated Language: Commercialization pressures, consumer culture proliferation, traditional value erosion, cultural commodification, authentic practice dilution

Technological Dimensions: Cutting-Edge Examples

Technology-Driven Benefits

Argument 1: Communication Revolution Main Idea: Digital technologies enable instant global communication, facilitating business, education, and personal relationships across borders.

Evidence: Video conferencing platforms experienced 2,900% growth during COVID-19, demonstrating technology's capacity to maintain global connections during physical separation.

Advanced Collocations: Digital connectivity, virtual collaboration, real-time communication, distance-bridging technologies, global networking capabilities

Argument 2: Information Access Democratization Main Idea: Internet connectivity provides universal access to information, educational resources, and global knowledge repositories.

Evidence: Wikipedia contains over 55 million articles in 300+ languages, providing free knowledge access to billions of people regardless of economic or geographical constraints.

Expert Terminology: Information democratization, knowledge accessibility, digital literacy, educational resource distribution, global information networks

Technological Challenges

Argument 1: Digital Divide Exacerbation Main Idea: Technological globalization may increase inequalities between those with and without access to digital technologies.

Evidence: While 87% of individuals in developed countries use the internet, only 19% in least developed countries have access, creating new forms of global inequality.

Sophisticated Vocabulary: Digital inequality, technological disparities, connectivity gaps, digital exclusion, technological marginalization

Environmental Dimensions: Contemporary Analysis

Environmental Challenges

Argument 1: Increased Carbon Emissions Main Idea: Global trade expansion significantly increases transportation-related carbon emissions, contributing to climate change.

Evidence: International shipping accounts for approximately 3% of global greenhouse gas emissions, with emissions projected to increase 50-250% by 2050 without intervention.

Advanced Language: Carbon footprint expansion, emission intensity, transportation externalities, environmental degradation, climate impact amplification

Argument 2: Resource Exploitation Acceleration Main Idea: Globalization intensifies natural resource extraction to meet international demand, often causing environmental damage.

Evidence: Palm oil production for global markets has driven deforestation of over 15 million hectares in Indonesia and Malaysia, contributing to biodiversity loss and climate change.

Expert Collocations: Resource extraction intensification, environmental externalities, ecosystem disruption, biodiversity loss acceleration, unsustainable consumption patterns

BabyCode Environmental Integration

BabyCode's environmental dimension module helps students connect globalization with contemporary environmental challenges, providing current examples and sophisticated vocabulary for addressing complex environmental-economic relationships in IELTS essays.

Advanced Vocabulary and Collocations

Economic Integration Language

High-Level Verbs:

Facilitate → Enable, expedite, catalyze
Accelerate → Intensify, amplify, propel
Integrate → Amalgamate, synthesize, consolidate
Transform → Revolutionize, metamorphose, reconfigure

Sophisticated Nouns:

Interdependence → Interconnectedness, mutual reliance
Integration → Convergence, unification, amalgamation
Proliferation → Expansion, dissemination, multiplication
Ramifications → Consequences, implications, repercussions

Expert Adjectives:

Unprecedented → Unparalleled, extraordinary, singular
Multifaceted → Complex, diverse, varied
Pervasive → Widespread, extensive, comprehensive
Inexorable → Unstoppable, inevitable, relentless

Cultural Exchange Terminology

Advanced Collocations:

Cultural diffusion processes
Cross-cultural fertilization
Intercultural dialogue facilitation
Traditional knowledge preservation
Cultural identity negotiation
Cosmopolitan worldview development

Sophisticated Expressions:

Cultural homogenization concerns
Indigenous tradition erosion
Global-local tension dynamics
Cultural authenticity questions
Identity formation complexities

Question-Specific Argument Applications

Economic Focus Questions

Question Type: "Discuss the economic advantages and disadvantages of globalization."

Advantages Framework:

Comparative advantage exploitation through trade liberalization
Foreign direct investment creating employment and infrastructure
Technology transfer accelerating development in emerging economies

Disadvantages Framework:

Economic vulnerability through increased interdependence
Local business displacement by multinational corporations
Inequality exacerbation between skilled and unskilled workers

Cultural Focus Questions

Question Type: "Some believe globalization promotes cultural understanding, while others think it threatens local traditions. Discuss both views."

Understanding Promotion:

Educational exchange programs fostering intercultural competence
Media and communication enabling cross-cultural dialogue
Immigration and travel expanding cultural exposure

Tradition Threats:

Dominant culture influence overwhelming local practices
Commercial culture replacing traditional values
Language extinction accelerating through globalization pressures

Environmental Focus Questions

Question Type: "Discuss how globalization affects the environment."

Negative Environmental Impacts:

Transportation emissions from increased international trade
Resource extraction intensification for global markets
Production outsourcing to countries with weaker environmental standards

Positive Environmental Potential:

International cooperation on environmental challenges
Green technology dissemination across borders
Environmental awareness raising through global communication

Contemporary Examples Bank

Recent Developments

COVID-19 Impact:

Supply chain vulnerabilities exposed
Digital collaboration acceleration
Renewed focus on national resilience vs. global integration
Vaccine development through international scientific cooperation

Trade War Implications:

US-China trade tensions demonstrating globalization fragility
Regional trade agreement renegotiation
Technology transfer restrictions affecting global innovation
Supply chain regionalization trends

Climate Change Response:

Paris Agreement as globalization-enabled environmental cooperation
Global climate activism through social media platforms
International carbon market development
Technology sharing for renewable energy advancement

BabyCode Current Affairs Integration

BabyCode maintains updated databases of contemporary globalization examples, ensuring students can incorporate current events and recent developments into their essays for maximum relevance and sophistication.

Practice Question Applications

Question 1: Economic Integration Focus

"Some economists argue that globalization creates more opportunities than problems for developing countries. Others disagree. Discuss both views and give your opinion."

Opportunity Arguments:

Foreign investment creating manufacturing jobs
Export market access enabling economic growth
Technology transfer accelerating industrial development

Problem Arguments:

Dependency on volatile global markets
Competition from subsidized imports damaging local industries
Brain drain as skilled workers migrate to developed countries

Question 2: Cultural Dimensions

"Globalization has made the world more culturally diverse. To what extent do you agree or disagree?"

Agreement Arguments:

Increased cultural awareness through global media
Multicultural societies developing through migration
Traditional cultures gaining global recognition and preservation support

Disagreement Arguments:

Dominant cultures overwhelming local traditions
Standardized global products replacing local alternatives
English language dominance threatening linguistic diversity

Question 3: Technology and Society

"The technological aspects of globalization have more benefits than drawbacks for society. Discuss both sides and give your opinion."

Benefits Framework:

Universal information access democratizing education
Communication technologies connecting global communities
Innovation diffusion accelerating human progress

Drawbacks Framework:

Digital divide creating new inequalities
Privacy and security risks from global connectivity
Traditional skills and knowledge systems becoming obsolete

Expert Writing Templates

Introduction Template

"The phenomenon of globalization, characterized by [specific aspect], has generated considerable debate regarding [specific issue]. While proponents emphasize [main benefits], critics highlight [main concerns], necessitating careful examination of both perspectives to understand globalization's complex implications."

Body Paragraph Development

Topic sentence introducing the main argument
Explanation of the underlying mechanism or reasoning
Specific example with concrete evidence or data
Analysis connecting the example to the broader argument
Transition linking to the next point or paragraph

Conclusion Synthesis

"Ultimately, globalization represents [characterization] that [summary of complexity]. While [acknowledgment of benefits], [acknowledgment of concerns] suggests that [your reasoned position]. Future success in managing globalization will depend on [forward-looking statement]."

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How many examples should I include in a globalization essay? A: Include 2-3 specific, well-developed examples rather than many superficial ones. Quality and relevance matter more than quantity.

Q: Can I use the same examples for different globalization questions? A: Yes, but ensure you adapt the analysis to match the specific question focus and requirements.

Q: Should I mention specific countries or companies? A: Yes, concrete examples like "South Korea's economic development" or "Apple's global supply chain" demonstrate specific knowledge and strengthen arguments.

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

Q: What's the best way to show sophisticated understanding? A: Demonstrate awareness of complexity, discuss interconnections between different dimensions, and avoid overly simplistic explanations.

Master globalization topics with comprehensive preparation and expert guidance. BabyCode provides structured learning paths, personalized feedback, and extensive practice materials that help students achieve Band 9 performance in IELTS Writing Task 2.