Culture & TraditionOpinion (Agree / Disagree)
IELTS Essay: Globalization vs Local Traditions (Band 9 vs 6.5)
In short
Below is a full Band 9 model answer to this IELTS Writing Task 2 question, the same question written at Band 6.5, and a criterion-by-criterion breakdown of exactly what separates them — so you can see what to change in your own writing. Then check your essay with the free tool.
The question
Some people believe that globalization is eroding local cultures and traditions. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
How to approach a Opinion (Agree / Disagree) question
For an agree/disagree question, decide your position before you write and make it unmistakable in the introduction. You can fully agree, fully disagree, or partially agree — all are fine — but you must then defend that single position consistently across both body paragraphs. The most common Task Response error here is sitting on the fence: giving arguments for both sides without ever committing to a view.
The plan
- 01Introduction: acknowledge fears of cultural homogenization and state clear agreement that globalization threatens local traditions.
- 02Body 1: commercial homogenization — global brands and media displace local food, crafts and customs.
- 03Body 2: counter-argument that tourism revives traditions, rebutted by showing it commodifies them into empty spectacle.
- 04Conclusion: reaffirm that globalization erodes cultural distinctiveness unless heritage is actively protected.
Band 9 model answer
The accelerating flow of goods, media and people across borders has prompted fears that distinctive local customs are being flattened into a single global culture. I broadly share this concern: while some traditions prove remarkably resilient, the overall pull of globalization is, I would argue, corrosive to cultural diversity.
The most obvious pressure comes from commercial homogenization. As multinational chains and streaming platforms saturate every market, consumers increasingly gravitate towards the same brands, cuisines and entertainment, and the local alternatives they displace rarely survive. A family-run teahouse or a regional craft, once central to community life, struggles to compete with a slick international franchise, and when such practices vanish the intangible knowledge bound up in them disappears too. In this way, economic integration quietly narrows the range of ways in which people eat, dress and celebrate.
Defenders of globalization counter that it actually revives traditions by opening them to global audiences and tourist revenue. There is some truth in this, yet exposure of this kind tends to hollow customs out rather than sustain them. A sacred ceremony rebranded as a photogenic spectacle for visitors loses the meaning that once animated it, surviving in form while decaying in substance. What is preserved, then, is often a marketable shell rather than a living practice, which underscores rather than refutes the threat.
In conclusion, although a handful of traditions adapt and endure, the dominant effect of globalization is to erode the distinctiveness of local cultures. Unless communities and governments actively protect their heritage through education and supportive policy, this homogenizing tide will continue to gather pace.
The same question at Band 6.5
Nowadays globalization is happening in everywhere and many people think it is a big threat for local traditions and cultures. In my opinion, I agree with this idea because globalization make many traditions weaker and weaker, but some traditions can still survive if people care about them.
Firstly, one reason is that big international companies come to every country and sell their products. For example, many young people prefer to eat fast food from foreign brands instead of traditional food. Also they watch foreign movies and listen foreign music all the time. Because of this, the local food and local music become less popular and slowly people forget about them. This is a serious problem for the culture of a country and for the next generation.
Secondly, another reason is that everybody use internet and social media now. On these platform, the culture from big countries like America is very strong and it influence young generation a lot. So they start to copy the foreign lifestyle, foreign clothes and even foreign language, and they are not interested in their own traditions anymore. Some people say tourism can help traditions to survive, but actually the tourists only want to take photos and they do not understand the real meaning.
In conclusion, I think globalization is really a threat for local traditions because of the international companies and the social media. However, if the government and the people make more effort to protect their culture, some important traditions can still be saved for the future.
What separates them, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Band 9 | Band 6.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Takes an unambiguous position ('I broadly share this concern') and handles the counter-argument by conceding that tourism 'revives traditions' before showing it merely 'hollow[s] customs out'. | Agrees clearly but the ideas stay general and underdeveloped, e.g. 'globalization make many traditions weaker' without explaining the mechanism. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Ideas build with varied, unobtrusive cohesion ('In this way', 'Defenders of globalization counter that', 'What is preserved, then'). | Relies on mechanical linking ('Firstly', 'Secondly', 'Also') and lists reasons rather than developing them. |
| Lexical Resource | Precise, flexible collocation such as 'commercial homogenization', 'hollow customs out' and 'photogenic spectacle'. | Adequate but repetitive high-frequency words — 'foreign' and 'traditions' recur, and 'big' does a lot of the work. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | Wide range of accurate complex structures, including the concessive 'although' clause and the relative 'which underscores rather than refutes the threat'. | Mostly simple and compound sentences with noticeable but non-impeding errors ('globalization make', 'listen foreign music', 'these platform'). |
Examiner's note
The Band 9 answer commits to a clear position and reinforces it by conceding the tourism counter-argument before dismantling it, while the 6.5 agrees but keeps its reasons general. Cohesion in the top answer is built into the reasoning ('In this way', 'What is preserved, then') instead of relying on 'Firstly' and 'Secondly', and its lexis — 'commercial homogenization', 'hollow customs out' — is markedly more precise. Its complex sentences are accurate, whereas the 6.5 leans on simple structures carrying errors like 'globalization make' and 'listen foreign music'.
Vocabulary from the Band 9 answer
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| commercial homogenization | the process by which markets everywhere start selling the same products and brands |
| gravitate towards | to be naturally drawn to something |
| intangible knowledge | skills and understanding that cannot be physically touched or easily recorded |
| hollow (something) out | to remove the meaningful inner content, leaving only the outer form |
| photogenic spectacle | an event staged to look attractive in photographs rather than to hold real meaning |
| a living practice | a tradition that is still actively and genuinely performed |
| homogenizing tide | a strong trend that makes everything become the same |
| corrosive to cultural diversity | gradually damaging the variety of cultures that exist |
Frequently asked questions
How much should I write for IELTS Task 2?
Aim for at least 250 words; there is no upper limit, but 260-290 words in four clear paragraphs is enough to develop your ideas without rushing.
Do I have to completely agree or disagree?
No. You can partly agree, but your position must be clear and consistent — decide your overall stance in the introduction and defend it in every body paragraph.
Should I include the opposing view?
Yes. Addressing a counter-argument and then rebutting it, as the Band 9 answer does with the tourism point, strengthens Task Response, as long as your own opinion still dominates.