GlobalizationDiscussion (Both Views + Opinion)
IELTS Essay: English as a Global Language (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 the growing use of English as a global language brings benefits to everyone, while others feel that it threatens other languages and cultures. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.
How to approach a Discussion (Both Views + Opinion) question
A discussion question asks you to do two distinct things: present both views fairly, and give your own opinion. Devote one body paragraph to each view, then make sure your position is clear — either woven through or stated plainly in the conclusion. The classic mistake is discussing both sides but forgetting to give an opinion at all, which directly costs Task Response marks.
The plan
- 01Introduction: paraphrase the debate over global English and state a position - the benefits are real, but they need not come at the cost of other languages.
- 02Body 1: the case for global English - a shared medium for science, trade, travel and opportunity.
- 03Body 2: the case against - smaller languages decline, and with them cultural knowledge; then state why this threat is manageable through multilingualism.
- 04Conclusion: reaffirm that a common language and thriving local languages can coexist if education protects both.
Band 9 model answer
English is now the default medium of international science, business and travel, a dominance that some celebrate as a universal benefit and others condemn as a threat to linguistic and cultural diversity. Having weighed both positions, I believe the advantages of a shared global language are genuine, but only if it is acquired alongside, rather than instead of, people's mother tongues.
The case for global English rests on access. A single common language allows a researcher in Vietnam to read a paper published in Brazil, an engineer in Nigeria to work for a firm in Germany, and small businesses everywhere to trade far beyond their borders. For individuals, English proficiency frequently functions as a passport to education and employment; for humanity collectively, it accelerates the exchange of ideas in fields from medicine to climate science, where delay carries real costs.
Sceptics respond that this convenience conceals a slow catastrophe. As parents and schools prioritise English, hundreds of smaller languages are falling silent, and each loss extinguishes an irreplaceable archive of history, oral literature and local knowledge. There is force in this objection, yet the outcome it fears is not inevitable. Countries such as the Netherlands and Finland demonstrate that populations can achieve near-universal English while their national languages flourish, because their schools treat English as an addition rather than a replacement. The real threat to minority tongues is neglect at home, not the existence of a global lingua franca.
In conclusion, the spread of English delivers substantial benefits in opportunity and cooperation, while the danger it poses to other languages is real but avoidable. The sensible goal is not to resist a global language, but to build education systems in which it enriches local cultures instead of erasing them.
The same question at Band 6.5
Nowadays, English is used all over the world and it becomes a global language. Some people think this is a good thing for everyone, but other people think it is dangerous for other languages and cultures. In this essay, I will discuss both opinions and give my view.
On the one hand, English as a global language has many benefits. When people from different countries meet, they can communicate easily with English. This is very helpful for the business, because companies can work with foreign partners and sell their products in other countries. Also, most of the information on the internet and the scientific researches are in English, so people who know English can learn many things and get better jobs. For students, English is important because many famous universities teach in English.
On the other hand, some people worry that English is killing the other languages. In many countries, young people prefer to use English and they forget their own language slowly. When a language dies, the culture and the traditions of that country also disappear, because the language carries the history of the people. For example, some small languages in the world already disappeared because everyone use English or other big languages. This is a sad situation for the world culture.
In my opinion, English as a global language is more beneficial than harmful. It helps people to communicate and get more opportunities. However, the governments should protect their own languages by teaching them in the schools. In conclusion, both views have reasons, but I believe we can use English and keep our languages at the same time.
What separates them, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | Band 9 | Band 6.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Task Response | Presents both views with equal seriousness, then advances a position that resolves the tension ('an addition rather than a replacement') supported by real counter-examples. | Covers both views and gives an opinion, but the opinion arrives only in the final paragraph and its key idea - protecting languages through schools - is asserted in a single sentence. |
| Coherence & Cohesion | Argument progresses from access, to objection, to rebuttal; cohesive devices are integrated ('There is force in this objection, yet…', 'The real threat is…'). | Standard 'On the one hand / On the other hand' frame is clear but formulaic; within paragraphs, sentences accumulate with 'Also' and 'so' rather than building. |
| Lexical Resource | Sophisticated and precise: 'lingua franca', 'falling silent', 'an irreplaceable archive of oral literature', 'a passport to education and employment'. | Sufficient range with repetition ('language', 'people', 'important') and errors such as 'the scientific researches' and 'everyone use English'. |
| Grammatical Range & Accuracy | Wide, fully controlled range: parallel triple structures, concessive clauses and precise punctuation, with no noticeable errors. | Simple and compound sentences dominate; recurring agreement and article slips ('it becomes a global language', 'the business') that do not obscure meaning. |
Examiner's note
The Band 6.5 essay does everything a discussion essay must do - both views, an opinion, clear paragraphs - and that competence is worth acknowledging. What lifts the Band 9 essay is that its opinion does intellectual work: instead of choosing a side, it explains how the benefit can be kept and the threat neutralised, and backs this with the Dutch and Finnish examples. Combined with vocabulary like 'lingua franca' used accurately and complex grammar without error, that is the difference between reporting a debate and settling one.
Vocabulary from the Band 9 answer
| Word / phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| lingua franca | a language used for communication between speakers of different native languages |
| linguistic diversity | the existence of many different languages in the world |
| a mother tongue | the first language a person learns at home |
| a passport to opportunity | a skill or qualification that opens doors to education and jobs |
| to fall silent | (of a language) to stop being spoken and die out |
| oral literature | stories, poems and histories passed on by speech rather than writing |
| near-universal proficiency | a situation where almost everyone has a strong command of a skill |
| an addition rather than a replacement | something gained alongside what exists, not instead of it |
| to erase a culture | to destroy a culture so completely that little trace remains |
Frequently asked questions
Where should my opinion appear in a discussion essay?
Signal it in the introduction, let it shape how you handle the two views, and state it fully in the conclusion. Leaving the opinion entirely to the last paragraph - as many Band 6.5 answers do - is allowed, but weaving it through scores higher for position.
Is it acceptable to agree partly with both views?
Yes, and it often produces the strongest essays - but the middle position must be specific. 'Both have good points' is fence-sitting; 'the benefits are real provided English is added to, not substituted for, local languages' is a genuine, defensible opinion.
Do examples from specific countries impress examiners?
They help when they genuinely support the point, as the Netherlands and Finland do here. You are not marked on factual accuracy, but plausible, relevant examples make development concrete - which is what Task Response rewards.