Cambridge IELTS 10 Test 3 Writing Task 2: Global Products
Cambridge IELTS 10 · Test 3 · Academic Writing Task 2Opinion (agree or disagree)Culture & lifestyle
The question states that countries are becoming more and more similar because people can buy the same products anywhere in the world. Candidates must decide whether this is a positive or a negative development and support their view with reasons and examples.
The question
You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Countries are becoming more and more similar because people can buy the same products anywhere in the world. Do you think this is a positive or negative development? Write at least 250 words.
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How to read the question
- This is an opinion essay: you must decide whether the development is positive, negative or mainly one of these, and make your position clear from the introduction.
- The development has two parts: global availability of the same products, and countries becoming more similar as a result. Your arguments should connect the two rather than discussing only shopping or only culture.
- Products is broad: it includes consumer goods such as phones and clothes, brands and chain stores, food and drink, and entertainment such as films. Choose concrete examples.
- You may discuss both sides, but the conclusion must answer the question; a balanced essay with no final judgement scores lower on Task Response.
- A qualified answer such as largely positive but with a cultural cost is acceptable if it is stated clearly and kept consistent.
- Avoid turning the essay into a general discussion of globalisation, migration or the internet without linking it back to products and similarity between countries.
Suggested position
Although this trend poses a threat to some local traditions, I believe that, on balance, it is a positive development.
Paragraph plan
- 1
Introduction
Paraphrase the statement with examples of global products, such as smartphones, clothing brands and fast-food chains, and state that the development is mainly positive despite some cultural cost.
- 2
Body paragraph 1: why it is positive
Explain that people in poorer countries gain access to useful goods such as phones, medicines and appliances, that global trade creates factory jobs in countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh, and that familiar products make travel, study and work abroad easier.
- 3
Body paragraph 2: the cultural cost and why it is limited
Concede that chain stores make high streets look alike and can force small local businesses to close, then argue that national identity rests on language, festivals and food at home, which global products do not replace, and that tourism has increased interest in local culture.
- 4
Conclusion
Restate that the development is largely positive, while recommending that communities and governments protect distinctive traditions.
Ideas and arguments
- Consumers in developing countries can now buy goods such as smartphones, medicines and household appliances that were once available mainly in rich nations.
- Global supply chains create jobs: factories making clothing and electronics for international brands employ millions of people in countries such as Bangladesh and Vietnam.
- Familiar products and brands make it easier for people to travel, study or work abroad.
- Competition from global companies can lower prices and raise quality standards for local consumers.
- High streets around the world increasingly feature the same chain stores and restaurants, making cities look alike.
- Small local shops and producers of traditional crafts or regional food may be unable to compete with multinational companies and close down.
- National identity depends more on language, values, festivals and family traditions than on the products people buy.
- International companies often adapt their products to local tastes, and tourism has increased demand for authentic local culture.
Band 8+ model answer
287 words · An original model answer written for ieltswrites, not an official answer. It stays in English, as in the exam.
Today, the same smartphones, clothing brands and fast-food chains can be found in almost every major city, and as a result countries are becoming increasingly alike. Although this trend poses a threat to some local traditions, I believe that, on balance, it is a positive development.
The main benefit is that consumers everywhere now have access to goods that were once available mainly to people in wealthy nations. A farmer in rural Africa can use the same kind of smartphone as an office worker in London, and families in developing countries can buy affordable medicines, household appliances and computers. Global trade also creates jobs: factories that supply international brands employ millions of people in countries such as Vietnam and Bangladesh, helping to raise living standards. Moreover, familiar products make it easier for people to travel, study or work abroad.
Critics argue that this growing uniformity erodes national identity. High streets in different countries are increasingly dominated by the same chain stores, and small local businesses selling traditional crafts or regional food may be forced to close. This is a genuine loss, since cultural diversity is part of what makes the world interesting. However, I would argue that the threat is often exaggerated. Buying an international brand of jeans does not stop people from speaking their own language, celebrating their own festivals or cooking traditional dishes at home. In fact, many global companies have adapted their products to local tastes, and international tourism has increased demand for authentic local culture rather than reducing it.
In conclusion, while communities and governments should take steps to protect distinctive traditions, the worldwide availability of the same products brings considerable economic and practical benefits. I therefore regard this development as largely positive.
Why this answer scores highly
- Task Response
- The answer gives a clear judgement that the development is largely positive, supports it with specific examples of access, jobs and mobility, and addresses the opposing view before explaining why it is less convincing.
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Each body paragraph has one clear purpose, and the concession and rebuttal in the second paragraph are signalled clearly with phrases such as critics argue, this is a genuine loss and however.
- Lexical Resource
- The essay uses precise topic vocabulary such as uniformity, erodes national identity, chain stores and adapted to local tastes, and paraphrases the question rather than repeating its wording.
- Grammatical Range and Accuracy
- A wide range of structures is used accurately, including passive forms, relative clauses, concessive clauses beginning with although and while, and the present perfect for recent change.
Useful vocabulary
- globalisation
- the process by which economies and cultures around the world become more connected
- multinational companies
- large businesses that operate in many countries
- global brands
- product names that are recognised all over the world
- chain stores
- shops with the same name and products in many locations
- uniformity
- the state of being the same everywhere
- cultural diversity
- the existence of many different cultures and traditions
- national identity
- the sense of belonging to a nation and sharing its culture
- erode
- gradually weaken or destroy something
- standard of living
- the level of wealth and comfort people have
- lift people out of poverty
- help people stop being poor
- supply chain
- the series of businesses involved in making and delivering a product
- adapt to local tastes
- change a product so that it suits people in a particular country
- on balance
- after considering all the arguments
Common mistakes
- Describing advantages and disadvantages without ever saying whether the development is mainly positive or negative.
- Writing about globalisation in general, such as migration or international politics, without linking it to products and countries becoming similar.
- Discussing only shopping and prices and ignoring the idea that countries are becoming more similar.
- Using exaggerated claims such as all countries are now exactly the same, which are easy for an examiner to see as unsupported.
- Changing position halfway through, for example calling the trend positive in the introduction but mainly negative in the conclusion.
- Repeating same products and similar instead of paraphrasing with uniformity, global brands and multinational companies.
Frequently asked questions
- Which Cambridge book is this question from?
- This question about countries becoming more similar because the same products are sold everywhere is Writing Task 2 of Test 3 in Cambridge IELTS 10 Academic, published in 2015.
- Can I say the development is both positive and negative?
- You can discuss both sides, but you should still decide which outweighs the other, for example largely positive, so that your position is clear.
- What examples can I use for this question?
- Use widely known examples such as smartphones, global clothing brands, fast-food chains and international supermarkets, and refer to local shops, crafts and traditional food for the other side.
- How many words should I write for this Task 2?
- Write at least 250 words; about 270-310 words is usually enough to develop your position fully in 40 minutes.
Free and timed, with a live word count, just like the computer-delivered test. Then get an instant AI band score.
The exam simulator runs on a computer. Open this page on a laptop or desktop to practise.