IELTS Writing Task 2: global language argument

The speaker in yesterday's video gave the positives of English as a global second language. Here is a paragraph with arguments against this view.

Negatives of English as a global language:
The expansion of English has also been criticised. Some people worry that if one language, like English, becomes dominant, other languages may disappear. Languages spoken by small communities could become extinct as people learn English in order to find work. This would obviously have a negative effect on local cultures, customs and traditions because the new dominant language would bring its own culture with it. For example, the expansion of English has happened alongside the increasing popularity of American culture. The American film, music and fashion industries are as dominant as global American companies and products, such as Microsoft or the iPod. Some people call this ‘cultural imperialism’, meaning that one culture has power over others.

Try to analyse this paragraph
Is there a topic sentence? What reasons and examples are given? What linking expressions are used? What 'band 7 vocabulary' is used? Can you find some conditional sentences?

Write the main ideas for the 'global language' topic (positives and negatives) in your notebook.

Comments

[ahmed]

Hi simon,i read the paragraphs above and I found good expressions have been written.Are there benefits if I write some idioms supporting my essay.for instance,the multinational companies pull all the strings in many countries.

[ahmed]

sorry for the grammar mistake.I missed writting [that] after [I found].

[bon]

Hi Simon,
The topic is" The increasing role of English in the world today means that the learning of other languages is being neglected. This will have serious results for the continued use of these languages, and of their cultures. In what extent do you agree or disagree? "
par 1 i write about the disadvantages par2 i argue for the advantges of English language. In conclusion i support for using it. Is that right?
Pls help me. m really bad at understanding the meaning of the topic.
Thanks

[Simon]

Hi Ahmed,

Personally, I wouldn't use a phrase like "pull the strings" in an essay because it isn't really 'academic' in style (it's more journalistic or better in spoken English). I'd prefer to write that multinational companies "dominate the market" or "are excessively powerful" - these phrases suit the academic style better.

...

Hi Bon,

Your structure would be fine. Just make sure you give your opinion clearly in the introduction so that the examiner is not confused about whether you agree or disagree.

[bon]

Hi Simon,
Thank you for your help, but m a bit confused about the topic. If i don mention anything about the continued use of these languages, and of their cultures in my essay but only the pros and cons of Engnlish. Is it ok?

[lafuer]

Hi, Simon.
I have found questions about the government and society the most difficult until now. Could you give us more examples of how to write essays like that? Or do you have other materials we can have access to? I 've also found the e-book very useful, but I hope to get more model essays related to certain topics.

[Simon]

Hi Bon,

In the "cons" part, you would need to talk about other languages disappearing because of the use of English. This is basically the topic of my paragraph above, so you could use my ideas.

...

Hi Lafuer,

Yes, government and society can be a difficult topic. I'm quite busy at the moment, but I'll try to do more full essays soon.

Regards

Simon

[Nina]

Hi Simon,
I've just finished IELTS test apart from the speaking part.
May I ask you a question about the writing task2?
The topic was: Pollution and other environment damage result from a country's the developing and become richer. It is not avoided.
To what extend do you agree or disagree?
I wrote 4 paragraphs as you said before.
1、introduction
2、Admit the truth, and then I took some cases of industrialization with pollution as example; at the end of this paragraph I wrote：It seems inevitable consequences;
3、Disagree：
firstly, some countries which are highly developed caused minor pollution as the high awareness of protection；
secondly，without consideration of environment protection during development, it would cost more money to retrive the consequences, which would not make a country richer or more development.I took BP oil spill for example.
finally, development could be eco-friendly without devastating the environment.
4、conclusion： some environment change has already done due to the development. while I tend to believe pollution could be avoid. （just structure not all of the content）

I felt nervous about my view. Is this OK? Or what's the point we should argue with?
anyway, I've finished most parts of the IELTS. I should give you a big hug because of your excellent courses. I'm sure I did very well in task1. I wrote exactly what you've said, with 4 paragraphs, it's clear.
Thank you!

[Simon]

Hi Nina,

Your structure and ideas seem very good - excellent organisation.

Best of luck with your result. Let me know how it goes.

Simon

[Lei]

Hi Simon,
I am now working on Writing Task 2. So I read ur lessons one by one (incl. comments)from the beginning. Pls do not mind if I ask too many stupid questions during this period.

Here my question is: what's the difference between 'predominant' and 'dominant'?

Thanks in advance.

[Simon]

Hi Lei,

Here's how other people explain the difference. I agree with the 'best answer':

http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070403101158AAx8uql

[simran]

SIR
I HAVE USED 6-SENTENCES PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE TO WRITE ABOUT THE BENEFITS OF SHARING SOME COMMON LANGUAGES. I JUST WANT TO KNOW WHETHER PARAGRAPH IS WELL ORGANIZED OR NOT? THANK YOU IN ADVANCE.

There are many advantages of sharing a same language worldwide. Firstly,global adoption of a single language can mean a lot in terms of economic development. For example, all exports companies in japan can hire English speaking people to help them to communicate with foreign buyers. in addition to this benefit, it can play a significant role providing more job opportunities and establishment of industries around the world.Finally, this could bring people closer to a large extent and this would indeed help in solving international problems thereafter.Hence,from different perspectives, having a common language is significant.

[Simon]

It looks fine to me Simran.

[Stephen]

Hi Simon. Could you point me to the link for the video explaining the posives of English as the global language? Thank you very much!

[Amna Noor]

Today i wne to school and got a topic ogf debate ''we should have one global language'' plzz tell mee about it i wanna write a debate help me plzzzzzzz!!!! write about it in favour i would be very thanx full for u plzzz help me out

[niuxiufeng]

topic sentence: The expansion of English has also been criticised.

reasons and examples: other languages may disappear, because everyone learns English due to find job.
negative effect on local cultures, customs and traditions because English will bring English native cultures replace to traditional ones ,such as American film, music, fashion industries.

linking expressions: like , as people learn English, in order to , for example, alongside, such as,
as ... as...

band 7 vocabulary：expansion of English, be criticised, become dominant, disappear,small communities , extinct, this would obviously have a negative effect on , dominant language, bring something with it, something has happened alongside the increasing popularity of. have power over..

conditional sentences:
if one language, like English, becomes dominant, other languages may disappear.
languages spoken by small communities could become extinct as people learn English in order to find work.
this would obviously have a negative effect on local cultures, customs and traditions because the new dominant language would bring its own culture with it.