This is an IELTS writing task 2 sample answer essay on the topic of multinational companies from the real IELTS exam.

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IELTS Essay: Multinational Companies

The growth of multinational companies and the resulting rise of globalization creates positive effects for all.

To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The pervasiveness of multinationals has led many to question their relative merits. In my opinion, their impact is negative on the whole despite legitimate economic advantages.

Those in favor of a globalised world argue that international conglomerates bring wealth to a country. This is the result of a variety of related effects including increased tax revenue, employment opportunities, and, most importantly, the spread of expertise. A good example of this would be producers of consumer electronics such as Apple. Apple provides jobs in countries all around the world ranging from marketers and factory workers to graphic designers and supply agents. All these employees receive salaries typically above the average wages in a given region, which is then directed back towards the local consumer economy. Such workers are also likely to pick up specialised skills that they can utilize in the long-term and later pass on to others.

Nonetheless, multinationals are negative due to their effects on local businesses and the environment. A good example of the former point would be the rise of fast food chains globally. Well-known brands such as McDonald’s and KFC are in hundreds of countries and provide serious competition to local restaurants. Their ability to offer cheap, uniform meals with limited nutritional value that are very addictive hurt both the health of the local populace and also make it harder for small restaurants to turn a profit and remain in operation. Moreover, such large corporations contribute to climate change by exploiting the use of airplanes and trucks to ship their products globally. Combined with the plastic packaging often employed by these companies, their impact on the environment far surpasses the minor lifestyle choices of individuals.

In conclusion, despite meagre economic benefits arising from multinationals, I believe this is a negative trend due to the effect on small businesses and the environment. Governments must therefore attempt to carefully regulate and balance the introduction of international companies.

Analysis

1. The pervasiveness of multinationals has led many to question their relative merits. 2. In my opinion, their impact is negative on the whole despite legitimate economic advantages.

1. Paraphrase the overall essay topic.
2. Write a clear opinion. Read more about introductions here.

1. Those in favor of a globalised world argue that international conglomerates bring wealth to a country. 2. This is the result of a variety of related effects including increased tax revenue, employment opportunities, and, most importantly, the spread of expertise. 3. A good example of this would be producers of consumer electronics such as Apple. 4. Apple provides jobs in countries all around the world ranging from marketers and factory workers to graphic designers and supply agents. 5. All these employees receive salaries typically above the average wages in a given region, which is then directed back towards the local consumer economy. 6. Such workers are also likely to pick up specialised skills that they can utilize in the long-term and later pass on to others.

1. Write a topic sentence with a clear main idea at the end.
2. Explain your main idea.
3. Develop it with specific examples.
4. Keep developing.
5. Develop it fully.
6. The more detail, the higher your task achievement score.

1. Nonetheless, multinationals are negative due to their effects on local businesses and the environment. 2. A good example of the former point would be the rise of fast food chains globally. 3. Well-known brands such as McDonald’s and KFC are in hundreds of countries and provide serious competition to local restaurants. 4. Their ability to offer cheap, uniform meals with limited nutritional value that are very addictive hurt both the health of the local populace and also make it harder for small restaurants to turn a profit and remain in operation. 5. Moreover, such large corporations contribute to climate change by exploiting the use of airplanes and trucks to ship their products globally. 6. Combined with the plastic packaging often employed by these companies, their impact on the environment far surpasses the minor lifestyle choices of individuals.

1. Write a new topic sentence with a new main idea at the end.
2. Explain your new main idea.
3. Include specific details and examples.
4. Continue developing or switch to a second disadvantage.
5. Develop this one fully.
6. State the furthest possible result.

1. In conclusion, despite meagre economic benefits arising from multinationals, I believe this is a negative trend due to the effect on small businesses and the environment. 2. Governments must therefore attempt to carefully regulate and balance the introduction of international companies.

1. Summarise your main ideas.
2. Include a final thought. Read more about conclusions here.

Vocabulary

What do the words in bold below mean? Make some notes on paper to aid memory and then check below.

The pervasiveness of multinationals has led many to question their relative merits. In my opinion, their impact is negative on the whole despite legitimate economic advantages.

Those in favor of a globalised world argue that international conglomerates bring wealth to a country. This is the result of a variety of related effects including increased tax revenue, employment opportunities, and, most importantly, the spread of expertise. A good example of this would be producers of consumer electronics such as Apple. Apple provides jobs in countries all around the world ranging from marketers and factory workers to graphic designers and supply agents. All these employees receive salaries typically above the average wages in a given region, which is then directed back towards the local consumer economy. Such workers are also likely to pick up specialised skills that they can utilize in the long-term and later pass on to others.

Nonetheless, multinationals are negative due to their effects on local businesses and the environment. A good example of the former point would be the rise of fast food chains globally. Well-known brands such as McDonald’s and KFC are in hundreds of countries and provide serious competition to local restaurants. Their ability to offer cheap, uniform meals with limited nutritional value that are very addictive hurt both the health of the local populace and also make it harder for small restaurants to turn a profit and remain in operation. Moreover, such large corporations contribute to climate change by exploiting the use of airplanes and trucks to ship their products globally. Combined with the plastic packaging often employed by these companies, their impact on the environment far surpasses the minor lifestyle choices of individuals.

In conclusion, despite meagre economic benefits arising from multinationals, I believe this is a negative trend due to the effect on small businesses and the environment. Governments must therefore attempt to carefully regulate and balance the introduction of international companies.

Answers

pervasiveness ubiquity

multinationals international companies

question doubt

relative merits how much value they actually have

negative on the whole bad overall

legitimate real, justified

those in favor of supporters

globalised world world where everyone is connected

international conglomerates big companies

wealth money

this is the result of the cause of this is

variety lots of different kinds

increased tax revenue more money from taxes

employment opportunities chances to get a job

most importantly more valuable

spread of expertise people learning more

producers of consumer electronics people who make phones, etc.

ranging from marketers including advertisers

factory workers people working in factories

graphic designers those who design images for publications and online

supply agents those who help in supplying, getting items

average wages normal salaries

in a given region in one specific area

directed back sent back to

local consumer economy the economy in the country

pick up learn

specialised skills useful abilities

utilize take advantage of

long-term over a long period of time

later pass on to others after that tell other people

nonetheless regardless

former point mentioned before

fast food chains KFC, McDonald’s, etc.

well-known brands famous companies

provide serious competition make it very difficult

uniform meals food all the same

limited nutritional value not healthy

addictive can’t stop eating

local populace people living there

turn a profit earn money

remain in operation stay in business

contribute add to

exploiting tasking advantage of

ship their products globally send items around the world

combined with in conjunction with

plastic packaging wrappers, boxes, etc.

far surpasses much more than

minor not major

meagre insignificant

arising from coming from

carefully regulate control well

balance keep equal

introduction entering the market

Pronunciation

Practice saying the vocabulary below and use this tip about Google voice search:

pɜːˈveɪsɪvnəs 
ˌmʌltɪˈnæʃənlz 
ˈkwɛsʧən 
ˈrɛlətɪv ˈmɛrɪts
ˈnɛgətɪv ɒn ðə həʊl 
lɪˈʤɪtɪmɪt 
ðəʊz ɪn ˈfeɪvər ɒv 
ˌgləʊb(ə)laɪˈzd wɜːld 
ˌɪntə(ː)ˈnæʃənl kənˈglɒmərɪts 
wɛlθ 
ðɪs ɪz ðə rɪˈzʌlt ɒv 
vəˈraɪəti 
ɪnˈkriːst tæks ˈrɛvɪnjuː
ɪmˈplɔɪmənt ˌɒpəˈtjuːnɪtiz
məʊst ɪmˈpɔːtəntli 
sprɛd ɒv ˌɛkspɜːˈtiːz
prəˈdjuːsəz ɒv kənˈsjuːmər ɪlɛkˈtrɒnɪks 
ˈreɪnʤɪŋ frɒm ˈmɑːkɪtəz 
ˈfæktəri ˈwɜːkəz 
ˈgræfɪk dɪˈzaɪnəz 
səˈplaɪ ˈeɪʤənts
ˈævərɪʤ ˈweɪʤɪz 
ɪn ə ˈgɪvn ˈriːʤən
dɪˈrɛktɪd bæk 
ˈləʊkəl kənˈsjuːmər i(ː)ˈkɒnəmi
pɪk ʌp 
ˈspɛʃ(ə)laɪzd skɪlz 
ˈjuːtɪˌlaɪz 
ˈlɒŋtɜːm 
ˈleɪtə pɑːs ɒn tuː ˈʌðəz
ˌnʌnðəˈlɛs
ˈfɔːmə pɔɪnt 
fɑːst fuːd ʧeɪnz 
wɛl-nəʊn brændz 
prəˈvaɪd ˈsɪərɪəs ˌkɒmpɪˈtɪʃən 
ˈjuːnɪfɔːm miːlz 
ˈlɪmɪtɪd nju(ː)ˈtrɪʃən(ə)l ˈvæljuː 
əˈdɪktɪv 
ˈləʊkəl ˈpɒpjʊləs 
tɜːn ə ˈprɒfɪt 
rɪˈmeɪn ɪn ˌɒpəˈreɪʃən
kənˈtrɪbju(ː)t 
ɪksˈplɔɪtɪŋ 
ʃɪp ðeə ˈprɒdʌkts ˈgləʊbəli
kəmˈbaɪnd wɪð 
ˈplæstɪk ˈpækɪʤɪŋ 
fɑː sɜːˈpɑːsɪz 
ˈmaɪnə 
ˈmiːgə 
əˈraɪzɪŋ frɒm 
ˈkeəfli ˈrɛgjʊleɪt 
ˈbæləns 
ˌɪntrəˈdʌkʃən 

Vocabulary Practice

I recommend getting a pencil and piece of paper because that aids memory. Then write down the missing vocabulary from my sample answer in your notebook:

The p______________s of m________________s has led many to q_________n their r__________________s. In my opinion, their impact is n_______________________e despite l____________e economic advantages.

T________________f a g_________________d argue that i__________________________s bring w_________h to a country. T_____________________f a v___________y of related effects including i_____________________e, e__________________________________s, and, m__________________y, the s_________________e. A good example of this would be p______________________________s such as Apple. Apple provides jobs in countries all around the world r________________________s and f_____________________s to g___________________s and s________________s. All these employees receive salaries typically above the a_________________s i___________________________n, which is then d__________________k towards the l_______________________________y. Such workers are also likely to p___________________________________s that they can u_________e in the l____________m and l______________________________s.

N___________________s, multinationals are negative due to their effects on local businesses and the environment. A good example of the f________________t would be the rise of f___________________s globally. W______________________s such as McDonald’s and KFC are in hundreds of countries and p_________________________n to local restaurants. Their ability to offer cheap, u___________________s with l__________________________e that are very a_____________e hurt both the health of the l________________e and also make it harder for small restaurants to t_______________t and r___________________________n. Moreover, such large corporations c_____________e to climate change by e______________g the use of airplanes and trucks to s_____________________________y. C_________________h the p______________________g often employed by these companies, their impact on the environment f___________________s the m__________r lifestyle choices of individuals.

In conclusion, despite m___________e economic benefits a______________m multinationals, I believe this is a negative trend due to the effect on small businesses and the environment. Governments must therefore attempt to c_______________________e and b___________e the i___________________n of international companies.

Listening Practice

Learn more about this topic in the video below and practice with these activities:

Reading Practice

Read more about this topic and use these ideas to practice:

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/05/business/coronavirus-globalism.html

Speaking Practice

Practice with the following speaking questions from the real IELTS speaking exam:

Work 1 (Model answer available on my Patreon)

1. Do you work or are you a student?
2. Do you like your current job?
3. In the future, do you want to change jobs?

Writing Practice

Practice with the related topic below and then check with my sample answer:

In the past, most people worked for small businesses, while more people now work for large businesses.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of working for large businesses?

IELTS Essay: Large Businesses