Linking Words for IELTS Writing: Use Them Without Overdoing It

What Coherence and Cohesion Actually Rewards

Coherence and Cohesion is one of four IELTS Writing band criteria, and it's the one most misunderstood. Many candidates assume it means 'use lots of linking words,' so they memorise a list and sprinkle it through every paragraph. That's not what the criterion measures.

It measures whether your ideas follow a logical sequence a reader can follow without effort, whether each paragraph has one clear central idea, and whether you connect sentences using a mix of tools, not just connectors, including pronouns, referencing, and paraphrase. Linking words are one small part of this, not the whole picture.

A band 8 answer can use relatively few explicit connectors if the logic between sentences is already clear. A band 5 answer can be crammed with 'firstly, moreover, in addition, furthermore' and still score low, because the connectors don't match the actual logical relationship between ideas.

Why Memorised Connector Lists Backfire

Examiners read thousands of scripts and quickly recognise templated language. A paragraph that opens every sentence with a different connector from a memorised list ('Firstly... Moreover... Besides... Furthermore... In conclusion...') reads as mechanical rather than fluent, and mechanical use is explicitly penalised under the band descriptors for cohesion.

There's also a logic problem. 'Moreover' signals addition of a similar point; 'however' signals contrast; 'therefore' signals a result. If you insert these based on habit rather than meaning, you create sentences that are grammatically fine but logically wrong, for example, using 'furthermore' before a sentence that actually contradicts the previous one.

The safest rule: never add a linking word unless you can say, in plain terms, what logical relationship it's expressing. If you can't name the relationship, delete the connector, the sentence usually reads better without it.

Linking Words That Actually Help, With Natural Alternatives

You don't need dozens of connectors. A working set of five or six relationships covers almost everything you'll need to express in Task 1 and Task 2. What matters more is variety within each category so you're not repeating 'moreover' or 'however' five times per essay.

• Addition: as well as this, on top of that, another point worth noting is that... (not just 'moreover' every time)
• Contrast: that said, on the other hand, while this is true, X does not; in some cases, though...
• Cause and effect: as a result, this means that, which in turn leads to, this explains why...
• Sequence: to begin with, following on from this, once this happens, eventually...
• Giving examples: a clear case of this is, one instance is, this is evident in...
• Concession: admittedly, it is true that... but, while some argue X, the evidence suggests...

Cohesion Isn't Just Connectors: Reference and Substitution

The most underused cohesion tools in IELTS scripts are reference and lexical substitution, using pronouns, synonyms, and general nouns to link back to something already mentioned, instead of repeating the exact word or adding a connector.

For example, instead of writing 'Governments should invest in public transport. Governments should also...', a stronger sentence links back naturally: 'Governments should invest in public transport. Such investment would also...' Here 'such investment' does the cohesive work that a candidate might otherwise try to force with 'furthermore.'

Similarly, pronouns (this, these, such, it) referring clearly to a previous idea are genuine markers of high-level cohesion, examiners are trained to notice when reference is used accurately and when it's vague or missing. Practising this skill matters more, at higher bands, than adding another connector.

Paragraphing: The Cohesion Tool Most Candidates Ignore

A well-organised essay with almost no explicit linking words will still score reasonably on cohesion if each paragraph has a clear topic sentence, one main idea, and supporting sentences that build on it logically. Poor paragraphing, ideas jumping between points, or two unrelated ideas crammed into one paragraph, cannot be fixed by adding more connectors.

A reliable structure for Task 2: introduction (paraphrase + thesis), two or three body paragraphs each built around a single idea, and a conclusion that restates your position without introducing new points. Within a paragraph, the link between sentence one and sentence two should usually come from the content itself, not from an inserted word.

A Quick Before-and-After Example

Overstuffed version: 'Firstly, remote work increases flexibility. Moreover, it saves commuting time. Furthermore, it reduces office costs. In addition, it can improve wellbeing. However, some people miss office interaction.'

More natural version: 'Remote work offers several practical advantages. It removes the daily commute, which frees up time that many employees reinvest in family life or exercise, and it lowers overhead costs for employers who need less office space. These benefits do not suit everyone, though; some staff report missing the informal interaction that a shared office provides.'

The second version uses far fewer explicit connectors, yet it's easier to follow because the logic between ideas is built into the sentences themselves, with 'these benefits' doing quiet cohesive work instead of another connector.

How to Practise This Without Overthinking It

Write your first draft with no linking words at all, focusing purely on getting one clear idea per sentence and one clear point per paragraph. Then go back and add a connector only where the relationship between two sentences genuinely needs signalling, not out of habit.

Read the paragraph aloud afterwards. If a connector sounds inserted rather than necessary, cut it. Over time, aim to vary your connector choices across an essay rather than reusing the same two or three repeatedly.

You can practise full Task 1 and Task 2 responses and get instant, practice-based feedback on coherence and cohesion, along with the other three criteria, on Bandleep for free. Bandleep's AI scoring gives a useful practice estimate to help you spot overused connectors and weak paragraph links, but it isn't an official IELTS score.