IELTSVegaIELTS linking words: the list, examples, and how many to use
IELTS linking words by function for Writing Task 1, Task 2 and Speaking, with examples, and why overusing them costs you marks in Coherence and Cohesion.
IELTS linking words, also called connectors, transition words or cohesive devices, are the words that show how one idea relates to the next: however, therefore, for example, in addition. In Writing they are marked under Coherence and Cohesion, a quarter of your score for each task; in Speaking, under Fluency and Coherence. Knowing a list of them is easy. What the examiner actually rewards is using them only where the logic needs marking, and using the other half of cohesion, reference and substitution, which almost every linking words list leaves out.
Below: what the official band descriptors say, the list by function with examples, the words that suit Task 1, Task 2, the General Training letter and Speaking, the mistakes that cost marks, and an exercise.
What the band descriptors say about linking words
The public Writing band descriptors are unusually direct on this. Overuse is named as a fault at Band 5 and Band 6. Band 7 asks for a range of cohesive devices including reference and substitution. Band 9 describes cohesion that very rarely attracts attention, which is the opposite of an essay with a connector at the start of every sentence.
- The takeaway: more linking words is not a higher band. Accurate linking words, fewer of them, and some cohesion done by reference is.
| Band | What the descriptor says about cohesion | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Cohesion is used so that it very rarely attracts attention | The reader notices the argument, not the connectors |
| 8 | Ideas logically sequenced; cohesion well managed | Linkers where needed, invisible where not |
| 7 | A range of cohesive devices, including reference and substitution, used flexibly, with some inaccuracies or over/under use | Variety, plus "this", "such", "which" and "the former" doing some of the linking |
| 6 | Cohesive devices used to some good effect, but cohesion may be faulty or mechanical through misuse, overuse or omission | The Firstly / Moreover / In conclusion essay lives here |
| 5 | Limited or overused cohesive devices, with some inaccuracy; repetitive through weak reference and substitution | The same two linkers everywhere, and the same noun repeated |
| 4 | Some basic cohesive devices, which may be inaccurate or repetitive | Mostly "and", "but" and "because", sometimes wrongly |
IELTS linking words list, by function
Learn these by what they do, not as one long list. If you know the relationship you want to show, you can pick the word; if you only know the word, you will use it in the wrong place. Watch the grammar column: many mistakes are about what follows the linker, not the linker itself.
| Function | Linking words | Example | Grammar note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adding a point | In addition, Furthermore, Moreover, Also, As well as | Public transport cuts emissions. In addition, it reduces congestion. | "As well as" is followed by a noun or -ing form |
| Contrast | However, In contrast, On the other hand, Whereas, While | Cities offer more jobs, whereas rural areas offer lower costs. | "However" starts a new sentence, followed by a comma |
| Concession | Although, Even though, Despite, In spite of, Admittedly | Although fees have risen, applications keep growing. | "Despite" takes a noun: despite the cost, never despite of |
| Cause | Because, Since, As, Due to, Owing to | Many graduates move abroad due to low salaries. | "Due to" takes a noun, "because" takes a clause |
| Result | Therefore, As a result, Consequently, Thus, So | Housing is scarce. As a result, rents have doubled. | "So" is informal at the start of a sentence |
| Example | For example, For instance, Such as, In particular | Some sports, such as swimming, need expensive facilities. | "Such as" is followed by a noun, never a full sentence |
| Sequence | First, Then, After that, Subsequently, Finally | The grain is first dried and then ground. | "Finally" is the last point; "at last" means after a long wait |
| Emphasis | In fact, Indeed, Clearly, Above all | Above all, the policy must be affordable. | Use sparingly; emphasis on everything is emphasis on nothing |
| Clarifying | In other words, That is to say, Namely | Screen time, in other words time on phones and tablets, has doubled. | Restates the same idea more simply |
| Condition | If, Unless, Provided that, As long as | Remote work succeeds provided that teams meet regularly. | "Unless" already means "if not"; do not add another "not" |
| Opinion | In my view, I would argue that, From my perspective | In my view, the benefits outweigh the costs. | State it once clearly rather than in every paragraph |
| Concluding | In conclusion, To sum up, Overall | In conclusion, both approaches have merit. | No new ideas after it; "Overall" also opens a Task 1 overview |
Linking words for IELTS Writing Task 2
Task 2 needs linking at three levels: between paragraphs, between the sentences inside a paragraph, and inside sentences. Paragraph-level links are where candidates overdo it. A clear topic sentence already tells the reader a new point has started, so "Firstly" and "Secondly" add little.
Here is a body paragraph that links well without leaning on connectors. The linkers are in brackets for reference.
"Another reason cities should invest in cycle lanes is public health. [reference: Another reason] Commuters who cycle are more active than those who drive, and this [reference] daily exercise lowers the risk of heart disease. A city that builds protected lanes, for example [example], makes cycling a safe everyday choice rather than a risk. Such [reference] schemes are not cheap; however [contrast], they cost far less than treating the illnesses that inactivity causes."
Count the connectors proper: two. The rest of the cohesion comes from "Another", "this" and "Such", which point back to something already said. That mix is what the Band 7 descriptor means by reference and substitution.
- Introduction: "This essay will argue that…" or simply state your position; a thesis needs no linker.
- Body paragraphs: a topic sentence, then "This means…", "For example…", "As a result…" to develop it.
- Discussion essays: "On the one hand… On the other hand…" belong together; the second without the first reads as a slip.
- Conclusion: "In conclusion" or "Overall", then restate the position. No new argument after it.
Linking words for IELTS Writing Task 1
Academic Task 1 has its own small set, because you are comparing figures and describing change rather than arguing.
| You are describing | Useful linking words | Example |
|---|---|---|
| A comparison | whereas, while, by contrast, similarly, likewise, compared with | Sales in Japan doubled, whereas those in Korea fell slightly. |
| A trend over time | over the period, from… to…, by 2020, thereafter, before levelling off | Numbers rose steadily until 2010 and levelled off thereafter. |
| A process diagram | first, next, once, after which, subsequently, finally, at the same time | Once the bottles are sorted, they are washed, after which they are crushed. |
| A map | meanwhile, in place of, to the north of, whereas previously | The park remains, whereas the factory has been replaced by housing. |
| The overview | Overall, In general, It is clear that | Overall, car use rose while bus use declined. |
Linking words for the General Training letter
The letter's linking words have to match its register. A formal complaint uses "Furthermore", "In addition" and "I would therefore like…". An informal letter to a friend uses "Anyway", "Also", "By the way" and "So". "Moreover" in a letter to your cousin is a tone mistake, and tone is marked in General Training Task 1.
Linking words for IELTS Speaking
In Speaking, linking is marked under Fluency and Coherence, and the Band 7 descriptor asks for flexible use of spoken discourse markers. Spoken linkers are different from written ones. "Furthermore" and "Moreover" sound like an essay read aloud; natural speech uses shorter markers.
- Use them to buy thinking time naturally: "Well, that's an interesting one. I'd say…" is fluent; silence is not.
- Do not recite a memorised chain. "Firstly… secondly… thirdly… in conclusion" in a Part 1 answer sounds rehearsed.
| Part | What you are doing | Natural linking words |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Short personal answers | Well, Actually, To be honest, I mean, That's why |
| Part 2 | A two-minute story | It was back in…, At first, Then, After a while, In the end, Looking back |
| Part 3 | Discussing and justifying opinions | I'd say that…, The thing is…, On the other hand, That said, It depends on…, For instance |
Reference and substitution: the cohesion Band 7 asks for
Reference means pointing back to something already said instead of repeating it: this, these, it, they, such, the former, the latter. Substitution means replacing a word or phrase with a shorter one: one, ones, do so. Both link sentences without any connector, and both are named in the Band 7 descriptor.
Before: "Many young people use social media every day. Social media can affect young people's sleep. Social media also affects young people's concentration."
After: "Many young people use social media every day, and this habit can affect their sleep. It also affects their concentration."
The second version has no additional linking words at all. It is more cohesive because "this habit", "their" and "It" carry the reader from one idea to the next.
Common linking word mistakes in IELTS
- Starting every sentence or paragraph with a connector. This is the "mechanical" cohesion the Band 6 descriptor describes.
- "On the other hand" with no first hand. It introduces the second side of a comparison; for a simple contrast use "However".
- "Although… but" in the same sentence. Use one: "Although it is expensive, it is popular."
- "Despite of". It is "despite the cost" or "in spite of the cost".
- "However" joining two sentences with a comma: "It is cheap, however it is slow." Use a full stop or semicolon before it.
- "Moreover" to add a point that actually contrasts. The linker must match the relationship, or it misleads the reader.
- "On the contrary" for a simple contrast. It rejects the previous statement; "In contrast" compares two things.
- "At last" for a final point. It means "after a long wait"; use "Finally" or "Lastly".
- A new idea after "In conclusion". The conclusion closes the argument you have made.
Exercise: fix a mechanical paragraph
Rewrite this paragraph so it keeps its meaning but uses no more than two connectors. Use reference words to do the rest.
"Firstly, online learning is flexible. Moreover, online learning is cheaper. Furthermore, online learning lets students study at their own pace. However, online learning can be isolating. Therefore, online learning needs some face-to-face contact."
One possible answer: "Online learning is flexible and usually cheaper, and it lets students study at their own pace. It can, however, be isolating, which is why the best courses combine it with some face-to-face contact."
Five connectors and five repetitions of "online learning" became two connectors, one "it" and one "which". The second version reads as one argument rather than a list, and that is the difference the descriptors describe between Band 6 and Band 7.
Check your own linking with a band score
It is hard to judge your own cohesion, because you always know what you meant. On IELTSVega you can write a Task 1 or Task 2 response and get an instant band score for each criterion, including Coherence and Cohesion, with written feedback on what held each one back. Write an essay, cut half the connectors, add reference words, and score it again.