Linking words (also called connectors or cohesive devices) show the reader how one idea relates to the next: however signals a contrast, therefore a result, for example an illustration. In Task 2 they are marked under Coherence and Cohesion, one of the 4 equally weighted Writing criteria. IELTS describes this criterion as using "a range of cohesive devices (for example, linking words, pronouns and conjunctions, etc.) appropriately" (ielts.org).
The key words are range and appropriately: more linkers do not mean more marks. Below are the linkers by function, their grammar, the overuse traps and a full essay with the key links marked.
What the examiner looks for
The official band descriptors describe cohesion at each band. Here is the Task 2 Coherence and Cohesion column, cut to what it says about linking.
| Band | What the descriptor says | What it looks like in an essay |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | "limited/overuse of cohesive devices with some inaccuracy"; writing "may be repetitive" because reference is weak | The same 2 or 3 linkers again and again, the same noun repeated instead of it or this |
| 6 | cohesion "may be faulty or mechanical due to misuse, overuse or omission" | A linker glued to the front of every sentence, or one that means the wrong thing |
| 7 | "a range of cohesive devices including reference and substitution is used flexibly but with some inaccuracies or some over/under use" | Varied linkers, many inside sentences; this, such and they carry ideas forward |
| 8 | "cohesion is well managed"; "occasional lapses in coherence and cohesion may occur" | Ideas are easy to follow; an occasional slip is allowed |
Band 7 names reference and substitution next to linking words. Reference means pointing back with it, they, this or such; substitution means replacing a word you already used, as in a cheaper one or do so. At band 9, cohesion "very rarely attracts attention".
Linking words by function
Pick a linker for the job it does, not for how advanced it sounds. The same rule applies to other words: Task 2 vocabulary grouped by meaning shows which synonym fits which sentence.
| Function | Options | Note on use |
|---|---|---|
| Adding | Moreover, Furthermore, In addition, Additionally, also | Only for a point on the same side |
| Contrast | However, In contrast, By contrast, whereas, while, On the other hand | On the other hand needs a real opposite |
| Concession | Although, Even though, Admittedly, despite + noun, While it is true that… | One linker per contrast: not although + but |
| Cause | because, since, as, owing to + noun, due to + noun | due to and owing to take a noun |
| Result | Therefore, Consequently, As a result, Thus, which means that… | Only after a cause you have explained |
| Example | For example, For instance, such as + noun, A clear example is… | such as goes before nouns |
| Similarity | Similarly, Likewise, In the same way, Equally | For two points that work alike |
| Rephrasing | In other words, That is to say, Put simply | Restates an idea; adds nothing new |
| Sequence | Firstly, First, The main reason is…, Another factor is…, Finally | Not needed in every paragraph |
| Conclusion | In conclusion, To conclude, Overall, To sum up | Once, at the start of the last paragraph |
The grammar each linking word needs
Choosing the right meaning is only half the job: the linker also needs the right grammatical pattern. Linking words come in 3 grammatical types.
| Type | Examples | Common pattern | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sentence connectors | However, Therefore, Moreover, As a result, Nevertheless | Usually starts a sentence or follows a semicolon, then a comma; can also go mid-sentence: Many people, however, still drive. | Fares are low. However, many people still drive. |
| Conjunctions | although, whereas, because, while, unless, so that | Join two clauses inside one sentence | Although fares are low, many people still drive. |
| Prepositions | despite, in spite of, due to, because of, in addition to |
| Despite the low fares, many people still drive. |
Which linking words students use most often
We counted which linkers open a sentence in Task 2 essays written on GoPrep. These figures show usage, not misuse: a linker is a problem only when it is wrong or not needed.
| Linker at the start of a sentence | Share of essays | How to use it well |
|---|---|---|
| On the other hand | 36% | Only for a real opposite side |
| However | 33% | Fine; vary with whereas or while |
| Furthermore / In addition / Moreover | 22% / 19% / 18% | One job, adding: don't stack them |
| Firstly | 14% | Fine once, or The main reason is… |
8,073 Task 2 essays on GoPrep, 28 July to 26 September 2026; a linker counts when it opens a sentence. In conclusion appears in 62% of essays, which is fine: once, in the last paragraph.
Overuse is different: 5 sentences with 5 linkers read like a list, as the practice paragraph below shows. The GoPrep AI examiner picks up to 3 priority fixes for each essay, and a fix to linking words was among them in 27% of 8,010 Task 2 essays with a Band Contract in the same period.
Reference: linking without linking words
Reference words point back to something you already wrote: it, they, this, these, such + noun, the former and the latter. They link ideas without a linker at the start of the sentence.
Many cities have built cycle lanes. These lanes make short trips faster than driving, and such changes can cut traffic in the centre.
The rule: the reader must know what each word points to. This alone after a long sentence is often unclear; this policy is not. IDP's guide to cohesion gives the same warning: a pronoun must match the noun it replaces.
| Essay score | Linking-word fix in the top 3 | Reference fix (it, this, they) in the top 3 | Linking devices vs paragraphing (average) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 5.0 | 24% | 9% | 4.0 vs 4.0 |
| 5.0 to 5.5 | 29% | 11% | 5.0 vs 5.5 |
| 6.0 to 6.5 | 25% | 16% | 6.0 vs 6.5 |
| 7.0 to 7.5 | 27% | 27% | 7.0 vs 7.5 |
| 8.0 and above | 30% | 41% | 8.0 vs 8.5 |
8,010 Task 2 essays with a Band Contract, 28 July to 26 September 2026 (937, 2,658, 2,458, 1,111 and 846 essays by row). Columns 2 and 3 show how often each fix was among up to 3 priority fixes, not how often the error occurred. Column 4: GoPrep's own sub-scores inside Coherence and Cohesion (not official IELTS), rounded to the nearest half band. Counting only one essay per learner in each row (their earliest in the period) changed columns 2 and 3 by no more than 2 percentage points.
Linking-word fixes appear at every level, in about 1 in 4 essays. Reference fixes are among the priority fixes more often in higher groups, up to 4 in 10 essays at 8.0 and above. That does not mean reference errors are more common at high scores: with only 3 slots, problems such as grammar take fewer of them there. In groups scoring 5.0 and above, the rounded average for linking devices was half a band below paragraphing.
Fix the unclear this.
Some cities have made buses free, and others have cut parking in the centre. This has reduced traffic.
Which change reduced traffic? The reader can't tell. Name it (This parking cut has reduced traffic) or cover both (These two measures have reduced traffic). Substitution also saves repetition: Other cities plan to do so.
A 4-step linking check (5 minutes)
Run it on your body paragraphs after writing. Here it is on a practice paragraph for this question:
Some people believe that public transport in cities should be free for everyone. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Band 6 practice paragraph
Firstly, free public transport reduces traffic. Moreover, it is good for environment. Furthermore, poor families can save money. On the other hand, buses will be more popular. Therefore, free transport is the best solution for cities.
- Mark the openers. Underline every sentence that starts with a linker: here, 5 of 5. When several sentences in a row begin with connectors, check whether each one adds a relationship the reader needs.
- Name each linker's job. Write the job in brackets: [add], [contrast], [result]. On the other hand is [contrast], but the next sentence is another benefit, so the linker is wrong. Therefore is [result], but nothing above proves it.
- Point back once. Replace one linker with reference: This…, Such trips…, These families….
- Join inside the sentence. Merge two short sentences with when, because, which or who.
One paragraph at band 6, 7 and 8
The same idea rewritten. These are practice examples written by the GoPrep team to show band 6, 7 and 8 features, not officially marked scripts: the examiner scores the whole essay, not one paragraph. The band 8 version is paragraph 2 of the model essay below.
Band 7 practice paragraph
One clear benefit of free public transport is less traffic. When travel costs nothing, many drivers who make short trips are likely to leave their cars at home, and this would reduce congestion in city centres. In addition, free travel helps low-income families, who spend a larger part of their income on fares than richer households do.
| Criterion | Band 6 | Band 7 | Band 8 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coherence and Cohesion | Every sentence opens with a linker; On the other hand and Therefore are misused: "faulty or mechanical" | One opener; when, who and this link ideas inside sentences, used "flexibly" | This and such trips chain the ideas; the links are hardly noticed: "cohesion is well managed" |
| Task Response | 4 ideas named, none developed | The traffic idea is explained: who changes their behaviour and why | The idea is extended and supported: where the effect is biggest and why fares matter more to poorer families |
| Lexical Resource | General words: good, best | Precise topic words: congestion, low-income families | Natural collocations: make short trips, a larger share of a small budget |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | Short simple sentences; an article error: good for environment | Complex sentences with when and who, no errors | A range of clauses (when, who, where, because) and a comparison, no errors |
Model essay with the links marked
A full answer to the same question, written by the GoPrep team as a practice example (265 words). Key cohesive devices are in bold: linkers, conjunctions and reference words.
In some cities, buses and trains are already free, and many people would like this policy to spread. I agree that free public transport can make cities cleaner and fairer, but only if it is funded in a way that does not weaken the service itself.
The strongest argument for free travel is its effect on traffic. When a bus journey costs nothing, drivers who make short trips have a clear reason to leave the car at home. This matters most in city centres, where such trips cause much of the congestion and air pollution. Free travel also helps low-income families, because fares take a larger share of a small budget than of a large one.
However, fares do more than raise money for the operator. They pay for new vehicles, drivers and repairs, so a city that removes them must find the same money elsewhere, usually through taxes. If it cannot, the result is easy to predict: more passengers on fewer, older buses. An overcrowded and unreliable service may even push people back into their cars, which would defeat the purpose of the policy.
For this reason, I believe the change should be gradual. A city could first make travel free for students, older people and the unemployed, and then extend the scheme to everyone once long-term funding is secure.
In conclusion, free public transport is a worthwhile goal, since it can reduce traffic and help people on low incomes. Nevertheless, it should be introduced step by step, so that the quality of the service does not fall as the number of passengers rises.
Four of the 14 sentences start with a sentence connector: However, For this reason, In conclusion, Nevertheless. Two more begin with subordinating conjunctions, When and If. The rest of the linking happens inside sentences (when, who, where, because, which) and through reference (this policy, such trips, they, the scheme). For this reason points back to the whole problem in paragraph 3, so it links paragraphs, not just sentences.
Check yourself
4 questions on choosing and placing linking words.
FAQ
What are linking words in IELTS Writing?
Linking words are words and phrases such as however, therefore and for example that show how ideas connect. IELTS counts them as cohesive devices, together with pronouns and conjunctions, under Coherence and Cohesion, one of the 4 equally weighted Writing criteria.
How many linking words should I use in IELTS Writing Task 2?
The band descriptors set no number. They reward a range of cohesive devices used accurately and describe overuse as mechanical. If several sentences in a row begin with a linker, check whether each one adds a relationship the reader needs.
Can I use "On the other hand" without "On the one hand"?
Yes. On the other hand can introduce a contrasting point on its own. Use it only for a real contrast, not to add another point on the same side.
Can I start a sentence with "And", "But" or "So" in an IELTS essay?
It is not a grammar error, but it can sound informal in an academic essay. As a style choice, keep and, but and so inside sentences, and use a connector such as However or Therefore when a sentence needs a formal opener.
Is "Firstly" wrong in IELTS Writing?
No. Firstly and First are both correct. The problem is a Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly pattern in every paragraph, which can read as mechanical cohesion.
Which linking words help you get band 7 in Writing?
No single word earns band 7. The band 7 descriptor asks for a range of cohesive devices, including reference and substitution, used flexibly. That means varied, accurate linkers plus words like this, such and they that point back to earlier ideas.
Where to go next
See how Coherence and Cohesion fits with the other criteria in IELTS Writing band descriptors. The model essay above is an opinion essay; the opinion essay guide shows how to plan one, and the Task 2 overview covers all 5 types. Linkers for graphs are in Task 1 vocabulary.
Tell the quiz your target score and exam date, and GoPrep builds a study plan around them.
P.S. The GoPrep course has a full lesson on linking devices, with more practice on turning stamped linkers into linked sentences.
GoPrep Team
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