Writing tool
Linking words & cohesive devices
Examiners reward variety, not volume. Rotate connectors across paragraphs and use sentence-internal cohesion (pronouns, synonyms, demonstratives) — not just transitions at the start of every sentence.
IELTSTOEFLGeneral
Addition
Mid-band
- • and
- • also
- • as well as
- • in addition
- • another point is
High-band
- • furthermore
- • moreover
- • what is more
- • not only … but also
- • in addition to this
Contrast & concession
Mid-band
- • but
- • however
- • although
- • on the other hand
- • in contrast
High-band
- • nevertheless
- • nonetheless
- • conversely
- • despite (the fact that)
- • whereas
- • while it is true that …
Cause & result
Cause
- • because
- • since
- • as
- • due to
- • owing to
- • on account of
Result
- • therefore
- • thus
- • consequently
- • as a result
- • hence
- • for this reason
Sequence
Listing
- • firstly
- • secondly
- • thirdly
- • lastly
- • finally
Time
- • previously
- • subsequently
- • meanwhile
- • afterwards
- • ultimately
Example & emphasis
Example
- • for instance
- • for example
- • such as
- • namely
- • to illustrate
- • a case in point is
Emphasis
- • indeed
- • clearly
- • undoubtedly
- • in particular
- • above all
Conclusion
Summary
- • in conclusion
- • to sum up
- • in summary
- • on balance
- • to conclude
- • overall
How to avoid the "linker every sentence" trap
- Use a connector at most once per paragraph at the start of a sentence.
- Build internal cohesion with pronouns (this, these, such) and synonyms.
- Vary the position of the connector — "However, the data …" / "The data, however, …".
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