Linking Adverbs & Phrases (Linkers)

Effective Use of Linkers in IELTS Writing Task 2

It’s important that there be clear links between the ideas in your IELTS Writing. This is especially important when writing the body paragraphs of your essay in IELTS Writing Task 2. Using linking adverbs and phrases (linkers) will help you do this effectively. In fact, skillful use of linkers will help you reach above band 7 for Coherence & Cohesion. There are 7 categories of linkers which are useful for your IELTS Writing tasks.

• Showing Continuation: in addition/ furthermore/ moreover

• Showing Contrast: however/ but/ in contrast/ despite/ nonetheless/ nevertheless/ on the other hand/ in spite of/ while/ whilst/ whereas/ although/ even though/ though

• Showing Similarity: similarly/ in a similar manner/ in the same way/ likewise

• Showing Purpose: in order to/ so (that)/ so as to/ to

• Showing Cause: because/ because of/ due to/ since

• Showing Result: as a result/ therefore/ in consequence/ thus

• Giving Examples: for example/ for instance/ as an example

• Generalizing: on balance/ overall

• Concluding: To sum up/ In conclusion/ To summarise

You don't need to learn all of these, but make sure you know one concluding linker, and two linkers from each of the other categories.

Many IELTS test takers use too many linkers. In good essay writing, it is unusual to use more than four or five linkers in a paragraph.

You should be particularly careful with linkers for showing continuation (in addition, furthermore, moreover, also). Using a lot of continuation linkers is a sign that you are introducing lots of ideas, but not developing them enough.

Have a look at the following two paragraphs. The first paragraph, overuses linkers, so it looks unnatural. The second paragraph uses fewer linkers, with a better result.

Overuse of linkers

As a result of various changes in society it is much harder for people to maintain close ties with their families than previously. For one, in the past, people tended to live very near relatives during their whole lives. Consequently, they spent more time with their loved ones. Furthermore, people's lives today are busier than in the past. Thus, they have less spare time to spend with their families. In addition, there are more entertainment options than in the past. Moreover, society has become more individualistic, and people tend to focus more on personal development. In consequence, people tend to have less time for relatives.

Effective use of linkers:

As a result of various changes in society it is much harder for people to maintain close ties with their families than previously. For one, in the past, people tended to live very near relatives during their whole lives, whereas in today’s world this is not the case. These days, people are more mobile and regularly move to different cities or even countries in order to find a better job, take advantage of better education or for some other opportunity. This makes it more difficult to socialise with relatives and therefore more difficult to maintain close relationships. Furthermore, people’s lives are busier today than they were in the past. We have a plethora of work and personal responsibilities, not to mention all of the recreational and personal development opportunities now available. This means that it is even harder to find time for family.

Notice that as well as linkers, the second paragraph uses referencing to link the ideas. Expressions such as "This makes it...." and "This means that..." offer an alternative for linking to the previous idea. We will discuss referencing more later.

You will also notice that the second paragraph contains fewer ideas, so there is more development of these ideas. Using few continuation linkers, and more referencing is a good sign that you are developing your ideas effectively.

Exercise 1:

Match each sentence beginning 1 - 6 with the most appropriate ending A - F.

1. People today consume much more sugar than in the past and

2. The number of female engineering students in the UK is increasing;

3. Doing more exercise benefits your physical health in many ways and,

4. Some people argue that more money should be spent on protecting rainforests, 

5. It is necessary to increase the funding to improve the rail network

6. There has been a decrease in the national birth rate

A. in order to reduce problems of traffic congestion. 

B. as a result, there are many more people who suffer from obesity.

C. despite government efforts to encourage people to have larger families. 

D. nevertheless, the government should do more to encourage women into the field.

E. while others think that this money could be better spent on increasing economic development.

F. moreover, research has shown that it can lower levels of depression and anxiety.

Exercise 2:

Choose the most appropriate linker in each sentence below.

1. Preparing food at home is usually much cheaper than eating out. As a result/ While cooking at home allows people to save a lot of money.

2. It is much harder for people to maintain close family ties because of/ because changes in society. 

3. When driving, it is not necessary to deal with bad weather, or crowded places, in addition/ however, there is more danger of being involved in an accident.

4. Although/ Despite there are many advantages to holidaying in your home country, most people prefer to travel abroad.

5. Studies have shown that students perform better in classrooms with natural lighting; similarly/ consequently, workplace productivity increases in offices designed to maximize exposure to daylight.

6. In their early years, most children spend the majority of their time with their parents. Furthermore/ Nonetheless, children tend to look up to and imitate their parents.

Exercise 3:

Read the model answer and fill in the gaps with the appropriate linking word or phrase from the list below:

in contrast/ for example/ similarly/ therefore/ on the other hand/ however/ while/ for instance

It is sometimes argued that appearance is very important and indicates if a person has a good or bad character. In my opinion, 1____________ the way a person dresses and takes care of his or her appearance are important in certain situations where it is necessary to make a good impression, in others, they shouldn't matter.

In some contexts, a good appearance does not particularly matter. If a person is with friends or relatives then it should not be important if he or she wears scruffy clothes or is not well-groomed. When you are with people who know you well, there is no need to impress anyone and you should not be judged on the image you present. 2____________, if you work in a job where it isn’t necessary to interact with customers, appearance is not so crucial, so 3____________, a computer programmer who works remotely, doesn’t have any pressing need to be clean-shaven or have a clean-cut look. Simply being tidy and clean is generally enough. 4____________, of course, there are some situations where a good appearance is more important.

There are times when impressions count. This is often the case in professional situations. 5____________, at a job interview, at a conference, or at any other work-related event where you are likely to meet customers or colleagues, smart clothes and a good appearance play an important role. They will show people that you are concerned with what they think of you and 6____________, you are the kind of person who will work hard to be useful and productive. 7____________, unkempt hair or messy clothing suggests a lack of respect for others, and may give the impression that you could be unhelpful and difficult to work with. Naturally, this could have a detrimental effect on your business or career.

In conclusion, having a good appearance matters if you want to show people who don’t know you that you are a serious and conscientious person. If, 8____________, you’re with people who already understand your character, looking good is not an important consideration.

Exercise 4:  

What other linkers would also fit in each gap?

Activity:

The linkers have been taken out of this essay. Add linkers wherever you think appropriate to improve the coherence and cohesion of the essay. You can change punctuation to accommodate linkers if necessary. 

Some people make a lot of effort to realise their dreams. Others are satisfied with their present situation. I strongly believe that setting big goals and having aspirations is an important part of a fulfilling life. Having a dream motivates us to work harder and if we can achieve them, we feel a great sense of satisfaction.

Dreams give us the motivation and drive that push us to be more successful. They give us something to set our minds on, and encourage a person to strive to achieve his or her goals. This dedication, a person is much more likely to enjoy eventual success. Having a dream helps us to maintain a positive mindset, which allows us to overcome greater challenges and obstacles. Many great entrepreneurs were able to deal with repeated business failures. They set a goal and then stayed focused on it. Their dreams gave them the strength they needed to persevere and get through the hard times.

Chasing dreams involves sacrifice. Achieving dreams is ultimately very fulfilling. To make a dream come true, a person often has to give up a lot of their free time, and make sacrifices in their personal lives. Successful business people like Elon Musk, Bill Gates or Jack Ma famously work extremely long hours and have little time left over for other hobbies or activities. Achieving their visions and making their dreams a reality, no doubt gives them a deep sense of achievement. I believe that this feeling of accomplishment is an important ingredient in contentment and satisfaction in life.

Striving to make dreams come true can involve giving up other passions and interests. It will likely lead to greater success in life and a deeper feeling of achievement and contentment. Chasing our dreams should be encouraged.