Linking Words for IELTS Essay Writing

Linking Words for IELTS Essay Writing

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Written by IELTS Mentor

'Coherence and Cohesion' contains one-fourth of your IELTS Writing task 2 and score. Linking words/phrases help you achieve this Coherence e & Cohesion while making your essay more appealing to the examiner. As an IELTS candidate, you should learn various linking words, their meaning and appropriate use in your writing. It is obvious that the examiner will check the range of your vocabulary, the way your sentences flow, and the type of linking words/ phrases you use. Linking words are also called transitional words or connecting words and this article aims to enhance your linking word vocabulary and show you their use in different sentences. Let's start learning ---

Presenting Your Opinion:

In my opinion: In my opinion, both the government and citizens of a country should come forward and fight corruption.

I think: I think, students at the university level should not be forced to attend the class.

In my view: In my view, mothers have more intimate relationships with their children and that is why they should spend more time with them.

I believe: This is undoubtedly a very good solution but I believe, there are better solutions than that.

I admit: I admit that we now have a busy life but that does not mean that we should not find time to take part in community programmes that are aimed to make our community a better place to live in.
 

Agree/ Disagree:

I agree: I agree with the notion that students should take a year gap for travelling or working before they graduate.

I concur: I concur with the opinion that specifically supports restricting car ownership as a measure to kerb air pollution.

I disagree: I disagree with the viewpoint that women leadership ensures world peace.

I cannot agree: I cannot agree that increasing the fuel price would be a viable solution to restrict the vehicles on the road.

I oppose the idea: I oppose the idea that people attend a college or a university only to get a job.

I cannot accept: I cannot accept the fact that tourism alone is responsible for the loss of native culture and tradition.

Giving Examples: 

To cite an example: To cite an example, I started learning a second language at my primary school and that did not increase my study pressure at all.

For example: For example, most companies want their employees to enhance their skills so that they can better performance over time.

For instance: For instance, many developing countries are trying to improve their GDP through their export activities.

Namely: Namely, Australia and Canada have many charity organisations which work exactly for this cause.

To illustrate:  To illustrate, universities, these days, offer a wide range of subjects than they used to do in the past.

One clear example: One clear example would be my sister who, despite her graduation in mathematics, works as a journalist in a daily newspaper.

In other words: In other words, fathers should share these responsibilities and let mothers enjoy some leisure hours. [N.B. Use this expression (i.e. in other words) to express or point something in a different way, to make it easier, clear and to emphasise.]

To give an example: To give an example, modern household appliances and kitchenware have made the cooking process easier and faster.

Listing Points: 

First/ Firstly/ To begin with:

First, public transportations are cheap and can carry many passengers at a time.
Firstly, increasing the fuel price would affect the daily budget of all citizens.
To begin with, old people has paid taxes and worked for the country for their whole life.

Second/ Secondly:

Second(ly), we do not have to worry about parking, garage, traffic rule violation and fuel cost when we do not own a car.

Third(ly)... Fourth(ly):

Third(ly), smoking does not have a single benefit but a pile of disadvantages.
Fourth(ly), the ever-increasing population is a reason for increased house rent, competitive job market and pollution.

Lastly/ Finally/ Last but not least:

Lastly, rail is one of the safest transportation systems that can carry a huge number of passengers at a time.
Finally, parents spend more time with their children than a teacher does.
Last but not least, countries like Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Nepal prove that violence and crime can be at a peak even under the woman leadership.

Reasons and Causes: 

Since: Since the developing countries have adopted technology in their agriculture sector, their yearly productions have increased significantly.

Because: Another group of people attend a night school because they work in the daytime.

As: As mothers mostly stay home, they have a greater responsibility in upbringing children.

Due to: Due to the widespread corruption in these less developed countries, the fund should be directly handled and utilised by the authority of the developed countries.

Owing to: (means because of/ on account of).
The new factory would have many negative effects and would destroy the serenity of our community owing to its location in the middle of our area.
 

Adding Information:

Additionally: Additionally, computer games are addictive and can waste a large portion of the valuable time of a school-going child.

Moreover: Moreover, young people have better technological knowledge than the older generation.

In addition: In addition, fast food contains fat, preservative, and other harmful ingredients which are very detrimental to our health.

Furthermore: Furthermore, helping developing countries in terms of providing education facilities, can strengthen the relationship between two countries. 

And: And the negative impacts of establishing a large factory in our community would trigger other adverse consequences which would be hard to tackle in the long run.

Not only... but also: Not only deforestation damages the natural habitats of many species but also is the main reason for global warming.

Also: Also, cities provide better job opportunities and a better living standard.

As well as: Too much dependency on technological devices as well as the internet would bring catastrophic consequences once something goes wrong.

Results and Consequences: 

As a result: As a result, lessons learned from our experiences have better effects on our life.

Hence: Hence, I completely disagree that the factory would be a good place for new jobs for the community people.

So: So, owning a private car would offer someone the freedom that he usually does not have without it.

Therefore: Therefore, television is the most popular media for entertainment in most of the countries in the world.

Thus: Thus, overreliance on technology can bring dreadful events in the upcoming future.

Consequently: Consequently, we remember such gifts and revere the good wishes that were conveyed through those gifts.

For this reason: For this reason, I would like to own a private car than always relying on public transportations.

To Indicate Time:

Subsequently: Subsequently, the increasing population in the city areas are the main reason there are so many unemployed people in these cities.

Eventually: Eventually, the cost of medical health care would increase day by day and mass people would find it hard to get proper medical facilities.

Meanwhile: Meanwhile, a single international language would reduce the language barrier among the people of different countries to a great extent.

Henceforth: (Meaning - Hereafter, hence, subsequently, from now on.)
Henceforth, the government should increase its budget and manpower for fighting corruption.

Initially: Initially, it can be supported by the government but in the long run, it should be people who should spontaneously support this cause both verbally and financially. 

Highlighting & Emphasising: 

Especially: This step would be advantageous for people, especially for rural people, as it would increase the job opportunities in rural areas.

Clearly: Clearly, this law is a violation of people's privacy and that is why this law needs amendments.

Obviously: Obviously, automation in government sectors would reduce corruption to a great extent.

Specifically: Corruption in government sectors, specifically in countries like India and Bangladesh, is another hindrance in the overall progress.

Of course: Of course, the government has a responsibility to support those older people. But that does not mean that children of such senior citizens are free from their own responsibilities towards their aged parents.

In particular: In particular, there is almost no university in such underdeveloped areas and a large number of students, due to this, move to the city areas each year.  

Presenting Contrast:

Despite: Despite its immense benefits, we should be wary of its usages in our daily life.

In spite of: In spite of remarkable progress in recent years, women are still suffering from social discrimination in many developing countries.

By contrast: By contrast, knowledge gained from travelling and from real-life experiences has a greater impact on our future course of actions in life.

Alternatively: Alternatively, the government can impose laws to control the market price of most essential commodities.

Another opinion could be: Another option could be restricting the number of children a family can have.

On the other hand: On the other hand, owning a car is expensive as it requires parking, fuel, servicing, maintaining and yearly renewal costs.

Still: Still, strictly controlling the number of children a family can have is not a feasible solution.

However: However, many destitute families rely on the earnings those young children bring to the family.

Although: Although implementing this would require a huge sum of money, this, in my opinion, is the most optimal solution.

Even though: Even though their arguments are somewhat convincing to listen to, in reality, the scenario is quite the opposite.

But: But, the investment in trade and finance alone does not guarantee a steady growth of the GDP for this country.

Presenting Comparison: 

In comparison: In comparison to the past century, people these days do not have a strong family tie.

Admittedly: Admittedly, severe punishments set examples to other people temporarily but it lacks any long term effect.

Similarly: Similarly, capital punishment is brutal and fail to establish a bridge between social unrest and reformation.

Likewise: Likewise, technological advancement creates new job opportunities both in developing and developed countries.

In the same way: In the same way, increasing the tax would not be a viable solution to address this issue.

Linking Words for Conclusion:

In conclusion: In conclusion, we should strictly monitor the type of programmes our children watch each day.

To conclude: To conclude, university admission should be merit-based, not gender-based. 

To draw the conclusion: To draw the conclusion, this is our world and we have to save it. Uncontrolled use of natural resources would endanger our very existence and that is why we should be much sensible of their usages.

To sum up: To sum up, it is up to us to judge the authenticity of the news. But the journalists also have a professional and moral obligation to present us the truth.