IELTS Writing Task 2 Vocabulary: Linking Words & Band 9 Phrases
Half of your Task 2 band comes from two criteria that vocabulary controls directly: Coherence and Cohesion (your linking words and paragraph flow) and Lexical Resource (your word choice). Each is worth 25% of the Writing score.
This guide covers both in one place: the linking words examiners expect, organised by what each group actually does; the opinion and argument phrases that frame a band 9 essay; real band 6 versus band 9 sentence comparisons; and the overuse mistake that quietly caps thousands of essays at band 6.5.
How are linking words scored in IELTS Writing Task 2?
Linking words are assessed under Coherence and Cohesion, which is 25% of your Task 2 score. Band 6 uses them mechanically or with faulty cohesion. Band 7 and above uses a range flexibly, and band 9 makes cohesion feel effortless, so accuracy and restraint matter far more than the number of linkers you fit in.
The Coherence and Cohesion descriptors are explicit about the difference between bands:
- Band 6: uses cohesive devices effectively, but “cohesion within and/or between sentences may be faulty or mechanical” — the classic Firstly/Secondly/Finally essay.
- Band 7: “uses a range of cohesive devices appropriately although there may be some under-/over-use” — variety, mostly natural.
- Band 8–9: cohesion “attracts no attention” — the linking is so natural the reader never notices it. Much of it comes from referencing (“this policy”, “such measures”, “these benefits”) rather than connector words.
The takeaway: linking words are necessary but not sufficient. Band 8+ cohesion mixes connectors with referencing words like this, these, such, the former — which is exactly what the band 9 examples below do.
What are the best linking words for IELTS Writing Task 2?
The most useful linking words for Task 2 are grouped by function: furthermore and moreover for adding, however and nevertheless for contrasting, consequently and as a result for cause and effect, for instance for examples, and overall for concluding. Learn them by job rather than alphabetically, and use roughly one per paragraph.
Learn linkers by what they do, not alphabetically. For each function below, the “everyday” option is fine in speech but weak in essays; the alternatives are what band 7+ essays use.
| Function | Everyday (avoid) | Band 7+ alternatives | How to use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adding a point | and, also | furthermore, moreover, what is more, in addition | Use one per paragraph at most — stacking them reads as padding. |
| Contrasting | but | however, nevertheless, whereas, on the other hand, despite this | “Whereas” joins two clauses; “however” starts a new sentence. Mixing these up is a common grammar error. |
| Cause and effect | so, because | consequently, as a result, therefore, this leads to, owing to | The strongest essays show the causal chain explicitly: cause, linker, effect. |
| Giving examples | for example | for instance, a case in point is, this is illustrated by, such as | “A case in point” should introduce a developed example, not a three-word one. |
| Sequencing | firstly, secondly | to begin with, subsequently, a further consideration is, finally | Fine in moderation; mechanical “Firstly... Secondly... Thirdly...” caps Coherence at band 6–7. |
| Concluding | in conclusion | overall, in summary, on balance, taking everything into account | “On balance” is ideal for discussion essays because it signals weighing, not just ending. |
The complete list — with an example sentence and collocations for every linker — lives in our dedicated word bank: linking words for Writing Task 2.
Which phrases should you use to give an opinion in Task 2?
Use hedged, academic phrasing rather than blunt statements. In my view and it could be argued that state a position; proponents contend attributes one; while this holds some merit weighs it. Examiners reward the ability to attribute and qualify an argument, not the strength of the opinion itself.
Every Task 2 essay type — opinion, discussion, advantages, problem–solution — needs language that states, attributes and weighs positions. These phrases do that work:
| Phrase | When to use it |
|---|---|
| I am firmly of the view that ... | Strong opinion essays — clearer than “I think”. |
| It seems to me that ... | Softer stance when you partially agree. |
| There is little doubt that ... | Asserting a widely accepted point before your argument. |
| Critics argue that ..., yet ... | Introducing the opposing view before refuting it. |
| The evidence suggests that ... | Introducing your supporting example or reasoning. |
| A more balanced approach would be to ... | Proposing solutions in problem–solution essays. |
To see these phrases working inside complete essays, read the band 9 Task 2 sample essays, and pick your practice question from the current Task 2 topics by theme.
What is the difference between band 6 and band 9 linking?
A band 6 sentence bolts a linker onto the front and stops. A band 9 sentence carries the logic inside its own grammar, so the connection is visible even if you delete the linker. If removing the linking word leaves the meaning intact, the cohesion was decorative rather than structural.
Band 6: “Firstly, technology is good for students because they can learn many things. Also, it is bad because they get distracted.”
Band 9: “Digital tools give students access to far more material than any textbook; however, this very accessibility makes distraction constant, and such distraction erodes the deep concentration that learning requires.”
Band 6: “In conclusion, governments should spend money on prevention because it is very important.”
Band 9: “On balance, preventive spending offers the greater return: every case avoided spares both the patient and the far higher cost of treatment.”
Notice what changed: the band 9 sentences link with however, such, on balance woven into the argument, use precise vocabulary (erodes, preventive, spares), and never announce their structure mechanically.
Can using too many linking words lower your IELTS score?
Yes. Overusing linking words is one of the most common reasons a Coherence score stalls at band 6. Starting every sentence with a connector reads as mechanical, which the band 6 descriptor names directly. Aim for one or two per paragraph and let sentence structure carry the rest of the logic.
The band 7 descriptor explicitly mentions “over-use”. These are the patterns examiners flag:
- A connector starting every sentence. “Moreover... Furthermore... Additionally...” in one paragraph signals memorised scaffolding, not cohesion.
- Heavyweight linkers on lightweight ideas. “Nevertheless, I like coffee” mismatches register — the idea does not earn the connector.
- Decorative idioms. “Every coin has two sides” and “a hot potato” are memorised clichés in essays and are marked accordingly. Keep idiomatic language for Speaking.
- Same linker twice in a paragraph. If you have written “however” twice, replace one with yet, whereas or restructure the sentence.
A reliable self-check: read your essay and delete every linker that could vanish without losing meaning. What remains is cohesion; what you deleted was decoration. Then submit the essay to a free IELTS Writing practice test — the feedback scores Coherence and Cohesion and Lexical Resource separately, so you can see exactly which one is holding your band down.
Conclusion
Task 2 vocabulary is a system with three layers: linkers chosen by function, argument phrases that frame positions, and precise topic words that carry the ideas. Band 9 essays use all three so smoothly the reader never notices the machinery. Learn the groups above, practise them inside real essays rather than in isolation, and let scored feedback tell you when the linking has stopped attracting attention.
Write one essay today using three linkers, two argument phrases and zero clichés — then get it scored.