IELTS Task 2 Cohesion: Linking Tricks Examiners Reward
Quick answer: Band 8 cohesion is not about using many linking words. It means ideas flow naturally: you use reference words like this, these and such, repeat key ideas with synonyms, start each paragraph with a clear topic sentence, and use connectors only where the logic needs them. Overusing moreover and furthermore can actually lower your score.↗ Share on X
To get Band 8 cohesion in IELTS Writing Task 2, use fewer linking words, not more. The public band descriptors for Band 8 say the writer "sequences information and ideas logically" and "manages all aspects of cohesion well." In practice, that means your ideas connect through reference words (this, these, such, it), through repeating key ideas with synonyms, through clear topic sentences, and through a connector only where the logic truly changes. An essay that starts every sentence with "Moreover" or "Furthermore" usually looks mechanical, and examiners notice.
Below you will find the exact tools, a before-and-after example, and a checklist you can use on your next practice essay.
What is the difference between coherence and cohesion?
Pick the Right English Tense for Daily Life Easily →
11 IELTS Speaking Tips That Match How Examiners Score You →
11 IELTS Speaking Tips That Actually Raise Your Band →These two words appear together in the scoring criterion "Coherence and Cohesion," which is 25% of your Task 2 score. They are not the same thing.
- Coherence is the big picture. Does the essay make sense as a whole? Is there one clear position? Does each paragraph have one main idea?
- Cohesion is the small picture. How are sentences joined to each other? How does one sentence point back to the one before it?
Think of coherence as the plan of a house and cohesion as the doors between rooms. You need both. This article focuses on the doors.
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Why does overusing linking words hurt your score?
Many students memorize a list of connectors and put one at the start of every sentence. The result looks like this:
Firstly, technology helps students. Moreover, it is cheap. Furthermore, it is fast. In addition, teachers like it. Consequently, schools should use it.
The band descriptors for lower bands mention cohesive devices that are "inadequate, inaccurate or over-used." Band 7 mentions "some under-/over-use." Band 8 asks for cohesion that is managed well, which means it feels natural and nobody notices it.
The fix is not to delete all connectors. It is to use other cohesive tools most of the time and save the connectors for real turns in logic.
What are the 5 cohesion tools Band 8 writers use?
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How to Use Complex Sentences in IELTS Writing for Band 8 →
IELTS Speaking: Word Pairs That Make You Sound Natural →| Tool | What it does | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Reference words | Point back to an idea already mentioned | "Remote work saves commuting time. This allows..." |
| Synonyms and word families | Avoid repeating the same noun | "employees" then "staff" then "workers" |
| Summary nouns | Wrap a whole idea into one noun | "This trend / Such a policy / This problem" |
| Topic chains | Keep the subject of sentences consistent | Each sentence builds on the last subject |
| Precise connectors | Mark a real change in logic | "However," "As a result," "For instance," |
1. Reference words
Words like this, that, these, those, it, they, such point back to something you already said. They are the most natural glue in English.
Weak: "Governments should tax sugary drinks. Taxing sugary drinks would reduce consumption."
Better: "Governments should tax sugary drinks. Such a tax would reduce consumption."
Be careful: "this" alone can be vague. "This is a problem" makes the reader ask, "What is?" Add a noun: "This rise in obesity is a problem."
2. Synonyms and word families
Repeating the exact same word five times sounds flat. Vary it, but only with words that truly mean the same thing.
- children, young people, the younger generation
- pollution, emissions, contamination (careful: they are not always identical)
- to decide, decision, decisive
3. Summary nouns
This is one of the strongest Band 8 signals. After describing a situation, sum it up in a noun phrase and use it to start the next sentence.
"Many young people now spend more than five hours a day on their phones. This habit can reduce the time they spend on physical activity."
Useful summary nouns: this trend, this approach, this problem, this change, this development, this view, such measures.
4. Topic chains
Good paragraphs move from known information to new information. The end of one sentence often becomes the start of the next.
"Many cities are building more bike lanes. These lanes make cycling safer. Safer cycling encourages more people to leave their cars at home."
Each sentence picks up what the last one ended with. The reader never gets lost.
5. Precise connectors
Use a connector when the logic changes direction:
| Logic | Connectors |
|---|---|
| Contrast | However, On the other hand, Nevertheless, Whereas |
| Result | As a result, Therefore, Consequently |
| Example | For instance, For example, A case in point is |
| Addition (use sparingly) | Also, In addition, What is more |
| Condition | If, Unless, Provided that |
A good target: one connector every two or three sentences, not every sentence.
Before and after: what does a Band 8 paragraph look like?
Question: Some people think that children should start school at a very early age. Others think they should start later. Discuss both views and give your opinion.
Before (over-linked):
Firstly, starting school early is good. Moreover, children learn social skills. Furthermore, parents can go back to work. In addition, children learn to read earlier. Therefore, early school is beneficial.
After (natural cohesion):
Supporters of early schooling argue that it gives children a head start socially. In a classroom, young children learn to share, take turns and follow simple rules, and these skills are harder to teach at home. Early enrolment also benefits families, as it allows parents to return to work sooner. For many low-income households, this extra income can make a significant difference to a child's quality of life.
Notice what changed:
1. Only one real connector ("also," plus "as" for a reason).
2. "These skills" points back to the list of social skills.
3. "Early enrolment" is a synonym for "early schooling."
4. "This extra income" is a summary noun.
5. The paragraph builds from one idea to the next.
How should paragraphs connect to each other?
Cohesion is not only inside paragraphs. The link between paragraphs matters too.
1. Start each body paragraph with a topic sentence that tells the reader the main idea.
2. Signal the shift. For a discuss-both-views essay, the second body paragraph can start: "On the other hand, those who favour a later start believe..."
3. Echo the question in your conclusion. Use the key words of your position again, with synonyms, so the conclusion clearly closes the argument.
Avoid starting paragraphs with "Firstly," "Secondly," "Thirdly" in every essay. It is not wrong, but it is predictable, and it does not show range.
What mistakes cost cohesion points?
- Wrong meaning of a connector. "Moreover" adds a similar point. Using it before a contrasting idea is a common error.
- "On the other hand" without "on the one hand" logic. It must introduce a real opposite view.
- Unclear reference. "They say it is bad" when the reader cannot tell who "they" are or what "it" is.
- Memorized phrases. "In this day and age" and "It is a double-edged sword" add words but no cohesion.
- No paragraphing. One long block of text makes cohesion hard to judge. Use 4 or 5 clear paragraphs.
What is your next step?
Take your last practice essay and do this 20-minute check:
1. Circle every linking word at the start of a sentence. If more than half of your sentences start with one, cut at least half of them.
2. Rewrite two sentences to start with a summary noun ("This trend," "Such a policy").
3. Underline any noun you repeated three or more times, and replace one or two with a correct synonym or a reference word.
4. Read the first sentence of each paragraph alone. If those sentences do not tell the story of your essay, rewrite them.
Then write one new essay using these tools, and compare it side by side with the old one.
FAQ
How many linking words should I use in IELTS Task 2?
There is no fixed number. A useful guide is one connector every two or three sentences, with reference words, synonyms and summary nouns doing the rest of the linking.
Is using 'firstly, secondly, finally' bad for IELTS?
It is not wrong, but it is predictable. Clear topic sentences usually show a better range of cohesion.
What is a summary noun?
It is a noun phrase that sums up an idea you just explained, such as 'this trend' or 'such a policy,' and uses it to start the next sentence.
How much is coherence and cohesion worth in Task 2?
It is one of the four scoring criteria, so it counts for 25% of your Task 2 band score.