Linking Words in IELTS Writing: Why Overusing Them Caps You at Band 6
Last updated: July 19, 2026
Many students believe more linking words means a higher IELTS Writing score. The opposite is often true — mechanical overuse of “Moreover,” “Furthermore,” and “In addition” is a recognisable Band 6 pattern.
Why overuse gets penalised
Band 7+ Cohesion and Coherence rewards a natural, varied range of linking devices — not just conjunctive adverbs at the start of every sentence.
What Band 7+ writing actually does
It uses pronoun reference (“this issue,” “these factors”), substitution, and logical paragraph organisation, with connectors used only where they add real clarity.
A simple fix
After writing, check whether removing a connector changes the meaning. If the logic is already clear from the sentence order, the connector may be unnecessary padding.
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