IELTS Writing: connective words (part 1)

Since many of you have been asking me for tips in Writing, I though a useful collection of connective words would help.
It was kindly shared by a student and I am sure that using those words in your essays, letters and reports will positively
affect your score.
This is part 1, part 2 is coming tomorrow.
Addition
- in addition
- and similarly
- likewise as well as
- besides further more
- also moreover
- and then too
- not only … but even
- besides
Sequence
- first(ly) initially
- second(ly) etc.to begin with then
- next earlier/later
- after this/that
- following this/that
Consequence
- as a result
- thus
- so
- therefore
- consequently
- it follows that
- thereby
- eventually
- then in that case
- admittedly
Contrast
- however
- on the other hand
- despite
- in spite of
- though
- although
- but
- on the contrary
- otherwise
- yet instead of
- rather
- whereas
- nonetheless
- even though
- compared with
- in contrast
- alternatively
I E L T S W r i t i n g : co n n e ct i v e wo r d s ( p a r t 2 )
I was going to post more connective words again, if it wasn’t for an email that gave me another good idea.
These connective words are awesome, but they won’t help you if you are seeing them for the first time and don’t know
how to use them in a sentence. So now, I am repeating the whole list – with examples, where appropriate.
Addition
- in addition
In addition, I would like to point out that my neighbor is disturbing me late at night.
- and similarly
Your life will change forever and similarly, your whole family will feel the change.
- likewise
Some people have little time for a hobby, and have likewise little will to get one.
- as well as
Beauty, as well as smarts, is a remarkable quality
- besides
We aren’t friends. Besides, I don’t feel it’s my place to set him straight.
- furthermore
Computers are getting faster and faster these days; furthermore, their cost is getting lower and lower.
- also
- moreover
I’ve been wanting a change for a long time, moreover, I feel I deserve one.
- and then too
- not only … but also
Not only is this product good for your hair, but also for softening your skin.
Sequence
- first(ly) initially
Initially, you would start putting a plan together.
- second(ly)
- to begin with
To begin with, you will need to commit a portion of your time to studying.
- then
- next
- earlier/later
Later on there comes a stage when your skills are put to a test.
- after this/that
- following this/that
Consequence
- as a result
I studied well and as a result, I got a high score.
- thus
- so
- therefore
I was younger and therefore less experienced.
- consequently
- it follows that
- thereby
I upset my friend, thereby causing her pain.
- eventually
- then in that case
- admittedly
Admittedly, he is the smartest person I know.
Contrast
- however
The book is expensive, however it is worth it.
- on the other hand
She says she feels fine, but on the other hand, her face is pale and she doesn’t look healthy.
- despite
- in spite of
In spite of the difficulties, the task was completed.
- though
He still insists, though he knows that won’t do any good.
- although
- but
- on the contrary
The music didn’t lift her spirit, on contrary, it made her feel weak and vulnerable again.
- otherwise
- yet instead of
He felt unwelcome, yet instead of leaving, he stayed.
- rather
Eggs for breakfast is not a good idea, I would rather have some toast.
- whereas
He was her true love, whereas for him she was just another girlfriend.
- nonetheless
While they didn’t trust each other, nonetheless they worked together for many years.
- even though
- compared with
- in contrast
- alternatively
I E L T S W r i t i n g : co n n e ct i v e wo r d s ( p a r t 3 )
Continuing the topic of previous posts (part 1 and part 2), here are some more connective words to use in your IELTS
essay, letter or report. The headings in bold are the purpose for which you are using the connective words.
Certainty
- obviously
I was very disappointed, obviously because my expectations were too high.
- certainly
I will certainly let her know your opinion.
- plainly
You are plainly wrong
- of course
- undoubtedly
She is undoubtedly very beautiful
Condition
- if
- unless
I won’t be able to participate, unless we schedule the meeting in the morning.
- whether
Whether you like it or not, this is the truth.
- provided that
I can guarantee a good result, provided that you study.
- so that
I can send you the documents so that you would have proof.
- depending on
We can have a picnic this weekend, depending on the weather.
Summary
- in conclusion
- in summary
- lastly
- finally
- to sum up
To sum up, I strongly support the efforts of our society to help the environment.
- to conclude
- to recapitulate
- in short
I E L T S W r i t i n g : co n n e ct i v e wo r d s ( p a r t 4 )
This is the post about connective words and here you will find words to use in sentences referring to examples,
describing reasons or sequencing events in time.
Examples
- for instance
There are many schools in many countries where you could study, for instance the schools in London or Birmingham.
- one example
One example of how to get better at cooking would be to start reading recipes.
- for example
- just as
I wanted to be home already just as much as a thirsty man in the desert wanted water.
- in particular
I am referring to my exams, in particular, IELTS and TOEFL.
- such as
- namely
My friends, namely Andy and Cindy, have told me about this new exhibition in the city.
- to illustrate
Reason
- since
Since you asked, I’d like to tell you my story
- because (of)
- due to
Due to the teacher’s illness this lecture is canceled.
- owing to
- the reason why
- in other words
- leads to
This assumption leads us to believe that …
- cause
The cause of this unfortunate accident was…
Time
- before
- since
Since 2005 I have been working in …
- as
- until
Until now I wasn’t able to find anything like it.
- meanwhile
Meanwhile, I would like to ask you to be patient.
- at the moment
At the moment I am experiencing financial difficulties.
- when
- whenever
Whenever I call him, he appears to be very busy.
- as soon as
- just as
Vocabulary for the Introduction Part:
In the introduction part of your IELTS essay, you should write sentences relevant to the topic given and generally
accepted ideas about it. Use your best English here as it will attract or bore your reader about the whole writing. You
will make or break your impression in this paragraph. Be very cautious about the introduction part. Never just copy
the sentence of the question. If you really need to, use synonyms and different sentence structure.
Examples:
1) Mobile phones and the Internet are two great innovations of science for communication and have been facilitating
people for a long time. These two technologies are widely used in almost all the countries of the world and had
become a part of our daily lives. We can't deny the usefulness of these technologies as they had made our life easier
than it was ever before. In my opinion, the advantages of these two devices far outweigh the demerits they have.
2) Every human being with an ambition of getting higher knowledge requires attending colleges or universities. The
main reason for attending universities or colleges may differ man to man. Someone may aspire to achieve greater
knowledge, someone may just want to earn a certificate or someone might attribute it as a step towards career
development.

3) Compared with people in the past, we concern far less on the preparation of food today, thanks to the
development of agriculture and scientific technology. A fair amount of beneficial influence is occurring to us
consequently.

Useful vocabulary/phrases to open/start the essay:

Many/some people claim/opine/believe that...
There is no denying that...
It is often said that...
These days.../ Nowadays.../ In this day and age...
It goes without saying that...
It is universally accepted that...
We live in an age when many of us are...
People are divided in their opinion regarding...
.... is one of the most important issues...
Whether .... or .... is a controversial issue...
Useful vocabulary/phrases to end the Introduction part:
Let us examine both views before reaching a concrete decision.
The following paragraphs discuss whether ...... or ...... and reach a reasonable conclusion.
The following essay takes a look at both sides of the argument.
My two cents go for...
However, I strongly believe that...
I oppose the view and my reasons will be explained in the following paragraphs.
I will support this view with arguments in the following paragraphs.
I personally believe that...
Thus the advantages far outweigh the disadvantages...
I wholeheartedly believe that this trend should be changed.
Vocabulary for the opinion part:
According to the essay types (Learn what are the IELTS essay types) use one of the following connective words/
linking phrases to write down your opinion However remember that if the question does not ask you to give your
opinion but to compare advantages and disadvantages, then you should not strongly express your opinion. Opinion
should only be written for opinion essays.
In my opinion...
I strongly opine that...
I strongly agree with the idea that...
I strongly disagree with the given topic...
I think...
My opinion is that...
Personally speaking...
In my view...
I believe...
Apparently...
Personally speaking...
According to me...
From my point of view... (Not 'In my point of view')
As far as I am concerned...
From my perspective...
I realise...
To my way of thinking...
It seems to me that...
To me...
To my mind...
My own view on the matter is...
It appears that...
I feel that...
I understand...
I suppose...
Examples:
1) But in my opinion, giving access to a mobile phone & the internet to each and every unemployed person is a
matter of great dispute. I believe, this idea can help the countries who have sufficient funds for the whole fiscal year
and already adopted technologies like the internet for a very long period. But this might turn out a complete loss for
an undeveloped country.
2) I believe parents are always teaching us in many ways intentionally and unintentionally; however, the
contributions teachers have in our learning process cannot be ignored.

3) I strongly agree with the idea that the gender issue is only a determinant in the battle of the sexes, not the battles
among nations and peoples. It is therefore impertinent, if not irrational, to conclude that world conflicts result from
the rule of a particular gender and the finer sex would do a better job at prevailing peace if selectively put at the
helm of human nations.
Vocabulary for the 2nd paragraph Part:
It is true that...
First...
First of all...
Firstly...
First and foremost...
Initially...
To begin with...
To start with...
Let us take a look at...
It is worth considering...
In the first place...
Though it is true that...
Some people believe that...
Many people think that...
According to many...
Some people believe that...
Many support the view that...
On the one hand...
Examples:
1) It is true that an unemployed educated person with a mobile phone and the internet connection can get more
access to the local and foreign job sectors and can use these technologies to get a job or become self-employed.
2) First of all, the maximum number of cars are owned by the rich people and fuel price would not restrain them
from using the cars. The price of fuel, in fact, increased significantly over the past 12 years and that has done nothing
to reduce car usage.

3) To begin, houses that are being constructed by those in the lower income groups do look at the most cost-
effective option. In this process, they invariably explore cheaper options that include a compromise on material and
construction quality.

Vocabulary for the 3rd, 4th ...... paragraph Part:

Second(ly)... (Not 'Second of all')
Third(ly)...
Then...
Next...
After that...
And...
Again...
Also...
Besides...
Likewise...
In addition...
Consequently...
What’s more...
Furthermore...
Moreover...
Other people think that...
Other people believe that...
On the other hand...
Apart from that...
Finally...
Last but not (the) least...
Examples:
1) Besides, unemployed persons living in urban areas; can easily get the information related to the job-offering
companies with these technologies................ Furthermore, the use of these technologies give them advantages than
others.......
2) Besides, people would learn more about outer space as the experiment and scientific research in outer space is
going on more steadily than ever.

3) Apart from that, computers would become more powerful and they will have superior artificial intelligence. We
will have robots to do hazardous works like mining and outer space research. Surprisingly, e-commerce would be in
more convenient form and most of the people will purchase online rather than going to shops in person.

Vocabulary to show the comparison:

In the same way...
Likewise...
Similarly...
Like the previous point...
Similar to...
Also...
At the same time...
Just as...
Examples:
1) Similarly, all the companies and offices are becoming automated and using computers, the internet and other
technologies vastly than any other time in history.......
2) At the same time software could be used for many purposes such as learning through computers, accounting in
computers, drawing, storage of information, sending information from one person to other persons etc.

3) Also reading books is like peeking into the minds of the greatest people - A book is like a conversation with the
writer and reading many books gives us an insight into the thinking process of different writers.

Vocabulary to show contrast:

On the other hand...
On the contrary...
However...
Nevertheless.../ Nonetheless...
But...
Nonetheless/ Nevertheless...
Oppositely...
Alternatively...
Unlike...
While...
Whilst...
Although...
Though...
Even though...
Despite... / In spite of...
In spite of the fact that...
Alternatively...
In contrast to this...
Then again...
On the other hand...
Despite the fact that...
Even so...
Yet...
Meanwhile...
Examples:
1) On the contrary, poor countries suffer from the lack of sufficient budgets to ensure some very basic needs of
people like health, education, medicines etc. Then again, those countries don't have a chance to spend a lot of
money to initiate a superficial project........
2) Unlike a TV, a radio cannot display an image or a video, and the communication is limited to voice only. Typically, a
radio is used for access information such as news and live traffic updates.........

3) In contrast to this, the consumption of fuels to run the car is contributing to the rise if global warming and
affecting the ozone layer. So, using bicycles in cities would be a better alternative.........

Vocabulary to show an example:

As an example...
For instance...
For example...
Like...
As...
Among others...
Such as...
Particularly...
Regarding...
In particular...
Namely...
With respect to...
As far .... is concerned...
To show an example...
To give an example...
To cite an example...
As an evidence...
To illustrate...
To paraphrase...
An example is...
...could be a good/ideal example here
A case...
When it comes to...
Examples:
1) For instance, there is no guaranty that all unemployed person will use technology positively........
2) As an example, many governments of the first world countries have initiated other projects like:.........

3) For example, if a public bus gets busted in the middle of a road, the passenger can easily leave it a look for another
one.
Always use a comma (,) after 'For example', 'for instance' etc.

Vocabulary to present an idea:

Research shows that...
Research has found that...
When it comes to...
With respect to...
Not only... but also...
In terms of...
Examples:
1) Research shows that employment opportunity and crime ratio in a city has a deep underlying relationship and that
is why...

2) When it comes to deciding who should be responsible to teach children the discipline...

3) With respect to mix-school classrooms, it is quite evident that...

Phrases to introduce more ideas/ examples:

Furthermore...
In addition...
On top of that...
Besides...
What is more...
Another point worth noting is...
Another factor to consider is...
Furthermore...
Not only .... but also...
Also...
Examples:
1) On top of that, rich countries emit more CO2 than the rest of the world does and this is why they have greater
responsibilities.

2) Another point worth noting is the number of TV channels we have these days.

3) What is more, leaders are born not made.

Vocabulary to show consequence, effects or result:

As a result...
Consequently...
As a consequent...
As an effect...
Thus...
So...
The reason why...
Therefore...
On account of...
Because of...
Hence...
Eventually...
For this/that reason...
Thereby...
Due to...
Owing to...
Examples:
1) Therefore, we should avoid using our budget in an uncertain project........
2) As a result, people are struggling much to lead a healthy and secure life.........

3) Consequently, local residents will be able to find more job opportunities in this factory and have a better socio-
economic status.........

Vocabulary to show result & reason:

As a result...
As a result of...
Due to...
One reason behind this is...
... has led to/ ... has resulted in...
Consequently...
Therefore...
Examples:
1) The overuse of natural resources has already resulted in the scarcity of such valuable resources that we can not do
without...

2) This has led to a moral degradation and we are at a tough time to look back much behind.

3) One reason behind this is the negligence of individuals who are already suffering from minor health-related issues.

Vocabulary to sum up at the end of a paragraph:

To sum up...
In short...
In a word...
To put it simply...
That is to say...
To repeat in short....
To summarise...
Examples:
1) In a word, I think, the idea can be very useful for the developing countries but for us, it might be sinister...
2) That is to say, we must ensure the safety of our children first.........

3) In short, the overall infrastructure of the area will develop.

N.B. The above vocabulary is specifically useful while finishing a paragraph. You can use these words/ phrases to re-
state your topic of the paragraph.
Vocabulary to make a point stronger/ Adding emphasis:
It goes without saying that...
Obviously...
Needless to say...
There is little doubt that...
Although...
Thought...
Nonetheless...
Nevertheless...
Still...
Yet...
Must.... After
After all...
Even if...
Therefore...
Thus.....
Examples:
1) Although, Parents are important teachers in our lives and none can deny their invaluable role to make us what we
are, but they aren't always the best teachers.......
2) Thus air and water pollution caused by this factory will ruin the local environment and wildlife fundamentally.........

3) Although industrialisation is necessary for the growth of a country it must be regulated. The proper measures
must be in place to reduce the negative impacts of byproducts on the environment.

Vocabulary for clarifying or rephrasing:

To put it simply...
To put in another way...
That is to say...
In other words...
Examples:
1) To put in another way, nuclear power has a great potential to provide power requirement of the industries all
around the world.
2) In other words, fathers have a great role to play when it comes to upbringing children in a proper way.
3) To put it simply, co-education can bring advantages that far outweigh the demerits it has.

Other transitional words/connective words:

Then...
Else...
Otherwise...
Besides...
As soon as...
As much as.....
Examples:
1) They take care of the children as much as parents do ..................
2) As soon as we realise the problem ..................
3) Otherwise, the unemployed graduates' number will keep on increasing ..................
Some correct and incorrect expressions:
Correct Incorrect
In my opinion… From my opinion…
From my point of view... In my point of view…
Second/ Secondly… Second of all
On the other hand… On the other hand
Last but not the least… Last but not least…
In conclusion/ To conclude... In a nutshell.

Vocabulary for the conclusion part:

In conclusion...
In summary...
To conclude...
To conclude with...
To sum up...
In general...
To summarise...
In short...
All in all...
Overall...
On the whole...
To draw the conclusion...
In a nutshell...
To elucidate...('To elucidate' means - 'make something clear' or 'to explain'.)
All things considered...
By and large...
Taking everything into consideration...
Taking everything into account...
Weighing up both sides of the argument...
(Useful Tip: Avoid using 'In a nutshell' as it is not formal. Use 'In conclusion/ to conclude' instead.)

Examples:
1) In general, even though it is preferable to study English in an English-speaking country, a reasonable level of
English can be achieved in one's own country, if a student is gifted and dedicated to studying.
2) To sum up, if the population explosion continues, many more people will die of starvation in poor countries, and
life in the cities, even in affluent nations, will become increasingly difficult.

3) To conclude, I recommend that the only sensible way to solve this problem is to educate young people about the
dangers of drug use and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed upon them.

4) In conclusion, nuclear technology certainly has positive uses but is nonetheless dangerous. However, it would
have been better if it had never been used to create nuclear weapons. If life on Earth is to continue, all the nuclear
nations of the world should agree to disarm as soon as possible.
N.B. The conclusion part of the IELTS Essay or IELTS Academic writing task 2 usually begins with a special concluding
phrase that links it to the rest of the essay. Notice that a conditional sentence can be very effective in the conclusion.
One reason for this is that it can refer to what might occur as a result of your suggestions or recommendations. Of
course, you can use conditional sentences elsewhere in your essay as well. If you do use conditionals, be sure that
the construction of your sentences is grammatically correct.
Also, in a short essay of approximately 250 words the conclusion can be just one or two sentences long. The
conclusion should briefly sum up what you have said in your essay and does not usually contribute a new idea unless
it is a minor point. However, it is a good place to make recommendations or suggestions or to give advice and offer
solutions, if you are asked to do so.

Essay Writing
As an IELTS writing instructor, I am often asked by my students what the secret is to successful essay writing. When I
tell them ‘lots of practice, lots of guidance and lots of patience’, they usually look at me a bit disappointed as though
my answer was too obvious.
So I tell them, ‘just follow the 4 Cs.’
‘The 4 Cs?’ they ask with new interest.
Yes, the 4 Cs: conciseness, cohesion, coherence and composition. Each needs to be employed properly if you want to
score well on your Task 2 essay. In this short article, which I am writing exclusively for www.ielts-blog.com, I would like
to touch on each of the 4 Cs and describe how you can use these powerful ideas to heighten your IELTS score.
So let’s begin with conciseness. Unlike other languages which prize long and very elaborate sentences, proper written
English is language that says a lot in few words. Students often falsely believe that the longer a sentence is the more
academic it sounds.
Writing longer sentences in your response is problematic for 2 reasons. The first is it heightens the chances of errors
related to coherence. The second is it makes it more difficult for you to control the grammar of the sentence, leading
to silly grammatical mistakes. Too often, students receive disappointing marks on their IELTS essay simply because
their long sentences led them to issues with coherence and grammar.
So how long should a sentence be? Including cohesive phrases (the second ‘C’ in our list), typical sentences are
somewhere between 8 and 15 words.
Now let’s take a look at how to write these cohesive phrases.
Cohesion refers to words and phrases that help ideas link together. Cohesive phrases include wordings like…
Because of this, …
As this shows, …
As can clearly be seen from this example, …
It is clear that…
Thus, the idea that…
To illustrate this, …
After analyzing both points of view, …
To provide a summary, …
Without a doubt, this causes…
What I always suggest to students is to commit many of these phrases to memory and learn how to use them properly.
When you get to your examination, you can use these phrases with confidence, which will not only save you time but
also reduce the chances of grammatical mistakes.
Our third C is coherence, which is the notion that all ideas you present in your essay should be easily understood by
your reader. As you can probably guess, using the cohesive phrases above correctly can really help to boost the
coherence in your essay as they clarify your ideas. Coherence is also greatly improved by proper grammar, so make an
effort to brush up on this prior to your examination.
Our final C, composition, refers to employing a proper essay structure. This means including a thesis (in the case of an
argument essay), at least 2 supporting ideas, real-life examples, proper discussion of those examples as well as some
kind of summary and finally a reasoned conclusion. To break it down, an argument essay is most likely going to contain
15 sentences partitioned into 4 paragraphs and follow a pattern something like this:
Introduction paragraph
 A background sentence giving some background information on the essay topic.
 A more detailed sentence linking the background sentence to the thesis.
 A thesis that presents your point of view on your given topic.
 An outline sentence declaring the 2 points you are going to use to support your thesis.
Supporting paragraph 1
 A topic sentence illustrating the first point you will be presenting to support your thesis (this point taken from
your outline sentence).
 A sentence showing a real-life example of this topic in action.
 A discussion sentence that shows how your example links or proves your topic sentence.
 A conclusion sentence that links this entire paragraph back to your thesis.
Supporting paragraph 2
 A topic sentence illustrating the second point you will be presenting to support your thesis (this point taken
from your outline sentence).
 A sentence showing a real-life example of this topic in action.
 A discussion sentence that shows how your example links or proves your topic sentence.
 A conclusion sentence that links this entire paragraph back to your thesis.
Conclusion paragraph
 A summary sentence that briefly states the 2 points you discussed in your supporting paragraphs.
 A restatement of your thesis using different words.
 A prediction or recommendation based on the topic you have been given.
By employing a logical structure like this you fulfill your essay’s requirement for proper composition.
So, in a nutshell, the 4 Cs make up the essential elements in a successful essay. Conciseness keeps sentences
brief, cohesion helps the sentences link together, coherence maintains understanding in the essay
and composition links all parts of the essay together logically.
Make an effort to use the 4 Cs properly and I guarantee your IELTS written mark will improve.
Good luck on your exam!
I E L T S w r i t i n g : u s i n g tr a n s i t i o n a l p h r a s es
Transitions
Transitional words and phrases are what gives your essays coherence, we need them to join sentences and thoughts
together. Look at the lists below. These are transitional phrases that you can memorize and keep in your arsenal for
the IELTS writing module.
AGREEMENT: also, plus, in addition, further, furthermore, moreover, additionally, to add to that, next, in accordance
with, accordingly, in agreement, finally, for instance, for example, in exemplification, exemplifying that, in fact,
factually speaking, in terms of, and so forth, looking at the nexus between, in coordination with, along those lines,
collectively speaking, generally speaking, indeed, undoubtedly, obviously, to be sure.
CONTRAST: however, contrastingly, in contrast, on the contrary, on the other hand, To put it into perspective, from a
different angle, nonetheless, nevertheless, but, yet, a catch to this is, sadly enough, as a hindrance, looking at the
holdups, oddly enough, instead, in direct opposition, still, and rather.
RESULT: as a result, as a consequence, consequently, thus, therefore, hence, thereby, resulting in, ultimately, in the
end, finally, in the overall analysis, in hindsight, in retrospect, retrospectively, vicariously, the long term effect, as a
short term result, significantly, as a major effect, effectively, heretofore, hereafter, thereafter, in short, generally, over
all, concluding.
3 S e n te n c e S tr u c t u r es f o r a B a n d 7 + o n W ri t i n g T a s k 1 Co m p a r i n g N u m b e r s
The following article was written by Jessica Beck, from All Ears English. Jessica has been working in the IELTS field for
more than 10 years, and today she shares some great tips for writing a Band 7+ Writing Task 1.
Grammar!
This is one of students’ biggest worries when it comes to IELTS.
I’ve seen students go through grammar books from front to back, doing all the exercises, spending hours of their lives,
trying to memorize every English grammar rule in the universe.
However, this doesn’t help them to write or speak any better. So, good news students! You really don’t need to do
that.
What are you graded on?
Let me tell you why. You are actually graded on four things in writing: Task Achievement/Task Response,
Coherence/Cohesion, Grammar and Vocabulary.
All four categories are equal. Plus, and here’s the most comforting thing, you DO NOT need perfect grammar to get a
high score in this category.
Even at band score 9, the description says that there can still be minor errors, such as ‘slips’ that a native speaker
would make.
The band score 7 description likewise notes that there will still be some errors present in the writing.
What do examiners care about?
So, what do the examiners care about most, since they don’t expect you to have perfect grammar? Sentence structure.
A variety of sentence structures is the most important factor in order to get a 6 or higher for your grammar score.
You can see more about what the examiner looks for here.
As you probably know, in Writing Task 1, you will most likely be given a graph, table or chart to write about.
Basically, you need to be able to choose the most important numbers you see and compare them in your response.
There are actually two types of “number questions” – Change Over Time (usually a line graph, showing how numbers
change over time, such as The Number of Factories from 2000-2015), or Static (often a table or bar chart, showing
numbers for one point in time, such as People with Full-time Work in One European City, 2014).
Sentence structures you should use:
Below are three high level sentence structures, and examples, for both of these question types.
1. As / While A verb, B verb (at the same time). [linking words]
Change Over Time example: While the number of factories in Taiwan increased dramatically to 100,000 in 2006, the
quantity in Japan plummeted to 1,000 at the same time.
Static example: As the number of females in full-time work stood at 300 in 2014, the amount of working males stood
at 500.
2. In comparison to A, which verb, B verb. [relative clauses]
COT example: In comparison to the number of factories in Taiwan, which saw an increase to 100,000 in 2006, the
quantity in Japan plummeted to 1,000 at this time.
Static example: In comparison to the number of females in full-time work, which stood at 300 in 2014, the amount of
working males stood at 500.
3. A verb, v-ing, (which verb). [adjective clause + relative clause]
COT example: The number of factories in Taiwan saw an increase to 100,000 in 2006, exceeding the quantity in Japan,
which had only 1,000.
Static example: The number of males in full-time work reached 500 in 2014, exhibiting a higher number than all the
other categories provided.
As you can see, the sentences above all contain numbers, which you must have in order to get a 6 or higher in Task
Achievement.
Plus, they all use high-level vocabulary, most assuredly earning an 8 or 9 in that category.
What should you do next?
The next step for you, students, is to practice these structures.
Find some IELTS example test questions, and practice using these sentence structures to describe the important
numbers you see on the graphs and charts.
Also, read the business or finance section in the newspaper for more high-level sentence structures and vocabulary to
describe numbers.
Finally, if you’d like more tips, strategies, and IELTS information, please visit All Ears English IELTS online and sign up
for our emails and cheat sheets!
Good luck, and keep working hard!
IELTS is definitely a tough test, but it’s not unbeatable!
About Jessica:
Jessica Beck has worked in the IELTS field for more than ten years. She is the co-host of IELTS Energy and is the IELTS
expert at All Ears English.
At All Ears English we use smart systems and strategies that show you how to focus on the right things to get a 7 or
higher on the IELTS.
T h e I E L T S W r it i n g T a sk 2 e x p l a i n e d
I said this many times and I will repeat it again – “to write a good IELTS essay, you need to get into your examiner’s
head”. You’ve got to understand what makes you gain or lose marks, because once you do – you can’t go wrong. What
I am about to reveal here can be found in the IELTS official site, but I am explaining it in simple English.
This is how they grade your essay: you receive points for Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical
Resource, Grammatical Range and Accuracy. Looks heavy? Never mind, here comes the simple English version:
“Task Response” means that your essay shows that you understood and covered the topic from all its sides, aspects,
etc. Let’s take this topic for example – “Internet: connecting or isolating people?”. Those who chose to write about
how Internet connects people – lose marks, those who chose to write about how Internet isolates people – lose marks,
those who compare and contrast both sides of the Internet and give arguments for and against – gain marks.
“Coherence and Cohesion” means how well you connected the paragraphs and sentences inside each paragraph. You
see, all of your paragraphs need to be logically connected. For example, if paragraph 1 explains the advantages of the
Internet, and paragraph 2 explains its disadvantages, then paragraph 1 should have a last sentence saying something
like this: “In spite of Internet being such a help in communication, its drawbacks can not be overlooked”. This sentence
creates the connection between 1st and 2nd paragraphs. If it wasn’t there, the examiner could have thought that you
jumped from advantages to disadvantages without a reason. The same rule applies to sentences inside the paragraph.
Every sentence should lead to the next one.
“Lexical Resource” means vocabulary and different types of sentences, simple and complex. You should be able to use
words and their synonyms.
“Grammatical Range and Accuracy” means spelling and grammar of sentences. You should be able to spell the words
correctly, do not forget the articles “a/an” and “the”, the punctuation is also important, and so on – you get the picture,
don’t you?
One more important thing to know: the four criteria are equally weighted. It means that if you forgot about the
“Coherence and Cohesion” in your essay, you will lose 1/4 of your essay points.
It is quite possible that after reading this explanation you still couldn’t write a good IELTS essay. This is where “Ace The
IELTS” bookcomes in. It has a full chapter dedicated to IELTS essays, which explains from A to Z the whole process of
essay writing and makes it so easy that a child could do it.
There are topics of essays for you to practice on and our teachers are waiting to check your essays and make sure you
are ready for the real IELTS test. And, of course, I am here to answer your questions, solve your problems and support
you every step of the way, write me to simone@IELTS-Blog.com
M o re W r it i n g t i p s fo r t h e I EL T S Ge n e r a l m o d u l e
Let’s continue with the Writing tips, because I have more of them for you.
By the way, for those of you who can’t wait to read “Ace The IELTS” book – it is coming, I will release it very soon. In
the meantime – you’ll have to settle for these tips :).
In the Writing Task 2 you will receive a topic and you will have to write an essay of 250 words.
This task has more weight than the Writing task 1. It also takes longer – 40 minutes, whereas Writing task 1 takes only
20 minutes.
The topic of an essay can be one of 3 possible types: a description of an opinion, an argument or a social problem.
Any essay you write on any topic must have structure – you can receive (or lose :() points for it. Structure means having
at least 4 paragraphs (5 is better). The first paragraph is introductory, the next two or three are the actual essay body,
and the last one is the conclusion.
The first thing to do is to understand what kind of topic is before you.
Next:
- for an argument – you need to explain both sides and agree with one of them
- for an opinion – you need to present another point of view and say which one you agree with and why
- for a problem – you need to explain it, discuss and offer a solution and discuss it too.
No matter what type of essay you are writing, you must provide some facts, evidence and information. When you
explain the problem – evaluate it; say when/where/who for it is especially difficult. If you present an idea of solution
– discuss it; say what its good and bad sides are. Add examples from your own experience to support what you’re
saying.
In any essay the logical sequence of information is very important. Jumping from one idea to another is very bad for
you score, all ideas must be connected logically. Another important thing is “smart” words – try to use them as much
as you can, because this also affects your score. Punctuation is important too. Take a look at some Examples Of Writing
Task 1 and Writing Task 2 here. This file is from the IELTS official site – it can be trusted.
That’s all for today – keep up the good work!
W r i t i n g t i p s fo r t he IE L T S Ge n e r a l m o d u l e
Yesterday I received an email from a loyal visitor of IELTS-blog (hi, Ankur!) and it made me sit down and finally write
some tips for the IELTS Writing test.
Right now I am working on a book that will include everything you need to know to ACE The IELTS. But I know that you
can’t wait and you’ve got to study RIGHT NOW, so here are some tips to keep you working :).
As you know there are 2 parts, the Writing task 1 and the Writing task 2.
In the Writing task 1 you receive a “scenario” and you have to write a letter. Not many people know that there are 4
types of letters in the IELTS test:
- Complaint / Request (of information) letter
- Formal business letter
- Job application letter
- Personal letter
In any letter you write IELTS examiners will be looking for these 3 important components: structure, vocabulary and
fluency of language.
Structure means that your letter must have paragraphs, at least 3 of them. Every paragraph has its job.
- The first one must define the purpose of your letter in one – two sentences.
- The second one must explain more about why you are writing this letter.
- The third must say what kind of answer you expect.
Vocabulary means that you should use some “smart” words. In case you are writing a Complaint, a Business or a Job
application letter you must use formal language, but not for the Personal letter.
Fluency of language means phrases people usually use in letters. The best advice I can give you here is to read every
IELTS Sample Letter you can get. This way you develop proper language for any type of letter.
You can find some examples in the right side-bar of IELTS-blog, under “Writing Practice” (or Click Here) and I will
continue to add more links to sample letters there.

IELTS Writing Task 2 (IELTS Essay Writing) requires a candidate to use a wide range of vocabulary. Connective words
and phrases are very important to finish the writing task 2 in a logical and coherent way. You must use the
transitional or connective words in your writing task 2 as it is considered one of the important factors for a high band
score. The essay writing for IELTS requires you to present convincing arguments, reasoning, examples, and point of
view. To make your essay impressive and to show pieces of evidence or examples in a coherent and logical way, you
have to use these connective words. However, do not overuse the linking phrases or connective phrases just to show
that you know so many of them. Use those connective phrases/words or linking phrases/words properly.
The general format for writing academic writing task 2/ IELTS Essay is as follows:

Introduction + your opinion/ your thinking/ your point of view/ whether you agree or disagree/ main advantages or
disadvantages +
2nd paragraph with an example, explanation, evidence and extra details +
3rd paragraph with an example, explanation, evidence and extra details +
4th paragraph with an example, explanation, evidence and extra details +
.................
.................
Conclusion + restating the main point of your discussion/ your position on the issue.