Cohesive Devices in IELTS Writing – Types, Tips, and Examples

Cohesive devices, also known as linking words or connecting words, are an important part of academic writing. Using them properly helps organize your ideas and create logical connections between sentences and paragraphs. This improves the flow and coherence of your writing, which is necessary to get a high score on IELTS Writing. In this blog, we will look at the meaning and types of cohesive devices, examples of how to use them, and tips to employ them effectively in your IELTS essay writing.

What Are Cohesive Devices?

Cohesive devices, also known as ‘Linking Words’ are words or phrases that link different parts of a text together and allow it to flow logically. They help show the connection between ideas acting as a connector by signaling additions, contrasts, cause and effect, and other relationships. For example, words and phrases like ‘however’, ‘therefore’, ‘in addition’, ‘for example’, ‘to conclude’ etc. are connectors/linking words for writing. Using them properly makes your writing more coherent and easier to follow.

Types of Cohesive Devices

There are several types of cohesive devices that can be used in both IELTS Writing as well as linking words for IELTS Speaking:

• Reference words: Pronouns like ‘it’, ‘this’, ‘that’, and ‘which’ refer back to something already mentioned.

• Substitution words: Words like ‘do’, and ‘one’ that replace a noun.

• Conjunctions: Words like ‘and’, ‘but’, and ‘so’ that join clauses.

• Repetition: Repeating keywords and ideas across sentences and paragraphs.

• Synonyms: Using different words with the same meaning.

• Antonyms: Contrasting words and ideas using opposites.

• Collocation: Using words that commonly go together.

• Discourse markers: Phrases like ‘in conclusion’, and ‘on the other hand’ that organize text.

Examples of Cohesive Devices

Here are some examples of how different types of cohesive devices can be used in IELTS Writing Task 2:

• Referencing: Smoking has many health risks. This habit should be avoided.
• Substitution: Doctors advise patients to exercise daily. Doing so improves health.
• Conjunction: Smoking causes cancer, and it also increases the risk of lung disease.
• Repetition: Daily exercise helps us stay fit. Exercise also reduces stress levels.
• Synonyms: Doctors advocate physical activity. Exercise has many benefits.
• Antonyms: Some people love jogging daily. Others dislike running intensively.
• Collocation: She played a starring role in the movie. Her performance was praised.
• Discourse Markers: However, smoking remains common despite its risks. Therefore, more education is needed.

Tips for Using Cohesive Devices

Here are some IELTS exam preparation tips for using cohesive devices effectively:

• Don’t overuse them. Using too many can make writing seem unnatural.
• Be consistent. Don’t jump between different devices randomly.
• Use a variety. Relying only on basic conjunctions like ‘and’, ‘but’, and ‘so’ is repetitive.
• Choose devices appropriately. Use contrasting words for opposing ideas, and linking words for related ideas.
• Pay attention to order and placement. Put them at the right spot in a sentence or paragraph.
• Vary length. Alternate between single-word devices and longer phrases.
• Check for grammar. Make sure the device fits correctly in the sentence structure.

Why Coherence and Cohesion Matter in IELTS Writing?

Using cohesive devices properly is key to getting a high band score for Coherence and Cohesion in IELTS Writing which carries 25% weight in the IELTS Writing test criteria. The IELTS band score states that a high-scoring essay should use ‘a range of cohesive devices appropriately’ while a low-scoring one has ‘little or no cohesion’. So mastering cohesive devices can significantly impact your writing score.

Example Essay Using Cohesive Devices

The sample IELTS Academic essay given below shows how cohesive devices can be used to logically link ideas and improve coherence:

This essay uses cohesion and coherence in paragraph writing with examples. A variety of cohesive devices like referencing words (this, they), conjunctions (but, moreover), discourse markers (In conclusion), repetition (sports), synonyms (fandom/obsession), antonyms (advantages/detrimental), and collocations (career-ending injuries) are used to organize the ideas logically and make the writing more coherent.

Check out: IELTS Writing Task 2: Coherence & Cohesion (Tricks for BAND 8)

Conclusion

Learning to use cohesive devices properly is an important skill that can improve your IELTS Writing score by making your essay flow better. Start by learning the main types of devices and examples of how to use them. Pay attention to using an appropriate variety and following the tips above. Refer to sample essays to see how devices are used in context. With practice, using cohesive devices will become second nature and boost your writing coherence.

For more help with the IELTS Writing test, check out our IELTS Writing Task 1 and Writing Task 2 tips and sample answers. Also, solve these IELTS Writing practice tests.

Also, Check:

• Top 10 IELTS Grammar Books
• Ultimate Guide to Synonyms for IELTS Writing
• Adverbs for IELTS
• Advanced Grammar for IELTS with Comparison
• Emphatic structures exercises and inversion 
• Advanced Grammar for IELTS: Modal Verbs (1)