Role of CONNECTORS in IELTS writing
The connectors or connecting words in English are expressions that are generally used to improve the flow of your writing as well as speaking. It helps create a link between two sentences or paragraphs. These words and phrases link the candidate’s thoughts in a more cohesive way thereby leading to a smooth communication.
When to use connectors?
One way to think about connectors is that they connect sentences, helping the reader follow the meaning of the sentence. Connectors are sometimes used to start a sentence, while at other times they can be placed in the middle position of a sentence.
First of all, let’s understand why we use Connectors in IELTS Writing?
To improve the flow of your writing in both sentences and paragraphs.
To define the relative importance of different aspects of your narrative or argument.
To simplify the logical relationships between different aspects of your essay.
To indicate addition and alternatives
To provide examples, clarify or identify
To indicate similarity
To indicate contrast or giving in
To indicate cause and effect
To indicate purpose.
To Add another Idea
To Restate, Explain or Emphasize an Idea
To Give an Example
To Show a Choice
To Show a Difference
To Show the Opposite of What You Might Expect
To Show a Similarity
To Show a Cause or Reason
To Show a Result or Effect
To Show a Time Relationship
To Show a Condition
There are myriads of connectors in the English Language that can be used to show contrast, similarity, outcome, result, sequence and order or relevance or importance, exemplification , emphasis, explanation, dismissal, summarizing or concluding, particularizing, focusing, timing, and correction. Connectors are especially useful when it comes to your IELTS writing exam
Some tips for the use of connectors:
There are better chances of band scores if connectors are used in your graphs or essays. For example: Addition: In Addition and similarly, as well as, besides, furthermore, also, moreover, and then, not only… but even, besides, this/that.
Listing & Order (Sequence): Firstly, initially, secondly etc. to begin with, then next, earlier, later/after this/that, following this/that, afterwards, finally.
Contrast: On the other hand, However, in spite of, though, although, otherwise, yet, instead of, rather, whereas, nonetheless, even though, compared with, in contrast, despite.
Results & Consequences: As a result, thus, so, therefore, consequently, it follows that, thereby, eventually, then in that case, admittedly. Concluding Linkers: In conclusion, To conclude, To sum up, And To reiterate Reasons and Causes: Because, owing to, due to, since, as These connectors can be used for both Academic and General Training IELTS. Connectors express many different relationships between ideas.
How to Use Connectors in IELTS Writing?
Let’s discuss it with examples
To Add another Idea and, furthermore, Moreover, besides, also, in addition
Examples:
* She loved that novel. It was exciting, and her favorite author wrote it.
*I would never vote for that man for student council. He only cares about rich people; furthermore, he would do nothing to protect us against higher tuition fees.
To Restate, Explain or Emphasize an Idea that is, in other words, in fact, actually, namely
Examples:
* Students should paraphrase; that is, they should put the information in their own words.
* Several students were caught plagiarizing; in fact, they copied the same essay from the internet
To Give an Example
For example, to case a point, to cite an example, for instance, to illustrate
Example:
*The Amelia Douglas Art Gallery is an interesting place. For instance, one month a year it displays art created by faculty and staff from our college.
To Show a Choice
Either, or, neither, nor
Example:
* It is a debatable issue that either elderly should work for long term or not
To Show a Difference
But while, whereas, though, in contrast, on the contrary, on the other hand, instead, however, still, otherwise
Examples:
*He thinks 8:00 AM is an unreasonable time for class, but she thinks its fine.
*While, most students hate lab assignments, Anita New face enjoys them.
*Professor Witty’s classes are interesting and challenging; in contrast, Professor
Standoffish classes are dull and boring.
To Show the Opposite of What You Might Expect
yet, although, though, even though, nevertheless, admittedly, even, so, nonetheless
Examples:
*Jescika knows he should start on his assignment, yet he’s still watching TV.
*Even though Clara Scott works hard, she still isn’t getting good grades.
*Nick L. Beer knows he needs more sleep; nevertheless, he stays up late every night playing computer games.
To Show a Similarity
just as, as, similarly, likewise, in the same way
Examples:
*Peter loves political science just as Rhonda loves English Literature.
*Mae B. Knot has a great sense of humour; in the same way, her sister Dee Leerious loves a good joke.
To Show a Cause or Reason
For, because, since, as, now that, as long as due to.
Examples:
*The college cancelled all the classes on Friday, due to the bad weather.
*She decided to take Psychology because she was curious about human behaviour.
To Show a Result or Effect
So, so + adjective + that, such + …noun + that, as a result, consequently, as a consequence, therefore, thus, hence, accordingly
Examples:
* He made a lot of mistakes, so he had to do the assignment again.
* She was so tired that she went to bed at 8 o’clock.
* He was such a good instructor that she told all her friends about him.
* The drunk student made a lot of noise in the library; as a consequence, the librarians called the security guards to come and help them.
To Show a Time Relationship
Before, after, when, whenever, while, as soon as, until, as, since, the moment that, once , previously, subsequently, finally, afterward, meanwhile, first, second, etc., after that, next, since then, then, at first,
Examples:
*She was listening to the test instructions when her cell phone rang.
*She has studied the piano since she was a child.
*The librarians called security; subsequently, the security guards took the drunkstudent outside of the campus building.
To Show a Condition
If, even if, unless, when, whenever, which, otherwise
Examples:
*We need to go now; otherwise we will be late for the final exam.
*We’ll have our final class party at Queen’s Park unless it rains.
*If it rains, we’ll meet at my place, which is close to the college.
