IELTS Writing for Australia skilled migration applicants: How to Fix Overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
Use linkers where the logic needs them, not at the start of every sentence. Show relationships with sentence structure and reference words first, and keep explicit linkers for real contrasts, additions and results.
At a glance
- For
- Australia skilled migration applicants
- Problem
- Overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- Scoring criterion
- Coherence and Cohesion
- Task affected
- Task 1 and Task 2
- IELTS test
- Academic or General Training (check your requirement)
- Typical effort
- about one week
- First step
- Circle every linker in your last essay and delete those that do not mark a real change of direction.
Why this happens to Australia skilled migration applicants
Candidates learn lists of connectors and insert one in every sentence. The examiner reads this as mechanical, and the Coherence and Cohesion descriptors penalise over-use of cohesive devices.
Why this affects Australia skilled migration applicants: points targets create pressure to hit 7 or 8 in every component, so Writing is often the limiting score.
Band 7 or higher needs clear central topics in each paragraph.
A strength to build on: A clear numeric target helps focus practice on the weakest criterion.
Fix it in four steps
- Circle every linker in your last essay and delete those that do not mark a real change of direction.
- Join related ideas with subordinating clauses (although, because, which) instead of starting a new sentence with a connector.
- Use 'this' plus a noun ('this trend', 'this policy') to refer back, which links ideas without a connector.
- Limit yourself to one new linker per paragraph.
Before and after
Before
Moreover, cars are expensive. Furthermore, parking is limited. In addition, fuel costs are high.
After
Cars are expensive to own because of high fuel costs, and limited parking makes them harder to use in cities.
Ten-minute drill: Take a paragraph with five linkers and rewrite it with only two. Check the meaning stays clear.
Questions and answers
How can Australia skilled migration applicants fix overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'?
Use linkers where the logic needs them, not at the start of every sentence. Show relationships with sentence structure and reference words first, and keep explicit linkers for real contrasts, additions and results. Band 7 or higher needs clear central topics in each paragraph.
How long does it take Australia skilled migration applicants to fix overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'?
Most learners need about one week. Invitation rounds are unpredictable, so build a steady routine rather than a last-minute push.
Are linking words bad for the score?
No. Accurate, varied linkers help. The problem is mechanical over-use, where every sentence begins with one.
Which linkers are safest to keep?
Simple ones used for a clear purpose: 'however' for contrast, 'for example' to introduce an example, 'as a result' for consequence.
What does a good practice drill look like for Australia skilled migration applicants?
Take a paragraph with five linkers and rewrite it with only two. Check the meaning stays clear. Invitation rounds are unpredictable, so build a steady routine rather than a last-minute push.
How can Australia skilled migration applicants tell they have fixed overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'?
No more than one sentence in four starts with a linking word, and the paragraph still reads logically.
What should Australia skilled migration applicants know about their IELTS Writing target?
Australian skilled migration awards points for English: Proficient English, at IELTS 7 in each component, and Superior English, at IELTS 8 in each component, earn different points. Check the current rules before planning your target.
Should Australia skilled migration applicants practise this on Task 1, Task 2 or both?
It shows up in both tasks. Fix it in Task 2 first, because Task 2 carries about twice the weight of Task 1, then check Task 1 with the same checklist. A clear numeric target helps focus practice on the weakest criterion.
Can an AI checker help Australia skilled migration applicants with overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'?
An AI checker can show where this pattern appears in your own essay and which criterion it affects, which makes the fix concrete. It gives a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score, so use it to choose the next revision, rewrite, and check again. The first check on this site is free.
Check your own essay
See where overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover' appears in your own writing and which criterion it affects, then rewrite the weakest paragraph.
Feedback is a practice estimate, not an official IELTS score. Last reviewed 2026-11-11. Score requirements change, so confirm them with the organisation that will read your result.
Related guides
- IELTS Writing for Australia skilled migration applicants: overview
- Australia skilled migration applicants: the gap between Band 6 and Band 7 in Writing
- Australia skilled migration applicants: ideas that are listed but not developed
- Australia skilled migration applicants: mistakes with a, an and the
- Australia skilled migration applicants: having no time or method to proofread
- Australia skilled migration applicants: Writing scores that go up and down between attempts
- Australia skilled migration applicants: weak paragraphing and essay structure
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