IELTS Writing for Japanese speakers: 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
- Japanese speakers
- 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 Japanese speakers
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 Japanese speakers: Japanese has no articles, omits subjects when context is clear, and does not mark plural, so these are easy to drop in English.
Referencing is often unclear because subjects are omitted.
A strength to build on: Careful, accurate reading habits help with proofreading.
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 Japanese speakers 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. Referencing is often unclear because subjects are omitted.
How long does it take Japanese speakers to fix overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'?
Most learners need about one week. Short daily proofreading drills give steady gains.
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 Japanese speakers?
Take a paragraph with five linkers and rewrite it with only two. Check the meaning stays clear. Short daily proofreading drills give steady gains.
How can Japanese speakers 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 Japanese speakers know about their IELTS Writing target?
Japanese-speaking candidates often need targeted practice on articles, plurals and clear subject use.
Should Japanese speakers 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. Careful, accurate reading habits help with proofreading.
Can an AI checker help Japanese speakers 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 Japanese speakers: overview
- Japanese speakers: an unclear position in Task 2
- Japanese speakers: mistakes with a, an and the
- Japanese speakers: unclear pronouns and reference words
- Japanese speakers: subject-verb agreement mistakes
- Japanese speakers: unnatural word combinations
- Japanese speakers: weak paragraphing and essay structure
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