IELTS Writing for Undergraduate 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
- Undergraduate 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
- 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 undergraduate 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 undergraduate applicants: school essays reward a memorised structure and topic knowledge more than a direct answer to a new question.
Over-reliance on taught connectors is common.
A strength to build on: Recent classroom writing practice means essay structure is already familiar.
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
What is the fastest way for undergraduate applicants 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. Over-reliance on taught connectors is common.
How long does it take undergraduate applicants to fix overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'?
Most learners need about one week. Study around school or a gap year gives time, so regular weekly essays with feedback are realistic.
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 undergraduate applicants?
Take a paragraph with five linkers and rewrite it with only two. Check the meaning stays clear. Study around school or a gap year gives time, so regular weekly essays with feedback are realistic.
How can undergraduate 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 undergraduate applicants know about their IELTS Writing target?
Universities set an overall IELTS score and often a minimum Writing score that varies by course and institution. Check each offer's conditions.
Should undergraduate 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. Recent classroom writing practice means essay structure is already familiar.
Can an AI checker help undergraduate 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 undergraduate applicants: overview
- Undergraduate applicants: memorised paragraphs that do not match the question
- Undergraduate applicants: an unclear position in Task 2
- Undergraduate applicants: rare or memorised words used in the wrong place
- Undergraduate applicants: an introduction that copies the question
- Undergraduate applicants: weak paragraphing and essay structure
- Undergraduate applicants: unclear pronouns and reference words
- IELTS retakers: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- Candidates stuck at Band 6.5: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- Candidates with 30 days before the exam: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- Uzbek speakers: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- Nurses: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'
- Accountants: overused linking words such as 'however' and 'moreover'