Writing Resources
Useful Phrases & Linking Words
Organised by function. Use variety — repeating the same phrase in every paragraph reduces your Coherence & Cohesion score.
Introducing & Stating Your Opinion
In my opinion, …I firmly believe that …It is my view that …From my perspective, …I would argue that …It seems to me that …I am convinced that …There is no doubt in my mind that …
Adding Information
Furthermore, …Moreover, …In addition, …Additionally, …Not only … but also …What is more, …Apart from this, …On top of that, …
Contrasting & Conceding
However, …On the other hand, …Nevertheless, …Despite this, …Although … , …While it is true that …, …Admittedly, … ; however, …Even though …, …In contrast, …Conversely, …
Giving Examples
For example, …For instance, …To illustrate this, …A clear example of this is …This can be seen in …Take [country/city] as an example: …Research suggests that …Studies have shown that …
Showing Cause & Effect
As a result, …Consequently, …Therefore, …This leads to …This results in …Due to …, …Owing to …, …Because of this, …Hence, …This means that …
Concluding
In conclusion, …To conclude, …To summarise, …In summary, …Overall, it can be said that …Taking everything into consideration, …All things considered, …On balance, …
Describing Trends (Task 1 — Academic)
rose sharply / gradually / steadilyfell dramatically / slightly / significantlyremained stable / constant / unchangedfluctuated between … and …reached a peak of … in …hit a low point of … in …levelled off at …accounted for … percentstood at … in [year]there was a marked increase / sharp decline in …
Useful Sentence Starters for Task 2 Body Paragraphs
One of the main reasons for this is …A key factor contributing to this is …This is largely because …The most significant advantage of … is …A major drawback of … is …It is widely accepted that …Many people argue that …Those who support this view claim that …Critics of this view, however, point out that …Governments could address this by …Individuals can play a role by …
Important: Memorised phrases only help if they fit naturally. Examiners can tell when phrases are forced. Practise using them in full essays so they feel natural when it counts.
See these phrases in your own writing
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