IELTS Writing Task 1: How to Improve Cohesion and Coherence

Sep 18, 2026

When students think about Cohesion and Coherence in IELTS Writing Task 1, they often think about linking words.

Are linking words enough?

Students learn words such as however, moreover, furthermore, in contrast, similarly, and try to use as many as possible. But good cohesion is not about using lots of linking words. It is about making your writing easy to follow. The reader should be able to see how your ideas and pieces of information are connected.

Here are some simple ways to do this in Task 1.

1. Group information logically

One of the most important ways to improve cohesion is to group related information together. Imagine a graph showing changes in the number of visitors to four countries. You could describe each country separately:

Canada increased from 2 million to 5 million.
Australia increased from 3 million to 6 million.
Germany decreased from 5 million to 3 million.
France increased slightly from 4 million to 4.5 million.

There is nothing grammatically wrong with these sentences, but the information is not particularly well organised. Instead, you could group the countries according to what happened:

Canada and Australia both experienced significant increases, with visitor numbers rising from 2 million to 5 million and from 3 million to 6 million respectively. Germany, in contrast, saw a decline, while France experienced only a slight increase.

Now the reader can immediately see the main relationships between the figures.

Think about relationships, not just individual numbers.

Ask yourself:

• Which figures increased?

• Which decreased?

• Which were similar?

• Which were significantly different?

• Which followed a similar pattern?

Then group them accordingly.

2. Don’t use linking words just because you think you need them

Linking words can certainly help your writing, but more linking words do not automatically mean better cohesion.

For example:

The number of students increased from 2010 to 2015. Furthermore, the number of teachers also increased. Moreover, the number of classrooms rose. In addition, the school opened a new library.

This isn’t necessarily wrong, but the linking words feel unnecessary. The relationship between the information is already clear.

A more natural version would be:

The number of students increased from 2010 to 2015. The number of teachers also rose, while the number of classrooms increased considerably. The school also opened a new library.

The writing is still connected, but it doesn’t feel overloaded with linking words.

So instead of asking:

“What linking word can I use here?”

ask:

“What is the relationship between these two pieces of information?”

Sometimes the answer is “I don’t need a linking word.”

3. Create connections between sentences with vocabulary

You can also create cohesion by repeating an idea using different forms of the same word.

For example:

The number of visitors fluctuated considerably throughout the period. This fluctuation was particularly noticeable between 2010 and 2015.

Here, fluctuated → fluctuation creates a clear connection between the two sentences.

The same thing can be done with many common Task 1 words:

The number of people using public transport increased sharply. This increase was particularly significant after 2015.

The percentage of households with internet access declined slightly. This decline continued until 2020.

The cost of housing rose considerably. This rise was particularly pronounced in the final three years.

Notice how the second sentence refers back to the idea in the first sentence. You don’t need to repeat exactly the same grammatical form. Using related forms of the same word can help the reader see the connection between your sentences.

4. Use referencing to avoid unnecessary repetition

Another way to connect sentences is to refer back to information you have already mentioned.

For example:

The number of visitors to London increased dramatically between 2010 and 2015. This figure then remained relatively stable.

Here, this figure refers back to the number of visitors.

You can also use words such as:

• this increase

• this decline

• this trend

• this figure

• these changes

• the former

• the latter

For example:

The number of people travelling by car increased, while bus use declined. This trend continued until the end of the period.

These small connections help the reader follow your description without having to repeat the same noun again and again.

5. Make the order of information easy to follow

Your ideas should also appear in a logical order. For example, if you are describing a line graph, you might organise the report like this:

Introduction → What the graph shows

Overview → The main trends or differences

Body Paragraph 1 → One logical group of data

Body Paragraph 2 → Another logical group of data

Within each paragraph, you can also organise the information logically—for example, from the beginning to the end of the period, or from the highest figure to the lowest. The important thing is that the reader should not have to jump around the graph to understand your description.

6. Compare information instead of writing a list of numbers

Task 1 is not simply a test of how many numbers you can include. Your job is to describe and compare the important information.

Compare these two examples:

In 2010, the figure for Canada was 20%. In 2010, the figure for Australia was 25%. In 2010, the figure for Germany was 30%.

This is basically a list.

Now look at:

In 2010, Germany recorded the highest figure, at 30%, followed by Australia at 25% and Canada at 20%.

The second version connects the information and makes the relationship between the figures much clearer.

Whenever possible, look for opportunities to say:

• higher/lower than

• similar to

• twice as high as

• slightly higher than

• considerably lower than

• the highest/the lowest

• respectively

These are not simply vocabulary choices. They help you connect the data.

A simple way to think about Cohesion and Coherence

When you check your Task 1 answer, don’t simply count your linking words.

Instead, ask yourself:

1. Is my information grouped logically?

Have I put similar trends or related information together?

2. Can the reader see the relationships between the figures?

Have I made useful comparisons rather than simply listing numbers?

3. Are my sentences connected?

Have I used referencing and related vocabulary to connect ideas?

4. Is the information easy to follow?

Does each paragraph have a clear purpose, and does the information progress logically?

5. Have I used linking words naturally?

Have I used them when they actually help the reader understand the relationship?

Remember:

Good cohesion is not about adding more linking words. It is about creating clear connections between your ideas and information.

Once you start looking at Task 1 this way, you can improve your Cohesion and Coherence without filling your writing with “however”, “moreover”, and “furthermore”.

Talk soon,

Iman