Ielts speaking--how to improve your bandscore

Chapter Five:
Linking devices and expressions
Why are linking devices important in the IELTS Speaking test?
Employing linking devices in speaking has a direct influence on your band
score. The use of these is evaluated under fluency and coherence. The latter
means that a candidate is capable of presenting ideas in a logical sequence using
cohesive devices. It will be hard for a candidate to get a band score above 6
without using these devices.
For a candidate to get a band score of 7, the examiner will strictly rate the IELTS
taker’s flexibility in using connectives and capacity to speak at length without
noticeable effort or loss of coherence. For this to happen, a candidate must use
discourse markers and connectives having the same meaning and not repeat the
same ones. Therefore, it is advisable for a candidate to familiarise these words
and know how to use them.
Through discourse markers, the listener can trace the relationship of what the
speaker is saying, what has been said, and what is going to be uttered. This
connection among sentences can help aid further understanding, which is the
goal of communication.
What are the don’ts in the use of linking devices?
The examiner places importance on the use of linking devices. However, you
may still get marked down although you have used them. The reason is
inappropriate and unnatural use. For instance, the word moreover is more
suitable for academic writing and formal speech than in speaking where the
questions are general in nature. Most candidates are often stuck because they are
not aware of the appropriate context to use these linking devices in, thus
affecting fluency.
Using discourse markers alone is not enough. It is also necessary for a candidate
to use them correctly. Many candidates have a tendency to overuse discourse
markers. In doing so, they sacrifice flexibility on usage, affecting their band
score. The use of various cohesive devices in speaking is also assessed strictly.

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