What should the linking word add to your idea?
In Write for an Academic Discussion, ETS asks test takers to support an opinion and respond to other points of view. We recommend first stating the relationship between ideas in simple terms: “here is a reason,” “despite this,” or “under this condition.” Then choose the English expression that makes the relationship clear.
Consider two fictional observations: a library closes later, and students spend less time on the premises. “However” would signal that the second observation is unexpected given the first. A result marker would instead present the second as an outcome. The facts alone do not let you invent this result: ask what explanation your paragraph provides.
How can you express contrast without breaking the sentence?
The British Council distinguishes between the constructions with “although” and “despite.” In the complete forms practiced here, “although” introduces a subject and a verb; “despite” is followed, among other things, by a noun phrase or an “-ing” form. These examples express the same qualification: “Although the sample was small, the pattern was clear” and “Despite the small sample, the pattern was clear.”
Here the contrast is between the small sample and the clear pattern that was observed. It does not prove that the method is perfect or that the result applies to an entire population. When reading, circle the two elements that are actually contrasted. When writing, place the qualification near the claim it limits so the reader does not attach it to another idea.
What is the difference between giving a reason and stating a result?
The British Council presents “because” as a reason connector and “so” as a result or purpose connector, depending on the construction. In our examples, “We postponed the survey because the tablets failed” starts with the decision and explains it. “The tablets failed, so we postponed the survey” starts with the failure and leads to the decision.
When reviewing an argument, draw an arrow from the cause to the effect. If your text says that two things occur together without explaining why, you cannot assume that connection. You can describe their coexistence or cautiously propose a hypothesis; simply adding a linking word does not provide evidence.
Sensor repairs used the last of the fieldwork budget. No other funding was available. ___, the team could not rent a second boat. Choose the connector that presents the final statement as a consequence.
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
C: “Therefore,” which expresses a result here.
The method in action
- The repairs use up the budget, and no other funding is available. The team’s inability to rent another boat is presented as a result of this situation.
- A would signal a contrast. B would introduce an example. D would signal a similarity to another situation. None of these relationships matches the prompt or the reasoning given.
What part of the commitment is conditional?
The first conditional can describe a possible future situation: “If the room becomes available, we will move the tutorial.” The British Council presents the usual construction with the present tense after “if” and “will” in the main clause. Here, the commitment depends on the room being available; it does not describe a move that has already been decided without qualification.
Also notice words that restrict the relationship. “Only if” introduces a necessary condition: without it, the stated outcome is ruled out. Meeting this condition alone does not let you assume there are no other requirements. This caution helps you interpret campus instructions without turning a possibility into a promise.
Fictional campus rule: The university will reimburse the microscope hire only if the department submits a receipt by Thursday. The department submits no receipt. What follows from this rule?
Choose an answer.
The solution, step by step
B: the necessary condition has not been met.
The method in action
- The rule requires a receipt to be submitted before the deadline for reimbursement to be possible. No receipt is submitted, so this rule does not allow reimbursement.
- A removes the condition. C invents an exception. D turns a necessary condition into a general guarantee. The prompt describes a fictional rule and says nothing about a real university’s procedures.
The pitfall
Adding transitions to create the impression of logic
A string of “moreover,” “however,” and “therefore” can hide a missing argument. To check your paragraph, temporarily remove the linking words: does each sentence add an identifiable reason, detail, or example? Put back only the words that help the reader understand the connection.
Our routine has three steps: name the relationship, check which parts it connects, and review the full construction. Keep good example sentences in your notebook with their context, then change the context when you reuse them. This practice builds argumentation skills; it is not a list of words to insert for a score.
Key takeaways
- Choose a relationship between ideas before choosing a linking word.
- Check the construction that follows “although” or “despite.”
- Distinguish between a cause, a result, and simple coexistence.
- A necessary condition is not a general guarantee.