IELTS Writing -

Key Words & Expressions

By learning to use common phrases and set expressions, you can add variety and interest to your writing. You will also be able to write more quickly and effectively during exams, when time is limited.

Of course, you won't need to use all of the expressions on the IELTS. Ideally, you should be comfortable using at least three or four expressions from each gr

oup below, so they come to mind easily during the IELTS. It is also helpful to have someone call them out so you can test your spelling. Unfortunately, students sometimes make spelling errors even in these commonly occurring expressions. Practice sufficiently so you don't lose points unnecessarily on something that's within your control.

KEY WORDS for IELTS WRITING

Stating Your Opinion

In my opinion,

According to me,

In my view,

To me,

From my point of view,

I think

It seems to me that

I believe

From my perspective

To my way of thinking

It appears that

I suppose

I realize

I understand

I imagine

I feel

Giving Examples

For example,

For instance,

such as

In other words,

as

like

that is

namely

To illustrate

To paraphrase

Comparing

Similar to

As...as

in common

also

Either...or

In the same way,

Neither...nor

At the same time

Just as

resemble

Contrasting

However,

But

On the contrary,

On the other hand,

Differ from

Nevertheless

Although

Though

Otherwise

Instead

Alternatively,

Even though

Generalizing

Generally,

Generally speaking,

Overall,

On the whole,

In general,

By and large,

It seems to me that

I believe

All in all,

Basically,

Essentially,

As a rule,

All things considered

For the most part

Expressing Certainty

Certainly,

Undoubtedly,

Doubtless,

No doubt,

Definitely,

Of course,

Expressing Partial Agreement

More or less,

To some extent,

Up to a point,

Almost,

In a way,

So to speak,