Score-Boosting Tips

Targeted strategies and insider tips to help test takers improve their scores in each IELTS skill area.

A group of professionals sitting around a conference table during a business meeting, listening attentively to a colleague. Ideal image for an article about business communication phrases and sounding more professional in the workplace.
Score-Boosting Tips

10 Catchy Business Phrases to Sound More Professional (and Natural!)

✨ Clear and confident communication is essential in any business environment, whether you’re emailing a colleague, leading a meeting, or checking in with your team. Here are 10 real workplace expressions that help you sound more natural, efficient, and confident in English. 1. “Let’s touch base.” Meaning: connect briefly to update each other Canadian frequency: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Very common — used daily in offices Dialogue:A: “Can we touch base later today about the proposal?”B: “Sure, let’s touch base around 3 PM.” 2. “Let’s circle back.” Meaning: return to a topic later Canadian frequency: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Common, especially in meetings Dialogue:A: “We don’t have all the numbers yet.”B: “Okay, let’s circle back once finance sends the report.” 3. “Let’s get down to business.” Meaning: start the main task Canadian frequency: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Very Common, in meetings & workshops Dialogue:A: “Looks like everyone is here.”B: “Great. Let’s get down to business.” 4. “Keep me in the loop.” Meaning: keep me updated Canadian frequency: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Extremely common, used in emails and meetings Dialogue:A: “I’ll join the call with the client.”B: “Perfect — keep me in the loop.” 5. “Let’s dive in.” Meaning: start immediately; begin the task or discussion without delay Canadian frequency: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Very common […]

A long road filled with too many colorful direction signs, symbolizing confusion and overuse of connectors in writing
Score-Boosting Tips

Why Overusing Connectors Can Lower Your IELTS Writing Band Score

🌱 Many IELTS students believe that using lots of linking words automatically boosts their Coherence and Cohesion score. But examiners can always tell when those connectors are forced, repetitive, or unnecessary, and that can actually lower your band score. Let’s look at why this happens and how you can sound more natural and fluent instead. 1. What Are Connectors and Why Do We Use Them? Connectors (also called linking words) show how ideas relate to each other. Common examples include Firstly, However, Therefore, As a result, In addition, and On the other hand. They’re essential for guiding your reader, but like spices in cooking, too much can spoil the dish. 2. Why Overusing Them Hurts Your Score Examiners are looking for smooth, natural flow, not memorized templates. When you use too many connectors, your writing can: Sound mechanical or artificial Become repetitive (Moreover… In addition… Furthermore…) Break the rhythm of ideas that already connect logically Show a limited range of sentence structures Example: ❌ Moreover, children like cartoons. In addition, they watch them every day. Furthermore, cartoons are funny. ✅ Children enjoy cartoons and often watch them every day because they find them funny. 3. How Many Is Enough? A

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