What Does Coherence Mean in IELTS Writing? (Band 6 vs Band 7 Explained)

Coherent means ‘makes sense’. I’ll show you exactly what you need to do to get band 6 coherence.

Which answer do you think is best?

1. I think it’s a great idea to clean up the environment. People should care about the environment because we all live in the world, and we need clean water, food and air.
   
2. The cost of cleaning up the environment is very high, but I don’t like doing it.
   
3. The cost of cleaning up the environment can be shared by all sectors of society, and all people benefit. We will all get clean air and water, so the benefits do outweigh the expenses.

Think of Coherence this way.

Generally, your are going to be unhappy because you won’t know what to do.

IELTS examiners are the same as you.

You want to understand what to do an why.

Coherence is saying your reasons for your opinion in a clear way that people/the examiner can understand.

This is where 90% of students go wrong. They try to write in long complicated grammatical sentences.

This destroys clarity and thus destroys ‘coherence’ and they lose marks in BOTH grammar and coherence. (that’s 50% of the mark!!!)

So, how to do it?

Imagine that you are explaining to your little brother why he needs to do something.

You need to have a shower.

Oh he doesn’t like that!

So what would you say to him?

If he doesn’t shower, he will smell bad and nobody will be his friend.

You’ll explain about dirt and bacteria and these kinds of things clearly so that in the end he says, “OK! I understand. I’ll do it!”

Funnily enough, this is exactly what you have to do in the real world: university, jobs, relationships everywhere!

Just like you need to understand, others need to understand you. That’s what we are doing in all of these lessons. Making you organised and clear.

(did you find the answer with good cohesion above? Can you answer yet?)

So, I’m going to show you what kills cohesion, and gives you 5 and what makes good cohesion and gets you 6!

Organise your ideas.

There are three main ways.

1. by time: you tell a story from the time it starts.
2. by steps: you explain each step of the process.
3. by idea: you organise the ideas into groups.

In the question above, you are asked “does A outweigh B?”

You could start by telling the story of how the pollution happened: everyone caused it for example.

You could explain the process of spending the money and how it helps and who.

You could organise the people who need to do something, clean/spend money into groups and explain one at a time.

However, remember that all of them are explaining ‘which one outweighs the other.

Try a question and see how you do.

FYI: the technical term for this is ‘progression’.

Some people believe that students should have a part-time job while studying at university.
Do you agree or disagree?

Here’s a band 6 example paragraph

University study already requires a significant amount of time and concentration, especially during exams and assignment periods. If students work part-time, they may feel tired and stressed. This can reduce their academic performance. In addition, many students are still developing basic study skills, and adding work responsibilities can make it difficult for them to manage their time effectively. As a result, focusing fully on their studies is often a better choice for academic success.

Notice the word ‘this’.

What does it mean?

‘tired and stress’ right?

That’s called ‘substitution’.

It’s used so that you don’t keep saying the same words over and over.

Do it, and you have a good shot at 6+ for coherence.

Clear?

That’s the list of three things you need. Let’s try it and make sure you can do it.

Question:

Some people think governments should invest more in public transport, while others believe building more roads is a better solution to traffic problems.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

You have to do all three.

You can, and will, so don’t worry!

Let’s bring these two TR skills together: answer the question and ‘present, extend and support’.

How many paragraphs should you write?

You CAN write three bodies, but they will be less deep, and your mark will likely be lower.

Two paragraphs gives you enough words to really explain your reason clearly.

How did you respond to this question?

Some people think governments should invest more in public transport, while others believe building more roads is a better solution to traffic problems.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Did you organise your idea into one of the three types? (time, process, groups?

If you did, that’s great!

Can you make your answer/reason coherent?

(if you do the full essay, we can fully assess your skills, just click on this link)

Paragraph example:

Increased investment in public transport can be an effective way to reduce traffic congestion in urban areas. Reliable and affordable alternatives to private cars, systems such as underground railways and bus networks can reduce the number of vehicles on the road. This is important during peak hours. This not only shortens travel times but also improves the overall efficiency of city transport systems. A single train or bus can replace dozens of individual cars. We can see this in effect in cities like Dubai and in Singapore. As a result, public transport solves the core traffic problem of congestion.

Bonus:

When you are explaining difficult things, write simply!

Complicated writing + complicated ideas equals examiner confusion and low marks.

TIP:

When you practice, get someone to read your paragraph and see if they can understand your reasoning easily.

Are you clear? Are you step by step?

Be organise, be clear. That will get you band 6.

Band 7+ will be built on top of that.

Here’s your next question.

Some people believe that universities should focus on providing academic knowledge, while others think they should prepare students for the workplace.

Here’s your checklist

1. Did I organise my step-by-step explanation BEFORE I wrote?
2. Did I say the steps in a clear way?
3. Did I use substitution?
4. is there a clear topic focus in the paragraph?

If so, you are well on your way to getting 6!

For more IELTS Band 6 improvement:

My name is Geoffrey Currie. I’ve been an IELTS tutor for 25 years. I’m a University of Cambridge graduate, MPHIL Art History 2012.

I’m really happy to help you achieve your dreams in life!

To go deeper and practice more TR, keep scrolling down.

The key coherence lesson

Coherence is not about:

• Long sentences
• Linking words
• Sounding academic

Coherence is about:

Making your thinking easy to follow from sentence to sentence.

If the examiner can follow your thinking without effort, you move from Band 5 to Band 6.

Some people prefer to work for a large company, while others prefer to work for a small business.
Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

here’s a deeper look at ‘substitution’.

See if you can use it in your answer.

What does “substitution” mean in IELTS?

Substitution means:

Replacing a word or phrase with another word so you don’t repeat the same language again.

It helps your writing:

• sound smoother
• feel more connected
• be easier to read

This directly affects Coherence and Cohesion.

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Think of substitution like this

Your mom says:

“Did you clean your room?”

Which answer sounds better?

Answer A:
I cleaned my room. My room was very dirty. My room needed cleaning.

Answer B:
I cleaned my room. It was very dirty and really needed it.

Your mom prefers B.

Why?
Because you didn’t keep repeating “my room”.

That’s substitution.

IELTS examiners think the same way.

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Why substitution matters in IELTS

If you repeat the same word again and again, your writing feels:

• childish
• mechanical
• uncomfortable to read

Even if the grammar is correct, your coherence score drops.

Substitution helps the examiner:

follow your ideas without effort

And that’s how you move from Band 5 to Band 6.

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Simple examples

Without substitution

Many students have part-time jobs. Many students feel tired. Many students cannot focus on their studies.

Correct English — but painful to read.

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With substitution (Band 6 feel)

Many students have part-time jobs. These students often feel tired, and this makes it difficult for them to focus on their studies.

Same ideas.
Much better flow.

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Common substitution words you should use

You already know these — you just don’t use them enough.

Pronouns

• it
• this / that
• these / those
• they / them

General nouns

• this situation
• this issue
• this problem
• this approach

One / ones

• one
• ones

Example:

Some students prefer online classes, while others dislike this approach.

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Substitution vs repetition

Repetition makes the examiner think:

“This student has limited control of language.”

Substitution makes the examiner think:

“This student can manage ideas smoothly.”

That difference is often half a band.

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Important warning

Don’t overdo it.

Bad example:

Students need education. This issue is important. This matter affects society. This problem is serious.

That’s not control — that’s confusion.

Rule:

Substitute only when the meaning is 100% clear.

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How substitution improves coherence

Substitution:

• links sentences together
• avoids sudden topic breaks
• makes paragraphs feel like one piece, not separate sentences

That’s coherence.

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Simple checklist for students

Before submitting, ask:

• Did I repeat the same noun too many times?
• Can I replace it with it / this / they / these?
• Is it still clear what I’m talking about?

If yes — you’re doing substitution correctly.

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Final sentence to remember

Substitution helps your reader remember what you’re talking about without getting bored or confused.

That’s exactly what IELTS examiners want.