For the DELE C1 writing test, “además”, “sin embargo” and “en conclusión” aren't enough: the connectors that lift your level are the ones that let you structure (en cuanto a, por lo que respecta a), reformulate (dicho de otro modo, mejor dicho), justify (debido a, en virtud de, dado que), hedge (en cierta medida, hasta cierto punto), contrast ideas forcefully (lejos de, antes bien, por el contrario) and wrap up (en suma, en definitiva). Here they are by family, with examples and the type of text each one fits.

The point isn't to fill your text with unusual connectors. It's to have a varied repertoire, choose the right one for each nuance and each genre, and use it naturally.

What does the DELE C1 writing test reward when it comes to connectors?

The C1 writing test has two tasks:

  • Task 1: you listen to a lecture or talk, take notes and write a text (for example, an article or a report) of 220 to 250 words with a summary, an evaluation and your opinion.
  • Task 2: you choose one of two options and write a formal text of 180 to 220 words: an academic text, a report or an article based on a graph, or a formal letter or email (a complaint, an application, a recommendation…).

Each task is marked on four criteria: Coherence, Range, Accuracy and Task completion (called “Mediation and task completion” in Task 1 and “Appropriateness and task completion” in Task 2). Each criterion is scored in bands from 0 to 3, and band 2 corresponds to the C1 level.

Connectors affect two of those criteria in particular:

  • Coherence and cohesion: the top band describes an appropriate use of “connectors with different functions (argumentative, reformulating and/or structuring)”. By contrast, a text that relies only on everyday connectors like por eso or además sits in the lowest band.
  • Range: at C1 you're expected to be able to qualify your opinions and statements (degrees of certainty, probability…). That's where hedging markers come in.

In other words, what makes the difference isn't using a “difficult” connector, but having a variety of functions and using them precisely.

Which structuring markers should you use at C1?

Structuring markers organise information: they introduce a sub-topic, move to a new block or comment on something you've just mentioned.

  • En cuanto a / Por lo que respecta a / En lo que se refiere a (as for, as regards, with regard to): introduce a new aspect of the same topic. Perfect for a report or an article with several sections. Por lo que respecta a la financiación, las opciones son tres: pública, privada o mixta.
  • Al respecto (in this respect): introduces a comment on what you've just mentioned. Formal register. Las cifras oficiales no incluyen el empleo no declarado. Al respecto, conviene matizar que…
  • En otro orden de cosas (on another note): moves on to a different topic without breaking the formal tone. En otro orden de cosas, conviene analizar el impacto social de estas medidas.

If you're covering several aspects in the same text, alternate en cuanto a, por lo que respecta a and en lo que se refiere a so you don't repeat yourself.

How do you use reformulating markers?

Reformulators pick up what you've just said to clarify, refine or correct it. They're very useful in Task 1, when you have to explain a complex idea from the lecture in your own words.

  • Dicho de otro modo / En otras palabras / Es decir (in other words, that is): to clarify. La crisis ha reducido el poder adquisitivo de los hogares más vulnerables. Dicho de otro modo, muchas familias ya no llegan a fin de mes.
  • Mejor dicho (or rather): to refine or correct what came before. El sistema educativo necesita ajustes; mejor dicho, una reforma en profundidad.
  • Más bien (rather): to steer the idea in another direction, usually after a negative. No se trata de una crisis pasajera; más bien, estamos ante un cambio de modelo.

Which cause and purpose connectors lift your level?

At B2, porque and ya que were enough. At C1 it pays to have more options, and to tell cause and purpose apart.

For cause:

  • Debido a (due to): neutral and valid in any formal text. Debido a la falta de financiación, el proyecto se ha aplazado un año.
  • Dado que / Puesto que (given that, since): introduce a known or obvious cause. Dado que los datos son incompletos, conviene ser prudentes.
  • En virtud de (under, by virtue of): typical of formal, administrative or legal contexts. En virtud de la normativa vigente, la entidad debe rendir cuentas cada año.
  • Habida cuenta de (bearing in mind): very formal. Habida cuenta de los resultados, la propuesta parece viable.

For purpose:

  • Con el fin de / Con el propósito de / Con el objetivo de (in order to, with the aim of): clear and very common. Con el fin de fomentar la lectura, se han abierto bibliotecas en los barrios periféricos.
  • En aras de (in the interest of, for the sake of): educated register. En aras de la transparencia, se han publicado todas las actas.

Careful: en aras de doesn't mean “because of”. If you're unsure of the nuance, use con el fin de.

How do you qualify an opinion at C1?

At C1 you're expected not to state or deny everything in absolute terms, but to measure what you say. That's what hedging markers are for:

  • En cierto modo / En cierta medida (in a way, to some extent): you accept something, but not entirely. En cierta medida, las redes sociales han democratizado el acceso a la información.
  • Hasta cierto punto (up to a point): partial acceptance. La hipótesis es válida hasta cierto punto, pero no explica el aumento de los últimos meses.
  • En gran medida / En buena parte (largely): you accept something to a large degree. El éxito del programa se debe en gran medida al compromiso del profesorado.
  • Si bien (although, while): a formal concessive, equivalent to aunque. Si bien la medida es necesaria, llega tarde.

Tip: where at B2 you'd write es cierto que…, try en cierta medida, es cierto que… That small nuance shows control of discourse and stops you from categorically stating something you might not be able to back up.

Which contrast connectors signal a C1 level?

Sin embargo and no obstante still work at C1. But there are others that let you contrast ideas more forcefully or more precisely:

  • Lejos de + infinitive (far from): not only does the expected thing not happen, the opposite does. Lejos de mejorar la situación, las medidas han agravado el problema.
  • Antes bien (on the contrary, rather): emphatically sets an idea against a previous negative. No se trata de reducir las ayudas; antes bien, conviene aumentarlas y reorientarlas.
  • Por el contrario (on the contrary): presents the opposite idea. No se ha registrado un descenso de la natalidad; por el contrario, las cifras han aumentado.
  • Ahora bien (however, that said): introduces an important objection or nuance. La propuesta es atractiva. Ahora bien, su coste es muy elevado.

And to reinforce a negative, at the end of the sentence: La medida no resuelve el problema en absoluto. El nuevo modelo no es perfecto, ni mucho menos.

How do you end a text without repeating “en conclusión”?

En conclusión is fine, but there are alternatives that may fit your text better:

  • En suma / En síntesis (in sum, in short): to condense what you've said. En suma, las tres reformas comparten un mismo objetivo: redistribuir los recursos.
  • En definitiva (ultimately, all in all): a very natural general closing. En definitiva, el modelo actual necesita cambios.
  • A fin de cuentas / Bien mirado (after all, all things considered): for a final assessment after weighing up arguments. Bien mirado, la propuesta inicial era más equilibrada que las enmiendas posteriores.

Which connectors fit each C1 text type?

The connector has to match the tone of the text, and at C1 the task completion criterion specifically rewards adapting structure, tone and vocabulary to the genre you're asked for.

  • Report (Task 1 or Task 2): impersonal and very formal. Good fits: por lo que respecta a, en lo que se refiere a, en virtud de, habida cuenta de, en síntesis.
  • Article for a magazine or blog: formal, but a little closer to the reader. Good fits: en cuanto a, dicho de otro modo, ahora bien, lejos de, en definitiva.
  • Formal letter or email (Task 2): good fits: en cuanto a, debido a, no obstante, con el fin de, por todo lo expuesto.
  • Task 1, when summarising the lecture: besides connectors, you need ways to present the speaker's ideas: según el ponente, a juicio del experto, tal y como señala. And to move on to your opinion: en lo que a mí respecta, desde mi punto de vista.

How can you use these connectors without sounding forced?

Dropping en aras de into every paragraph because you learned it yesterday doesn't work. A forced connector stands out, and if you use it with the wrong meaning it affects how clear your text is.

My advice: pick two or three advanced connectors from each family (structuring, reformulating, cause and purpose, hedging, contrast and closing) and practise them until they come out naturally. Once you've mastered them, expand your repertoire.

A training trick: take an old text of yours where you only used basic connectors (además, sin embargo, por lo tanto) and rewrite it, replacing two or three with connectors from the families in this article. You'll see the difference straight away.

Example: the same paragraph with B2 and C1 connectors

Version with basic connectors:

Hay quien dice que las redes sociales han mejorado la comunicación. Por otro lado, otros creen que la han empeorado. En mi opinión, las dos cosas son ciertas en parte. Es verdad que ahora hablamos más con gente lejana. Sin embargo, también es verdad que hablamos peor con la gente cercana. En conclusión, las redes no son ni buenas ni malas: depende del uso.

Version with C1 connectors:

Hay quien sostiene que las redes sociales han mejorado la comunicación interpersonal; otros, por el contrario, consideran que la han deteriorado. En cierta medida, ambas posturas son razonables. Por lo que respecta a la comunicación con personas lejanas, las redes han supuesto un avance indudable; mejor dicho, una auténtica revolución. Ahora bien, en lo que se refiere a las relaciones cercanas, todo apunta a una pérdida de calidad: hablamos más, pero hablamos peor. En suma, las redes no son intrínsecamente positivas ni negativas; antes bien, su valor depende del uso que se haga de ellas.

The ideas are the same. What changes is the precision: the second version qualifies, ranks and reformulates, which is exactly what's expected of a C1 text.

FAQ about connectors in the DELE C1

How many advanced connectors should I use per task?

There's no official number. As a guide, a few well-placed ones (three, four or five, depending on length) make more of an impression than a string of formal markers. What's rewarded is variety of function and precision.

What if I use one wrongly?

A connector with the wrong meaning breaks the link between ideas and can affect your coherence and range marks. That's why it's best to use only the ones you control well: better a few precise ones than many doubtful ones.

Do the same connectors work in the oral test?

Many do: en cuanto a, por lo que respecta a, en cierta medida, por el contrario, ahora bien, dicho de otro modo work very well in the presentation and the interview. The most formal ones (en aras de, habida cuenta de, en virtud de) sound more natural in writing. For structures specific to the oral test, see the most useful structures for the DELE C1 and C2.

Do these connectors appear in the exam?

You'll find many of them in the C1 reading texts (articles, columns, popular science pieces). Recognising them when you read helps you understand how a text is structured, and it's the first step to using them in your own writing.

Are there even more formal connectors?

Yes: a tenor de, por cuanto, en lo concerniente a, for example. You can use them at C1 if you control them, but they're not essential. With the ones in this article, used well, your repertoire is more than enough.

Do I always have to vary the connector?

Avoid repeating the same one several times in a short text. If you need sin embargo three times, alternate with no obstante, ahora bien or por el contrario, depending on the nuance.

In short

  • The C1 writing test has two tasks, and both are marked on coherence, range, accuracy and task completion, in bands from 0 to 3.
  • What lifts your level is variety of function: structuring, reformulating, cause and purpose, hedging, contrast and closing.
  • Match the connector to the genre: report, article, formal letter or email, or the Task 1 text.
  • Hedging (en cierta medida, hasta cierto punto) is one of the clearest signs of a C1 level.
  • Use only the ones you control, and practise them until they come naturally.

To go further, see the most useful discourse markers for the DELE, organised by function, and 10 tips to get a better mark in the DELE C1 writing test.

If you're preparing for the DELE C1, my online course gives you strategies for each test, commented examples, a community, a chat for your questions and group calls: https://c1.aporeldele.com/

If you're not sure whether to sit the C1 or consolidate your B2 first, take the level test: https://www.aporeldele.com/en/prueba-de-nivel. And if you'd like free resources and reminders before each exam session, sign up for the newsletter: https://recursos.aporeldele.com/boletin

¡A por el DELE! 🇪🇸