in order to write a strong essay that links together related ideas and sentences, the writer must…

Brief Explanations:

Transitions are words or phrases that connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs. They help in creating a smooth flow in an essay, linking related ideas together. Comparisons (used to show similarities or differences), metaphors (a figure of speech), and conflict (a struggle or problem in a narrative) do not primarily serve the function of linking related ideas and sentences in the way transitions do.

Answer:

transitions