academic essay connectors

75 linking words for academic writing (+examples)

Linking words play an important role in academic writing: They connect different paragraphs, sections or ideas in a text. Therefore, they considerably improve the readability and argumentation of academic texts such as a thesis, dissertation, essay or journal publication. This list of 75 linking words includes examples of how they can be used in academic writing.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase using the links below at no additional cost to you . I only recommend products or services that I truly believe can benefit my audience. As always, my opinions are my own.

Linking words expressing order and sequence in academic writing

Linking words expressing additions in academic writing, linking words expressing cause and effect in academic writing, linking words expressing contrasts and comparisons in academic writing, linking words expressing emphasis in academic writing, linking words expressing illustrations in academic writing, linking words expressing summaries and conclusions in academic writing, linking words expressing conditionality in academic writing, linking words expressing generalisations in academic writing, linking words expressing concessions in academic writing.

1. First(ly), second(ly), third(ly)

Example: First, I review the existing literature on cross-border collaboration. Second, I explain the methodology …

Example: The thesis starts with a literature review. Next, I describe the case study design.

Example: Finally, recommendations for future research are presented.

4. Subsequently

Example: Study participants underwent several experiments and were subsequently examined.

5. Afterwards

Example: The event increased public awareness of this issue. Afterwards, politicians debated it more openly.

6. Eventually

Example: Eventually, this led to the creation of a social movement.

Example: Before scientists discovered the role of neurons in information processing, they assumed that…

8. Previously

Example: Previously, scholars believed that nurture was the most important factor in a child’s development.

Example: Scholars examine the causes and effects of poverty.

10. Furthermore

Example: Furthermore, the data illustrates the number of chemicals that can be found in drinking water.

11. Additionally

Example: Additionally, the interviewee lamented a lack of attention to his work.

12. As well as

Example: Scholars utilise qualitative as well as quantitative methods to study this phenomenon.

13. Besides

Example: Besides the public outreach component, we wrote a handbook to disseminate the research results in the academic community.

Example: The financial compensation was also appreciated by the study participants.

15. Moreover

Example: Moreover, interviewees were asked to describe their own experiences.

You may also like: How to paraphrase a quote: 4 simple strategies

16. Because

Example: This theory was ultimately rejected because it was built on a flawed dataset.

Example: The outcomes improved since different parties joined forces.

Example: As the number of studies increases, better conclusions can be drawn.

Example: Scientists realised that the data analysis had flaws. So they decided not to run the same data analysis again.

20. Therefore

Example: Many researchers have conducted this experiment with similar results. Therefore, this theory can be debunked.

21. Consequently

Example: The literature highlights the importance of age and physical fitness. Consequently, these factors will be investigated further.

Example: Due to a low response rate, the study’s validity is low.

23. Nevertheless

Example: One academic study found the opposite results. Nevertheless, it can be argued that…

Example: Many scholars have explored this issue. Yet, to date, no inclusive framework exists to explain…

25. Although

Example: Although a confidentiality agreement was provided, study participants were hesitant to disclose private information.

26. In spite of

Example: In spite of the different study contexts, all experiments pointed to similar results.

27. Whereas

Example: People often stated that they are aware of the rules whereas they behaved as if they did not.

Example: While older studies often emphasise structural effects, newer ones tend to highlight the role of agency.

29. In contrast

Example: In contrast to previous findings, my analysis shows that…

30. Similarly

Example: One study found that the majority of residents in disadvantaged areas do not have access to sufficient resources. Similarly, my research revealed that most residents live too far away from the services and resources they would need to climb the social ladder.

31. Equally

Example: E qually important, however, is the role of personal beliefs in decision-making processes.

32. Likewise

Example: The interviewee considered this issue important and expected his colleagues to do likewise.

33. On the other hand

Example: On the one hand, research in this field advanced considerably in the last 20 years. On the other hand, a lot remains unclear.

Example: Unlike social scientists, physical scientists often conduct laboratory examinations.

If you are looking to elevate your writing and editing skills, I highly recommend enrolling in the course “ Good with Words: Writing and Editing Specialization “, which is a 4 course series offered by the University of Michigan. This comprehensive program is conveniently available as an online course on Coursera, allowing you to learn at your own pace. Plus, upon successful completion, you’ll have the opportunity to earn a valuable certificate to showcase your newfound expertise!

35. Particularly

Example: Particularly relevant for this study is the molecular orbital theory.

36. Especially

Example: Especially younger interviewees expressed dissatisfaction with the status quo.

37. Above all

Example: Above all, this method can generate better insights into the physical processes at hand.

Example: Indeed, motivation turned out to be a defining factor of academic success.

38. Clearly

Example: Clearly, these scholars were not aware of recent advances in medical sciences.

39. Definitely

Example: This was definitely the most important event of the year.

40. Importantly

Example: More importantly, the findings underscore the importance of conflict resolution.

41. Undoubtedly

Example: Undoubtedly, all stakeholders had good intentions.

42. Obviously

Example: Obviously it is too early to draw final conclusions.

43. Of course

Example: Of course, this study should be replicated in a different context.

44. Surprisingly

Example: Surprisingly, all results were unambiguous.

45. Such as

Example: Scientists have explored different parts of the problem, such as CO2 emissions and hydrological processes.

46. For example

Example: Many interviewees were nervous. For example, when asked to describe the event, some of them started to stutter.

47. For instance

Example: Scholars have criticised this approach for different reasons. For instance, they argued that qualitative methods are insufficient to draw generalisable conclusions.

48. In this case

Example: Difficulties arise when no study participants can be found. In this case, alternative methods should be considered.

50. To conclude

Example: To conclude, the empirical analysis supports previous research findings.

51. In conclusion

Example: In conclusion, the reviewed literature highlights a clear research gap.

52. To sum up

Example: To sum up, a mixed methods approach is a better choice than a purely quantitative one.

53. In summary

Example: In summary, it is my opinion that conditions should be improved.

54. In short

Example: In short, scholars call for more research on climate change mitigation.

55. Altogether

Example: Altogether, these examples support the main argument.

Example: Energy supply became a growing problem. Thus, new policies were implemented.

Example: The first dataset was incomplete. Hence, a new dataset had to be developed.

Example: Unless stated otherwise, I refer to the concept as…

59. As long as

Example: As long as the conditions do not change, the results should remain stable.

Example: If scientists study this phenomenon in the future, they should pay attention to structural drivers.

61. Provided that

Example: Provided that nothing changes, the effects on society will be negative.

Example: Should the distribution change, it is fair to expect…

63. Even if

Example: Even if more experiments are conducted, human behaviour remains hard to predict.

Example: Often, this issue was flagged by interviewees themselves.

65. Commonly

Example: Commonly, this criterion is used for categorising plants.

66. Overall

Example: Overall the data confirmed the hypothesis.

67. Typically

Example: Typically emotions run high in such situations.

68. Generally

Example: Generally speaking, scholars address this issue from two angles.

Example: Mainly researchers in the global North discuss this phenomenon.

Example: Mostly, these results cannot be replicated outside of the lab.

71. Even if

Example: This is hard to prove. Even if the study sample is large enough.

72. Regardless of

Example: Regardless of their genetic makeup, mice showcased the same symptoms.

Example: Albeit experiencing setbacks, successful students do not get discouraged.

74. Admittedly

Example: Admittedly, the validity of this study should be increased.

75. Nonetheless

Example: Nonetheless, this study can be seen as a valuable contribution to the international literature.

Master Academia

Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.

Subscribe and receive Master Academia's quarterly newsletter.

How to paraphrase a quote: 4 simple strategies

The best coursera courses for phd researchers in 2023, related articles.

How to peer review an academic paper

Theoretical vs. conceptual frameworks: Simple definitions and an overview of key differences

How to write a fantastic thesis introduction (+15 examples)

• Memberships
• Institutional Members
• Teacher Members

Formal Linking Words / Cohesive Devices

Linking words can also be referred to as connectors, conjunctions, and cohesive devices. This webpage includes a useful lesson on helping improve students’ knowledge of these linking words. It includes a lesson plan using a kinaesthetic matching activity and worksheet.

Terms & Conditions of Use

Lesson: matching activity.

Cut these up and students match

Linking Words Reference Sheet

Print off and give this to students as a helpful reference guide. 

online resources

Medical English

New for 2024

DropBox Files

Members only

Instant Lessons

OneDrive Files

Topic-lessons

Feedback Forms

6-Week Course

SPSE Essays

Free Resources

Charts and graphs

AEUK The Blog

12-Week Course

Advertisement:.

• Academic Skills
• Reading, writing and referencing
• Writing effectively

Connecting ideas

How to connect ideas at the sentence and paragraph level in academic writing.

What is cohesion?

Cohesion refers to the way we use vocabulary and grammatical structures to make connections between the ideas within a text. It provides flow and sequence to your work and helps make your paragraphs clear for the reader.

Cohesive devices are words and expressions that show relationships between parts of text and ideas, such as cause and effect, time, addition, or comparison and contrast.

Watch the video to learn how to make your ideas link together and your narrative flow.

How can I create cohesion?

Let’s look at types of cohesive devices.

Linking words

Academic writing usually deals with complex ideas. To enable the reader to follow your thoughts, they need to be clearly and smoothly linked. To join ideas and sentences, we use a number of connecting words and phrases. For example:

Additionally, and, also, apart from this, as well (as), in addition, moreover, further, furthermore.

If, in that case, provided that, unless.

Correspondingly, equally, for the same reason, in a similar manner, in comparison, in the same way, on the one hand, similarly.

Alternatively, although, but, conversely, despite, even so, even though, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, on the contrary, contrary to, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, on the other hand, rather, still, though, yet, whereas, while.

Again, in fact, interestingly, indeed, it should be noted (that), more important(ly), most importantly, to repeat, (un)fortunately, unquestionably.

A further instance of this is..., an example of this is…, for example, for instance, such as, thus, as follows.

In other words, more simply, namely, simply put, to put it differently / another way, such as, that is.

A / the consequence of, because, due to, for, the effect of …, since, the result of …

Accordingly, as a result/consequence, consequently, for this reason, hence, so, therefore, thus.

Admittedly, although, clearly though, even though, however, indeed, obviously.

As a rule, for the most part, generally, in general, in most cases, normally, on the whole, usually.

First, second, third (etc), next, before, earlier, finally, following, given the above, later, meanwhile, subsequently, then, to conclude, while.

A note about presentation and style

Check a usage guide for exact rules for punctuation. Many introductory phrases have a comma after them. For example, 'therefore,' and 'in addition,'.

Referring backwards

To avoid repeating words and phrases many times, we use cohesive devices to make references to other parts of a text, such as:

• Pronouns: it, he, she, his, her, they, their
• Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
• Articles: a, the
• Adverbs: previously, subsequently

The Australian prime minister has called an early election. The date was selected to coincide with the start of the Olympic Games. This decision was based on the views of his ministerial advisors, who predicted that voter confidence in the government’s policies would be strong at this time . As previously mentioned , decisions on the timing of elections are based on predictions of voter confidence in the existing government.

In the example above:

• The date - refers back to the election date
• This decision - refers to the prime minister calling an early election
• His - refers to the Australian prime minister
• this time - refers to the start of the Olympic Games
• As previously mentioned - refers to all of the earlier information about the selection of election dates

Looking forward

We often use words and phrases to highlight new information for the reader. This helps make a smooth transition from one point to another. Such phrases include: the following, as follows, below, next, subsequently .

The following dates have been proposed for the forthcoming election: September 8, September 15 and 3 October.

The next issue to be discussed is the influence of the media on voter confidence in the government.

Connecting paragraphs

Apart from using the linking words / phrases above, showing the link between paragraphs could involve writing ‘hand-holding’ sentences. These are sentences that link back to the ideas of the previous paragraph. For instance, when outlining the positive and negative issues about a topic you could use the following:

Example (from beginning of previous paragraph):

• One of the main advantages of X is…

When you are ready to move your discussion to the negative issues, you could write one of the following as a paragraph opener:

• Having considered the positive effects of X, negative issues may now need to be taken into account…
• Despite the positive effects outlined above, negative issues also need to be considered...

It is always important to make paragraphs part of a coherent whole text; they must not remain isolated units.

Checking for paragraph links in your own work

When you are editing your next written assignment, ask yourself the following questions as you read through your work (Gillett, Hammond, & Martala, 2009):

• Does the start of my paragraph give my reader enough information about what the paragraph will be about?
• Does my paragraph add to or elaborate on a point made previously and, if so, have I made this explicit with an appropriate linking word / phrase?
• Does my paragraph introduce a completely new point or a different viewpoint to before and, if so, have I explicitly shown this with a suitable connective?
• Have I used similar connectives repeatedly? If yes, try to vary them using the above list.

Strategies to improve cohesion

• Select a piece of writing, preferably from a textbook or journal article, from your area of study.
• Choose a paragraph and underline or highlight all the different forms of cohesion used, such as using linking words, referring backwards, looking forwards or adding synonyms.
• Which forms are the most common?
• Choose a couple that you think are effective and practice using them in your own writing.
• Try to use a variety of ways to show the relationship between your ideas.

Looking for one-on-one advice?

Get tailored advice from an Academic Skills Adviser by booking an Individual appointment, or get quick feedback from one of our Academic Writing Mentors via email through our Writing advice service.

Go to Student appointments

• Academic writing
• Commonly confused words
• Critical thinking
• PEEL Paragraphs
• Linking/transition words
• Paraphrasing
• Proofreading
• Terms and definitions
• Action Words: What is description, application, analysis and evaluation

Linking/transition words: Things you need to know...

All assignments are written in formal language.   You need to ensure that you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding alongside your ability to answer the question/solve the problem. 

Below are some ideas to help you to develop your structure and flow.

• Linking / transition words and phrases join ideas, sentences and paragraphs together. They should be used within sentences and to move from one idea to another (between sentences).   

These words and phrases indicate the direction, order and flow of ideas. Significantly, they strengthen the quality and structure of your work.

• Redundant Words - less is more.  P articularly when trying to reduce the word count, it is important to look for phrases which can be replaced with a single word.

Linking/Transition Words

Transitions link one main idea to another separated by a semi-colon or full-stop.  When the transition word is at the beginning of the sentence, it should be followed by a comma:

Among other functions, they can signal cause and effect or sequencing (see examples in the table below).

Linking words: conjunctions

Linking words within a sentence  are referred to as coordinating conjunctions.  Do not worry about the term: think about the function.

Conciseness / redundant words

Microsoft Word now has an additional feature within the Edito r - it is called conciseness or wordiness.  

• If you cannot see the Editor menu a quick tip is to hold down the function (fn key at the bottom left of the keyboard) + F7 (top line of keys).
• From the Refinements section - select Conciseness - if there are any suggestions a number will appear in the box alongside this option
• A dotted line will appear under any groups of groups
• Either select the identified text by clicking with your right mouse button OR click on the down down next to the Conciseness menu.
• MS Word will display any alternative words which you can either select and they will be replaced in your text or reject if you want to keep the original phrases.

Examples:  try to replace phrases with a single words which mean the same.

Need to know more...

• Related pages
• External links
• Academic writing Illustrates the main features of academic writing so that you are aware of what it is and what it involves
• Critical Thinking Academic work involves thinking, not just accepting what you read or are told.
• Terms and Definitions Important words appear in your assignments and examinations. The aim of this factsheet is to help you to fully understand what they mean.

Additional resources to help you to improve your confidence and grades:-

• Writing Effectively  demonstrates the importance of: clarity, structure, relevance, argument and precision.
• Writing Mechanics  gives further examples and resources on areas including: sentence structure, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Linking/Transition words - Scribbr  https://www.scribbr.co.uk/syntax/transition-words-examples/ [Accessed 10 February 2023]

There are many books concerning academic writing, look around Dewey number  808

• << Previous: PEEL Paragraphs
• Next: Paraphrasing >>
• Last Updated: Mar 13, 2024 6:24 PM
• URL: https://libguides.staffs.ac.uk/academic_writing
• Library and Learning Services, Staffordshire University, College Road, Stoke-on-Trent, ST4 2DE
• Accessibility
• Library Regulations
• Appointments
• Library Search

How to connect your sentences in academic writing: an analysis

Linking your sentences is important to make your text flow. you probably know the most common academic transition words like however and therefore , but there are many other words and phrases to use. we analyzed the most common sentence starters in published research papers to show you how to link your sentences..

Our analysis

To see how authors start their sentences, we analyzed 30 million sentences from a data set of Hindawi papers. We extracted all one-, two-, three-, four-, and five-word sentence starts, ranked these by frequency, extracted the connectors, and then grouped these according to their purpose.

Most frequent sentence starts

The sheet below shows the 20 most frequent sentence starts. We see most of them are transition words used to link sentences ( However , In addition , etc.) while some are pointers to the paper or sections within it ( In this paper , In this study , etc.).

Connectors grouped by purpose

Next, we extracted all connectors. We manually grouped these by type and subtype: for example, were they used to contrast, add, or summarize? We removed the long tail of infrequent phrases - think of misspellings or very creative wordings - so that we were left with the most frequently used transition words only.

The tree diagram below shows the landscape of academic writing connectors. The inner circle shows the types, the second circle the subtypes, and the outer circle the connectors. The color and size of the nodes indicate connectors' relative frequency within their subtype.

We hope this is a useful resource that helps you link your sentences! Should you wish to receive any of these visuals in higher quality for pedagogical purposes, please don’t hesitate to get in touch at [email protected] .

About the author

Hilde is Chief Applied Linguist at Writefull.

Writefull webinars

Looking for more academic writing tips? Join our free webinars hosted by Writefull's linguists!

Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections between Ideas

Introduction Common Kinds of Relationships Writers Establish between Ideas Cohesion Coherence Transition Words and Phrases

Introduction

According to poet and science writer Diane Ackerman, “one of the brain’s deepest needs [is] to fill the world with pathways and our lives with a design.” We naturally look for how things are related. In writing, this means that readers tend to assume that two side-by-side sentences or adjacent paragraphs relate to each other. If the pathways and design of your writing aren’t clear to readers, readers will either get confused or frustrated or try to mistakenly intuit their own connections. Both responses can be disastrous.

Good writing provides clear passages through all of your ideas so that readers don’t get lost or start to blaze their own conceptual trail. These connections between ideas occur at the sentence, paragraph, section, and (for longer works) even chapter level. As a writer, it is your responsibility to make sure that your readers follow this progression, that they understand how you arrive at your various ideas and how those ideas relate to each other. In this page, we explore how to make your connections between ideas understandable by using common relationship categories to compose sentences that are cohesive, paragraphs that are coherent, and transitions that clearly order and introduce ideas.

Common Kinds of Relationships Writers Establish between Ideas

Writers are always working to establish clear relationships between and within all of their ideas. Consider how Derek Thompson moves naturally between one concept to another in this short passage from his The Atlantic feature about the future of jobs entitled “A World Without Work”:

[1] One common objection to the idea that technology will permanently displace huge numbers of workers is that new gadgets, like self-checkout kiosks at drugstores, have failed to fully displace their human counterparts, like cashiers. [2] But employers typically take years to embrace new machines at the expense of workers. [3] The robotics revolution began in factories in the 1960s and ’70s, but manufacturing employment kept rising until 1980, and then collapsed during the subsequent recessions.

In the first sentence, Thompson begins with an idea that is familiar to readers at three different levels. The argument that machines haven’t replaced all retail employees and therefore won’t do so in the future is common to anyone who has thought much about workplace technology. This idea is also specifically familiar to the individuals who have been reading Thompson’s article. Finally, Thompson makes this idea even more familiar by connecting it to an example that his readers are familiar with: the effects of self-checkout kiosks. In his second sentence, Thompson uses the transition word “but” to establish a contrastive relationship; what he is about to say in some way opposes what he just said. He concludes this passage with a sentence providing chronologically organized evidence for the idea he raised through that contrast. In this example, he very quickly leads us from the 1960s to the late 20 th century and is able to cover a lot of ground clearly because he starts with happened earlier and concludes with what has happened more recently.

In just these three sentences, we can see Thompson establishing different kinds of relationships between concepts. He is:

• guiding us from familiar ideas into unfamiliar ones,
• comparing two unlike things,
• providing examples for his claims, and
• presenting information chronologically.

Familiarity, contrast, example, and chronology are four common ways that topics can be related, but there are several others. The following lists identifies key relationships that we tend to find naturally in the world around us when we ask questions like, “Why did that happen?” and, “How do these two things fit together?” If you can obviously situate any your ideas within these well-known structures, then readers will be able to more quickly understand the connections you are establishing between your ideas. In the list that follows we identify these common relationship categories, explain them, and provide examples of sentences that establish these kinds of relationships. (All off these sample sentences are about research in Lake Mendota—the body of water just north of the UW-Madison campus.)

Familiarity– Connecting what readers know to what they don’t known.

Learning often involves drawing from existing knowledge in order develop new knowledge. As a result, this is one of the most important relationships you can establish in your writing. Start with what your readers know (either because you can assume a common knowledge or because you’ve already told them about this earlier in your paper or even in the preceding sentence) in order to then take them to something they don’t know.

Example: When you dive into a lake for a quick swim, you’re actually entering a diverse limnology laboratory—the research field for the ecologists who study inland waters.

Causation– Connecting the instigator(s) to the consequence(s)

We are very familiar with thinking about ideas and processes in relationship to cause and effect. You can use the prevalence of this relationship to your advantage by relating your ideas to causation.

Example: In the mid-19 th century, the white sand beaches that used to line Lake Mendota were engulfed by the additional four feet of water that the Tenney Locks brought into the lake (Van Eyck).

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

This is particularly useful if you are describing a sequence of events or the steps of a process.

Example: In 1882, E.A. Birge was gathering data about the prevalence of blue-green algae in Lake Mendota (Van Eyck). By 1897, he was publishing about plankton (Birge). Even when he became president of UW-Madison several years later, his interest in freshwater lakes never waned (“Past presidents and chancellors”).

Combinations

Lists–connecting numerous elements..

You can think of this as a “this + this + this” model. You are saying that a collection of concepts or elements contribute equally or simultaneously to something. Within lists, it’s still important that you are being strategic about which elements you are identifying, describing, or analyzing first, second, and third.

Example: Across its studied history, Lake Mendota has been negatively affected by blue-green algae, Eurasian milfoil, spiny water fleas, and zebra mussels, among others (Van Enyck).

Part/Whole— Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

This is a “this + this + this = that” model. You are showing how discrete elements form something else through their connections.

Example: Across generations, the damage Lake Mendota has sustained as a result of the unnaturally prolific prevalence of blue-green algae, Eurasian milfoil, spiny water fleas, and zebra mussels has irreparably altered these waters.

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

This establishes a relationship of dis-similarity. It helps readers understand what something is by comparing it with something that it is not.

Example: But whereas boosting the population of walleye and northern perch in Lake Mendota effectively reduced the prevalence of Eurasian milfoil, scientists haven’t been able to develop a plan to respond to the damaging spiny water fleas (Van Eyck).

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

Arguments are made more understandable and persuasive when you develop your overall claims in relationship to specific evidence that verifies or exemplifies those claims. Which examples will be the most persuasive (e.g., statistical data, historical precedent, anecdotes, etc.) will depend on the knowledge, interests, disposition, and expectations of your reader.

Example: “These new challenges demand new solutions, some behavioral (such as cleaning boats from lake to lake) and some research-driven (for example, identifying a natural predator for the invasive species)” (Van Eyck).

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

This can also be thought of as connecting what is big to what is small. You may also choose to reverse these relationships by starting with what matters least or what is smallest and building to what is the most important or what is the most prominent. Just make sure that you are helping your reader understand which end of the spectrum you are starting with.

Example: Boaters were inconvenienced by the Eurasian milfoil clogging their propellers, but the plants’ real harm was dealt to the lake’s native flora and, consequently, its fish (Van Eyck).

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

Even if you aren’t writing about geographical entities, you can still clarify how various ideas are positioned in relationship to each other.

Example: Whether or not the lake is pretty is peripheral to the issue of whether or not its natural ecosystems are in balance.

Similarity– Connecting two things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

This highlights commonalities to show readers how elements or ideas are serving the same function.

Example: Just as invasive water flora (i.e., Eurasian milfoil) disrupted Lake Mendota’s ecosystem in the 1970s, in 2009 scientists discovered that the lake was being damaged by invasive water fauna (i.e., spiny water fleas) (Van Eyck).

While the examples provided above for each of these relationships is a sentence or short series of sentences where relationships are established through sequencing and transition words, you should also develop these kinds of common connections between ideas on a large scale through grammatical parallelism, paragraph placement, and your progression from one section to another.

Also, as can be seen in these examples, sometimes multiple different relationships are functioning simultaneously. For instance, consider again the example for the “Importance” item:

The ideas in this sentence work within the following relationship categories:

• Importance—Connecting what is more inconsequential (i.e., how boaters are bothered by Eurasian milfoil) to what is most critical (i.e., how the lake’s ecosystem is disrupted by Eurasian milfoil),
• Contrast—Connecting two things (i.e., boaters’ concerns and the lake’s wellbeing) by focusing on their differences,
• Causation—Connecting an instigator (i.e., Eurasian milfoil) to consequences (i.e., native plants’ destruction and, secondarily, the native animals’ destruction).

This collection of interwoven relational connections doesn’t mean that these ideas are jumbled; this is just an indication of how relationships can become interconnected.

Since clearly working within these relationship categories can be useful for organizing your key concepts as well as guiding readers through the structure of entire papers or particular paragraphs as well as sentences, different kinds of connections can be similarly layered across the whole structure of a paper. For example, if you are composing an argument about why it’s so hard for meteorologists to pin-point the severity and location of tornadoes, the overarching relationship of your ideas might be part/whole because you’re interested in how a range of factors contribute to a difficult prediction process. However, within your paragraphs, you might have to use chronological and causation relationships to describe the physical processes by which tornadoes are formed. And from sentence to sentence, you’ll need to make sure that you are starting with what’s familiar to your readers before moving into what’s new.

Joseph Williams and Joseph Bizup, in their handbook Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace , identify the process of moving from what is known to what is unknown as “cohesion.” “Sentences are cohesive ,” they write, “when the last few words of one sentence set up the information that appears in the first few words of the next” (67). They relate this careful sequencing to the issue of “flow”—readers find that ideas follow each other naturally when one sentence begins where the previous sentence left off.

Consider another annotated example passage from Derek Thompson’s economic analysis of the effects of automation and technology on jobs. This paragraph comes after one about how horses (once primary forces for industrial production) were made obsolete by transportation technology.

[1] Humans can do much more than trot, carry, and pull. [2] But the skills required in most offices hardly elicit our full range of intelligence. [3] Most jobs are still boring, repetitive, and easily learned. [4] The most-common occupations in the United States are retail salesperson, cashier, food and beverage server, and office clerk. [5] Together, these four jobs employ 15.4 million people—nearly 10 percent of the labor force, or more workers than there are in Texas and Massachusetts combined. [6] Each is highly susceptible to automation, according to the Oxford study.

Thompson’s most obvious application of Williams and Bizup’s concept of cohesion happens at the end sentence 4 and the beginning of sentence 5 where he first lists four professions (salesperson, cashier, server, and clerk) then begins the next sentence with, “these four jobs.”

But even on a conceptual level, Thompson is continuously moving from old information to new information. Consider this analysis of the conceptual shifts within each of these six sentences where Thompson’s ideas have been stripped down and his key concepts have been highlighted in different colors:

[1] Humans have more skills than horses. [2] Humans’ full range of skills aren’t always utilized by many office jobs . [3] Many jobs don’t push us to our full potential. [4] Here are the most common jobs . [5] These jobs employ many people. [6] These jobs could be eliminated through automation .

Thompson begins this paragraph by connecting a new idea (i.e., humans’ present occupational relationship to technology) to an old idea from the previous paragraph (i.e., horse’s past relationship to technology). After introducing the human subject, he then uses it to bring in his next topic: workplace skills. Then, through skills he brings in the issue of jobs, and jobs eventually lead him to the issue of automation. This sequence holds together like a line of conceptual dominoes.

Connecting new ideas to old is a practice that you should implement across sentences, paragraphs, and even whole sections of your writing. However, be careful. If this practice becomes heavy-handed or overdone, your writing can become patronizing to your readers. Make sure that you are clearly and comprehensively connecting ideas and not just sequencing subjects.

In Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace , Joseph Williams and Joseph Bizup also write about the importance of coherence. While “cohesion” and “coherence” sound similar, they are two different things. “Cohesion” is about ideas that connect to each other “the way two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle do,” whereas “coherence” “is when all the sentences in a piece of writing add up to a larger whole” (69). Sometimes this is also called “unity.” Coherence is achieved when the things you are writing about all clearly contribute to the same overarching topic. For example, let’s return to the domino example from above. The movement from humans to skills to jobs to automation works because Thompson’s larger article establishes a thematic connection between all of these topics: work changes in response to technological developments. Thompson is even able to start this paragraph with an otherwise unexpected reference to horses because in the previous paragraph he has shown his readers how horses also relate to this theme of work changing in response to technological development. Within your writing, it’s important to make sure that all of your smaller ideas are related to and pointed towards the same goal.

Williams and Bizup suggest one way of making sure that your writing is coherent or unified is to pay attention to what each of your sentences is about—its subject (the noun or pronoun that guides a sentence) and topic (the idea that is the focus of that sentence). In most sentences, your subject and topic should be the same thing. Also, most of the time your topic should be short and direct, and each paragraph should be primarily dedicated to one topic. As an example, consider again this paragraph from the Thompson article about human skills, jobs, and automation. The subjects/topics of each sentence have been highlighted.

1] Humans can do much more than trot, carry, and pull. [2] But the skills required in most offices hardly elicit our full range of intelligence. [3] Most jobs are still boring, repetitive, and easily learned. [4] The most-common occupations in the United States are retail salesperson, cashier, food and beverage server, and office clerk. [5] Together, these four jobs employ 15.4 million people—nearly 10 percent of the labor force, or more workers than there are in Texas and Massachusetts combined. [6] Each is highly susceptible to automation, according to the Oxford study.

Note that after setting up this paragraph in a way that connects back to the previous paragraph’s focus on horses, Thompson settles into the issue of jobs as his clear and primary focus. The final four sentences have some version of “jobs” as their subject and topic. This consistency allows him to develop coherent ideas about this one issue.

For more information about writing intentionally structured and unified paragraphs, check out our resource on paragraphing. Additionally, if you are trying to discern whether or not your paragraphs are functioning coherently across your entire paper, we recommend the practice of reverse outlining. You can find out more about this technique here.

Transition Words and Phrases

The best way to clearly communicate the logical pathways that connect your ideas is to make sure that you move smoothly from old information to new information (cohesion) and that your readers always understand how your primary topics contribute to the big picture of your overall argument (coherence). While we’ve considered ways that whole sentences and paragraphs can do this work, sometimes even individual words can help you establish clear, cohesive, and coherent relationships between your ideas. In writing these are often called “transition words.”

The following is a list of useful transition words and phrases. Following the list of common relationship categories provided above, these words are organized according to the kinds of relationships they frequently develop. Of course, establishing clear relationships between ideas requires much more than just dropping one of these into the start of a sentence, but used sparingly and carefully based on the logical associations they establish, these words can provide usefully obvious indications to your readers of the kind of connections you are trying to develop between your ideas.

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

after all although and yet at the same time but

however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

Works Cited

Ackerman, Diane. “I Sing the Body’s Pattern Recognition Machine.” The New York Times , 15 June 2004. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/06/15/science/essay-i-sing-the-body-s-pattern-recognition-machine.html . Accessed 6 June 2018.

Birge, Edward Asahel. Plankton Studies on Lake Mendota . Harvard University Library of the Museum of Comparative Zoolog., 1897.

“Past presidents and chancellors.” Office of the Chancellor , University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2016. https://chancellor.wisc.edu/past-presidents-and-chancellors/ . Accessed 16 June 2018.

Thompson, Derek. “A World Without Work.” The Atlantic , July/August 2015, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2015/07/world-without-work/395294/. Accessed 14 June 2018.

Van Eyck, Masarah. “Lake Mendota: a scientific biography.” L&S News , College of Letters and Sciences University of Wisconsin-Madison, 29 Aug. 2016. http://ls.wisc.edu/news/lake-mendota-a-scientific-biography . Accessed 15 June 2018.

Williams, Joseph M. and Joseph Bizup. Style: Lessons in Clarity and Grace . 12 th ed., Pearson, 2017.

Improving Your Writing Style

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Clear, Concise Sentences

Use the active voice

Put the action in the verb

Tidy up wordy phrases

Reduce wordy verbs

Reduce prepositional phrases

Reduce expletive constructions

Avoid using vague nouns

Avoid unneccessarily inflated words

Avoid noun strings

Transitional Words and Phrases

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

Linking Words – Full List, Examples & Worksheet

| Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond

Candace Osmond studied Advanced Writing & Editing Essentials at MHC. She’s been an International and USA TODAY Bestselling Author for over a decade. And she’s worked as an Editor for several mid-sized publications. Candace has a keen eye for content editing and a high degree of expertise in Fiction.

Worried that your essay lacks structure and coherence? Perhaps you should use linking words, transition words, or connectors to give it a boost.

Linking words join separate sentences to improve writing flow. You can also find them mid-sentence to connect clauses.

Read on as I show you the definition and types of linking words in English. I also list examples of linking words under every category, and I whipped up a helpful worksheet to test your skills.

What Are Linking Words?

Linking words, transition words, or connecting words in the English language help connect ideas and sentences when speaking or writing.

Linking words and phrases are connectors or transitional phrases. They are also part of formal language, so you’ll find them in academic writing, opinion writing, critical essays, dialectic essays , journalism, and business documents.

Some linking verbs link clauses within a sentence, such as although, in case, and whatever. That means you can find them in the middle of sentences from time to time. Others link two complete sentences, such as besides, as a result, and however.

List of Transition Words

Now that you know the meaning of transition words, let’s look at the usage of transition words in sentences and clauses. Don’t worry, I’ll break it all down for you!

Below, I’ve got a list of linking words and phrases to serve as alternative choices for connecting ideas in writing. Note that there are several types of transition words which we will discuss later.

Agreement/Addition/Similarity

Linking words may help the reader understand additional comments or ideas in a statement. They may also express agreement or similarities. These words are also called additive transition words, commonly found in expository essays and narrative essays.

• In the first place
• As a matter of fact
• In like manner
• In addition
• Not only, but also
• Coupled with
• In the same way
• In the same manner
• First, second, third
• Not to mention
• In the light of
• By the same token
• Additionally
• Correspondingly
• Furthermore
• Comparatively
• At the same time
• Together with
• Identically

Here are some examples of additive linking words in a sentence.

• The group found that a constructivist approach leads to higher test scores. Moreover, essay examinations show higher levels of learning.
• The resort has tennis courts. Furthermore, it has an Olympic pool.

Negative Ideas

Some linking words come in pairs to join negative ideas.

• Not, neither
• Neither, nor

Here are sentence examples of linking words showing negative ideas.

• I haven’t seen Lory, neither have I talked to her friend.
• I neither drink nor smoke.

Opposition/Limitation/Contradiction

Whereas some linking words show an extra idea, these transition phrases and words express contrasting ideas in writing.

• Although this may be true
• In contrast
• (and) still
• Notwithstanding
• Different from
• Of course…, but
• On the other hand
• On the contrary
• Be that as it may
• Nonetheless
• Even so/though
• Nevertheless
• In spite of

Here are some sentences with linking words of opposition.

• The short story can be analyzed using a functionalist lens. However, its historical theme is better understood with a critical perspective.
• As much as I want to go, I must take care of my sister.

Some linking words show relationships between ideas by accepting an idea with reservation instead of showing complete opposition. Here are some examples.

• All the same
• Regardless of this
• Up to a point

Here are some sentence examples.

• Many citizens opposed this unfair policy, which the president nevertheless enacted.
• I like him even if we have different views in life.

Cause/Condition/Purpose

You may also use linking words in your writing piece to show conditions and purpose for a logical flow of ideas. Words like reason get the reader ready to understand why. These words are commonly found in hypothesis essays.

• In the event that
• Granted (that)
• Provided that
• On (the) condition (that)
• For the purpose of
• With this intention
• With this in mind
• In the hope that
• Inasmuch as
• To the end that
• For fear that
• In order to
• Seeing/being that
• The researchers used this method so that the results would be valid, reliable, and aligned with the objectives.
• I will not be attending the seminar due to a high fever.

Examples/Support/Emphasis

You can also use transition words in your piece of writing that show examples or support of an idea.

• In other words
• To put it differently
• For one thing
• In particular
• As an illustration
• In this case
• For example
• For instance
• For this reason
• To put it another way
• To demonstrate
• That is to say
• With attention to
• By all means
• To emphasize
• To enumerate
• Particularly
• Significantly
• Specifically
• Surprisingly
• Important to realize
• Another key point
• On the negative side
• First thing to remember
• Must be remembered
• To point out
• Point often overlooked
• She visited several cities, namely Portland, Jacksonville, Charleston, and Hartford.
• Transition words improve writing flow. For instance, we use further to add extra ideas related to the previous statement.

Effect/Consequence/Result

You might also spot transitional devices for essays that show consequences, results, and effects.

• As a result
• In that case
• Under those circumstances
• Accordingly
• Consequently

Consider the examples below.

• We watered the plant for seven days. In effect, it grew three inches taller.
• Because she didn’t study for the test, Anna failed and had to retake it.

Conclusion/Summary/Restatement

These words and phrases show transitions between sentences to show conclusions. You’ll find these words in essay conclusions of different essay types.

• In simple language
• In explanation
• In lay terms
• In a nutshell
• As can be seen
• In simple terms
• Generally speaking
• All things considered
• As shown above
• In the final analysis
• In the long run
• In either case
• Given these points
• As has been noted
• In any event
• On the whole
• By and large
• For the most part
• In conclusion
• To summarize

Note that in lay terms and in explanation are formal alternative choices to “ in a nutshell.”

Here are some examples.

• Matter is a material that occupies space and has mass. In simple language, it is any physical substance.
• I don’t want to climb the corporate ladder. After all, money isn’t everything.

Time/Chronology/Sequence

Linking words’ other role in writing is to show sequence or chronology. Under the time category, these phrases add a meaning of time. You can find these words in an essay introduction when the writer explains how the paper is structured.

• In due time
• From time to time
• At the present time
• Sooner or later
• Up to the present time
• To begin with
• Straightaway
• In the meantime
• In a moment
• Without delay
• All of a sudden
• At this instant
• First, second
• By the time
• Immediately
• Occasionally
• I watched the movie on television. Eventually, I fell asleep.
• First, fill the pan with water. Then, bring it to a boil.

Space/Location/Place

The following transition words are famous adverbial expressions that limit or modify space. Some of these words and phrases are also transition words of time.

• In the middle of
• To the left/right
• In front of
• On this side
• In the distance
• In the foreground
• In the background
• In the center of
• Adjacent to
• Opposite to

Below are sentence examples using transition words of space.

• My house is located behind the building.
• To the left of the supermarket is a flower shop.

Common Mistakes With Transition Words

Transition words help you create a flow of arguments for readers to understand what you’re saying. But misused transition words and phrases will make your writing unclear. Avoid these mistakes to give your readers a better experience.

Starting a Sentence With So, And, and Also

Both so and and are coordinating conjunctions, which means they can start independent clauses that stand on their own. But it’s not recommended to use these words and also as sentence starters in formal writing. For example:

• Incorrect: Also, there are unauthorized charges on my credit card account.
• Correct: Furthermore, there are unauthorized charges on my credit card account.

Combination of Transition Words And/Or

When writing an essay, avoid English transition words and/or because it makes your paper look messy. Instead, consider whether you need both connectors or only one of them. If you need them both, try this alternative.

• Incorrect: boat and/or plane.
• Correct: boat, plane, or both.

Using As Well As as Alternative to And

As well as has a different meaning from the transition word and. And means you’re listing something of equal importance. Meanwhile, as well as is for additional, less essential information. Here’s an example.

• Incorrect: In this paper, I discuss my movie analysis as well as provide recommendations for improvement.
• Correct: In this paper, I discuss my movie analysis and provide recommendations for improvement.

Archaic Words

Your writing may not make any sense to readers if you overuse archaic transition words like therewith .

For example, hereby means as a result. We can replace it with more modern and explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement is connected to the previous statement.

Linking Words Summary

A linking word is a term that connects different ideas in your text, whether they are contrasting, supporting, or adding. They can improve your writing and help it flow better, I promise!

Regardless of the style of writing, every piece of writing contains linking words to show perfect transitions. I hope my guide on the definition and list of transitions helps you use these words and phrases correctly. Memorize each category, and don’t overuse them in essays.

Grammarist is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. When you buy via the links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you.

2024 © Grammarist, a Found First Marketing company. All rights reserved.

• +91-9780747405
• [email protected]
• Answer Short Question
• Best PTE Classes in Kathmandu
• Describe Image
• Describe Images

PTE PEARSON STUDY MATERIAL

PTE Academic – The English test that takes you places

CONNECTORS FOR ESSAY WRITING

Connectors that can help you get a better score in pte academic essay writing, essay connectors.

• to illustrate
• In another hypothetical case
• There is also a possibility that
• On the positive side
• I would probably oppose the fact that
• Most important from my point of view
• This quotation describes as undeniable fact
• Of-course, some people may argue that
• To a point, that is true
• Here I would like to put emphasis on
• Though it may be unpopular to say so
• In extreme cases
• Other consequence may include
• There is a good reason to oppose
• On the whole
• This situation is troublesome and may lead to
• In addition to the other factors listed above
• We live in an ever-changing society
• To a large extent
• Many other cases also illustrates
• In recent years
• Here is even a more extreme scenario
• Now imagine
• Let us first concentrate
• For several reasons I would prefer
• However, I also believe that
• One must also remember that
• The matter of the fact is that
• While this may be true to some extent
• This brings me to my second point
• However I would argue that
• Although it is undoubtedly true
• All in all, I believe that
• Others myself included are of the opinion that
• Another effective measure would be
• One solution to the problem is
• I suppose most of us would argue that
• It’s a very common sight these days
• To begin with
• While I believe it is true
• In a nutshell
• In conclusion, I believe that
• On the other hand, however, there are those who claim that
• Nowadays modern technology has totally changed our approach to studying.
• Personally, I believe
• . Experts have put forward many suggestions to address this problem.
• However, there is growing evidence that
• Perhaps a solution to this problem is
• This is surprising as most people think that
• Let us take a more detailed look at the causes of this
• One of the most obvious reasons
• I tend to agree that
• In the long run
• “Experience is the best teacher” is an old cliché, but I agree with it.
• The twentieth century has brought with it many advances. With those advances, human lives have changed dramatically.
• The most important thing to realize is that
• I entirely agree with this view and believe that
• There is plenty of evidence to suggest that
• There is a third factor, however, which contributes to the situation
• The reasons for this trend may involve
• There are advantages and disadvantages for both of the arguments.
• Providing an excellent education in the public school system is vital to the strength of our community and our country.
• I totally disagree with the idea
• there is indeed a correlation between a healthy body and healthy mind.
• sports can serve to create healthier bodies, which in turn would serve as a form of “preventive medicine” thereby cutting down on medical costs.
• When we are healthy, we feel better and so are more likely to be productive academically
• With the advent of globalization
• It’s widely believed in today’s materialistic world that
• However, this statement does not fully hold water
• In conclusion, I would say that I largely agree with the argument that
• Overall, it can be said that
• On the other hand, there is no doubt that
• In conclusion, while both approaches have benefits and drawbacks
• A much-debated issue these days is
• To sum up, I think that
• Below I will give my reasons to support my answer
• From my everyday experience and observation, I can claim that
• In our modern stressful world, we often forget about our customs and traditions
• I am a person who likes to travel. I think traveling is a great opportunity to meet new people, gain more knowledge and experience, and learn new customs and traditions.
• Some people say that the invention of computers is one of the greatest humankind’s inventions. However, other people think that computers make their life more stressful.
• The invention of television is undoubtedly one of the humankind’s greatest inventions
• People learn through their entire lives. Curiosity was always the basic characteristic of a human being. We always want to break limits and learn more.
• Ironically, the government has taken only little/ minuscule steps to combat this problem.
• The problem if aggravated to its highest possible limit then it would be catastrophic.
• Jumping to the conclusion straight away would be little premature.
• This problem has penetrated the very fabric of our society.
• To come out of the shackles of the poverty we must …………………………………..

7 thoughts on “CONNECTORS FOR ESSAY WRITING”

Thanks you so much for all these prominent connectors…. 🙂

These are great essay connectors. Thanks.

Thanks a lot for these useful connectors.☺

Thank u so much for ur help.

Very useful connectors.thanks

thanks for connectors , definitely i will use these ..

thanx, a lot dear.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

• ALL ARTICLES
• How To Study Effectively
• Motivation & Stress
• Smarter Study Habits
• Memorise Faster
• Ace The Exam
• Write Better Essays
• Easiest AP Classes Ranked
• Outsmart Your Exams
• Outsmart Your Studies
• Recommended Reads
• For Your Students: Revision Workshops
• For Your Teaching Staff: Memory Science CPD
• Our Research: The Revision Census
• All Courses & Resources
• For School Students and Their Parents
• For University Students
• For Professionals Taking Exams
• Study Smarter Network
• Testimonials

70+ Connective Words To Power Up Your Essays [COMPREHENSIVE LIST]

by Kerri-Anne Edinburgh | Aug 5, 2021

When you’re writing an essay or assignment, you need to use every trick in the book to maximise your marks. And one of the best tools for radically improving your writing is the power of connective words .

Used correctly, connective words can give your writing new depth and meaning, improve readability (important for your examiner!) and demonstrate the logic of your arguments.

Luckily for you, we’ve got plenty of categories, definitions and connectives examples to help you get started…

Psst – this article uses loads of connectives. See if you can spot them in use: we’ve italicised the best examples!

What are connective words?

Simply put, connectives are words – or phrases – that link parts of your writing together.

You’re probably familiar with the most common connective words: and, as, because, but, if, or, so . In fact, I’ve used a few of them already – did you spot them?

Don’t limit your essay writing to the basics though, because there are hundreds of connectives that can help you to demonstrate different ideas, such as cause and effect , or the chronology of events .

We’re going to explore ten types of connectives below, but first , here’s a quick refresher on the grammar behind connective words:  

Definitions: The grammatical bit

Understanding the grammar behind your writing might not be your thing – but bear with me, because remembering these six definitions will help you know which connective to use when, and where to place them!

(If you’re just looking for examples of connectives, feel free to skip straight past this bit!)

Connectives fall into three grammatical categories: conjunctions, prepositions, and adverbs.

• For example: and, but, for, or, yet .
• Today , I finished my history assignment but forgot to workout .
• Such as: at, in, of, on, under .
• I need to finish the conclusion of my essay before I go to dinner.
• For instance: upwards, quickly, fortunately .
• My deadline is tomorrow. Fortunately , I proofread my thesis chapter already .

Using adverb and preposition connective words adds specific meaning – and thus clarity – to your writing. They are particularly useful for successful essay signposting .

Definitions part 2: Connectives in sentences

When using connectives, it’s also important to remember that not all sentences are created equal in importance . And so , when connecting them into longer sentences, different types of connectives create different results:

• For example: I find French tricky but I love learning Spanish.

On the other hand,

• A subordinate clause relies on the main clause to make sense. Therefore, these connectives give information about the relationship between the clauses by specifying an order or place to events, or a cause and effect link.
• Here’s an example: I need to do my homework if I want to get a good grade .

A useful type of subordinating connective for essay writing is the:

• For instance: Firstly , I carried out the experiment, and secondly , I analysed the results.

And that’s your grammar refresh done!

If you’re struggling with essay-writing grammar, a great tool for checking your writing is Grammarly * – we use it at Exam Study Expert because it catches a broad range of mistakes. Their blog is also a great place to learn how to use conjunctions , prepositions , adverbs and more.

How to use connective words

So how do you go about using connectives?

In this section, we’re going to discuss the where, what and how …

Where to add connectives:

As we’ve seen , connective words are often found in the middle of a sentence, joining two clauses. But don’t forget you can also use them at the beginning of a sentence to link two consecutive sentences – OR two ideas within your paragraphs (did you see what I did there?).

Some of your connectives will even be linking entire paragraphs and sections – these are often examples of signposting to guide the reader through your section or argument.

What’s more , many connectives are not just single words but phrases. These connectives are particularly useful for essay writing and academic vocabulary. For example: as well as, for an example of this, for instance, in addition to, on the other hand, such as .

What to use connectives for:

When you’re writing an essay or assignment there are plenty of tasks you need to achieve: presenting evidence, making arguments and more.

Happily, connectives can help you achieve all these tasks by clarifying your meaning. You can use connectives for:

• Reinforcing or emphasising a point
• Exemplifying and showing results
• Comparing and discussing points of view
• Constructing a timeline or sequence of events
• Listing points (and signposting them)
• Explaining your argument
• Drawing together conclusions

It’s a long list! So master using connectives and you’ll drastically improve the readability of your writing across all sections of your essay.

How to add in useful connective words:

You’re probably already using basic connectives in your writing.

But if you want to get serious about the benefits to your grades, make sure you’re systematic about how you add them during your essay construction – and (later) proofreading to check they make sense on a large(r) scale!

From experience, I would suggest that the best method for choosing and adding effective connectives is to:

• Sketch out a rough draft of your paragraph or essay section
• Are they separate arguments for the same thing? Or opposite points of view? Do they follow on logically (cause and effect) or chronologically?
• Mark where you want to add signposting connectives to indicate structure
• Check your examples of connective word types and choose options that convey the meaning you need…

And for that purpose, we’ve compiled four lists of connective words for you – including the TOP 70 connectives for effective essay writing! So read on…

Free: Exam Success Cheat Sheet

My Top 6 Strategies To Study Smarter and Ace Your Exams

Privacy protected because life’s too short for spam. Unsubcribe anytime.

Types of connective words

So let’s get down to the really useful stuff: examples of connectives you can use in different situations in your essays!

There are three main types of connectives that we’re going to explore in turn:

• Comparative , Causal, and Temporal

Comparative connective words

These helpful words and phrases are perfect both for comparing similarities in data and arguments, and for pointing out their differences and oppositions. Use them to compare, discuss and argue.

When comparing points, you’ll often be adding to your argument, so these connectives are used for “ addition ”. The most common connectives for addition are: and, also, furthermore, moreover .

Here are some examples in practice:

• Leonardo Da Vinci was an artist and inventor, and also an influential Renaissance humanist.
• Exam Study Expert’s psychologist William offers expert one-on-one exam coaching . Furthermore , you can sign up for a free introductory session!
• My empirical data demonstrates that … ; similarly , theoretical models projected …

On the other hand , you might need to demonstrate and contrast your argument with the opposing point of view with a connective for “ opposition ”. The most commonly used are: alternatively, except, however, unless .

These examples all demonstrate opposition:

• Winston Churchill is best known for his wartime leadership of the United Kingdom, yet he was already in his 60’s when he took office.
• Some students find great study motivation from starting the day with their hardest task. In contrast , others find getting the ball rolling with smaller tasks more effective.
• Our first questionnaire was comprised of six questions. However , for our second questionnaire we …

Causal connective words

Causal connectives are effective for discussing cause and effect – relationships that have logical links that you want to point out and prove.

As such , academic writing is often full of causal connectives, and many of them demonstrate a very academic vocabulary (great for bonus points in your assignment!).

Most essays and assignments have a section (or several sections!) where you need to draw together your facts, ideas and arguments and point out the connections. These are the connectives to turn to at those moments!

The most commonly used are: as such, as a result (of), because, consequently, therefore, thus .

Here are some examples:

• The brains of London taxi drivers have a larger than usual area that deals with memory because they are required to memorise and navigate thousands of streets.
• Flashcards are a highly effective learning and memory tool, provided that you use them correctly.
• This study surveyed over 3,000 students. As a result , we were able to …

Temporal connective words

Whether you’re explaining the sequence of events that led to a historical battle, or demonstrating the steps in your experiment, temporal connectives are a highly valuable tool.

They’re all about discussing time and the chronology of events – what happened before, during and after . Therefore , they make for great signposting words too!

These examples explore each of the four sections in our temporal connectives lists:

• The law of gravity was not widely understood until it was mathematically formulated by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687.
• If you’re stressed about your exams, mindful meditation can be a great help. At the same time ,an inspirational quote might give you the boost you need!
• Initially , the experiment was expected to demonstrate … Eventually , we came to the conclusion that …

The TOP 70 connective words for effective essay writing!

To make sure that you’ve got the tools you need to improve your grades, we’ve compiled this epic list of all the best connectives to use in academic writing.

This is just a selection from the hundreds of connective words and phrases available. So there’s no need to make your essay stale by over-using the same one or two!

If there’s nothing else you grab when you’re ticking off Step #4 from the connectives methodology above – make sure you grab this list!

It covers all the stages of essay structuring and writing, from introduction to conclusion . And includes lists of connectives for:

• Signposting and listing
• Comparing and contrasting
• Illustrating your findings
• Demonstrating cause and effect
• Emphasising points
• Qualifying your arguments

We’ve highlighted the best and most commonly used connectives for each section to ensure you’ve got THE best resource to improve the quality of your essay immediately.

To finish off , here are some examples to get your essay-writing inspiration flowing:

• Firstly , it is well-known that retrieval practice is an effective learning method as compared with re-reading study texts and notes.
• I’m feeling tired tonight. Nevertheless , I must finish my homework and I want to take the dog for a walk.
• When it comes to …, however , there are several effective methods to …, in particular , …

Good luck with your essay!

Now you’ve mastered adding effective connective words to your essay you’re ready for the next step. Be sure to check out our guide on proofreading your assignment before you hand it in. Good luck!

And for more expert, science-backed study resources, sign up to the Exam Study Expert newsletter right here:

The Science Of Studying Smart

Download my free exam success cheat sheet: all my #1 must-know strategies to supercharge your learning today.

Your privacy protected. No spam. Unsubscribe any time.

** Please note : Grammarly is one of very few products we’re sufficiently enthusiastic about to recommend to our Exam Study Expert readers, and we may earn a small commission if you sign up to Grammarly services through the above link.

• Latest Posts
• [2024] Are AP US Government & Politics and AP Comparative Government and Politics Hard or Easy? Difficulty Rated ‘Quite Easy’ (Real Student Reviews + Pass Data) - 5 Jan 2024
• [2024] Is AP Human Geography Hard or Easy? Difficulty Rated ‘Quite Easy’ (Real Student Reviews + Pass Data) - 5 Jan 2024
• [2024] Is AP Microeconomics Hard or Easy? Difficulty Rated ‘Quite Easy’ (Real Student Reviews + Pass Data) - 5 Jan 2024

such an informative blog for the aspirants who are preparing for any exams

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Read My Test-Taking Technique Book For More Marks In Exams

Top Picks: Recommended Reading From The Blog

How To Study Effectively : Ultimate Guide [READER FAVOURITE]

Exam Memorization Secrets

Inspirational Exam Quotes

Finding The Perfect Study Routine

Pomodoro Method : 9-Step Guide

Best Books About Studying

Listen To The Podcast

You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience.

Connectors in English: How to Use Them

Are your essays in English marked poorly despite your grammatically correct sentences?

Have you ever been told that your paragraphs don’t connect to each other even though they talk about the same topic?

This is where English connectors come in—a.k.a., the words I’ve marked in bold above!

Today, I’m going to talk about what connectors in English are, the most common ones you’ll come across and how to practice them.

Once you’re done with this article, I hope you’ll agree that these words and phrases are simply magical!

What Are English Connectors?

English connectors for cause and effect, english connectors for illustration, english connectors for emphasis, english connectors for comparison, english connectors for contrast, english connectors for sequence, english connectors for conclusion, tips for practicing english connectors, and one more thing....

Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)

English connectors are little words and phrases that help you connect sentences, paragraphs and ideas. Used both in spoken and written English, they help make your English sound more logical and structured.

You can think of connectors as like the thread that holds a necklace’s beads (i.e. sentences, paragraphs and ideas) together.

In fact, you probably already use them without even realizing it!

Note that English connectors are different from English conjunctions . While conjunctions link two or more words or clauses within a sentence, connectors establish that two separate sentences or ideas are related to each other. 

To help you understand further, I’m going to walk you through some of the most common connectors in English and how they’re used. Some are used formally, while others are more casual. Some are even  interchangeable —that is, you can use them in place of similar words.

In everyday conversations , we often need to explain things.

Perhaps you were late for school because your car ran out of gas. Or you want to buy chocolates because you want to surprise your mother on her birthday.

Explaining things will be much easier if you throw in these important English connectors.

Let’s take a look at them!

Giving illustrations or examples helps us prove our point and convince other people to believe us. These words help people understand what you’re trying to say and can help them see why you believe what you believe.

While discussing an issue or idea, you may want to focus on a particular point or example. To make the listener understand the importance of that specific idea, you can use the following connectors.

Sometimes, we need to draw attention to certain similarities to make a point or explain something. This is especially important in writing!

To make better comparisons, use the following English connectors.

Sometimes, we need to express different or contradicting ideas side-by-side. Doing this helps the listener or reader focus on important differences and makes them aware of the many sides of a topic.

These connectors are useful when you’re giving step-by-step instructions or listing points.

Finally , how do you let your reader know that you’ve reached the end? (See what I did there?)

There are certain connectors that we usually use during conclusions or when we’ve reached the end of what we wanted to say. When writing or stating conclusions, you usually repeat the most important points.

Here are some quick tips that’ll help you learn English connectors more efficiently.

Make Your Own Sentences

To explain the meanings and uses of different connectors, I’ve provided example sentences for each. However, you’ll remember them much better if you come up with your own examples.

You can start by using connectors in your diary entries, notebooks, essays and the like. Soon, you’ll find yourself using these connectors in everyday speech as well!

Write a Short Story or Essay

To see the huge difference English connectors can make, try writing a paragraph without any connectors and then rewrite it using some of the connectors above. You’ll quickly realize that your sentences will flow better, sound more logical and become easier to understand.

Learn English with Authentic Content

You probably want to speak English like a native (or at least try to). So why not learn from natives? Try watching a speech in English to get a good idea of how these fit together. Look for the ones with transcripts that you can write notes in, maybe even circling all of the connecting terms as you see them. 

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Try FluentU for FREE!

Do Online Exercises

Finally, to check whether you’ve understood how to use connectors correctly, you can try online exercises from websites that cover English grammar .

For example, the ones on English Daily  and English Grammar are pretty short and can be completed in a few minutes.

There’s also ToLearnEnglish , which provides a brief list of common connectors before you solve the exercise, making it a great resource for review.

Now that you know the most commonly-used English connectors, you can use them in sentences and paragraphs with great confidence. Try your hand at some of the exercises I’ve suggested for practice.

So what are you waiting for?

Get out there and start incorporating these useful English connectors into your everyday life!

If you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials , as you can see here:

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.

The FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.

FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.

For example, when you tap on the word "searching," you see this:

FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you’re learning.

FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.

The best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you’re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words—and reminds you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)

Enter your e-mail address to get your free PDF!

We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe

Essay Connectors in English and Examples

In this useful lesson, we’re going to explore some magic keys that help link your ideas together in English: essay connectors! Think of these connectors as bridges that help your thoughts flow smoothly from one to the next, making your stories and explanations easier to follow.

Whether you’re just starting your English learning journey or looking to polish your skills, these connectors will be your best friends in writing and speaking more clearly. So, get ready to add some sparkle to your English with these handy tools!

Table of Contents

What are Connectors in an Essay?

Connectors are words or phrases that join two or more sentences together. They can be used to create smooth, logical sentences. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most common connectors in English and give you some examples of how to use them.

They are also called linking words or linking phrases.

Why use Connectors in an Essay?

Connector words and phrases help to create a smooth, logical flow of ideas in your essay. They make your writing easier to read and understand.

List of Essay Connectors in Detail

It is always a good idea to start your essay with a strong sentence. One way to do this is to use a result connector. A result connector shows the outcome or consequence of something. Here are some examples:

• Consequently, we won’t be able to go on the trip.
• As a result, I got a bad grade on my test.

2) Contrast

Contrast connectors show the difference between two things. Here are some examples:

• However, I don’t think that’s a good idea.
• On the other hand, I believe that we should proceed with caution.

Time connectors express when something happens or how long it lasts. Here are some examples:

• Meanwhile, I’ll be waiting for your call.
• Since then, she’s been avoiding me.

4) Condition

Condition connectors are words or phrases that show a condition or requirement. Here are some examples:

Unless you study hard, you’ll never pass the test.

If it starts to rain, we’ll have to go inside.

5) Addition

Addition connectors express addition or increase. Here are some examples:

furthermore, moreover, and in addition.

• In addition, I think we should try a different approach.
• Furthermore, I don’t think this is a good idea at all.

6) Cause and Effect

Cause and effect connectors express the relationship between two things. They show how one thing caused another thing to happen. Here are some examples:

• The sound of the thunder caused her to scream.
• He didn’t study for the test, so he failed.

7) Location

Location connectors express where something takes place. Here are some examples:

• The meeting will be held in the conference room.
• She always sleeps in her bed.

Purpose connectors express the reason why something is done. They show the purpose of an action or event. Here are some examples:

• I’m studying English to improve my language skills.
• He was late for class because he lost his bus ticket.

9) Comparison

Comparison connectors compare two things. They show how they are similar or different. Here are some examples:

• He’s the best basketball player I’ve ever seen.
• She runs faster than any other girl on the track team.

10) Conditionals

Conditional connectors express a hypothetical situation. They show what would happen if something were to happen. Here are some examples:

• If I had more money, I would buy a new car.
• If you studied harder, you would likely get better grades.

As you can see, there are many different types of essay connectors in English. These connectors help you create clear and logical sentences. By using them correctly, you can make your writing sound more professional and academic.

How do you use Connectors in an Essay?

Using connectors in essays requires a few steps:

• Choose the connector that best suits your needs.
• Connect the two sentences with the connector.
• Make sure the sentences are logically connected.

Here’s an example:

Result: I didn’t get a good grade on my test.

Contrast: However, I got a good score on the practice test.

The result of not studying was that I got a bad grade on my test. However, the contrast is that I did well on the practice test.

Make sure your sentences are properly connected with a connector to create a logical argument. By using connectors, you can make your writing clear and concise.

Now that you know all about essay connectors, try using them in your own writing. Practice makes perfect, so keep practicing until using connectors becomes second nature to you. Soon, you’ll be writing essays that are clear, concise, and well-organized.

• In the same way
• Of contrast
• Despite this
• In comparison
• In contrast
• Even though

Cause & Effect

• Consequently
• As a result of
• As a consequence of
• Contributes of
• Brings about
• Because of this
• For this reason
• Results from
• Is the result of
• Is the consequence of
• Is caused by
• Nevertheless
• Alternatively
• On the contrary
• In spite of
• In addition
• Furthermore
• In addition to
• Additionally
• Not only … but also

illustration

• For example
• For instance
• In other words
• An instance
• As revealed by
• To show that
• In the case of
• As an example
• For one thing
• In my opinion
• As far as I know
• It seems likely
• It seems to me
• In my experience
• I believe that
• As for me, I think
• If I am not mistaken
• What I mean is
• I’d say that
• Personally, I think
• To conclude
• In conclusion
• On the whole
• Summarizing
• Undoubtedly

Last updated on March 27th, 2024 at 03:48 pm

About The Author

Hi, I'm USMI, engdic.org's Author & Lifestyle Linguist. My decade-long journey in language and lifestyle curation fuels my passion for weaving words into everyday life. Join me in exploring the dynamic interplay between English and our diverse lifestyles. Dive into my latest insights, where language enriches every aspect of living.

50 Persuasive Examples of Essay Connectives In Use Today

Essay connectors are words or phrases used to show the logical relationship between the points. They help to achieve an essay flow – preventing the essay from appearing as a loose collection of points, among which the reader ‘jumps about’ randomly. An article without essay connectives may lead to a disconnect of the reader from what the writer intended.

Connectives to use in an essay are carefully assembled and creatively applied to achieve a top-notch piece. The writer should ensure that the sentences make sense to him/her first before settling on special connectors for essays.

In the following extensive paragraphs, we are going to explore some of these top connective words and phrases. Where possible, a sentence example may be added for each connector to give you an idea of how to use the connectives in speech.

Connectors Showing Reason and Cause

They are used when justifying why an action or an event seemed possible or appropriate. Some of the top connector words for reason or cause include:

• Consequently
• As a result
• Seeing that
• On account of
• Accordingly
• It suggests that
• It follows that
• For this reason

Example in a Sentence: Because of the government directive, we decided to stay at home.

Connective Words for Adding Information

When writing your essay, you can use such paragraph connectors to emphasize a point. The following are some top-class connectives used to add information.

• For example
• To illustrate
• First, second and third
• For instance

Model in a Sentence: Apart from washing hands, we can prevent Corona Virus by using a face mask and social distancing.

Connectives for Succession

One can use these transitions for essays when showing the progression of actions or events. They include the following:

• First of all / firstly
• To begin with
• Second / Secondly
• Third / Thirdly
• The next stage

Example in a Sentence: To begin with, you have to get your hands, then apply soap, wash for at least 20 seconds and finally dry your hands.

Showing Comparison and Contrast

Connectives in speech used here show either differences or similarities expressed in a particular essay. Examples include:

• Alternatively
• In contrast
• Nevertheless
• On the other hand
• On the contrary
• All the same

Model in a Sentence: Although he stayed indoors, he still contracted the dreaded COVID-19 and died.

Connectives for Expressing Personal Opinion

These are essay connectives used to show a personal view or attitude towards a particular subject. They include:

• According to my understanding
• As far as I am concerned
• I think that
• in my opinion
• To tell the truth
• It is true that
• To be honest
• From my point of view

Example in a Sentence: As far as I am concerned, wearing a sweater on a cold day may not be practical as wearing a trench coat.

Connectors for Explaining

Such transition words are used when making an essay idea clear to the reader. One may opt to use the following transition words list.

• More or less
• In other words:
• On the whole
• To a certain extent
• Essentially
• In particular

Example in a sentence: Basically, different types of face masks need a doctor’s authorization before use.

Summarizing Essay Connectors

They are used to mark the conclusion of your essay. The readers can ascertain the finality in your article when such a summarizing connector is used. They include:

• In conclusion

Connective words ensure clarity and conciseness as much as possible. It can only be achieved when the right words are used to convey your argument.

Do you need writing help to achieve a smarter paper, without generally detracting from your ideas? Contact our able team of professional writers today.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

Get it done risk-free

With top experts across the board, 10 days to request free revisions, and a 60-day money-back guarantee, sleep tight while we handle your.