Linking words help you to connect ideas and sentences, so that people
can follow your ideas. It also helps in writing a coherent and well-organised
essay.
Giving
examples
For example
For instance
Namely
Such as
The most common way of giving examples is by using for
example or for
instance.
Namely refers to
something by name.
"There are
two problems: namely, the expense and the time."
Adding
information
And
In addition
As well as
Also
Too
Furthermore
Moreover
Apart from
In addition to
Besides
Ideas are often
linked by and. In a list, you put a comma
between each item, but not before and.
"We
discussed training, education and the budget."
Also is used to add an
extra idea or emphasis. "We also spoke about marketing."
You can use also with not only to give emphasis.
"We are
concerned not only by the costs, but also by the competition."
We don't usually
start a sentence with also. If you want to start a sentence
with a phrase that means also, you can use In addition, or In
addition to this…
As
well as can be
used at the beginning or the middle of a sentence.
"As well as
the costs, we are concerned by the competition."
"We are
interested in costs as well as the competition."
Too goes either at
the end of the sentence, or after the subject and means as
well.
"They were
concerned too."
"I, too, was
concerned."
Apart from and besides are often used to mean as
well as, or in addition to.
"Apart from
Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."
"Besides
Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer."
Moreover and furthermore add extra information to the point you
are making.
"Marketing
plans give us an idea of the potential market. Moreover, they tell us about the
competition."
Summarising
In short
In brief
In summary
To summarise
In a nutshell
To conclude
In conclusion
We normally use
these words at the beginning of the sentence to give a summary of what we have
said or written.
Sequencing
ideas
The former, …
the latter
Firstly, secondly, finally
The first point is
Lastly
The following
The former and the
latter are useful
when you want to refer to one of two points.
"Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former is
studied in the first term and the latter is studied in the final term."
Firstly,
… secondly, … finally (or lastly)
are useful ways to list ideas.
It's rare to use
"fourthly", or "fifthly". Instead, try the
first point, the second point, the third point and so on.
The following is a good way of
starting a list.
"The
following people have been chosen to go on the training course: N Peters, C
Jones and A Owen."
Giving
a reason
Due to / due to the fact that
Owing to / owing to the fact that
Because
Because of
Since
As
Due to and owing
to must be
followed by a noun.
"Due to the
rise in oil prices, the inflation rate rose by 1.25%."
"Owing to
the demand, we are unable to supply all items within 2 weeks."
If you want to
follow these words with a clause (a subject, verb and object), you must follow
the words with the fact that.
"Due to the
fact that oil prices have risen, the inflation rate has gone up by 1%25."
"Owing to
the fact that the workers have gone on strike, the company has been unable to
fulfil all its orders."
Because / because
of
Because of is followed by a
noun.
"Because of
bad weather, the football match was postponed."
Because can be used at
the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. For example, "Because it was
raining, the match was postponed."
"We believe
in incentive schemes, because we want our employees to be more
productive."
Since / as
Since and as mean because.
"Since the
company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."
"As the
company is expanding, we need to hire more staff."
Giving
a result
Therefore
So
Consequently
This means that
As a result
Therefore, so, consequently and as
a result are all
used in a similar way.
"The company are expanding. Therefore / So
/ Consequently / As a result, they are taking on extra staff."
So is more informal.
Contrasting
ideas
But
However
Although / even though
Despite / despite the fact that
In spite of / in spite of the fact that
Nevertheless
Nonetheless
While
Whereas
Unlike
In theory… in practice…
But is more informal
than however. It is
not normally used at the beginning of a sentence.
"He works
hard, but he doesn't earn much."
"He works hard. However, he doesn't earn much."
Although, despite and in spite of introduce an idea of contrast. With
these words, you must have two halves of a sentence.
"Although it
was cold, she went out in shorts."
"In spite of the cold, she went out in shorts."
Despite and in
spite of are used
in the same way as due to and owing
to. They must be followed by a noun. If you want to follow them
with a noun and a verb, you must use the fact that.
"Despite the
fact that the company was doing badly, they took on extra employees."
Nevertheless and nonetheless mean in spite of that or anyway.
"The sea was
cold, but he went swimming nevertheless." (In spite of
the fact that it was cold.)
"The company is doing well. Nonetheless, they aren't going to
expand this year."
While, whereas and unlike are used to show how two things
are different from each other.
"While my
sister has blue eyes, mine are brown."
"Taxes have
gone up, whereas social security contributions have gone down."
"Unlike in
the
In theory… in
practice… show
an unexpected result.
"In theory,
teachers should prepare for lessons, but in practice, they often don't have
enough time."