TASK 8: Linking your ideas across paragraphs
It is important to develop and link your ideas in each paragraph so the reader can follow your line of argument clearly. Linking words and phrases can be of great help here.
Most pieces of formal writing are organised in a similar way: introduction;
development of main ideas or arguments; conclusion. Linking words and
phrases join clauses, sentences and paragraphs together.
A piece of writing or text may include the following:
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Idea |
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And |
one idea is linked to another |
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Idea |
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Or |
an alternative is presented |
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Idea |
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But |
an objection is made |
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Idea |
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Connectives
The main linking words and phrases are grouped below according to the similarity of
their meaning to the three basic connectives and, or, but. Some can be used to link
paragraphs and others can only be used to link ideas within a paragraph.
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and |
a) listing |
1. enumeration (points in order) |
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2. addition: i) reinforcement ii) comparison |
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b) transition (leads to a new stage) c) summary (gives a summary or conclusion) d) reference (refers to what was said before) e) example (introduces and example) f) result (the consequence of what was said before) g) place (refers to things in or outside the document) h) time (refers to other studies)
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or |
i) reformulation (expresses something in another way) j) replacement (expresses an alternative)
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but |
k) contrast (presents a different view) l) concession (agrees that something is good, with limitations)
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I. And
a) Listing
1. Enumeration indicates a cataloguing of what is being said.
Most lists use clearly defined groups of words:
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One, |
A second, |
A third, etc. |
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First, Firstly, |
Second, Secondly, |
Third, Thirdly, etc. |
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First and foremost, First and most importantly To begin with, To start with, Above all, |
In the second place, Moreover, Furthermore, Next, etc. |
Last but not least, Finally, To conclude, etc. |
2. Addition to what has been previously indicated.
i) Reinforcement (includes confirmation):
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above all indeed actually in addition additionally moreover again not only . . . but also . . . also notably as well (as) obviously |
besides particularly especially specifically further then furthermore too what is more to top it off likewise |
ii) Comparison (similarity to what has preceded):
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also in the same way both . . . and . . . likewise on the up side |
correspondingly similarly equally too on the down side |
b) Transition (can lead to a new stage in the sequence of thought):
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Now regarding turning to with respect/regard to |
as for as to (often used when discussing something briefly) |
c) Summary (a generalisation or summing up of what has preceded):
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all in all all things considered altogether by and large hence in brief in conclusion in short on balance on the whole overall |
in summary in a nutshell then therefore thus to conclude to cut the long story short to sum up to summarise to round it up |
d) Reference (refers back to previous sentences):
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and as follows chiefly for instance for example in other words in particular including |
mainly mostly namely notably or particularly such as that is |
e) Example:
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for example for instance such as |
to illustrate as an illustration to demonstrate |
f) Result (expresses the consequence or result from what is implicit in the
preceding sentence or sentences):
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accordingly as a result as a consequence because of consequently for this/that reason hence in order that |
now so so that the consequence is the result is then therefore thus |
g) Place:
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above adjacent at the side behind below elsewhere here |
in front in the background in the foreground there to the left to the right |
h) Time:
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after a while now afterwards once at last presently at that time previously at the same time shortly before simultaneously currently since earlier soon eventually subsequently |
finally then formerly thereafter in the meantime until in the past until now so far initially whenever later while meanwhile |
II. Or
i) Reformulation (expresses something in another way):
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Better in other words in that case rather |
that is that is to say to put it (more) simply |
j) Replacement (expresses an alternative to what has preceded):
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Again alternatively another possibility would be better/worse still |
on the other hand rather the alternative is |
III. But
k) Contrast:
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at the same time by (way of) contrast despite claims to the contrary contrary to popular belief conversely however in comparison in fact in reality |
Instead nevertheless on the contrary (on the one hand) . . . on the other hand . . . still then yet |
l) Concession (indicates that the previous view is accepted with reservations):
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admittedly in spite of after all naturally all the same nevertheless although no doubt although this may be true nonetheless at the same time notwithstanding besides |
only despite still doubtless under certain circumstances even if though up to a point even so while however yet |