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Linking Words and Phrases

The document discusses linking words and phrases that are used to connect ideas in academic writing. It provides a table of example linking words grouped by function, such as sequencing ideas, adding information, showing similarities or differences, and concluding. The table gives words like "firstly", "moreover", "likewise", and "in conclusion". It also includes an activity that analyzes how well two sample paragraphs use linking words to flow between ideas. Overall, the document aims to help students understand the purpose and effective use of linking words in academic assignments.

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Natalia Ursu
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97 views3 pages

Linking Words and Phrases

The document discusses linking words and phrases that are used to connect ideas in academic writing. It provides a table of example linking words grouped by function, such as sequencing ideas, adding information, showing similarities or differences, and concluding. The table gives words like "firstly", "moreover", "likewise", and "in conclusion". It also includes an activity that analyzes how well two sample paragraphs use linking words to flow between ideas. Overall, the document aims to help students understand the purpose and effective use of linking words in academic assignments.

Uploaded by

Natalia Ursu
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Linking words and phrases

Linking words and phrases are used to make your writing flow. They connect and logically
organise ideas in and across sentences and paragraphs. Creating this flow makes it much
easier to read and understand the ideas you are presenting in your assignment.

Table 1: Example linking words


Sequencing ideas Firstly.. Secondly.. Finally..
The process of academic writing includes a number of steps. Firstly, it is important to understand
the task question. Secondly, brainstorming around the topic is useful to identify possible ways of
approaching the task.
Adding information Moreover.. In addition.. Furthermore..
When reading for an assignment, students should keep the essay question in mind. By doing so,
they can avoid reading irrelevant texts. Moreover, they can begin to formulate an opinion or
position in relation to the essay question.
Showing similarities/comparisons Likewise... Similarly...
While researching, it is important that students take notes of relevant ideas using their own words.
This will help with paraphrasing and demonstrating an understanding of the text. Similarly, it is
important that students critically analyse these ideas to identify their relevance to the essay topic.
Showing differences/contrasts In contrast.. Conversely.. On the other hand..
When taking notes, there is no need to use formal language. In contrast, paraphrasing those notes
requires a more formal and academic style.

Showing alternative ideas/concessions However.. Nonetheless..


Nevertheless..
In an essay, the writing should be formal and objective. However, the student’s voice should still be
evident.

Clarifying In other words.. That is..


In other words, students need to provide evidence to support their points.

Explaining in another way That is.. In other words.. This means that..
This means that students should avoid personal language, but at the same time explain ideas or
theories through the use of referenced support, and analysis of that support.

Expressing results/cause and effect Therefore.. Consequently.. As a result..


Therefore, it is clear that writing an assignment involves the use of academic language.

Giving illustrations/examples For example.. To illustrate.. For instance..


For instance, rather than writing ‘In my opinion..’, it is more appropriate to write ‘It is argued that...’.

Concluding In conclusion.. To conclude.. To summarise..


In conclusion, it is important that students edit their writing thoroughly to ensure that it is academic
in style and referenced appropriately.

Developed by Learning Advisers 1


Activity
Which paragraph demonstrates a flow of ideas? Can you identify the linking words/phrases
and their purpose in that paragraph?

Paragraph A
Studying at university has a number of benefits. Students can build on their social networks.
They can meet a range of people from diverse backgrounds. They can develop long-lasting
friendships and enrich their social lives. During tutorial sessions, students can develop
effective communication skills. They can learn to negotiate, collaborate and compromise.
This is important for future professional contexts. Students can become critical thinkers and
more open-minded about the world as they see it. They can learn how to develop
arguments and support them with evidence from reliable sources. Students can become
independent learners and learn to manage their time and workload effectively. When they
graduate they will benefit from university.

Paragraph B
Studying at university has a number of benefits. To begin with, students can build on their
social networks. By meeting a range of people from diverse backgrounds, they can develop
long-lasting friendships, and enrich their social lives. Furthermore, during tutorial sessions,
students can develop effective communication skills. Through this experience, they can
learn to negotiate, collaborate and compromise. Students can also become critical thinkers
and become more open-minded about the world as they see it. In addition, they can learn
how to develop arguments and support them with evidence from reliable sources. Other
skills include independent learning, as well as time and workload management. With the
ideas presented above, it can therefore be suggested that university attendance can play a
vital role in both social and professional skill development.

Answer
Developed by Learning Advisers 2
Paragraph B is better structured because it uses linking words and
phrases to connect ideas across and within the paragraph. Paragraph A, on
the other hand, does not flow as well – the language is mechanical in expression and the connection
between ideas is not present.

The linking words and phrases in paragraph B are highlighted below. The purpose of each one is
described in the box on the right-hand side.

Studying at university has a number of benefits. To begin with, Sequencing


students can build on their social networks. By meeting a range of - To begin with....
people from diverse backgrounds, they can develop long-lasting Adding more ideas
friendships, and enrich their social lives. Furthermore, during - furthermore...
tutorial sessions, students can develop effective communication - also...
skills. Through this experience, they can learn to negotiate, - in addition....
collaborate and compromise. Students can also become critical - and....
thinkers and more open-minded about the world as they see it. In - other skills....
addition, they can learn how to develop arguments and support - as well as....
them with evidence from reliable sources. Other skills include Connecting ideas
independent learning, as well as time and workload management. - Through this
With the ideas presented above, it can therefore be suggested experience....
that university attendance can play a vital role in both social and - With the ideas
professional skill development. presented above....

Developed by Learning Advisers 3

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