Use of linking words and phrases
To achieve good text flow, and to help your reader understand how your ideas are connected, it is important that you use linking words and phrases effectively. Learn how to select the most meaningful linking words for your purposes.
Here, we use the term linking word as an overarching term for three grammatical categories. (Find more information in e.g. Swales and Feak, 2012: 37; Bottomley, 2021, Chapters 4 and 5).
- Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, such as and, but, although, since, and while
- Sentence connectors, such as however, therefore, in addition, moreover and as a consequence
- Phrasal linkers, such as in spite of and due to
All these words and phrases are important for your writing, but you should be aware that these categories behave differently in terms of how they are used in a sentence, and their punctuation. Read more about common problems in sentence structure here .
Swales and Feak (2012: 37) list the following functions of linking words and phrases. Click on the links for examples. For the purposes of this guide, we have slightly modified the terminology and categorization.
- Adding something to what you have already introduced, or listing two or more concepts, ideas or steps in a process
- Describing causes, effects and consequences
Exemplifying, clarifying and intensifying what you have introduced (including a note on 'e.g.', 'i.e.', 'such as', and 'etc.' )
References
Bottomley, J. (2021) Academic writing for international students of science. 2nd Edition. Routledge.
Swales, J. M. and Feak, C. B. (2012) Academic Writing for Graduate Students. Essential Tasks and Skills. 3rd Edition. Michigan University Press.