Linking Words

Linking plays a very important role in your essay. 25% of your marks in essay depend on the linking and the cohesion of your essay. It is not only important for you to get the linking correct but you are required to give a range of linking words with perfect accuracy and flexibility. Linking words can be useful for you while listing, adding information, giving examples, showing results or consequences, highlighting, stressing or giving reasons.
Given below are the linking words that can be used in each of the cases.

LISTING
Linking words for listing are used to either put paragraphs in order or even to list your supporting points in paragraph.

  1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly ….
  2. Lastly, last but not the least , finally
Adding Information
Sometimes you need to support your main idea in essay, given below are the linkers that are used to inform that extra information will be provided.

  1. In addition
  2. Additionally
  3. Furthermore
  4. Moreover
  5. Also
  6. As well as
  7. And
Giving Example
Often you are required to give examples in your writing task. Always writing the same word could make you lose marks. Try to use the given linking words,

  1. For example
  2. In other words
  3. For instance
  4. Namely
  5. Such as

    6. To illustrate

Presenting Opinion
In essays wherein you are required to give your own opinion, following linking words will prove to be helpful to you.

  1. In my opinon
  2. I think
  3. I disagree/ I cannot accept
  4. I admit
  5. In my view
  6. I believe
  7. I concur/ agree
Results and Consequences
These linking words are very useful in when you are required to give solutions in your essay or state the consequences of something.

  1. As a result
  2. Consequently
  3. Thus
  4. Hence
  5. Therefore
  6. So
  7. For this reason
CONTRASTS
Often while writing essay, you are required to give opinion. Doing this sometimes you have to give your opinion of the opposing form. Given below are some of the linking words that could be helpful for you in such situations.

  1. However
  2. Nevertheless
  3. Even though
  4. Although
  5. But
  6. Despite
  7. Still
  8. On the other hand
  9. By contrast
  10. In comparison
  11. Alternatively
  12. Other option could be
Concluding Linkers
These linkers are useful to start your conclusion paragraph.

  1. In conclusion
  2. To sum up
  3. To conclude

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