connectives argumentative essay

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70+ Connective Words To Power Up Your Essays [COMPREHENSIVE LIST]

by Kerri-Anne Edinburgh | Aug 5, 2021

When you’re writing an essay or assignment, you need to use every trick in the book to maximise your marks. And one of the best tools for radically improving your writing is the power of connective words .

Used correctly, connective words can give your writing new depth and meaning, improve readability (important for your examiner!) and demonstrate the logic of your arguments.

Luckily for you, we’ve got plenty of categories, definitions and connectives examples to help you get started…

Psst – this article uses loads of connectives. See if you can spot them in use: we’ve italicised the best examples!

What are connective words?

Simply put, connectives are words – or phrases – that link parts of your writing together.

You’re probably familiar with the most common connective words: and, as, because, but, if, or, so . In fact, I’ve used a few of them already – did you spot them?

Don’t limit your essay writing to the basics though, because there are hundreds of connectives that can help you to demonstrate different ideas, such as cause and effect , or the chronology of events .

We’re going to explore ten types of connectives below, but first , here’s a quick refresher on the grammar behind connective words:  

Definitions: The grammatical bit

Understanding the grammar behind your writing might not be your thing – but bear with me, because remembering these six definitions will help you know which connective to use when, and where to place them!

(If you’re just looking for examples of connectives, feel free to skip straight past this bit!)

Connectives fall into three grammatical categories: conjunctions, prepositions, and adverbs.

• For example: and, but, for, or, yet .
• Today , I finished my history assignment but forgot to workout .
• Such as: at, in, of, on, under .
• I need to finish the conclusion of my essay before I go to dinner.
• For instance: upwards, quickly, fortunately .
• My deadline is tomorrow. Fortunately , I proofread my thesis chapter already .

Using adverb and preposition connective words adds specific meaning – and thus clarity – to your writing. They are particularly useful for successful essay signposting .

Definitions part 2: Connectives in sentences

When using connectives, it’s also important to remember that not all sentences are created equal in importance . And so , when connecting them into longer sentences, different types of connectives create different results:

• For example: I find French tricky but I love learning Spanish.

On the other hand,

• A subordinate clause relies on the main clause to make sense. Therefore, these connectives give information about the relationship between the clauses by specifying an order or place to events, or a cause and effect link.
• Here’s an example: I need to do my homework if I want to get a good grade .

A useful type of subordinating connective for essay writing is the:

• For instance: Firstly , I carried out the experiment, and secondly , I analysed the results.

And that’s your grammar refresh done!

If you’re struggling with essay-writing grammar, a great tool for checking your writing is Grammarly * – we use it at Exam Study Expert because it catches a broad range of mistakes. Their blog is also a great place to learn how to use conjunctions , prepositions , adverbs and more.

How to use connective words

So how do you go about using connectives?

In this section, we’re going to discuss the where, what and how …

Where to add connectives:

As we’ve seen , connective words are often found in the middle of a sentence, joining two clauses. But don’t forget you can also use them at the beginning of a sentence to link two consecutive sentences – OR two ideas within your paragraphs (did you see what I did there?).

Some of your connectives will even be linking entire paragraphs and sections – these are often examples of signposting to guide the reader through your section or argument.

What’s more , many connectives are not just single words but phrases. These connectives are particularly useful for essay writing and academic vocabulary. For example: as well as, for an example of this, for instance, in addition to, on the other hand, such as .

What to use connectives for:

When you’re writing an essay or assignment there are plenty of tasks you need to achieve: presenting evidence, making arguments and more.

Happily, connectives can help you achieve all these tasks by clarifying your meaning. You can use connectives for:

• Reinforcing or emphasising a point
• Exemplifying and showing results
• Comparing and discussing points of view
• Constructing a timeline or sequence of events
• Listing points (and signposting them)
• Explaining your argument
• Drawing together conclusions

It’s a long list! So master using connectives and you’ll drastically improve the readability of your writing across all sections of your essay.

How to add in useful connective words:

You’re probably already using basic connectives in your writing.

But if you want to get serious about the benefits to your grades, make sure you’re systematic about how you add them during your essay construction – and (later) proofreading to check they make sense on a large(r) scale!

From experience, I would suggest that the best method for choosing and adding effective connectives is to:

• Sketch out a rough draft of your paragraph or essay section
• Are they separate arguments for the same thing? Or opposite points of view? Do they follow on logically (cause and effect) or chronologically?
• Mark where you want to add signposting connectives to indicate structure
• Check your examples of connective word types and choose options that convey the meaning you need…

And for that purpose, we’ve compiled four lists of connective words for you – including the TOP 70 connectives for effective essay writing! So read on…

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Types of connective words

So let’s get down to the really useful stuff: examples of connectives you can use in different situations in your essays!

There are three main types of connectives that we’re going to explore in turn:

• Comparative , Causal, and Temporal

Comparative connective words

These helpful words and phrases are perfect both for comparing similarities in data and arguments, and for pointing out their differences and oppositions. Use them to compare, discuss and argue.

When comparing points, you’ll often be adding to your argument, so these connectives are used for “ addition ”. The most common connectives for addition are: and, also, furthermore, moreover .

Here are some examples in practice:

• Leonardo Da Vinci was an artist and inventor, and also an influential Renaissance humanist.
• Exam Study Expert’s psychologist William offers expert one-on-one exam coaching . Furthermore , you can sign up for a free introductory session!
• My empirical data demonstrates that … ; similarly , theoretical models projected …

On the other hand , you might need to demonstrate and contrast your argument with the opposing point of view with a connective for “ opposition ”. The most commonly used are: alternatively, except, however, unless .

These examples all demonstrate opposition:

• Winston Churchill is best known for his wartime leadership of the United Kingdom, yet he was already in his 60’s when he took office.
• Some students find great study motivation from starting the day with their hardest task. In contrast , others find getting the ball rolling with smaller tasks more effective.
• Our first questionnaire was comprised of six questions. However , for our second questionnaire we …

Causal connective words

Causal connectives are effective for discussing cause and effect – relationships that have logical links that you want to point out and prove.

As such , academic writing is often full of causal connectives, and many of them demonstrate a very academic vocabulary (great for bonus points in your assignment!).

Most essays and assignments have a section (or several sections!) where you need to draw together your facts, ideas and arguments and point out the connections. These are the connectives to turn to at those moments!

The most commonly used are: as such, as a result (of), because, consequently, therefore, thus .

Here are some examples:

• The brains of London taxi drivers have a larger than usual area that deals with memory because they are required to memorise and navigate thousands of streets.
• Flashcards are a highly effective learning and memory tool, provided that you use them correctly.
• This study surveyed over 3,000 students. As a result , we were able to …

Temporal connective words

Whether you’re explaining the sequence of events that led to a historical battle, or demonstrating the steps in your experiment, temporal connectives are a highly valuable tool.

They’re all about discussing time and the chronology of events – what happened before, during and after . Therefore , they make for great signposting words too!

These examples explore each of the four sections in our temporal connectives lists:

• The law of gravity was not widely understood until it was mathematically formulated by Sir Isaac Newton in 1687.
• If you’re stressed about your exams, mindful meditation can be a great help. At the same time ,an inspirational quote might give you the boost you need!
• Initially , the experiment was expected to demonstrate … Eventually , we came to the conclusion that …

The TOP 70 connective words for effective essay writing!

To make sure that you’ve got the tools you need to improve your grades, we’ve compiled this epic list of all the best connectives to use in academic writing.

This is just a selection from the hundreds of connective words and phrases available. So there’s no need to make your essay stale by over-using the same one or two!

If there’s nothing else you grab when you’re ticking off Step #4 from the connectives methodology above – make sure you grab this list!

It covers all the stages of essay structuring and writing, from introduction to conclusion . And includes lists of connectives for:

• Signposting and listing
• Comparing and contrasting
• Illustrating your findings
• Demonstrating cause and effect
• Emphasising points
• Qualifying your arguments

We’ve highlighted the best and most commonly used connectives for each section to ensure you’ve got THE best resource to improve the quality of your essay immediately.

To finish off , here are some examples to get your essay-writing inspiration flowing:

• Firstly , it is well-known that retrieval practice is an effective learning method as compared with re-reading study texts and notes.
• I’m feeling tired tonight. Nevertheless , I must finish my homework and I want to take the dog for a walk.
• When it comes to …, however , there are several effective methods to …, in particular , …

Good luck with your essay!

Now you’ve mastered adding effective connective words to your essay you’re ready for the next step. Be sure to check out our guide on proofreading your assignment before you hand it in. Good luck!

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A List of Transition Words to Use for Argumentative Essays

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing an argumentative essay requires a lot of effort aside from research. Besides grammar and structure, you definitely need to make sure your essay is coherent by using transitions.

Argumentative essay transition words allow you to wrap up a piece of evidence to support your main point and then move on to another. Keep reading for tips and an exhaustive list of transition words I put together for your argumentative essays.

What Is a Transition Word?

A transition word is critical to producing quality content. Also known as linking words, transition words make basic connections between sentences and paragraphs to show a relationship between ideas.

A strong transition is crucial when writing an essay. It’s not enough that you provide complete information about your main points and supporting details. You also have to make your argument attractive and logical by using transitions in your academic essay.

The absence of transition words will make your paper less readable and understandable. But too many transitions can also ruin your piece. Use them in moderation to avoid confusion about your document.

Function and Importance of Transitions

The goal of transition words is to convey ideas clearly and concisely to your readers. If you’re writing an argumentative paper, you want to make logical connections in your document to prove your central point.

Transitional phrases and words help you produce a logical flow from one sentence or paragraph to another. In other words, they introduce what the following information will be. Some transitions come in single words, while others come in complete phrases and sentences.

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There are many categories of transitions, including those that present counterarguments and others that build on your arguments. Be careful about using the wrong transition. Otherwise, you won’t achieve your goal of clarity and conciseness. Consider these examples.

• “ For instance , an anonymous TikTok user reports having a shorter attention span because of its over-swiping feature.” (In this sentence, for instance is used to provide an example).
• “ Here’s an exception to my previous point. ” (This entire sentence is a transition, showing a logical connection between the previous and following sentences).

Transition can also be a sentence to a paragraph long. I’ll show you an example.

Paragraph A: A point that supports co-sleeping as a parenting method.

Transition: Despite this, there are many reasons that prove co-sleeping leads to sleep-related accidents.

Paragraph B: Points that oppose co-sleeping.

Types of Transition Words

There are several types of transitions you can use for making high-quality essays.

Transition Between Paragraphs

A type of transition required for a well-written essay is one you can find between paragraphs. Once you’ve arranged each paragraph according to your outline, it’s important to start each with an effective transition. This word or phrase is usually present in the topic sentence of the body.

Some examples include however, similarly, and for example. But these transition expressions cannot be a single sentence long. The initial sentence of every paragraph should be clear and substantial instead of simply connecting ideas.

Transition Within Paragraphs

Creating a powerful transition within every paragraph of your academic papers avoids choppy sentences. It provides a sense of connection between complex ideas to help readers anticipate what is coming.

These are usually single words or short phrases like in addition, since, and if.

Transition Between Sections

The last type of transition phrases and sentences are those between sections. You’ll find them all over the entire paper to summarize the information. They can be restatements of arguments or a short closing sentence to ensure the flow of ideas.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

It’s a type of essay that requires you to research a subject matter and establish a position for or against it.

Aside from researching and evaluating evidence, showing a relationship between sentences and sections is essential when writing a paper. This will allow you to wrap up an idea and then start another. You must cite different sources to support your point of view, then show counterarguments.

The entire essay should include an introduction, a conclusion, and at least three body paragraphs.

How Do You Start an Argumentative Essay?

Every type of paper starts with an introduction, which usually includes a hook, background, and thesis statement.

The common essay introduction piques the reader’s interest through a surprising statistic or an interesting question. Provide readers with a background of your entire content piece, then state your main argument in a clear sentence.

Transition expressions are not yet essential in this stage of essay writing. Focus on setting up your point and discussing how you will argue it throughout the paper.

Common Transitions for Argumentative Essay Writing

Take a look at this list of transitional words and phrases commonly used to make strong arguments.

• Additionally
• In addition
• Not only… but also
• In the same way
• Comparatively
• Furthermore
• Equally important

Counterargument Transition Words

Here’s a transition word list for essays showing different sides of an argument.

• While it is true that
• Nevertheless
• Despite this
• On the other hand
• Be that as it may
• Even though
• Although this may be true

Transition Words and Phrases for Comparing and Contrasting

Here’s a breakdown of transition words and phrases you can use when comparing and contrasting.

• In spite of
• On the contrary
• Different from
• In contrast

Transition Words to Include in Your College Essay

Here are some examples of transition words you can use when applying for college admission or scholarship.

• To put it in another way
• To demonstrate
• As an illustration
• By all means
• In other words

Transition Words for Cause and Effect

Consider this transition word list when showing cause and effect.

• As a result
• For this reason
• Consequently
• Accordingly
• Under those circumstances
• Because the

Transition Words for Essay Paragraphs

• At the present time
• In due time
• To begin with
• All of a sudden
• Immediately
• In a moment

Transitions to Emphasize a Point

• Most of all
• The main problem/issue is
• Without question
• More importantly
• Most important of all

Transition Words for Additional Support or Evidence

Transition words for sequence or order, transition words for space or place.

• In the middle of
• In the distance
• In the background
• Here and there
• On the side

To Cite a Source or Paraphrase

• According to
• This means that
• Put it more simply

Transition Words to Begin a Body Paragraph

• What is more
• Beyond that

Transition Words to Introduce Details

• For example
• As an example
• For instance
• A case in point
• Specifically
• In particular
• More specifically

Transition Words for Conclusion

• As can be seen
• By and large
• On the whole
• To summarize
• In the final analysis
• Generally speaking

More Transition Words

• With this intention
• In order to
• In the hope that
• With this in mind
• For the purpose of
• Provided that

Tips for Using Argumentative Essay Transitions

Follow these tips to improve your use of transitions in your essay.

Know What the Transitions Mean

Non-native speakers may need help knowing the meaning of every transition expression, so research every term before using it.

There are also many categories of transition words. You can use them to summarize points, show contradictions, express sequence, or begin a paragraph.

Start Your Essay with an Outline

Writing an outline will make it easier to map your ideas and move them around. This strategy will help you transition between paragraphs.

Don’t Overuse Transitions

The last mistake you shouldn’t make is overuse. Instead of making connections between sentences, you’ll make your paper more difficult to read. It creates more incoherence and distraction in your writing, contradicting its intended purpose in your paper.

Use Transition Words Properly

Now you know how to use transition words and phrases for your argumentative essay through this guide and list. These expressions will help you produce a coherent relationship between every idea.

Mastering transitions for your essay may not be a piece of cake, but practice makes perfect. Don’t forget to revise and proofread your argumentative before submitting it to your professor.

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• Academic writing
• Commonly confused words
• Critical thinking
• PEEL Paragraphs
• Linking/transition words
• Paraphrasing
• Proofreading
• Terms and definitions
• Action Words: What is description, application, analysis and evaluation

Linking/transition words: Things you need to know...

All assignments are written in formal language.   You need to ensure that you demonstrate your knowledge and understanding alongside your ability to answer the question/solve the problem. 

Below are some ideas to help you to develop your structure and flow.

• Linking / transition words and phrases join ideas, sentences and paragraphs together. They should be used within sentences and to move from one idea to another (between sentences).   

These words and phrases indicate the direction, order and flow of ideas. Significantly, they strengthen the quality and structure of your work.

• Redundant Words - less is more.  P articularly when trying to reduce the word count, it is important to look for phrases which can be replaced with a single word.

Linking/Transition Words

Transitions link one main idea to another separated by a semi-colon or full-stop.  When the transition word is at the beginning of the sentence, it should be followed by a comma:

Among other functions, they can signal cause and effect or sequencing (see examples in the table below).

Linking words: conjunctions

Linking words within a sentence  are referred to as coordinating conjunctions.  Do not worry about the term: think about the function.

Conciseness / redundant words

Microsoft Word now has an additional feature within the Edito r - it is called conciseness or wordiness.  

• If you cannot see the Editor menu a quick tip is to hold down the function (fn key at the bottom left of the keyboard) + F7 (top line of keys).
• From the Refinements section - select Conciseness - if there are any suggestions a number will appear in the box alongside this option
• A dotted line will appear under any groups of groups
• Either select the identified text by clicking with your right mouse button OR click on the down down next to the Conciseness menu.
• MS Word will display any alternative words which you can either select and they will be replaced in your text or reject if you want to keep the original phrases.

Examples:  try to replace phrases with a single words which mean the same.

Need to know more...

• Related pages
• External links
• Academic writing Illustrates the main features of academic writing so that you are aware of what it is and what it involves
• Critical Thinking Academic work involves thinking, not just accepting what you read or are told.
• Terms and Definitions Important words appear in your assignments and examinations. The aim of this factsheet is to help you to fully understand what they mean.

Additional resources to help you to improve your confidence and grades:-

• Writing Effectively  demonstrates the importance of: clarity, structure, relevance, argument and precision.
• Writing Mechanics  gives further examples and resources on areas including: sentence structure, vocabulary, spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Linking/Transition words - Scribbr  https://www.scribbr.co.uk/syntax/transition-words-examples/ [Accessed 10 February 2023]

There are many books concerning academic writing, look around Dewey number  808

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Connecting ideas

How to connect ideas at the sentence and paragraph level in academic writing.

What is cohesion?

Cohesion refers to the way we use vocabulary and grammatical structures to make connections between the ideas within a text. It provides flow and sequence to your work and helps make your paragraphs clear for the reader.

Cohesive devices are words and expressions that show relationships between parts of text and ideas, such as cause and effect, time, addition, or comparison and contrast.

Watch the video to learn how to make your ideas link together and your narrative flow.

How can I create cohesion?

Let’s look at types of cohesive devices.

Linking words

Academic writing usually deals with complex ideas. To enable the reader to follow your thoughts, they need to be clearly and smoothly linked. To join ideas and sentences, we use a number of connecting words and phrases. For example:

Additionally, and, also, apart from this, as well (as), in addition, moreover, further, furthermore.

If, in that case, provided that, unless.

Correspondingly, equally, for the same reason, in a similar manner, in comparison, in the same way, on the one hand, similarly.

Alternatively, although, but, conversely, despite, even so, even though, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, on the contrary, contrary to, nevertheless, nonetheless, notwithstanding, on the other hand, rather, still, though, yet, whereas, while.

Again, in fact, interestingly, indeed, it should be noted (that), more important(ly), most importantly, to repeat, (un)fortunately, unquestionably.

A further instance of this is..., an example of this is…, for example, for instance, such as, thus, as follows.

In other words, more simply, namely, simply put, to put it differently / another way, such as, that is.

A / the consequence of, because, due to, for, the effect of …, since, the result of …

Accordingly, as a result/consequence, consequently, for this reason, hence, so, therefore, thus.

Admittedly, although, clearly though, even though, however, indeed, obviously.

As a rule, for the most part, generally, in general, in most cases, normally, on the whole, usually.

First, second, third (etc), next, before, earlier, finally, following, given the above, later, meanwhile, subsequently, then, to conclude, while.

A note about presentation and style

Check a usage guide for exact rules for punctuation. Many introductory phrases have a comma after them. For example, 'therefore,' and 'in addition,'.

Referring backwards

To avoid repeating words and phrases many times, we use cohesive devices to make references to other parts of a text, such as:

• Pronouns: it, he, she, his, her, they, their
• Demonstratives: this, that, these, those
• Articles: a, the
• Adverbs: previously, subsequently

The Australian prime minister has called an early election. The date was selected to coincide with the start of the Olympic Games. This decision was based on the views of his ministerial advisors, who predicted that voter confidence in the government’s policies would be strong at this time . As previously mentioned , decisions on the timing of elections are based on predictions of voter confidence in the existing government.

In the example above:

• The date - refers back to the election date
• This decision - refers to the prime minister calling an early election
• His - refers to the Australian prime minister
• this time - refers to the start of the Olympic Games
• As previously mentioned - refers to all of the earlier information about the selection of election dates

Looking forward

We often use words and phrases to highlight new information for the reader. This helps make a smooth transition from one point to another. Such phrases include: the following, as follows, below, next, subsequently .

The following dates have been proposed for the forthcoming election: September 8, September 15 and 3 October.

The next issue to be discussed is the influence of the media on voter confidence in the government.

Connecting paragraphs

Apart from using the linking words / phrases above, showing the link between paragraphs could involve writing ‘hand-holding’ sentences. These are sentences that link back to the ideas of the previous paragraph. For instance, when outlining the positive and negative issues about a topic you could use the following:

Example (from beginning of previous paragraph):

• One of the main advantages of X is…

When you are ready to move your discussion to the negative issues, you could write one of the following as a paragraph opener:

• Having considered the positive effects of X, negative issues may now need to be taken into account…
• Despite the positive effects outlined above, negative issues also need to be considered...

It is always important to make paragraphs part of a coherent whole text; they must not remain isolated units.

Checking for paragraph links in your own work

When you are editing your next written assignment, ask yourself the following questions as you read through your work (Gillett, Hammond, & Martala, 2009):

• Does the start of my paragraph give my reader enough information about what the paragraph will be about?
• Does my paragraph add to or elaborate on a point made previously and, if so, have I made this explicit with an appropriate linking word / phrase?
• Does my paragraph introduce a completely new point or a different viewpoint to before and, if so, have I explicitly shown this with a suitable connective?
• Have I used similar connectives repeatedly? If yes, try to vary them using the above list.

Strategies to improve cohesion

• Select a piece of writing, preferably from a textbook or journal article, from your area of study.
• Choose a paragraph and underline or highlight all the different forms of cohesion used, such as using linking words, referring backwards, looking forwards or adding synonyms.
• Which forms are the most common?
• Choose a couple that you think are effective and practice using them in your own writing.
• Try to use a variety of ways to show the relationship between your ideas.

Looking for one-on-one advice?

Get tailored advice from an Academic Skills Adviser by booking an Individual appointment, or get quick feedback from one of our Academic Writing Mentors via email through our Writing advice service.

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Writing: flow and coherence

Making your essays clearer

Improve your work and make your assignments easier to understand with clear writing

Writing clearly and structuring your assignments can help make your work clearer and improve your grades.  

Writing clearly involves using good sentence structure and using connectives to link your ideas. Using connectives properly makes your work easy to read and understand, but using them unnecessarily can confuse readers. 

Language choices 

Different assignments in your degree may need different styles and encourage different word choices. Your university assignments will usually use an academic and formal style. You should choose your words carefully to demonstrate your point clearly and succinctly. 

Tips to improve word choices in your writing:  

• learn your subject’s technical and theoretical terms – this won't happen overnight and will continue throughout your degree
• don't use fancy words and phrases just to sound more academic – make sure you understand a word or phrase and how to use it first
• avoid using a thesaurus – there are very few exact synonyms in English and some terms have very specific meanings in particular fields (particularly for technical and theoretical terms)

Connectives and transition signals

Connectives link sentences, phrases and ideas in your writing to guide your reader through your work. Transition terms are a type of connective that specifically indicates some kind of change or development.

Connectives can demonstrate your analysis and criticality, the flow of your work, the development of your material, or a different angle or change in direction.

Connective examples: 

• The first claim, [topic] can be explained by…..
• For example...
• However; in contrast; on the other hand...
• Nonetheless; despite this; although...
• In addition; furthermore...
• Therefore; consequently; as a result...
• Similarly...

Appropriate assertion

Avoid stating that something is 'definite' in your work because you probably can't explore all potential outcomes of the statement in your essay. Use academic caution to suggest conclusions in your writing, and avoid terms like 'obviously', 'undeniably', 'certainly' and 'definitely' (unless you're quoting someone else).

Instead of using casual terms like 'surely' or 'everybody knows', you should use phrases like 'It is common knowledge' or 'It is generally accepted...'.

You could use these phrases:

• This shows...
• It is evident that...
• It is therefore possible to conclude that...
• The argument strongly suggests that...
• This is supported by...
• This demonstrates...

Cautious language

Academic caution is about not making absolute statements of fact. 

Example of cautious language:

• Seems to; tends to; looks like; appears to show; indicates; could be seen as...
• Thinks; assumes; believes; suggests...
• May; might; could; perhaps...
• Probably; possibly; perhaps; conceivably...

Challenging arguments 

You can express doubt about or challenge your evidence, an argument, or a claim in your resources. You can also express doubt about something you've said. 

Five examples of phrases to express doubt:

• It is possible that this means...
• This could indicate that...
• The argument is plausible because...
• This claim is debatable because...
• Therefore, it is an implausible argument...

Using evidence

Evidence can come from a range of sources. Your field will have specific requirements and reputable sources. Your evidence could come from data, results, findings, newspapers, databases, documentaries, or sound logical thinking and argument.

Examples of phrases to introduce evidence:

• The evidence shows...
• Table 1 demonstrates...
• Figure 2 indicates...
• According to the results...
• The argument suggests...
• The author implies that...

Remember that writer implies something, and the reader infers something, when making your word choices. 

Expressing what comes first or is most important

When you need to highlight a key point in your word you could use phrases like: 

• The primary issue...
• The key point...
• The principal argument...
• The main point...
• First, this essay will...

Expressing sequence

Your reader should be ware of where they are in your work. It's easy to lose your place when reading extended writing so you should include some guidance in your assignment. Expressing sequence also demonstrates that you're thinking logically and systematically to present your points or argument, and keeping in touch with how elements relate to each other.

Examples of terms to express sequence: 

• Previously...
• Secondly...
• Furthermore...
• Subsequently...
• In addition...
• Moreover...

Expressing finality

Your conclusion will usually summarise the information in your essay. You can use terms like: 

• Ultimately...
• In conclusion...

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Argumentative Writing

In this post

Argumentative/discursive writing will be one of three tasks for you to choose between in Section C of the exam. There are certain techniques you will need to know in order for you to be able to effectively write a piece of argumentative/discursive writing on your own. Therefore, we will also look at how to analyse this form of writing as this will benefit you in your own writing. We will now go on to discuss these individual techniques in detail in the next few chapters.

Having a balanced argument

You may remember from discussing texts to persuade in Unit 3 of this course that having a balanced and rational argument is essential for this type of writing. There are always two (or more) sides to every story and when you write a piece of argumentative/discursive writing in Section C of the exam you are expected to be able to present different views and opinions to a topic. Although similar, argumentative/discursive writing is slightly different than writing to persuade. When writing to persuade, you express your emotions more than when writing a piece of argumentative/discursive writing. Argumentative/discursive writing requires you to be more rational and open-minded. It is fine to highlight a specific opinion to the argument at the end of the essay but try and stay neutral throughout to avoid coming across as biased to the reader.

Your writing should be written in the third person throughout. This will avoid having a biased impression at any point throughout the essay. You need to have a strong argument that clearly shows the reader what point the essay is making.

However, it needs to remain professional and consist of both sides of the argument. It is a good idea to write a plan outlining both sides before you begin writing anything else – make sure that there is a balanced and equal amount of writing on both topics, not just the one you agree with more; this will lose you marks. You are required to be able to discuss views and opinions which are different to your own. Let’s look back over a plan of a ‘to persuade’ essay; you may remember looking over this in Unit 3 of this course but the one below has been adapted to suit a piece of argumentative/discursive writing.

When planning in your exam you could create a table like the one below and fill it in using brief bullet points:

This table will help you to present both sides to the topic you are asked to write about. The order of your argumentative/discursive essay may vary depending on the specific task you are asked to complete. However, whichever task you are asked to complete, make sure you present a logical argument that discusses different views and opinions.

Use connectives to connect the paragraphs of your essay. Connectives refer to using conjunctions at the beginning of every new paragraph or point, or to explain a point in more detail. We will split them up into ‘for’ and ‘against’ connectives:

It is vital that your argument flows fluently with a concise structure. Using the connectives mentioned above can help you achieve this. For example, in the paragraph that your logical argument contains, you can use an ‘against’ connective to introduce your counterargument paragraph: ‘However, some people may think that …’ or ‘Be that as it may, an alternative perspective to this situation is …’. Take note that a comma is always placed after a connective. If you apply this technique appropriately in any of your essays in Section A, B, or especially if you decide to do the argumentative/discursive task in Section C of the exam, then this will impress the examiner and gain you extra marks.

Techniques of Argumentative/Discursive Writing

When conducting argumentative/discursive pieces of writing your purpose will always be to inform and sometimes to persuade your audience to have a certain point of view. In order to persuade someone, you need to be convincing. Having a logical position on a topic and sticking with it throughout your essay is vital; nevertheless, it is equally as important for you to show that you have considered different opinions and points of view as this proves to the reader that you are well informed and unbiased – making your writing more convincing. Some useful techniques for you to learn and eventually use in your exam will be covered here.

Rhetorical Techniques

‘Rhetoric’ is an art form that can be defined as the effective use of techniques of persuasive forms of speaking or writing. These techniques include some of the ones we have already discussed in Unit 1 of this course but there are some which you may not have come across before. A table of these techniques, including their definitions and examples, is provided below.

Emotive Language

This involves using language with the intention that it will have an emotional impact on the audience. Emotive language can either be positive or negative depending on the desired effect the writer is wishing to have on the reader. You need to not only be able to recognise if a text has emotive language and what effect it has on you, but also how you can include emotive language in your own writing to create a desired effect on the target audience of your text.

Using emotive language in argumentative/discursive writing can be an effective technique to use if you pick an argumentative task in Section C of your exam. Logical reasoning is crucial for this question but that does not mean we cannot use some emotive language too. If you show that you are passionate about a topic (but also perceptive to other points of view) when you are writing an argumentative/discursive piece of writing, then this can gain the reader’s interest and make them want to sit up and listen.

Emotive language consists of the use of words, phrases, clauses or sentences that evoke a strong emotion in the reader. Connotations are common when using emotive language (refer back to Unit 1 if you are still unsure of this term). It is a good technique for getting the reader feeling involved in the discussion and swaying their point of view either ‘for’ or ‘against’ the specific discussion. Let’s have a look at some positive and negative uses of emotive language:

Using emotive language is important if you are writing to persuade and if you are wanting to put across a desired opinion.

Speaking Directly to the Reader

A lot of persuasive texts speak directly to the reader. This is either through the use of first person – ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘we’ (plural), ‘us’ (plural) – and second person personal pronouns – ‘you’, ‘you’ (plural). However, speaking indirectly to the reader can be just as effective. For example, through opening statements such as ‘Who could deny that…’, ‘All sane people will agree that…’ and ‘It cannot be disputed…’. These statements effectively manipulate the reader into agreeing as they allow them to feel included, all whilst remaining consistent with a third person point of view.

Using Facts, Statistics and Quotations

As you are required to make a balanced and rational argument when writing a piece of argumentative/discursive writing, using facts, statistics and quotations can help back up and evidence both sides of an argument to a topic. It is advised that if you are unable to provide any facts, statistics or quotations to back up your points in the exam, then you can make them up; however, they must be realistic and relevant to the topic.

• Facts and Statistics: facts and statistics are used by a writer to help convince the reader about a certain topic/idea. They are a very convincing technique to use and the reader will be less likely to disagree or argue with a point if facts and statistics are being provided to support it.
• Quotations: quotations are used to provide further information and to back up a point already mentioned. Often quotations will be taken from something a leading expert in their field has said or written, or from other reliable sources, e.g. academic textbooks, journal articles etc. Quotations make an argument seem more appealing as you are showing that other people also agree, or disagree, with the argument you are making which helps convince the reader to take the same view.

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Connectives.

There are words in the English language that act like glue to help you stick your sentences together and show the relationships between the ideas that you want to express. These words are called 'connectives' (or 'linking words'). Connectives help your essay 'flow' and read more coherently. More specifically, connectives help you:

• illustrate a point,
• compare and contrast ideas,
• sequence ideas,
• conclude or summarise ideas,
• show a causal relatioship.

Are you in the process of proof-reading your essay? See if you can add a few of these words, especially at the beginnings of sentences.

• as a result of
• at the same time
• consequently
• echoing this
• even though
• firstly... secondly...
• following on from this
• for instance / for example
• for this reason
• furthermore
• in addition
• in conclusion
• in spite of 
• in the same vein 
• nevertheless
• nonetheless
• not only... but also...
• notwithstanding
• now we look at
• on the one hand
• on the other hand
• one reason why...

50 Persuasive Examples of Essay Connectives In Use Today

Essay connectors are words or phrases used to show the logical relationship between the points. They help to achieve an essay flow – preventing the essay from appearing as a loose collection of points, among which the reader ‘jumps about’ randomly. An article without essay connectives may lead to a disconnect of the reader from what the writer intended.

Connectives to use in an essay are carefully assembled and creatively applied to achieve a top-notch piece. The writer should ensure that the sentences make sense to him/her first before settling on special connectors for essays.

In the following extensive paragraphs, we are going to explore some of these top connective words and phrases. Where possible, a sentence example may be added for each connector to give you an idea of how to use the connectives in speech.

Connectors Showing Reason and Cause

They are used when justifying why an action or an event seemed possible or appropriate. Some of the top connector words for reason or cause include:

• Consequently
• As a result
• Seeing that
• On account of
• Accordingly
• It suggests that
• It follows that
• For this reason

Example in a Sentence: Because of the government directive, we decided to stay at home.

Connective Words for Adding Information

When writing your essay, you can use such paragraph connectors to emphasize a point. The following are some top-class connectives used to add information.

• For example
• To illustrate
• First, second and third
• For instance

Model in a Sentence: Apart from washing hands, we can prevent Corona Virus by using a face mask and social distancing.

Connectives for Succession

One can use these transitions for essays when showing the progression of actions or events. They include the following:

• First of all / firstly
• To begin with
• Second / Secondly
• Third / Thirdly
• The next stage

Example in a Sentence: To begin with, you have to get your hands, then apply soap, wash for at least 20 seconds and finally dry your hands.

Showing Comparison and Contrast

Connectives in speech used here show either differences or similarities expressed in a particular essay. Examples include:

• Alternatively
• In contrast
• Nevertheless
• On the other hand
• On the contrary
• All the same

Model in a Sentence: Although he stayed indoors, he still contracted the dreaded COVID-19 and died.

Connectives for Expressing Personal Opinion

These are essay connectives used to show a personal view or attitude towards a particular subject. They include:

• According to my understanding
• As far as I am concerned
• I think that
• in my opinion
• To tell the truth
• It is true that
• To be honest
• From my point of view

Example in a Sentence: As far as I am concerned, wearing a sweater on a cold day may not be practical as wearing a trench coat.

Connectors for Explaining

Such transition words are used when making an essay idea clear to the reader. One may opt to use the following transition words list.

• More or less
• In other words:
• On the whole
• To a certain extent
• Essentially
• In particular

Example in a sentence: Basically, different types of face masks need a doctor’s authorization before use.

Summarizing Essay Connectors

They are used to mark the conclusion of your essay. The readers can ascertain the finality in your article when such a summarizing connector is used. They include:

• In conclusion

Connective words ensure clarity and conciseness as much as possible. It can only be achieved when the right words are used to convey your argument.

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Supporting Argumentative Writing and Classroom Debate

Although arguing might seem like a natural talent for many adolescents, argumentative writing and classroom debates are often tough skills for students to master and challenging to teach. Read to find out where recent research is leading us.  

Argumentative Writing is Hard

Creating and responding to cogent arguments requires that students take a position and that they understand the limitations of their own perspective. An accumulation of research on this topic has demonstrated that it is difficult for secondary students to consider multiple perspectives simultaneously while navigating complex topics in classroom debate or while producing argumentative writing.

Recently, researchers ( Taylor, Lawrence, Connor & Snow, 2018 ) examined the cognitive and linguistic features of 40 middle school students’ argumentative writing to try and better understand how their reasoning skills develop. Students were asked to take a position on a social issue, such as the use of nuclear power or whether the death penalty is justifiable. Researchers then coded each clause in students’ essays for the type of arguments and the number of connectives they used.

Connectives: An Important Class of Academic Words

Connectives are a kind of general academic word that helps to connect ideas. For instance,  adversative connectives  signal that two statements contradict each other ( alternatively, although ).  Additive connectives  are used to signal that two statements are similar ( again, further ).  Causal connectives  signal that one thing leads to another ( hence, since ). Researchers found a connection between students’ use of these words and the level of their argumentation. These results suggest that if we want students to do advanced argumentative thinking, they need specialized words to do so.

Developing and Supporting Arguments

Reading Ways has created two graphic organizers that provide both conceptual and linguistic support for students’ argumentative writing (in collaboration with the Understanding Teachers as Designers project at the University of Oslo).

Graphic Organizer #1: Argumentative Sheet

In the first section of this organizer, students develop their own arguments and consider counter-arguments. In the next section, they consider opposing arguments and prepare rebuttals.

File Argumentation Sheet.docx (663.54 KB)

File Argumentation Sheet.pdf (198.94 KB)

On the second page, students respond in writing. They’re given a list of connectives at the top of the page so that they might more easily access them for use in their argumentative writing.

Graphic Organizer #2: Rebuttal Battle Sheet

The second organizer is focused on preparing students for a classroom debate where they test their critical thinking skills with one another. The Rebuttal Battle Sheet helps students consider their side of the issue, the opposing side of the issue, and rebuttals that each side might make. Icons help students keep track of positions, arguments, and rebuttals. 

File Rebuttal Battle docx format.docx (806.24 KB)

File Rebuttal Battle pdf format.pdf (231.31 KB)

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• Teaching secondary
• Intermediate B1

Helping students organise argument essays

Rosh Pillay is a South African teacher. She used action research to help her students organise their argument essays and so improve their writing. You might like to try the same solutions she used.

Once Rosh had decided on the problem of her students' poor performance when writing argument essays, she investigated this problem by analysing her students' writing. This analysis made her think that a possible cause of the problem was that students did not know how to organise argument essays or paragraphs in such essays. She decided to try the following solutions:

• Explain the overall organisation of an argument essay to students.
• Explain paragraph organisation.
• Give students a list of connectives which they could use in their essays. Make sure that they understand the relationships that are implied by these connectives.
• Firstly, identify the thesis. Write it in a circle in the middle of a blank piece of paper.
• Next, identify the claims or statements that are made to support this thesis. Write these around the thesis.
• Then identify and list the details and examples which are given to support each claim/statement.
• Finally, write relevant connectors between the thesis and the claims/statements and between the claims/statements themselves.
• Give students a topic. Once they have completed pre-writing activities, like discussing the topic or reading about it, ask them to write a statement of their point of view of the topic. Then ask them to develop a spider-diagram around this statement.
• Ask students to use this spider-diagram to write their essay.

Rosh used the essays which the students wrote as evidence of whether her solutions had worked or not. She observed that while both the overall structure, including paragraphing, and the use of connectives indicating ordering had improved, the use of connectors indicating reason had not. This will be her problem for her next action research cycle.

Here is a summary of the main stages of action research. Can you apply this approach to your teaching?

• Identify the problem area.
• Narrow it down so that it is manageable.
• Investigate the problem.
• Think about a solution and how to implement it.
• Think about what evidence you will collect to decide whether your action is successful or not. How will you collect it? How will you analyse it?
• Teach / act, observe and reflect.

Research and insight

Browse fascinating case studies, research papers, publications and books by researchers and ELT experts from around the world.

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English Tutor Lessons

English tuition year 12, persuasive writing sentence openers and connectives for primary level students, why use sentence openers and connectives that persuade when writing persuasive language texts at primary level.

It is important to use sequence words and phrases as sentence openers and connectives that persuade when writing persuasive language texts at primary level to link or connect your sentences, ideas and whole paragraphs together.  Connectives (linking words) should be carefully chosen in persuasive writing to make sure your paragraphs are linked logically.

Below is a table of persuasive writing sentence openers and connectives that you can use for primary level English:

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The secret life of connectives: a taxonomy to study individual differences in mid-adolescents’ use of connectives in writing to persuade

• Published: 07 March 2023
• Volume 37 , pages 173–204, ( 2024 )

Cite this article

• Linda Andreev   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5324-8489 1 &
• Paola Uccelli   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-5818-2108 1  

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Mid-adolescence has been identified as a period of considerable potential growth in the language skills and practices that support reading and writing at school, but little research has examined mid-adolescents’ use of connectives in school-relevant persuasive writing. In this study, we define connectives as cohesive devices that signal to a reader logical relations between ideas or organizational relations in a text. Drawing from Halliday and Matthiesen (Halliday’s introduction to functional grammar, Routledge, 2014) and Hyland (Metadiscourse: exploring interaction in writing, Continuum, 2005), we propose a comprehensive taxonomy of connectives that guided our examination of developmental trends and individual differences in the use of connectives in persuasive essays written by a socioeconomically and ethnically diverse cross-sectional sample of U.S. public-school mid-adolescents in grades 5 to 8 ( N  = 512). Our analysis revealed (1) developmental trends and individual differences at different grade levels and (2) identified students’ connective use as a predictor of overall writing quality above and beyond students’ receptive language skills and sociodemographic factors.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Institute of Education Sciences (Grant No. R305A170185; Grant No. R305F100026), U.S. Department of Education. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not represent views of the Institute or the U.S. Department of Education. We’d like to thank Dr. Ziyun Deng for her research assistance at the beginning of the project and our anonymous reviewers of Reading and Writing for their thoughtful and important feedback.

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Appendix 1: persuasive writing prompt.

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Andreev, L., Uccelli, P. The secret life of connectives: a taxonomy to study individual differences in mid-adolescents’ use of connectives in writing to persuade. Read Writ 37 , 173–204 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-023-10425-3

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Accepted : 11 February 2023

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/s11145-023-10425-3

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