moreover not only ..., but ...

also
therefore finally despite
as a result/consequence what's more so
to sum up however in spite of
furthermore although consequently
even though since
Linkers, also called transition words or adverbial conjunctions, can be used to begin sentences.
Put a comma after most linkers (except Then).
Linkers follow a period with a capital letter:
She doesn't type very fast. In addition, she can't spell.
She works fast. Consequently, she finishes early.
or they can follow a semi-colon with a small letter:
She doesn't type very fast; in addition, she can't spell.
She works fast; consequently, she finishes early.
Remember: a period or semi-colon before the linker--a comma after the linker!
Here are some sentences showing how to use 64 common linkers:

talking about the present time

1. These days, computers are available in most public schools and libraries.
2. Nowadays, women get heart attacks almost as often as men do.
3. In this day and age, technology is present in every facet of our life.
4. Currently, the economy is strong.
5. At the present time, the President is facing political difficulties.

talking about the historic past

6. A long time ago, there were no computers in schools.
7. In former times, people went to the river to get drinking water.
8. Formerly, slaves did much of the work in this country.
9. In the old days, kings and princes ruled people's lives.

giving additional examples and reasons

10. He's too weak to do heavy labor. In addition, his memory is failing him.
11. I think he's a boring teacher. What's more, he doesn't know his subject.
12. I don't have time to read Shakespeare. Besides, I don't understand him.
13. She's always late for work. Besides this, she loses important files.
14. The school doesn't have money for books. Furthermore, the building is old.
15. I am too busy to help you. Moreover, I think you can do it by yourself.
16. She's smart and beautiful. On top of that, she's kind and considerate.

giving the truth

17. I don't like little Ricky. To tell the truth, I think he's a monster.
18. He says he's a vegetarian. In fact, he eats seafood on occasion.
19. He calls himself a "professor." Actually, he's only a teaching assistant!

giving information which is against normal expectation

20. His liver was in bad shape. That notwithstanding, he continued to drink.
21. He loved her very much. However, he didn't ask her to marry him.
22. She hated him. Even so, she accepted all of his dinner invitations.
23. The boy got F's on all his exams. All the same, the teacher passed him.
24. I wasn't hungry. Still, I had dinner with the family and ate a lot.
25. I hated that job with a passion. Nevertheless, I stayed for ten years.
26. She spent hours in the hot kitchen. Regardless, he didn't touch her food.
 giving the bright side or the sad side
27. She was hit by a car. Fortunately, she wasn't killed.
28. He lost his house in the hurricane. Happily, his whole family survived.
29. She inherited a million dollars. Unfortunately, she invested the money badly.
30. He did everything to make her happy. Sadly, she never grew to love him.

showing consistencies and similarities

31. He worked hard to make his wife happy. Likewise, she took good care of him.
32. He treated his workers well. In the same way, he did everything for his kids.
33. The lady was an angel. Similarly, her husband helped the poor in their town.

showing inconsistencies or dissimilarities

34. He was handsome and smart. On the other hand, he dressed very badly.
35. Falcons fly 200 miles per hour. In contrast, ostriches can't fly at all.

stating what is clearly true or probably true

36. He sang and danced on his way to work. Obviously, he liked his job.
37. He always took his kids to the park. Undoubtedly, he loved them a lot.
38. He gave vacation time and sick leave. Surely, his workers appreciated it.
39. He was invited to all the parties. Indeed, he was quite popular.
40. He kept closing his eyes while I was speaking. Apparently, he hadn't slept well.
41. He couldn't recognize his friends. Possibly, he had Alzheimer's disease.

showing a direct result

42. We were tired and hungry. Therefore, we stopped to rest and eat lunch.
43. He went out dancing every week night. Consequently, he failed his class.
44. He studied hard and did all his homework. Thus, he got A's most of the time.
45. He worked seven days a week, twenty hours a day. As a result, he got sick.

Larry and Harry

(46) On reflection, I really loved Larry a lot, but I knew I shouldn't keep going out with him!
(47) First of all, he cursed and swore all the time, on the street and even in church! (48) Secondly, he
dressed like a child, in torn, dirty jeans.
(49) At first, I though he was youthful and free-spirited. (50) Then I realized that he was just
immature. (51) Next, I found out that he still lived with his mother. (52) Later, I found out that he didn't
have a job. (52) After this, somebody told me that he lived on money that his dead father had left him.
(53) Following this, I had a talk with him and told him to stop calling me. (54) Afterwards, he
called me a few times, but I always hung up the phone. (55) Soon he gave up and stopped calling me.
(56) Finally, I was rid of him, but I wasn't happy.
(57) Gradually, I got used to being without him even though I missed him. (58) Little by little, I
started going out to meet other people. (59) After a while, I met some really nice guys at parties.
(60) After some time, I began dating men again.
(61) Eventually, I met Harold, who is my present husband. We’ve been happy for twelve years.
(62) Hopefully, my daughter will meet somebody who is funny and free-spirited like Larry was.
(63) With any luck, he will also be responsible and considerate like her father is. (64) In the future, I
will be ready to give her a mother's advice when she starts dating men.
Linking Words and
Phrases
Most pieces of formal writing are organized in a similar way: introduction;
development of main ideas or arguments; conclusion. Linking words and
phrases join clauses, sentences and paragraphs together.
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.
1 enumeration (points in order)
a) listing
2 addition reinforcement , comparison
b) transition (leads to a new stage)
c )summary (gives a summary or conclusion)
d) reference (refers to what was said before)
e) 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)
i )reformulation (expresses something in another way)
j )replacement (expresses an alternative)
k )contrast (presents a different view)
l) concession (agrees that something is good, with limitations)
1. and
a) Listing
1 Enumeration indicates a cataloguing of what is being said.
Most lists use clearly defined groups of words:
etc. first and most importantly
etc. order
above all first, furthermore,
last but not least mark the finally,
end of an ascending order one a second a third
first and foremost mark the first(ly), second(ly),
beginning of a descending third(ly),
to begin/start with,
in the second place, moreover, to conclude,
2. Addition to what has been previously indicated.
i. Reinforcement (includes confirmation):
above all indeed as well (as)
actually in addition obviously
additionally besides particularly
moreover especially specifically
again not only . . . but also . . . further then
also notably furthermore too
what is more
ii. Comparison (similarity to what has preceded):
b. Transition (can lead to a new stage in the sequence of thought):
often used when discussing something briefly
c. Summary (a generalisation or summing up of what has preceded):
also in the same way as for
both . . . and . . . likewise as to
correspondingly altogether then
similarly hence therefore
equally too in brief thus
now in conclusion to conclude
regarding in short to sum up
turning to overall to summarize
with respect/regard to
d. Reference (refers back to previous sentences):
e. Example:
f. Result (expresses the consequence or result from what is implicit in the
preceding sentence or sentences):
g. Place:
and mainly as a result so
as follows mostly as a consequence so that
chiefly namely because of the
for instance notably consequence is
for example or consequently the result is
in other words particularly for this/that reason then
in particular such as hence therefore
including that is in order that thus
for example above in front
for instance adjacent in the background
such as at the side in the foreground
to illustrate behind there
as an illustration below to the left
to demonstrate elsewhere to the right
accordingly now here
h. Time:
2. or
i. Reformulation (expresses something in another way):
j. Replacement (expresses an alternative to what has preceded):
after a while now formerly thereafter
afterwards once in the meantime until
at last presently in the past until
at that time previously now
at the same time shortly initially whenever
before later while
simultaneously meanwhile
currently since better
earlier soon in other words
eventually in that case
subsequently rather
finally then that is
that is to say better/worse still
to put it (more) simply on the other hand
again rather
alternatively the alternative is
another possibility would be

Exercise
Can you insert appropriate transitional words in the following sentences? In the
first exercise the category of transitional word is given. In the second exercise you
will have to decide which category is most appropriate.

by (way of) contrast although no doubt

conversely although this may be true
in comparison nonetheless
in fact at the same time
in reality notwithstanding
instead besides only
on the contrary despite still
(on the one hand) . . . on the doubtless under certain
other hand . . . circumstances
then even if/though up to a point
admittedly in spite of even so while
after all naturally however yet
all the same nevertheless
A. Our state’s correctional system is plagued with problems. (a) _________, high
(example)
officials increase their personal wealth by awarding building and catering contracts
to
disreputable companies in return for bribes. (b) ___________, promotions within the
(addition)
system are made on the basis of politics, not merit. (c) __________, the system is
filled
(result)
with people at the top who know little about what they are doing. (d) __________,
(addition)
careless security measures, allowing trusted inmates to control certain operations
of
the institution, are part of the growing problem. But one increasing tendency in
particular is doing harm to the system’s image and efficiency. This is the tendency
of
officials who are charged with important tasks and who make faulty decisions to
cover
up their mistakes. (e) __________, one would think that amid all the strife some
effort
(conclusion)
would be made to rectify these problems, but a seemingly dogged determination
to
resist change overshadows the system.
B. Genetic screening in business, or testing the genes of employees to see if they
are
susceptible to workplace-related diseases, may present problems for the tested.
(a) __________, the genetic screening tests and technology in general are in their
infancy
stages. (b) __________, many physicians and health professionals doubt their
reliability.
(c) ___________, once genetic information is recorded on employees, it cannot
always be
kept secret. Even though employers are assured that their medical files are
confidential,
clerical staff have access to them. (d) __________, if they are entered into a
computer
data base, they are available to anyone with access. (e) __________, some argue
that such screening procedures are violations of personal rights. (f) __________,
many
cite similarities between genetic screening and drug testing, noting that both
involve a
process of obtaining information from unwilling individuals that might affect them
adversely. Opponents of genetic screening point out that some employees with the
potential for workplace diseases would rather run the risk than lose their jobs.
Linking words and phrases, updated by JLM, 24/3/05, SLC, page 8

Answers to Exercise In each case there may be several possible choices

Text A
(a) Example: For one thing Frequently For instance For example Often
(b) Addition: Furthermore Moreover In addition What is more
(c) Result: As a result Consequently
(d) Addition: In addition What is more
e) Conclusion: In short
Text B
(a) Example: First First of all For one thing
(b) Result: Consequently Hence Therefore
(c) Addition: Second Moreover Further What is more Furthermore
(d) Example: Indeed Specifically
(e) Result: As a result Consequently Hence Thus
(f) Example: In particular Indeed Significantly