C ON N E C T IN G W O R D S

AND P HR A S E S
UBI 1012
LINKING WORDS
• Some words and phrases help you to connect ideas in a sentence or paragraph. They are called
linking words.

• Using linking words within and between sentences and paragraphs helps to make your writing
flow logically.

• These words act as signposts, assisting your reader to move easily from one idea to the next,
and to see relationships between sentences or paragraphs.

• Linking words are particularly useful for indicating that you are going to explain something, to
give an example or to use a time sequence, or to offer a contrasting view.
EXAMPLES OF LINKING WORDS
To give an example To show order of To offer a contrast To show similarity To emphasise
time or importance something

For example First, Second etc However Likewise Above all

For instance First of all In contrast Similarly Certainly

To illustrate Then Nevertheless Same as Clearly

…. such as Next On the contrary Just like Indeed

ORGANIZING AND ORDERING INFORMATION
• FIRSTLY / SECONDLY
• When you are going to make a series of points, you can use firstly and secondly for the first and second points. After that, you
can use “the third point,” “the fourth point,” etc. Or “in addition.”

• LASTLY / FINALLY
• For your final point, you can begin the sentence with lastly or finally. These words show your audience that you are almost
finished.

• THE FORMER / THE LATTER

• You can use these words to refer back to two examples previously mentioned:
“Our company has two factories: one in Detroit and one in Atlanta. The former is operating at 95% capacity and the latter at 65%.”
- In this case, “the former” = the factory in Detroit, and “the latter” = the factory in Atlanta.
ADDING INFORMATION
• AS WELL AS
• ‘As well as’ is linking words for adding information. This phrase can be used in the beginning of a
sentence or in the middle of a sentence. For an option, we might use “as well as” instead of “and.”
• “She’s beautiful as well as being extremely successful.”

• SUCH AS
• ‘’Such as’ is another linking words for adding information. However, you could use the phrase “such
as” in professional writing because it sounds more formal than the word ‘like’.
• “GDP in developing countries such as Vietnam will continue growing at a high rate.”