METU School of Foreign Languages Academic Writing Center ODT/Yabanc Diller Yksek Okulu Akademik Yaz Merkezi

LINKING DEVICES
Linking devices help you carry over a thought from one sentence, idea or paragraph to another with words or phrases so that there are no sudden jumps or breaks between ideas. Below is a list of some common connectors: TO ADD/ TO LIST and above all also first and foremost firstly (at) first first of all in the first place

to begin with second(ly) next in addition (to) third(ly) as well as further too

furthermore third then later moreover subsequently most importantly not only... but also

finally lastly last but not least eventually following next besides

TO EXPRESS REASON / CAUSE because because of since owing to as / for on account of now that due to TO EXPRESS RESULT as a result accordingly as a consequence consequently TO GIVE AN EXAMPLE for example to demonstrate for instance to illustrate TO EMPHASIZE in fact indeed as a matter of fact definitely extremely absolutely

as a result of for this reason for these reasons the reason for this is

caused by results from seeing that inasmuch as

therefore / so hence

thus in consequence

such as e.g.

surprisingly unquestionably without doubt

certainly surely undoubtedly

TO EXPLAIN / CLARIFY that is (i.e.) in other words to put it differently TO SUMMARIZE/ TOto put it in another / a different way CONCLUDE namely TO SUMMARIZE / CONCLUDE in brief briefly TO SHOW TIME to be brief to sum up overall in short in conclusion all in all to conclude to summarize in summary finally that is to say

TO SHOW TIME at first first second third as at the same time

since later after (that) then when meanwhile

next afterwards previously before as soon as in the meantime

before before (that) at that time finally soon while

TO EXPRESS SIMILARITY / COMPARISON likewise bothand correspondingly similarly equally not only but also (just) as(as) in the same way / vein / manner / fashion TO REPEAT as aforementioned as explained earlier

also

as noted before as mentioned earlier

as has been noted as mentioned previously

TO EXPRESS TRANSITION as far as as regards with regard to with respect to as far as X is concerned regarding with this in mind with the purpose of as to

TO EXPRESS PURPOSE (in order) to so that so as to in order that TO EXPRESS CONDITION so / as long as or else (only) if whether...or not should otherwise

in the event (that) unless provided / providing (that)

in case regardless (of)

TO EXPRESS CONTRAST / DIRECT OPPOSITION however conversely while but on the other hand in / by contrast whereas by comparison compared with / to on the contrary contrary to (this) as opposed to although despite in spite of yet unlike dissimilar on the one handon the other hand TO EXPRESS UNEXPECTED RESULT however nevertheless still nonetheless even so / though yet TO PARTICULARIZE distinctively else TO CORRECT rather specifically expressly in particular / particularly otherwise

of course although / though regardless (of)

despite in spite of in any case

actually

to be (more) precise / specific

TO EXPRESS AN ALTERNATIVE alternatively instead (of) else otherwise