Write the sentence again, using the word in brackets. The meaning must stay exactly the same.

1. She is a very good English speaker. You would think it was her native language.

___________________________________________________________________ (so)

2. There were so many people in the room that we couldn't move.

___________________________________________________________________ (such)

3. We missed the film because there was such a lot of traffic.

___________________________________________________________________ (so)

4. I can't wear this coat in winter, It's not warm enough.

___________________________________________________________________ (too)

5. When he speaks English, I can't understand what he says.

___________________________________________________________________ (enough)

6. We lost the match although we we the better team.

___________________________________________________________________ (despite)

7. In spite of not having eaten for 24 hours, I didn't feel hungry.

___________________________________________________________________ (even though)

8. Despite her injured foot, she managed to walk to the village.

___________________________________________________________________ (although)

9. The football match is still going on.

___________________________________________________________________ (yet)

10. Has Jane got divorced yet?

___________________________________________________________________ (still)

11. Jack used to have long hair and a beard.

___________________________________________________________________ (no longer)

12. I was feeling tired.

___________________________________________________________________ (any longer)

13. I wish I could speak English as well as you do.

___________________________________________________________________ (like)

14. Both in January and in February, the price of basic foods rose.

___________________________________________________________________ (as)

15. He had hoped to do better in the examination.

___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)

16. John is younger than he looks.

___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)

17. Tom is 16 years old, and so is Fred.

___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)

18. He used to be a doctor.

___________________________________________________________________ (as)

19. You're not reading that newspaper. Can I read it?

___________________________________________________________________ (as)

20. He was sitting on the beach when the sun rose.

___________________________________________________________________ (as)

21. You can go to the party if you don't come home very late.

___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)

22. When he arrives, we'll go.

___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)

23. They think that he is the best person for the job.

___________________________________________________________________ (as)
 Linking Words
 

An introduction by Viv Quarry (www.vivquarry.com).

Linking words are essential for your writing to be natural and clear.

Linking devices vary in three ways:

1. Position in the text.

Some linking words normally form a link between clauses WITHIN a sentence. It is bad style to start a sentence
with these words:

and but so because then until such as

are examples of this type of linking word.

Another type of linking device is used to form a link BETWEEN sentences. These words must start with a
capital letter and are usually immediately followed by a comma:

Furthermore, Moreover, However, Nevertheless, Therefore, In conclusion,

are used in this way.

Most linking words, however, can either start a sentence or form a link between sentences. The choice is up to
the writer.

2. The function of linking words

 

Linking devices are neither nouns, nor verbs. They provide a text with cohesion and illustrate how the parts of
the text relate to each other. Here are some of the functions which linking words provide.

Adding extra information to the main point, contrasting ideas, expressing cause and effect, showing exactly
when something happened (narrating), expressing purpose (why?) and opinion, listing examples, making
conclusions and giving emphasis.

3. Grammatical differences

Some linking words must be followed by a clause (Subject + Verb + Object).

E.g.. while why because although so whereas when

Other linking words should be followed by a noun phrase (Linking word + (the) + Noun/Pronoun or gerund)

E.g.. because of despite during in spite of

The majority of linking devices can be followed by either a noun phrase or a clause.

Here is a list of the principal linking words in English, their function and if their position is usually fixed.

Linking words - by Viv Quarry

Adding and Contrasting Expressing cause / reason

*and *but because

as well as However, as

besides Although since

Moreover, despite This is why

 Furthermore, In spite of because of

What is more, Nevertheless, Due to

In addition, On the contrary, Owing to

not only .... but also on the one hand For this reason,

another point is that on the other hand,  

  whereas Expressing effect / result

relative clauses while *so

who where but while so....that

that ,which In contrast, such a...that

whose to whom Neither...nor Therefore

when what Thus

why Consequently,

As a result,

too...for/to

not enough...for/to
Narration Expressing purpose
First (of all) immediately to

At first Once so as to

At the beginning Suddenly in order that

In the beginning As soon as so that

then on for (Non-specific)

next No sooner....than  

Before Hardly...when Expressing opinion

After Finally I would say that

After that Eventually In my opinion,

afterwards At the end I think (that)

 When In the end I believe (that)

While At last Personally

during To begin with, Apparently,

Soon until  

prior to
Giving examples Summing up / concluding Emphasis
for example, All in all especially

for instance, overall particularly

For one thing, generally Naturally,

this includes In conclusion, exactly because

such as e.g.. (for example) on the whole above all

i.e. (that is) in the main Whatever

To sum up, Whenever

too / enough

The more ....

* Avoid starting a sentence with these words.

The linking words beginning with a capital letter often start a sentence, For those without, position in a sentence
is optional.
Linking words - Difficult cases
So

AVOID STARTING A SENTENCE WITH THIS WORD!

'So' can be used in two ways:

1. To show RESULT.

E.g.. It was raining, so we decided not to go to the beach.

NOTE! 'because' shows the REASON. The above sentence could be expressed like this:

E.g.. We decided not to go to the beach because it was raining.

NOTE! To show a REASON LINK BETWEEN SENTENCES use 'Therefore,'.

2. So & such used for EMPHASIS.

When used for emphasis, 'So' must be followed by either an adjective or an adverb and must be linked to an
explanation CLAUSE.

E.g.. It was so hot that we decided not to go to the beach.

OR We decided not to go to the beach because it was so hot.

NOTE! 'such' is used in the same way, but must be followed by a NOUN or ADJECTIVE+NOUN.
 

E.g.. It was such a hot day that we decided not to go to the beach.

OR We decided not to go to the beach because it was such a hot day.

NOTE! When there is no explanation clause, use 'VERY', unless referring to a present situation.

E.g.. It was very hot yesterday, wasn't it? It's so nice to see you again!

Enough and too

'enough' goes AFTER ADJECTIVES & ADVERBS but BEFORE NOUNS.

E.g.. You won't pass the exam if you don't work hard enough.

OR He didn't get the job because he didn't have enough experience.

'enough' can also be used alone.

E.g.. I'll lend you some money if you haven't got enough.

'too' means 'more than necessary' and comes BEFORE ADJECTIVES & ADVERBS ONLY.

E.g.. The coffee was too hot to drink.

But and However,

'but' is used to CONTRAST clauses WITHIN A SENTENCE.

E.g.. I like going to the beach, but I never go at midday.

'However,' has the same function, but is used to show CONTRAST BETWEEN SENTENCES.

E.g.. I've always enjoyed going to the beach. However, I never go there at midday.

Although, though, even though & In spite of / despite,

'Although' must join two clauses, but it's position can change. It can either start a sentence or come in the
middle.

E.g.. Although it rained a lot, we enjoyed the holiday.

OR We enjoyed the holiday although it rained a lot.

In spoken English 'though' can be used instead of 'although' when it is used for the second clause.

E.g.. "I didn't get the job though I had all the necessary qualifications."

'though' can also come at the end of a sentence.

E.g.. "The house isn't very nice. I like the garden though."

 
'Even though' is a stronger form of 'although'.

E.g.. Even though I was really tired, I couldn't sleep.

'In spite of' or 'Despite' must be followed by a NOUN, PRONOUN (this, that, what etc.) or ~ING.

E.g.. In spite of the rain, we went to the beach.

OR We went to the beach in spite of the rain.

It is common to use the expression 'In spite of the fact (that)....' or 'Despite the fact (that)....'

E.g.. She's quite fit in spite of the fact that she smokes 40 cigarettes a day.

Linking words of time - Still, yet and already

'Still' tells us that an action is continuing, or hasn't happened yet. It has positive, negative and question forms.

E.g.. It's 10 o'clock and John's still in bed.

or She said that she would be here an hour ago and she still hasn't come.

or Are you still living in London?

'yet' asks if something has happened, or to say that something hasn't happened. It is mainly used in
NEGATIVES & QUESTIONS and comes at the end of a sentence. 'Yet' is usually used with the present perfect
tense.

E.g.. He hasn't finished the report yet.

OR Is dinner ready yet?

'Already' is used to say that something happened before expected, it usually comes in middle position, but can
also come in final position. 'Already' is not used in negatives and in British English is only used in questions to
show considerable surprise.

E.g.. I'll tell her that dinner is ready.

She already knows.

Have you finished already?! I thought it would take you longer!

In order to understand this type of linking word, you must be clear about the concepts of 'a point in time' and 'a
period of time'. A point in time is the answer to a 'when' question, and a period of time is the answer to a 'how
long' question.

E.g.. Points of time = 6pm, Wednesday, she arrived, summer, 1999, Christmas, five minutes ago.

Periods of time = 3 seconds, 4 days, ages, 100 years, the Christmas holiday, five minutes.

During and while

Both 'during' and 'while' tell us WHEN something happened. The difference between them is that 'during' is
followed by a noun phrase (no verb), and 'while' is followed by a clause (subject + verb + object).

E.g.. When did you go to Barcelona?

I went there during my holiday in Europe.

OR

I went there while I was on holiday in Europe.

'By' means 'at some time before' and tells us when something happens. It is followed by a point in time and can
be used for both past and future time.
 

E.g.. This report must be finished by 6pm.

'By the time' has the same meaning but is followed by a clause. It is common with perfect tenses.

E.g.. By the time we get there the party will have finished.

For, since and until

These words all tell us how long something happens. 'For' focuses on duration and can be used in most tenses. It
is followed by a period of time.

'Since' is only used with perfect tenses and must be followed by a point in time.

E.g.. They stayed in Barcelona for two weeks.

OR They've been in Barcelona since last Friday. = They are still in Barcelona now.

'Until' also tells us how long something happens, but the focus is on the end of the action or situation. It is
followed by a point in time.

E.g.. They stayed in Barcelona until last Friday. = They left Barcelona last Friday.
Not....any more/longer and no longer

These expressions tell us that a situation has changed. 'not....any more/longer' go at the end of a sentence and 'no
longer' is used in the middle of a sentence.

E.g.. Mr. Jones doesn't work here any longer. OR She no longer works here.

As & like

'As' and 'like' can be used in COMPARISONS.

However, 'As' MUST BE FOLLOWED BY A CLAUSE, and 'like' MUST BE FOLLOWED BY A NOUN.

E.g.. He worked for the company, as his father had done before him.

OR She acts like a child sometimes.

'As' can also be followed by a preposition

E.g.. In 1998, as in 1997, inflation in Brazil fell steadily.

'(not) as....as ' + ADJECTIVE or ADVERB shows EQUALITY or INEQUALITY.

E.g.. She isn't as tall as her father was. OR The traffic can be as bad in Rio as it is in São Paulo.

'As' can be used to state the ROLE, JOB or FUNCTION of a person or thing.

 
E.g.. We all worked together as a team. OR She worked as a manager in the Human Resources
Department. OR He used his handkerchief as a flag to attract attention.

'As' can be used in the same way as 'because'; however, it gives less emphasis than 'because'.

E.g.. As the weather was so bad, we didn't go to the beach.

OR I bought her some flowers as she had been so kind to me.

'As' tells us that actions occur at the same time.

E.g.. As the door opened, she saw him standing by the wall.

'As' is often used in these common expressions:

As hard as, as soon as, as long as, as well as, as far as, as good as.

E.g.. He can stay here as far as I'm concerned. You can go as long as you come home early.

'As' is also the preposition used after these verbs:

Regarded as see sth. as be thought of as Be looked on as.

There are very good practice exercises for linking words in Raymond Murphy's excellent book 'English
Grammar in Use'.

So & Such = Unit 101, Enough & Too = Unit 102, Time = Units 110, 118 & 119, Contrast = Unit 112,

As = Units 115-117.
 Transitional words and phrases provide the glue that holds ideas together in writing.
They provide coherence (that hanging together, making sense as a whole) by helping
the reader to understand the relationship between ideas, and they act as signposts that
help the reader follow the movement of the discussion. Transitional expressions, then,
can be used between sentences, between paragraphs, or between entire sections of a
work. The two kinds of transitions are those of logic and those of thought. Each of these
kinds is discussed here.

Transitions of Logic

Transitions of logic consist of words or phrases that convey "logical intent": that is, they
show the logical connection between two ideas. Since there are several possible logical
connections (such as time, purpose, contrast, and so on), there are several categories of
transitions of logic. The table below lists many of these transitions, arranged by category
and listed as milder or stronger. (Note that there is some double listing, because of the
different ways words can be used.) Some hints for use:

 When you write, think about the relationship between your ideas and use an
approopriate transition to let your reader know what you are thinking.
 be careful not to use too many strong transitions
 transitions become stronger when they are the first word in a sentence, milder
when they are moved a few words into the sentence
 keep this list handy while you write, until the words come automatically

Transitions of Logic

  Milder Stronger

Addition a further x further

and furthermore
and then moreover
then in addition
also additionally
too besides
next again
another equally important
other first, second
nor finally, last

Comparison just as ... so too similarly

a similar x comparable
another x like in the same way
likewise

Contrast but however

yet still
and yet nevertheless
 still on the other hand
otherwise on the contrary
or even so
though notwithstanding
but another for all that
rather in contrast
alternatively
at the same time
though this may be
otherwise
instead
nonetheless
conversely

Time then meanwhile

now at length
soon presently
afterward at last
later finally
shortly immediately
earlier thereafter
recently at that time
first, second, third subsequently
next eventually
before currently
after in the meantime
today in the past
tomorrow in the future

Purpose to do this to this end

so that with this object
for this purpose
for that reason
because of this x

Place there at that point

here opposite to
beyond adjacent to
nearby on the other side
next to in the front
in the back

Result so hence
and so therefore
then accordingly
consequently
thus
thereupon
as a result
in consequence

Example that is for example

 specifically for instance
in particular an instance of this
for one thing this can be seen in

Summary and in sum in short

Emphasis generally on the whole
after all as I said
by the way in other words
in general to be sure
incidentally in fact
naturally indeed
I hope clearly
at least of course
it seems anyway
in brief remarkably
I suppose I think
assuredly
definitely
without doubt
for all that
on the whole
in any event
importantly
certainly

Transitions of Thought

Transitions of thought consist of words that help maintain the continuity of thought from
one sentence or paragraph to the next. Transitions of thought are produced by the
following techniques:

Pronouns and Possessive Pronouns. Follow a noun with a pronoun (to continue the
same subject) or a possessive pronoun (to move to something related to the original
subject).

 Fido is asleep. He is a good dog. His house is near the tree.

 The oranges are in the kitchen bowl. Eat all you want, but check them for ripeness
first.
 The Castells must be home from the beach. I see their car in the driveway.

 Pronouns include he, she, it, we, they, us, them, him, her, I, me, and you
Possessive pronouns include his, her, hers, its, their, theirs, ours, our, my, mine, your,
yours

 Keyword Repetition. Repeat the word around which the discussion is focusing. Note
that many sentences have two or more nouns, any of which might be the subject of
interest in the following sentence. To help keep your reader focused, repeat the noun
that represents the topic you want to continue:
  Many cities are overcrowded. But now there is help for the city. OR But overcrowding is being
addressed by additional trasit lines, which will allow more people to live in the suburbs.
 Your gardener can apply this fertilizer to your lawn monthly. Just read the fertilizer label. OR Just ask
your gardener about it. OR Your lawn will become greener and juicier. OR The monthly
recommendation does not apply to August (when the weather is often too hot) and January and
February (when it's too cold).

 Synonyms. A synonym is a word that means nearly the same as another word. The
meaning is close enough so that the thought continues, but different enough so that the
idea expands and gains greater definition than it would by simply repeating the same
word over and over (which would be pretty boring, too, huh?). Using synonyms when
you write is a much better way to help define and refine the meaning of your concept
than, say, quoting a dictionary.

 Fred’s car is fast and powerful. But is such a vehicle legal? And don’t hot rods like that pollute the air?
 We hiked from the meadow to the peak on Monday. Then we walked from the peak to the bluff Tuesday.
It was quite a trek.
 Peters Canyon Lake is really more like a large pond. Actually, it's a small reservoir designed to collect
runoff during heavy rains.

 Demonstrative Pronouns and Adjectives. Demonstrative pronouns include this,

that, these, and those. They are useful for both direction and emphasis. However, using
them by themselves can sometimes create an unclear reference, if there are two or
more possible referents in the previous sentence. For example:

 When the man saw the girl begging, he took a picture of her, even though she objected. He thought this
was unusual. [What was unusual, the girl begging or her objecting to being photographed?]

It is a good idea to change demonstrative pronouns to demonstrative adjectives by

adding a clarifying noun (so instead of saying, "This is good," say, "This ice cream is
good.").

 Some people suggest giving up salt on popcorn. This idea, however, is ridiculous.
 Yes, Air Profit is our best selling shoe. That brand, however, is sold out right now.
 Transitional Words and Phrases
Updated lists by Joanna Taraba
 This page only provides a list of transitional words; be certain you understand their meanings before you use
them. Often, there exists a slight, but significant, difference between two apparently similar words. Also remember
that while transitions describe relationships between ideas, they do not automatically create relationships between
ideas for your reader. Use transitions with enough context in a sentence or paragraph to make the relationships
clear.
 Example of unclear transition:
 The characters in Book A face a moral dilemma. In the same way, the characters in Book B face a similar
problem.
 Improved transition:
 The characters in Book A face a moral dilemma, a contested inheritance. Although the inheritance in
Book B consists of an old house and not a pile of money, the nature of the problem is quite similar.
 Examples of Transitions:
 Illustration
 Thus, for example, for instance, namely, to illustrate, in other words, in particular, specifically, such as.
 Contrast
 On the contrary, contrarily, notwithstanding, but, however, nevertheless, in spite of, in contrast, yet, on
one hand, on the other hand, rather, or, nor, conversely, at the same time, while this may be true.
 Addition
 And, in addition to, furthermore, moreover, besides, than, too, also, both-and, another, equally important,
first, second, etc., again, further, last, finally, not only-but also, as well as, in the second place, next,
likewise, similarly, in fact, as a result, consequently, in the same way, for example, for instance, however,
thus, therefore, otherwise.
 Time
 After, afterward, before, then, once, next, last, at last, at length, first, second, etc., at first, formerly, rarely,
usually, another, finally, soon, meanwhile, at the same time, for a minute, hour, day, etc., during the
morning, day, week, etc., most important, later, ordinarily, to begin with, afterwards, generally, in order to,
subsequently, previously, in the meantime, immediately, eventually, concurrently, simultaneously.
 Space
 At the left, at the right, in the center, on the side, along the edge, on top, below, beneath, under, around,
above, over, straight ahead, at the top, at the bottom, surrounding, opposite, at the rear, at the front, in
front of, beside, behind, next to, nearby, in the distance, beyond, in the forefront, in the foreground, within
sight, out of sight, across, under, nearer, adjacent, in the background.
 Concession
 Although, at any rate, at least, still, thought, even though, granted that, while it may be true, in spite of, of
course.
 Similarity Or Comparison
 Similarly, likewise, in like fashion, in like manner, analogous to.
 Emphasis
 Above all, indeed, truly, of course, certainly, surely, in fact, really, in truth, again, besides, also,
furthermore, in addition.
 Details
 Specifically, especially, in particular, to explain, to list, to enumerate, in detail, namely, including.
 Examples
 For example, for instance, to illustrate, thus, in other words, as an illustration, in particular.
 Consequence or Result
 So that, with the result that, thus, consequently, hence, accordingly, for this reason, therefore, so,
because, since, due to, as a result, in other words, then.
 Summary
 Therefore, finally, consequently, thus, in short, in conclusion, in brief, as a result, accordingly.
 Suggestion
 For this purpose, to this end, with this in mind, with this purpose in mind, therefore.
