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Linking Words Write The Sentence Again
Linking Words Write The Sentence Again
1. She is a very good English speaker. You would think it was her native language.
___________________________________________________________________ (so)
___________________________________________________________________ (such)
___________________________________________________________________ (so)
___________________________________________________________________ (too)
___________________________________________________________________ (enough)
___________________________________________________________________ (despite)
___________________________________________________________________ (although)
___________________________________________________________________ (yet)
___________________________________________________________________ (still)
14. Both in January and in February, the price of basic foods rose.
___________________________________________________________________ (as)
___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)
___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)
___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)
___________________________________________________________________ (as)
___________________________________________________________________ (as)
___________________________________________________________________ (as)
21. You can go to the party if you don't come home very late.
___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)
___________________________________________________________________ (as....as)
23. They think that he is the best person for the job.
___________________________________________________________________ (as)
Linking Words
Some linking words normally form a link between clauses WITHIN a sentence. It is bad style to start a sentence
with these words:
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:
Most linking words, however, can either start a sentence or form a link between sentences. The choice is up to
the writer.
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
Other linking words should be followed by a noun phrase (Linking word + (the) + Noun/Pronoun or gerund)
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.
as well as However, as
not only .... but also on the one hand For this reason,
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
next No sooner....than
Soon until
prior to
Giving examples Summing up / concluding Emphasis
for example, All in all especially
too / enough
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
1. To show RESULT.
NOTE! 'because' shows the REASON. The above sentence could be expressed like this:
When used for emphasis, 'So' must be followed by either an adjective or an adverb and must be linked to an
explanation CLAUSE.
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.
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!
E.g.. You won't pass the exam if you don't work hard enough.
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.
'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' must join two clauses, but it's position can change. It can either start a sentence or come in the
middle.
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."
E.g.. "The house isn't very nice. I like the garden though."
'Even though' is a stronger form of 'although'.
'In spite of' or 'Despite' must be followed by a NOUN, PRONOUN (this, that, what etc.) or ~ING.
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.
'Still' tells us that an action is continuing, or hasn't happened yet. It has positive, negative and question forms.
or She said that she would be here an hour ago and she still hasn't come.
'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.
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.
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).
OR
'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.
'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.
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.
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
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.
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 door opened, she saw him standing by the wall.
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.
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
Result so hence
and so therefore
then accordingly
consequently
thus
thereupon
as a result
in consequence
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).
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.
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?]
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.