Sentence connectors, or linking words, are essential for creating clear, cohesive, and well-structured writing. They help convey relationships between ideas, making your writing more effective and engaging. Here is a comprehensive guide to different connectors organized by their function.
1. Connectors of Addition
To add information or ideas:
- "I bought apples, oranges, and bananas."
- "She is a teacher as well as a writer."
- "Besides tennis, he plays soccer."
- "The report is comprehensive. Furthermore, it is well-illustrated."
- "She has a cat. In addition, she has a dog."
- "The policy is outdated. Moreover, it is ineffective."
- "He won the race. What's more, he broke the record."
- "She enjoys reading novels. Additionally, she writes poetry."
- "He is a talented musician. He also paints beautifully."
2. Connectors of Cause and Effect
To show reasons and results:
- "She stayed home because she was sick."
- "He missed the bus. Consequently, he was late."
- "The match was postponed due to rain."
- "The experiment failed. For this reason, we need to repeat it."
- "She forgot her keys. Hence, she couldn't enter the house."
- "She studied hard. Accordingly, she passed the exam."
- "The storm was severe. As a result, many trees fell."
- "It was raining, so we stayed inside."
- "He didn't study. Therefore, he failed the test."
- "She completed the project early. Thus, she had time to review it."
3. Connectors of Clarification
To clarify or explain a point:
- "The project is too costly. Simply put, we can't afford it."
- "The plan failed. In other words, we need a new strategy."
- "He is a polyglot. That is to say, he speaks several languages."
- "Several factors contributed to the problem, namely, lack of resources."
4. Connectors of Comparison
To show similarities between ideas or elements:
- "Both solutions are equally effective."
- "He is just as talented as his brother."
- "Similarly, both candidates have strong leadership skills."
- "The two products are comparable in quality."
5. Connectors of Concession
To show contrast despite expectations:
- "Although it was raining, we went for a walk."
- "He is talented, even though he lacks experience."
- "She accepted the job despite the low salary."
- "Though he is young, he is very competent."
6. Connectors of Contrast
To show differences between ideas or elements:
- "She is rich; however, she is not happy."
- "I like tea, but he prefers coffee."
- "He is short, whereas his brother is tall."
- "In contrast to her quiet nature, he is very outgoing."
7. Connectors of Example
To provide examples or illustrate a point:
- "For example, she loves to travel to exotic places."
- "There are many types of fruit, such as apples, bananas, and cherries."
- "He is a good leader, for instance, he always listens to his team."
- "Consider this case: a student who studies hard usually excels."
8. Connectors of Purpose
To indicate the purpose or intention:
- "She went to the store to buy some milk."
- "He studies hard in order to get good grades."
- "They moved here so that they could be closer to family."
- "She practices daily with the aim of improving her skills."
9. Connectors of Sequence
To show the order of events or steps:
- "First, we need to gather all the materials."
- "Second, we need to improve communication."
- "Third, we need to launch a marketing campaign."
- "Finally, we reached our destination."
10. Connectors of Summarizing
To summarize or conclude:
- "In conclusion, the project was a success."
- "To sum up, we were satisfied with our progress."
- "In the end, everything worked out well."
- "Overall, it was a good experience."
11. Connectors of Time
To indicate time relationships between events:
- "We met for coffee after the meeting."
- "Let me know as soon as you can."
- "We need to finish this before the deadline."
- "Prepare your notes beforehand."
- "She fell asleep during the movie."
- "The kids played outside. Meanwhile, I cleaned the house."
- "Next, we will discuss the results."
- "I haven't seen her since Monday."
- "Subsequently, we observed a significant improvement."
- "We waited until it stopped raining."
- "Call me when you get home."
- "He read a book while waiting for his flight."
12. Connectors of Transition
To move from one idea or section to another:
- "As for the budget, we need to make some adjustments."
- "Concerning your request, we need more information."
- "Moving on to the next topic, let's discuss the timeline."
- "Regarding your question, here is what we found."
- "Speaking of which, have you completed the report?"
