Useful linking expressions

The list below provides a selection of linking expressions that you will
find useful in your writing.
1

Time sequence
When/As soon as/ The moment they arrived, the meeting
began.
On hearing the news, we immediately phoned to congratulate
them.
From early childhood/an early age, she showed great aptitude
for music.
Throughout his adult life, he has dedicated himself to helping
others.
Up to that time, she ha never even been abroad.
I shall return to this point
This brings us to
Presented in ascending order
Listing
Afterwards, beforehand, eventually, finally, first, in the end,
lastly, later, meanwhile
First of all, it must be stated that
Secondly, it could be argued that
Last but nor least, it must be remembered that
Finally, it is important to
Adding information/emphasizing a point
Also, as well, besides, furthermore, in addition, moreover, too,
whats more
Indeed, as matter of fact, in fact
He left early and on top of that/to cap it all, he didnt pay for
his share of the meal. (informal)
She
didnt
really
want
to
see
the
film,
and
besides/anyway/anyhow she was too tired to go to the cinema
now. (informal)
The rent is reasonable and moreover/furthermore/in addition
the location is perfect.
Not only has he achieved a great deal, but he has also set an
example for a generation.
They want new regulations in the hostel; above all, they want to
restrict the noise level in the evenings.
These new medicines are perfectly safe. Indeed, they can be
given to young children.
Giving examples

Many things contributed to her success, for instance/for

example/such as hard work, good fortune and the support of
her friends.
To illustrate this point,
Lets take the example of
I should like to preface my argument with a true story

Explaining/reformulating
Some cars are more environmentally friendly than others. That
is to say/In other words, they cause less pollution.
He read the newspaper to confirm what he knew already, that
is/namely that his team had lost.
You should treat you colleagues as friends, or, better still/rather,
as close friends if you want to create a good working
atmosphere.

Contrast
Even so, however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other
hand, still, yet
She was very kind. By/In contrast, he seemed very callous.
Some people learn languages easily. Conversely, others find it
very difficult.
It wasnt a good thing; on the contrary, it was a huge mistake.
They decided not to take the car. Instead, they caught the next
train.
On the one hand I enjoyed their company, but on the other
hand their strange lifestyle disturbed me.

Concession
Although, but, despite, even if, even though, in spite of, while,
whereas
Although/Even though he was feeling unwell, he attended the
meeting.
Despite feeling unwell, he attended the meeting.
He felt unwell; however/nevertheless/nonetheless, he attended
the meeting.
He was feeling unwell but he attended the meeting all the
same/even so. (informal)
My friends left the cinema before the end of the film
whilst/whereas/while I stayed until it had finished.
No matter how many/However many times I listen to that
music, it still move me to tears.
Whoever comes, it will be a valuable opportunity to discuss the
problem.
Giving opinions

In my opinion/view, he is one of the most impressive writers of

our generation.
It seems to me that one of the biggest problems facing us today
is
(Personally,) I feel that more needs to be done to encourage
young people to take responsibility for the environment.
I can honestly say that

Commenting/expressing own attitude (sentence adverbials)

Hopefully, Oddly enough, Understandably, worryingly
Surely it must be obvious to anyone that this plan is doomed is
failure.
Clearly, more needs to be done to persuade people to use
public transport.
Not surprisingly, there has been considerable opposition to this
plan.
Irritatingly/Annoyingly, the authorities have decided to cut the
funds available for the project.

10

11

12

Giving reasons
As, because, since, so
Seeing that/As it was getting late, they decided to return home.
Trains are being delayed owing to/due to/because of
the
inclement weather.
They liked his idea, in so far as/to the extent that it made
money for the company.

Purpose
In order to, to so that
In order to her to live a comfortable life, she had to find a wellpaid job.
She spoke quietly in order not to/so as not to wake the sleeping
child.
Results/consequences
As a result, because of this, consequently, thats why, therefore
A
lot
of
people
voted
for
his
entry
and
thus/consequently/therefore/as a result/accordingly he was
awarded the prize.
He became a citizen in 1999, thereby gaining the right to vote.
Many areas have been modernized in such a way as to make
the city more attractive to tourists.

13

Comparisons
Its a good deal/a great deal/very much easier to watch sport
than to take part.
She looked as if/as though shed seen a ghost.

14

He was nowhere near/nothing like as good at tennis as (he was

at) basketball.
The more cities expand, the less access we have to the
countryside.

Attitude clauses
As far as I know, As I said, as we shall see, I am afraid, Believe it
or not, as it turns out, the truth is
All things considered, taking everything into consideration,
generally speaking, to be honest, judging by, speaking from
memory, to tell the truth, or to put it another way

15

16

Generalizing
As a rule, by and large, in the main, on the whole
Summing up
Forced to conclude
In conclusion, In summary, last of all, To conclude
Although the day was not a complete success, all in all it went
as well as could be expected.
To sum up/In short, it was a highly successful visit.
Overall, what I most admire is their determination to succeed.
In conclusion/Finally/To conclude, it seems clear that tourism is
having an adverse effect on the area.
The team played well, but at the end of the day they just
werent good enough to win. (informal)

Formal Letter
1. Opening and ending
- To a company: Dear Sirs,
Yours faithfully
- To a single representative:
Dear sir or Madam,
Yours faithfully
- To a single representative whose name you know:
Dear Mr. Smith/Dear Ms. Smith
Yours sincerely
NB. Mrs. Smith is only a married woman
2. Reason for writing
I am writing this letter mainly because I would like to
express my feelings about and also to point out
I am writing with regard to/ in reference to your letter of
24th June/published recently in your newspaper on the
effect ofon our lives.
I am writing to express my concern about/ disappointment
with/ disapproval of/ apologies for/ dissatisfaction with
I am writing on behalf of my class to express
I am writing and I would like to draw your attention
to/point out (certain inaccuracies).
I am writing in response to your letter of /asking
I wish to bring to your attention some problems which I
encountered at
3. Connectors
Firstly/To begin with
Moreover/ Furthermore/ In addition
Although/However/Nevertheless/Though
Finally/ Eventually
Fortunately / Apart from that
We also came to the conclusion
4. Useful sentences
(I feel) I must also disagree with the suggestion
I should also like to point out
I would dare say/ I feel obliged to write
After serious discussion between the members of (the
club), we realized that there are some problems which
have to be solved
One of the main reasons these changes should be made
As far as the clubroom is concerned/ Regarding
Having read carefully (your article), I feel
The article raises the issue of/ it argues that

I feel/ think/ believe/ To my mind/ In my opinion/ From my

point of view
I would like to add my views on this subject
I endorse (recolzar) this view
We recently carried out a survey/ undertook a survey and
conducted interviews among (the residents)
According to your (article) (the writer)/ your article states
that
Admittedly, there are certain points made by the writer
which cannot be argued with.
Negative: to make matters worse, to add insult to injury,
had I known the food would be unsatisfactory.., disgusted
by the standard of the service I decided to

5. Request for actions

I would appreciate if/ be grateful if you would
It seems only fair that you should
I hope you will find this information of use
I wonder if you could
6. Ending
I look forward to receiving/ seeing/ hearing your prompt
reply
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any
further information

ESSAY
Parts:
Introduction
Paragraphs
Closing paragraph
Advice
- Introduce the essay in the first paragraph
- Refer to all the major points given in the question
- Decide whether you are going to write a balanced or one-sided
argument
- Spend at least 15 writing an outline
- Add relevant opinions of your own.
- Make sure your argument is logical and coherent
- Include an effective conclusion.
- Choose a suitably neutral register
- Use a variety of sentence openers and linkers.
- Use synonyms and expressions to paraphrase the wording of
the question.
- Summarise your main views in a conclusion.
Useful language
- Generalizing
It is often said that...
It is usually the case that...
People tend to regard...
The reality is that...
- Specifying
The first text suggests that.../outlines how.../views...
The second text raises the issue of...
The writer is of the opinion that...
Additionally, it is argued that...
From the (singer)s point of view
Professional musicians are seen as
- Raising and argument
On the question of
No one would dispute
Considering/ Looking at/ Taking the example of
- Giving one side
One argument in favour of this is
In support of
It is true that
- Giving the other side
At the same time
In actual fact

On the other hand,

In contrast to
Weighed against this is
This is not to say that

PROPOSAL
Parts:
(Title proposal for..)
Introduction (brief)
o The aim of this proposal is to.
o This proposal describes/ outlines/ is related to
Main Section
o Different aspects in different paragraphs
Conclusion (positive concluding remark)
o On balance, we are the opinion of
o In conclusion, I would say that
o To sum up, I believe that
Advice:
- (Use headings for each paragraph underlined)
- Order the points so as to make the most convincing case.
- Give a brief introduction.
- Make clear recommendations.
- Neutral or formal register.
- Show conviction throughout.
- Remember to be look-forwarding.
Useful language
Suitability
o The (town/ centre/ stadium) is well equipped to deal with/
perfectly suited for (such events)
o It is conveniently located/ ideally situated/ well connected
to (the capital)
o There is little doubt/ We feel sure that it would be a
resounding success/ of great benefit to the (town/
company)
o We believe wholeheartedly in/ are convinced/ are 100%
sure/ are totally committed to
Amenities (=comoditats)
o There is no shortage / a wide selection of (hotels/
cinemas) to choose from
o The (town/ conference/ centre) boasts (=alardea) an
impressive range of (amenities/ facilities)
o Few (cities/ schools) can offer such a large choice of
o Not only can we provide , but we can also
o It is beyond dispute/widely recognised/ commonly known
that
o The citys good reputation for...
Travel and transport

o It is within easy reach / walking distance/ driving distance

of the (centre/ hotel)
o It is just a short walk/ drive/ bus ride/ train ride/ from the
(coast /station)
o The (town) has easy access to (the motorway network)
o In terms of (transport)
Recommendations
o Recommend + -ing; recommend that
o Suggest + -ing; suggest that
o Urge (you) to; urge that
o Insist on + -ing; insist that
o Argue for; argue that
o I feel thatshould
o I propose that(should)
o I would like to put forward the idea of
o I feel that it would be particularly beneficial/effective
o One solution (to this problem) might be to
o Another possible way of dealing with the problem would
be for
o is of particular relevance/importance because
o Of equal merit is..
o We would like to stress/underline/remind

REPORT
Parts:
Title
Introduction (brief)
o The
aim
of
this
report
is
to
examine/evaluate/describe/outline
o This report aims to summarise
o It will also include/consider/suggest/recommend
o The report is based on a survey conducted among
Different headings
o Further ideas will be elaborated in the next two
sections / below is a different interpretation of
o The aspects covered earlier suggest
Conclusion (addressing the final point of the task)
o To sum up / in conclusion
Advice

Make a detailed plan.

Draft sub-headings for each section.
Add bullets when listing information.
Signpost the information clearly.
Neutral and impersonal style,
Include passive structures.
Use a range of relevant vocabulary (compound adjectives,
compound nouns)

Useful language
Opinion
o The opinion has been expressed (by many students) that
o Is/are seen to be
o It is apparent/ the previous satment confirms that
o As already discussed/alongside this decision
o As mentioned at the outset (inici)
Predicting the future
o The future looks bleak / remains uncertain / is promising
o This seems unlikely in the near / foreseeable future
Making recommendations
o I would strongly recommend that (the school) should /
recommend doing something
o Suggest-propose (that)/ doing something
o It would be preferable to/ a good idea
o It might be advisable
o I feel it would be to our advantage if

o In the light of the results survey, I would strongly advise

against
o It should now be considered whether
Compound adjectives
o Easy-going; half-day; long-standing; meticulously-planned;
record breaking; trouble-free; wider-ranging.

REVIEW
It is often about a book or film, but it may also be about restaurant,
hotel or other place.
Parts:
(Title Whiteout by Ken Follet)
Brief summary of the books content
Questions to engage the reader: opinion and encouraging.
What you have learnt from it
Final recommendation
Advice
Make a detailed plan.
It should be a balance of information and opinion.
You need to include:
o Books /films: plot and character. Do NOT describe the
whole plot.
o Place: details about the building, the facilities offered and
the standard of service.
Needs to start with an impact and try to conclude your piece
with a reflective comment which reinforces your purpose for
writing.
Use reported speech and a variety of methods to maintain
interest.
Variety of linkers, rhetorical questions, specialist terms.
Name the film, book,. early in the review
Appropriate register and suitability for the intended reader.
Think about the tone (light, persuasive, friendly) you should
adopt, and how formal you should be.
Useful language
Commenting critically
o Provides a fascinating/valuable/revealing insight into
o I found the plot rather predictable/disappointing
o The acting is very impressive/convincing
o She gives a compelling/memorable performance as
o One particular strength/weakness of the film is
o The design/characterization/production is second to none/
is no o its best feature.
Encouraging others to read/watch/listen
o Dont be put off by the title/critics/cover.
o I will have you roaring with laughter/rushing out to buy
the sequel.
o It is definite a must-see.
o I would definitely give it a miss.

o I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in

o I would strongly advise you to go out and buy/ see it.
Vocabulary
Action-packed
Atmospheric
Clichd
Compelling
Credible
Disappointing
Excruciating

Exhilarating
Fast-moving
Gripping
Implausible
Impressive
Innovative
Memorable

Moving
Outstanding
Overhyped
Powerful
Predictable
Sentimental
Stunning

Blockbuster
Budget
Sub-plot

Portrayed
(by)
Heads out
Crew

Digital
imaging
Special effects
Stars

Tedious
Unconvincin
g

Feature

ARTICLE
Parts:

Title (to attract readers)

Strong opening paragraph to encourage reader to go on
reading
Conclusion: finish with an interesting conclusion. Leave the
reader something to think about it.
Advice
Not very formal but not informal. It depends on the reader and
magazine.
Ask questions and address the reader to involve them.
Express your opinion.
Link the paragraphs.
Use a range of descriptive verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Use direct speech where appropriate but dont over-use it.
Useful language
Introduction
o .. ? Then . Seems to be the right solution for you.
o Some students are still in the dark aboutIf you are one
of them, here are the answers to all your questions.
o Imagine you
Personal reactions
o I was overwhelmed by
o I was amazed at how/what amazed me was how
o The fact gatmade a great impression on me
o It made me feel..
o What struck me was how
o It reminded me of
o I felt as if