Word list to use in essays

Students often have a question, how to make an essay interesting. I know the answer, and in this blog, you will going to read the answer or the method by which you can make an interesting essay. But before delving into the answer, first, we should need to know the basic elements of the essay. An essay is comprised of many things namely, essay words, phrases, sentences, ideas, expressions, research, format etc. These things together make an appealing essay. But the most important thing out of all these is essay words. So, today in this blog we will focus on essay words mainly.

Words to use in an essay introduction

An introduction is the first thing a reader sees in your essay. Most of the students or budding writers believed that readers only focus on the central part of the essay. But, that is not true at all. The introduction has the main role in any type of writing as it creates the first impression on the reader. If your intro is not well written, no one will bother for the central part.

Writing a perfect and eye-catching introduction is quite challenging for students. Even the first word or sentence has a lot of potentials to create a good or bad impact on reader’s mind, so be thoughtful while using the words for your introduction.

To simply your selection of essay words, I have written some of the most important words and phrases to use in an essay introduction.  

Essay words and phrases list for an introduction

• Myriad
• Initiate
• Onset
• To begin with
• Complex problem
• Foremost
• Challenging
• Significance
• Importance
• The purpose of this essay
• This essay discusses
• Central idea of this essay
• They key elements in this essay
• The need for writing this essay
• This topic is important as
• The technique used in the essay
• The key problem discussed
• As far as we know
• You all must have an idea
• Aim of writing this essay
• The  main objective of writing

These are the common essay words and phrases one can use while composing the introduction section of any essay. Moreover, one more thing you need to look out is that your essay introduction should start with a hook sentence or quotation. Most of the writers make or use famous proverbs at the beginning of the essay or any piece of writing. You might have read various novels that start with a proverb or catchy line, or line from the poetry of some famous poet. For example, Chinua Achebe’s novel “Things Fall Apart” marks the beginning with a line 

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The Falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart: the center cannot hold:

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

These lines are taken from Lord Byron’s poem “The Second Coming”. The purpose of using these lines is to set the tone for the whole novel. Similar kind of technique can be used by essay writers for their essays.

Read Also- Ask us for the Curtin University Assignment Help.

Words to use in the body of the essay

After completing the introduction of the essay, the next thing is the body of the essay. Body of the essay is a place where a writer can put up arguments and supportive evidence. Write the body into several parts and each part should have a discussion of viewpoint with substantial evidence to support. 

Along with good evidence and viewpoint, you need to have good words to express and impress the readers with your point of view. You writing should let the readers believe in you. You can use the following words in order to write a good body of your essay.

Essay words list for the body of the essay

• Firstly..Secondly…Thirdly…
• To start with the argument
• In my opinion
• On the one hand…On the other hand
• Contrastingly
• Contradictory
• Likewise
• Similarly
• In spite of / Despite
• Furthermore
• Moreover
• Besides
• To evaluate
• Notwithstanding
• I begin with an argument..

These are the words you can use while writing the body of your essay. Remember to use them judiciously, don’t put them if they are not making sense. Read what to write in the body of five-paragraph essay to know how to write it.

Words to use in an essay while writing the conclusion

Now you are done with the first two paragraphs, it is time to write a proper conclusion. Most of you are thinking, why waste time in conclusion, it should just be a summary of the whole work. That is not the case. The conclusion is as important as any other part of the essay. You might lose some serious marks if not write it correctly. Below you may see some words to use while writing the conclusion of the essay.

Essay words list to use in the conclusion

• Concluding everything
• In a nutshell
• To conclude
• To sum up things
• In short
• In summary
• It has been shown that
• Thus
• Therefore
• To summarize the whole essay
• In brief
• To end up
• To take stock
• So, 
• In the end
• At last
• To wrap up the things

Use these words in conclusion and end your essay on a pleasant note.

Other than these words one must need to focus on the vocabulary of the essay. Next section will be about the vocabulary to use in an essay.

A vocabulary to use in an essay

The vocabulary of an essay is the general essay words that need to be used in the whole essay at different places as per the requirements. Essay vocabulary has certain words that will help by enhancing your writing style. Have a look at them

Accept	Significance	Certain	Justify	Judicious	Persuasive	Precede
Accordingly	Raised	Introduction	Latter	Narrative	Nevertheless	Notwithstanding
Actually	Analogy	Initially	Instance	Intend	Particular	Paradigm
Additionally	Analysis	Illustrate	Assumption	Implicit	Include	Indicate
In addition	Apply	Explicit	Extend	Elucidate	Extent	Former
Admit	Assess	Explain	Exception	Exemplify	Exemplary	Exclude
Adjacent	Amplify	Description	Dubious	Enumerate	Equal	Equivalent
Affirmative	Alternative	Contrary	Consequently	Conversely	Decline	Deduce
Negate	Catalogue	Conclude	Conditional	Conclusion	Conjunction	Connect
Negatively	Brief	Claim	Clarification	Clarify	Clause	Coherence
Alleged	Generalization	Evident	Evaluate	Compound	Consistent	Denotation
Furthermore	Example	Establish	Presumably	Define	Consider	Comparison
Opinion	Parallel	Inevitable	Paramount	Infer	Compare	Connotation
Definitely	Essential	Eventual	Foremost	Induce	Paradox	Obvious
Phrase

These are more than enough essay words that one can use in essay writing. Such words convey your ideas and thoughts more precisely in the essay. Make yourself familiar with these words and write a masterpiece for yourself. You can also refer to Owlcation to get more tips on essay writing. There you will find some more ways of writing an essay.

Different types of essay writing

Now you have understood about the essay words, now it is time to identify what type of essay you have to write. Yes, you heard it right. Essays are of different types as per the need and subject. Your type of essay depends upon the goal. Whether you want to describe something, narrate an experience or story, explain an issue or convince someone. So, let us have a look at different types of essays.

Read Also- Tips to get Successful Academic Career.

Narrative essay

Narrative essays are used to tell a story about a real-life experience. Often students think that such essays are easy to write but they are challenging. The main challenge is to self introspect. You might face difficulty while writing about yourself. Sometimes you may not get the right words to define your personality other time you are not completely aware of yourself. 

The aim of a narrative essay is to involve the readers as much as possible, that can be only possible if you provide description vividly. To know how to write narrative essay read narrative essay outline.

Descriptive essay

This type of essay is almost similar to a narrative essay, here you have to paint a picture in the reader’s mind through your words. Here the work of a writer is to describe a place, object, memory or a person. A descriptive essay is not just a mere description, rather it consists of hidden or deep meaning. While writing a descriptive essay, remember to show rather than telling anything. Use sensory words, colourful details to make things felt. Your essay should appeal to the emotions of the reader. Read more about descriptive essay here: Key to write a descriptive essay.

Expository essay

If you are good in collecting facts, you can write a good expository essay. Expository essays are informative essays. In this type of essay, information presents a good analysis of a topic. Here a writer uses facts, statistical data and lots of examples to explain the topic perfectly. Your essay can be an eyesore if your facts are wrong. So choose from the write sources or else take online essay help from experts. Remember, not to make an emotional appeal in an expository essay, as they are completely factual.

Persuasive essay

As the name suggests, these essays are used to persuade readers. Write aims to convince the reader with his/her point of view. Here also you have to take the help of facts and figures and build your case with it. Your essay should adhere to logic and rationality. The writer needs to provide all sides of the argument but clearly tells why his/her viewpoint is more suitable or correct.

These are the four major types of essay writing in academics. Gain perfection in them or take essay help online from allassignmenthelp.com. Other than academic essays one more type of essay is there, that is a college application essay, this type of essay comes under the category of non-academic writing. Such essays are used for taking admission in college. You can get help in college application essay as well from allassignmenthelp.com. 

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For the vast majority of students, essay writing doesn’t always come easily. Writing at academic level is an acquired skill that can literally take years to master – indeed, many students find they only start to feel really confident writing essays just as their undergraduate course comes to an end!

If this is you, and you’ve come here looking for words and phrases to use in your essay, you’re in the right place. We’ve pulled together a list of essential academic words you can use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essays.

Whilst your ideas and arguments should always be your own, borrowing some of the words and phrases listed below is a great way to articulate your ideas more effectively, and ensure that you keep your reader’s attention from start to finish.

It goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that there’s a certain formality that comes with academic writing. Casual and conversational phrases have no place. Obviously, there are no LOLs, LMFAOs, and OMGs. But formal academic writing can be much more subtle than this, and as we’ve mentioned above, requires great skill.

So, to get you started on polishing your own essay writing ability, try using the words in this list as an inspirational starting point.

Words to use in your introduction

The trickiest part of academic writing often comes right at the start, with your introduction. Of course, once you’ve done your plan and have your arguments laid out, you need to actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and begin your essay.

You need to consider that your reader doesn’t have a clue about your topic or arguments, so your first sentence must summarise these. Explain what your essay is going to talk about as though you were explaining it to a five year old – without losing the formality of your academic writing, of course! To do this, use any of the below words or phrases to help keep you on track.

1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly

Even though it sounds obvious, your argument will be clearer if you deliver the ideas in the right order. These words can help you to offer clarity and structure to the way you expose your ideas. This is an extremely effective method of presenting the facts clearly. Don’t be too rigid and feel you have to number each point, but using this system can be a good way to get an argument off the ground, and link arguments together.

2. In view of; in light of; considering

These essay phrases are useful to begin your essay. They help you pose your argument based on what other authors have said or a general concern about your research. They can also both be used when a piece of evidence sheds new light on an argument. Here’s an example:

The result of the American invasion has severely impaired American interests in the Middle East, exponentially increasing popular hostility to the United States throughout the region, a factor which has proved to be a powerful recruitment tool for extremist terrorist groups (Isakhan, 2015). Considering [or In light of / In view of] the perceived resulting threat to American interests, it could be argued that the Bush administration failed to fully consider the impact of their actions before pushing forward with the war.

3. According to X; X stated that; referring to the views of X

Introducing the views of an author who has a comprehensive knowledge of your particular area of study is a crucial part of essay writing. Including a quote that fits naturally into your work can be a bit of a struggle, but these academic phrases provide a great way in.

Even though it’s fine to reference a quote in your introduction, we don’t recommend you start your essay with a direct quote. Use your own words to sum up the views you’re mentioning, for example:

As Einstein often reiterated, experiments can prove theories, but experiments don’t give birth to theories.

Rather than:

“A theory can be proved by experiment, but no path leads from experiment to the birth of a theory.” {Albert Einstein, 1954, Einstein: A Biography}.

See the difference?

And be sure to reference correctly too, when using quotes or paraphrasing someone else’s words.

Adding information and flow

The flow of your essay is extremely important. You don’t want your reader to be confused by the rhythm of your writing and get distracted away from your argument, do you? No! So, we recommend using some of the following ‘flow’ words, which are guaranteed to help you articulate your ideas and arguments in a chronological and structured order.

4. Moreover; furthermore; in addition; what’s more

These types of academic phrases are perfect for expanding or adding to a point you’ve already made without interrupting the flow altogether. “Moreover”, “furthermore” and “in addition” are also great linking phrases to begin a new paragraph.

Here are some examples:
The dissociation of tau protein from microtubules destabilises the latter resulting in changes to cell structure, and neuronal transport. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction leads to further oxidative stress causing increased levels of nitrous oxide, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidases.

And:

On the data of this trial, no treatment recommendations should be made. The patients are suspected, but not confirmed, to suffer from pneumonia. Furthermore, five days is too short a follow up time to confirm clinical cure.

5. In order to; to that end; to this end

These are helpful academic phrases to introduce an explanation or state your aim. Oftentimes your essay will have to prove how you intend to achieve your goals. By using these sentences you can easily expand on points that will add clarity to the reader.

For example:

My research entailed hours of listening and recording the sound of whales in order to understand how they communicate.

Or…

Dutch tech companies offer support in the fight against the virus. To this end, an online meeting took place on Wednesday…

Even though we recommend the use of these phrases, DO NOT use them too often. You may think you sound like a real academic but it can be a sign of overwriting!

6. In other words; to put it another way; that is; to put it more simply

Complement complex ideas with simple descriptions by using these sentences. These are excellent academic phrases to improve the continuity of your essay writing. They should be used to explain a point you’ve already made in a slightly different way. Don’t use them to repeat yourself, but rather to elaborate on a certain point that needs further explanation. Or, to succinctly round up what just came before.

For example:
A null hypothesis is a statement that there is no relationship between phenomena. In other words, there is no treatment effect.

Or…

Nothing could come to be in this pre-world time, “because no part of such a time possesses, as compared with any other, a distinguishing condition of existence rather than non-existence.” That is, nothing exists in this pre-world time, and so there can be nothing that causes the world to come into existence.

7. Similarly; likewise; another key fact to remember; as well as; an equally significant aspect of

These essay words are a good choice to add a piece of information that agrees with an argument or fact you just mentioned. In academic writing, it is very relevant to include points of view that concur with your opinion. This will help you to situate your research within a research context.

Also, academic words and phrases like the above are also especially useful so as not to repeat the word ‘also’ too many times. (We did that on purpose to prove our point!) Your reader will be put off by the repetitive use of simple conjunctions. The quality of your essay will drastically improve just by using academic phrases and words such as ‘similarly’, ‘as well as’, etc. Here, let us show you what we mean:

In 1996, then-transport minister Steve Norris enthused about quadrupling cycling trips by 2012. Similarly, former prime minister David Cameron promised a “cycling revolution” in 2013…

Or

Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) aims to bridge the gap of access to electricity across the continent (…). Another key fact to remember is that it must expand cost-efficient access to electricity to nearly 1 billion people.

The wording “not only… but also” is a useful way to elaborate on a similarity in your arguments but in a more striking way.

Comparing and contrasting information

Academic essays often include opposite opinions or information in order to prove a point. It is important to show all the aspects that are relevant to your research. Include facts and researchers’ views that disagree with a point of your essay to show your knowledge of your particular field of study. Below are a few words and ways of introducing alternative arguments.

8. Conversely; however; alternatively; on the contrary; on the other hand; whereas

Finding a seamless method to present an alternative perspective or theory can be hard work, but these terms and phrases can help you introduce the other side of the argument. Let’s look at some examples:

89% of respondents living in joint families reported feeling financially secure. Conversely, only 64% of those who lived in nuclear families said they felt financially secure.

And…

The first protagonist has a social role to fill in being a father to those around him, whereas the second protagonist relies on the security and knowledge offered to him by Chaplin.

“On the other hand” can also be used to make comparisons when worded together with “on the one hand.”

9. By contrast; in comparison; then again; that said; yet

These essay phrases show contrast, compare facts, and present uncertainty regarding a point in your research. “That said” and “yet” in particular will demonstrate your expertise on a topic by showing the conditions or limitations of your research area. For example:

All the tests were positive. That said, we must also consider the fact that some of them had inconclusive results.

10. Despite this; provided that; nonetheless

Use these phrases and essay words to demonstrate a positive aspect of your subject-matter regardless of lack of evidence, logic, coherence, or criticism. Again, this kind of information adds clarity and expertise to your academic writing.

A good example is:

Despite the criticism received by X, the popularity of X remains undiminished.

11. Importantly; significantly; notably; another key point

Another way to add contrast is by highlighting the relevance of a fact or opinion in the context of your research. These academic words help to introduce a sentence or paragraph that contains a very meaningful point in your essay.

Giving examples

A good piece of academic writing will always include examples. Illustrating your essay with examples will make your arguments stronger. Most of the time, examples are a way to clarify an explanation; they usually offer an image that the reader can recognise. The most common way to introduce an illustration is “for example.” However, in order not to repeat yourself here are a few other options.

12. For instance; to give an illustration of; to exemplify; to demonstrate; as evidence; to elucidate

The academic essays that are receiving top marks are the ones that back up every single point made. These academic phrases are a useful way to introduce an example. If you have a lot of examples, avoid repeating the same phrase to facilitate the readability of your essay.

Here’s an example:

‘High involvement shopping’, an experiential process described by Wu et al. (2015, p. 299) relies upon the development of an identity-based alliance between the customer and the brand. Celebrity status at Prada, for example, has created an alliance between the brand and a new generation of millennial customers.

Concluding your essay

Concluding words for essays are necessary to wrap up your argument. Your conclusion must include a brief summary of the ideas that you just exposed without being redundant. The way these ideas are expressed should lead to the final statement and core point you have arrived at in your present research.

13. In conclusion; to conclude; to summarise; in sum; in the final analysis; on close analysis

These are phrases for essays that will introduce your concluding paragraph. You can use them at the beginning of a sentence. They will show the reader that your essay is coming to an end:

On close analysis and appraisal, we see that the study by Cortis lacks essential features of the highest quality quantitative research.

14. Persuasive; compelling

Essay words like these ones can help you emphasize the most relevant arguments of your paper. Both are used in the same way: “the most persuasive/compelling argument is…”.

15. Therefore; this suggests that; it can be seen that; the consequence is

When you’re explaining the significance of the results of a piece of research, these phrases provide the perfect lead up to your explanation.

16. Above all; chiefly; especially; most significantly; it should be noted

Your summary should include the most relevant information or research factor that guided you to your conclusion. Contrary to words such as “persuasive” or “compelling”, these essay words are helpful to draw attention to an important point. For example:

The feasibility and effectiveness of my research has been proven chiefly in the last round of laboratory tests.

Or…

Film noir is, and will continue to be, highly debatable, controversial, and unmarketable – but above all, for audience members past, present and to come, extremely enjoyable as a form of screen media entertainment.

17. All things considered

This essay phrase is meant to articulate how you give reasons to your conclusions. It means that after you considered all the aspects related to your study, you have arrived to the conclusion you are demonstrating.

Summary

After mastering the use of these academic words and phrases, we guarantee you will see an immediate change in the quality of your essays. The structure will be easier to follow, and the reader’s experience will improve. You’ll also feel more confident articulating your ideas and using facts and examples. So jot them all down, and watch your essays go from ‘good’ to ‘great’!

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

This article is suitable for native English speakers and those who are learning English at Oxford Royale Academy and are just taking their first steps into essay writing.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument.
Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point.
Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance.
Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise.
Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”.
Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making.
Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information.
Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”.
Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned.
Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”.
Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”.
Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”.
Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information.
Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time.
Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other.
Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis.
Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said.
Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion.
Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”.
Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence.
Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion.
Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”.
Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

23. Yet

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea.
Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence.
Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else.
Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing.
Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else.
Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”.
Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”.
Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”.
Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent.
Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it).
Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”.
Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview.
Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay.
Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing.
Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above.
Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law, politics, business, medicine and engineering.

Some of the most useful vocabulary you need for IELTS essays comes from the Academic Word List. These are 570 of the most common academic words in English and exactly the sort of of words you want for your essays.

What you’ll find in this lesson

What the Academic Word List is

The Academic Word List is a selection of the most common words used in academic writing.

Common words

One key is to see that these words are fairly common. If you want to write an academic style essay for IELTS you really don’t need to learn great long lists of complex vocabulary.

Precise words

Something else to consider is that many of these words have precise meanings. A large part of academic writing is learning to write precisely. Look at these examples from my lesson on change vocabulary Each of these words have a more precise meaning than the general word change.

• adjust
• alter
• amend
• modify

See AWL vocabulary in a model essay

To understand how helpful these words are take a look at this model essay – see what a large percentage of they are.

To understand how useful these words are take a look at this model essay and see how many of these words I use to write it. You should see there are a lot. Why? Because these words are some of the most common words in English.

It is undoubtedly the case that urban areas around the world increasingly suffer from congestion. In this essay, I examine the reasons for this trend and suggest some practical policies the authorities could implement to reduce the level of traffic in our cities.

The first step is to understand why traffic has increased in towns and cities. Broadly speaking, there are three main reasons for this. One is that cars have become more affordable for the average consumer and they are no longer a luxury item, but something that most families expect to own. A second reason is that public transport has become increasingly unreliable in recent years, not least because many bus and train services have been reduced because of the difficulty in funding them. The third reason is that society has in general become more mobile and this means more people are prepared to commute to work by car than they were before.

There is almost certainly no one solution to this problem given the complexity of its causes. However, one option has to be to improve the reliability of public transport to encourage people to take the bus or the train rather than get in the car. It would also be possible to discourage people from driving to work by introducing special tariffs for using the roads, especially during peak periods. A successful example of this is the congestion charge scheme in London which has certainly reduced the level of traffic in inner-city areas.

In conclusion, there are a variety of different factors that have led to rising levels of traffic in urban areas. While it may not be possible to find a complete solution, any action should probably involve encouraging greater use of public transport and making it more expensive for the motorist to drive in urban areas.

How to learn this vocabulary

The meaning of most of the words in the Academic Word List should already be familiar. The challenge in learning them is knowing how to use them. Here it helps to look at word families, collocations and prepositions. To help you do this I publish Daily Word exercises on the front page of my site. You’ll also find weekly review exercises on my IELTS vocabulary page.

Word families

It is much more efficient to learn the different forms of the words for example

• analyse – analysis – analytical – analytically – analyst

This allows you to write more flexibly.

Collocations

You also need to think about which words commonly work together (collocations). These give you chunks of language you can use in your essays. Look at these examples

• make an adjustment
• dramatically alter

Try some Academic Word List exercises

Word forms

To see how it’s helpful to know the different forms of words look at this quick exercise on analysis. It really helps to be able to know and use all these forms of the words.

Transport essay

As you work through this exercise note how I repeat certain words – this is completely normal. These words are the type of words that you are likely to repeat. It is often better to repeat the correct word rather than try and use a new word that is less accurate. Also note how I also alter the form of some words reliable unreliable etc

Resources to learn the Academic Word List

Complete list of words

This is a pdf file of the AWL – you’ll see it’s organised into lists. The list 1 words are most common.

Test your own writing

The AWL Gapmaker and Highlighter from Nottingham University is a tool that shows you which words from the AWL you use in your own writing. You simply paste in your writing and it creates your own gapped text. Cool.

Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2020 Dominic Cole

What Are the Common Words Used In an Essay

The words to use in an essay start to sound the same throughout years of authoring tasks. You can also find essay words in other languages that will wow your English instructor! “Excellent” and “states” and “assumes” are weary phrases for professors to see in essay after essay! 

What Are Essay Words?

Essay writing is a difficult task for a great proportion of individuals. For numerous students, the ability to write with proper essay phrases at the university level is a learned skill that takes years to perfect.

You’ve reached the perfect spot if you’re seeking terms and essay phrases to employ in your essay. You can employ these essay words in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your articles, which we’ve compiled for you.

Even though your thoughts and justifications should constantly be your personal, adopting several of the essay words and phrases from others is a terrific approach to better express your thoughts and maintain your audience’s attention from beginning to end.

Although it should go without mentioning, academic writing has definite professionalism to it. There is no place for informal and conversational words in a professional setting. So there are no LOLs, LMFAOs & OMGs to be found. But, on the other hand, formal academic writing can be far more delicate and, as we’ve already established, demands a high degree of competence.

Words to Use in an Essay Introduction

The opening sentence is generally the most difficult portion of academic writing. In order to begin writing an essay, however, it is necessary to create an outline of your thesis and develop your ideas.

If your audience has no idea what you’re talking concerning, your opening line should clarify it. Your essay introduction should be explained to a five-year-level old’s of understanding without compromising the elegance of your academic work. This can be accomplished by using any of the following expressions or phrases to assist you to stay on track.

Introduce your work using a 600-word opening if you have a 3000-word paper. Sometimes it’s suggested that the opening of a paper be prepared after all other sections have been composed. You can’t determine out precisely what goes in the beginning portion of the essay until you’ve seen everything in its entirety. Speak with confidence about your specific theme, and follow up your statements with relevant references to support your claims with competent essay phrases. Upon reviewing the introduction, the reader should have a distinct notion of what to anticipate from the remainder of the essay.

Following are the essay words that can be utilized in the essay introduction.

1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly
2. In view of; in light of; considering
3. According to X; X stated that; referring to the views of X
4. Moreover; furthermore; in addition; what’s more
5. In order to; to that end; to this end
6. In other words; to put it another way; that is; to put it more simply
7. Similarly; likewise; another key fact to remember; as well as; an equally significant aspect of
8. Conversely; however; alternatively; on the contrary; on the other hand; whereas
9. Despite this; provided that; nonetheless
10. By contrast; in comparison; then again; that said; yet

Essay Words and Essay Phrases List For an Introduction

Below is a vast list of general and most common essay phrases that can be employed in an essay introduction.

1- General Introduction:

• Research on __ has a long tradition
• For decades, one of the most popular ideas in __ literature is the idea that __
• Recent theoretical developments have revealed that __
• A common strategy used to study __ is to __
• This research constitutes a relatively new area that has emerged from __
• These approaches have been influential in the field because of __
• In the past several decades, __ have played an important role in __
• There are growing appeals for __
• This is the field of study that deals with __

2- Problem Definition:

• This seems to be a common problem in __
• This leads to myriad problems in __
• The main problem is that __
• There is a further problem with __
• One primary problem with __ is that __
• The methods are not without their problems, as will be discussed in __
• The foremost problems are the facts that __

3- Gaps In Literature:

• There is no previous research using the __ approach.
• As far as we know, no previous research has investigated __
• There has been less previous evidence for __
• Other studies have failed to __
• To our knowledge, no study has yielded __
• No study to date has examined __

4- The Solution To Problem:

• One way to overcome these problems is to __
• There are many alternative methods available for solving these problems.
• In order to rectify the problem of __
• A solution to this problem is proposed in __
• One approach to solve this problem involves the use of __

5- Study Motivation:

• It is of interest to know whether __  still holds.
• It would be of special interest to__
• We, therefore, analyzed __ and investigated whether __
• For this study, it was of interest to investigate __
• We investigated whether __ can be partly explained by __

6- Aims & Objectives:

• The aim is to develop more sophisticated methods for __
• This work aims to develop __
• The aims in this chapter are twofold: First __, Second __
• For our first goal, we focus on two problems __
• The aim here is to investigate __

7- The Importance And Advantages Of Your Work:

• This thesis documents several key contributions made to the fields of __
• This thesis has made a number of significant contributions to the field of __
• The contributions made here have wide applicability.
• The contributions made should be of wide interest.
• The first main contribution proposed in this field is a __

There are several more essay phrases that can be used but the ones mentioned are the most common ones.

Words to Use in an Essay’s Body

The essay’s body comes next after the essay’s opening. This is the part of the essay when an author can present their facts and arguments to substantiate their claims with strong essay words. Next, partition the content into multiple parts, each of which should contain a discussion of an argument supported by solid material.

Having a strong point of view and supporting evidence is only half the battle. If you want your readers to trust you, you need to make them believe it with appropriate words for essays.

In this section, we are listing down several words to use in an essay’s body with their brief description and which words they replace.

• Myriad

Definition: Numerous or exceedingly large numbers

Replaces: A lot

In essays, the term myriad is one of the best ones to employ! The inclination to use phrases like “many situations” or “many encounters” in our writings doesn’t make your essay stick out to a professor, though. Incorporate this term in your essay if you want to impress your professor! ‘The author provides a myriad of approaches for the situation,’ for example.

• Asserts

Definition: A fact or viewpoint with confidence and conviction

Replaces: Says

You should also include “asserts” in your personal lexicon. Then, when you use this verb, you don’t seem like a word nerd, even though it’s more forceful than “says.”

• Egregious

Definition: Outstandingly bad; shocking

Replaces: Bad

An adjective like “bad” could be replaced with a more academic phrase like “egregious”! If you want to dazzle your English professor, incorporate this word in your next paper! When you say it, you’ll sound like a literary marvel.

• Erroneous

Definition: Incorrect

Replaces: Wrong

Because it implies exactly what it feels like, erroneous is a straightforward phrase to memorize. However, you may take your literature to another level by including erroneous in your writings. This adjective is appropriate for characterizing an author’s atrocious assertion.

• Engenders

Definition: To cause or give rise to

Replaces: Causes

Your teacher will be blown away when you substitute “causes” with “engenders”! In spite of the fact that “causes” isn’t the most abrasive word to employ in an essay, it can nevertheless become overused. Many individuals will write on what causes occurrences in their next assignment, but you’ll be the first to express what engenders occurrences in your paper!

• Salient

Definition: Most notable or important

Replaces: Important

Consider using the word salient when you’re composing your next essay. When used correctly, the word salient can readily replace words such as “primary” or “important”. However, nobody could disagree that substituting “important” with salient would not result in a superior written piece, in my opinion.

With these 06 essay words mentioned and described above, it’s a guaranteed fact that your essay vocabulary would become rich and will surely stand out from the rest of the class.

Essay Words List for the Body of the Essay

As mentioned above, the words described were just the tip of the iceberg, and there are so many more essay phrases that can be utilized within the essay’s body.

• Employs

Definition: To make use of

Replaces: Uses

• Reasons

Definition: Think, comprehend, and make decisions based on a logical procedure

Replaces: Thinks

• Advantageous

Definition: Providing an advantage; favorable; beneficial

Replaces: Good

• Galvanize

Definition: Shock or excite (someone), typically into taking action

Replaces: Motivates

• Craft

Definition: To manufacture something with skills

Replaces: Makes/Produce/Creates/Writes

• Substantiate

Definition: Provide evidence to support or prove a claim

Replaces: Proves

• Caustic

Definition: Chemicals that can cause biological tissue to be burned or corroded

Replaces: Harsh/Mean

• Elucidate

Definition: To make clear

Replaces: Explain

• Esoteric

Definition: Only a tiny group of people with specialized expertise or interests will be able to understand it.

Replaces: Obscure

• Tenuous

Definition: Very weak

Replaces: Fragile

• Perfunctory

Definition: Minimum effort

Replaces: Careless

• Anomaly

Definition: Something unordinary

Replaces: Oddity, abnormality

The list of essay words above is more than sufficient. In the essay, such terms help you express your views and thoughts more clearly. Create a masterpiece for yourself by getting to know these academic phrases for essay writing.

Essay Words List to Use in the Conclusion

It’s time to compose a definitive conclusion now that you have completed the first two sections of your essay. Why bother with a conclusion when you could just paraphrase the entire work? That’s what most people are wondering. That’s not the case, unfortunately. In an essay, the conclusion is just as crucial as any other element. Incorrectly written essays can cost you a lot of points. Below you will find a list of essays words that you can use at the end of your essay.

• Concluding everything
• In a nutshell
• To conclude
• To sum up things
• In short
• In summary
• It has been shown that
• Thus
• Therefore
• To summarize the whole essay
• In brief
• To end up
• To take stock
• So,
• In the end
• At last
• To wrap up the things

Use these essay words at the end of your essay to bring it to a satisfying finish.

Every youngster aspires to do well in school with essay writing. No one wants to get a bad grade in their schoolwork. Unfortunately, the fact is that many students fail to make a positive influence on their scorecards despite putting in many hours of effort. The majority of students are unable to compose flawless essays. Consequently, you’ll drop a few vital marks.

Some reliable best academic writers services like UK Academic Writers can make your life as well as your English teacher’s life much easier if you require periodic assistance with paper research and writing! Writers here are well-versed in producing flawless articles with the appropriate phrases to use in essays. As a result of their study, our writers create custom essays for pupils of every grade, from high school to university.

Let’s face it: Writing an essay isn’t everyone’s idea of fun. Even if you’re an expert on a topic, it can be hard to sound like an expert if you’re an English learner who may not have all the right vocabulary to express yourself. 

Experienced essay writers know that there are certain good essay words and phrases that will help you organize your ideas and get your point across clearly and effectively. These words act as signposts in your essay, helping the reader see when you’re introducing a new idea, supporting a point, and more.

Below, we go through some words to use in an essay to make it crystal clear and easy to follow.

1. The purpose/main objective of this essay
2. The central idea of this essay
3. The key issues I will discuss
4. In other words
5. That is to say
6. To put it another way
7. Furthermore/what’s more
8. Similarly
9. Not only . . . but also
10. However
11. On the other hand
12. In brief
13. In conclusion

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To introduce

1. The purpose/main objective of this essay

When to use it: This phrase is a clear statement of exactly why you’re writing this essay (what your goal is) and what the reader can expect you to discuss.

Example: “The purpose of this essay is to prove that those living near city centers have several advantages over those in rural areas.”

2. The central idea of this essay

When to use it: You can use this to introduce the main point of your essay—exactly what you want to get across to the reader. 

Example: “The central idea of this essay is that a capitalist society isn’t as ideal as we once thought it was.”

3. The key issues I will discuss

When to use it: Draw attention to the individual points that you will focus on in your essay. 

Example: “The key issues I will discuss are: citizens’ lack of access to affordable healthcare, the need for more government funding and the misinformation around the idea of a universal healthcare system.”  

To explain

4. In other words

When to use it: If you want to clarify a statement to ensure your readers will understand, you can use this phrase.

Example: “Some immigrants feel a deep sense of isolation when they come to a new country. In other words, they have difficulty making friends and feeling accepted in a new community.”

5. That is to say

When to use it: Use this phrase to explain and elaborate on a point.

Example: “It’s important to eat a balanced diet every day. That is to say, your diet should include foods from all of the food groups.”

6. To put it another way

When to use it: Much like “In other words,” this phrase is used to restate a point using different words to ensure that the reader understands.

Example: “A growing number of young adults are prioritizing career over family. To put it another way, money and success are in and children are out.”

To support your points

7. Furthermore/what’s more

When to use it: These two transition terms basically mean “in addition.” Use them when you’d like to add another detail or argument to support what you want to say.

Example: “Smoking is bad for your health and the health of those around you. Furthermore, cigarette butts are the most littered items on earth.” 

8. Similarly

When to use it: You can use this word to add a supporting detail that’s related (similar) to the point you just made. 

Example: “Neither of the candidates has mentioned plans to expand the transportation system. Similarly, there has been no discussion about improving the current system.”   

9. Not only . . . but also

When to use it: Using this phrasing adds emphasis when you’re talking about two ideas that are connected. 

Example: “Not only is dancing great exercise but it can also help you maintain your cognitive abilities as you age.”

To contrast ideas 

10. However

When to use it: This is more or less just a fancy way of saying “but”— you can use it in much the same way.

Example: “Some people think it’s too late to save the planet. However, others feel that we can still reverse climate change.”

11. On the other hand

When to use it: This is a term that you can use to present the other side of an argument.

Example: “It’s advisable to find a job that pays a good salary. On the other hand, it should be something you find meaningful or enjoyable.”

To conclude your essay

12. In brief

When to use it: You use this term when you want to summarize something without many details — in other words, briefly.

Example: “In brief, there are too many cars on the road and we need a better solution.”

13. In conclusion 

When to use it: As you might have guessed, you use this phrase when you’re going to make a statement that concludes, or ends, your essay.

Example: “In conclusion, traveling is one of the best ways to meet new people, learn about other cultures and have new experiences.”  

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Know the right words to use in an essay

If you feel that something is missing from your papers, you might not be using the best words and phrases for essays. The next time you sit down to write, try including some of the fancy words for essays we’ve listed above. Take your essay from good to great!

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Andrea is a Canadian freelance writer and editor specializing in English, e-learning, EdTech, and SaaS. She has a background as an ESL teacher in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. In her free time, Andrea loves hanging out with her husband and children, creating recipes in the kitchen, and reading fiction. She also loves camping and jumping into lakes whenever possible. Learn more about Andrea on LinkedIn or check out her website.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument.

Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point.

Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance.

Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise.

Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”.

Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making.

Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information.

Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”.

Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned.

Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”.

Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”.

Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”.

Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information.

Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time.

Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other.

Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis.

Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said.

Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion.

Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”.

Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence.

Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion.

Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”.

Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

23. Yet

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea.

Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence.

Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else.

Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing.

Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else.

Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”.

Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”.

Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”.

Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent.

Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it).

Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”.

Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview.

Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay.

Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing.

Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above.

Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”.

Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below!

Additional Information ( more examples)

+20 Examples of Important Transition Words

Additional Information

There are many linking words which can lead us into additional information and while it is useful to vary your vocabulary beyond ‘and,’ these words are not mere replacements for ‘and.’ They have nuanced differences, thus, by these particular meanings, we can offer a more delicate illustration of the relationships between our ideas.

• ‘Furthermore’ is used to add information that expands upon the previous point. It precedes information that expands upon that already given. It usually occurs at the beginning of an independent clause.
• ‘Moreover’ and ‘More so’ are both similar to ‘furthermore’ while giving special emphasis to the greater importance of the following clause.
• “Despite cutting back on other staff, her father gave her a position, furthermore, he gave her an enviable office while still not having a role for her.”
• Writers also sequence additional information. ‘Firstly,’ ‘secondly’ and ‘thirdly’ are obvious options used to achieve this, however, there are others. For example, we can look into the past with ‘previously,’ ‘until the present’ or ‘preceded by.’
• “Present growth in the company was *preceded by several quarters of stagnation”*
• ‘Meanwhile’ and ‘simultaneously’ talk about things which are happening at the same time as another, while ‘concurrently’ does this while emphasising that the two ideas have played out in conjunction with one another.
• Usually, ‘incidentally’ is used to add relevant information while downplaying its significance compared with that of other ideas.
• “The priority of the zoo had been to protect species’ from extinction. The panda breeding program was enjoying some rare success, while simultaneously, other programs to increase the numbers of endangered species were being trialled. Meanwhile, the zoo was being visited by an influx of tourists who were, incidentally, able to enjoy seeing the young animals.”
• ‘Subsequently’ and ‘afterward’ lead into information after the fact.

Compare and Contrast

When writers need to illustrate similarity they can employ words such as ‘in like manner,’‘comparatively,’ and ‘correspondingly.’ Whereas, when they wish to highlight difference they have phrases like ‘on the contrary,’ ‘however,’ ‘notwithstanding,’ ‘nevertheless’ and ‘on the other hand.’

Notwithstanding the vehement opposition to online education programs being made available to inmates, considerable improvements were made to the re-employment prospects of many offenders who benefited from the trial. On the contrary, prisoners who were not able to access education while incarcerated were found to be more likely to reoffend and return to prison.

Clarification

When it comes time to clarify an argument or point, some of the transitional phrases which are used are, ‘to reiterate,’ ‘specifically,’ or ‘inasmuch as.’

Consequence and Conclusion

When we have lead our reader through our flow of logic, there might be nothing more rewarding than driving our point home by showing consequence or concluding our arguments. There are a lot of strong phrases such as ‘accordingly,’ ‘hence,’ ‘thus’ and ‘thereupon’ which can do this.

I hope you will feel encouraged, by this article, to continue to further your understanding of how transitional words can work to guide your reader through your flow of logic. When used well, they add power and order to your argument and can add to the result you see from your work.