words and phrases for essay

100+ Useful Words and Phrases to Write a Great Essay

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How to Write a Great Essay in English! This lesson provides 100+ useful words, transition word s and expressions used in writing an essay. Let’s take a look!

The secret to a successful essay doesn’t just lie in the clever things you talk about and the way you structure your points.

Useful Words and Phrases to Write a Great Essay

Overview of an essay.

Useful Phrases for Proficiency Essays

Developing the argument

• The first aspect to point out is that…
• Let us start by considering the facts.
• The novel portrays, deals with, revolves around…
• Central to the novel is…
• The character of xxx embodies/ epitomizes…

The other side of the argument

• It would also be interesting to see…
• One should, nevertheless, consider the problem from another angle.
• Equally relevant to the issue are the questions of…
• The arguments we have presented… suggest that…/ prove that…/ would indicate that…
• From these arguments one must…/ could…/ might… conclude that…
• All of this points to the conclusion that…
• To conclude…

Ordering elements

• Firstly,…/ Secondly,…/ Finally,… (note the comma after all these introductory words.)
• As a final point…
• On the one hand, …. on the other hand…
• If on the one hand it can be said that… the same is not true for…
• The first argument suggests that… whilst the second suggests that…
• There are at least xxx points to highlight.

Adding elements

• Furthermore, one should not forget that…
• In addition to…
• Moreover…
• It is important to add that…

Accepting other points of view

• Nevertheless, one should accept that…
• However, we also agree that…

Personal opinion

• We/I personally believe that…
• Our/My own point of view is that…
• It is my contention that…
• I am convinced that…
• My own opinion is…

Others’ opinions

• According to some critics… Critics:
• believe that
• suggest that
• are convinced that
• point out that
• emphasize that
• contend that
• go as far as to say that
• argue for this

Introducing examples

• For example…
• For instance…
• To illustrate this point…

Introducing facts

• It is… true that…/ clear that…/ noticeable that…
• One should note here that…

Saying what you think is true

• This leads us to believe that…
• It is very possible that…
• In view of these facts, it is quite likely that…
• Doubtless,…
• One cannot deny that…
• It is (very) clear from these observations that…
• All the same, it is possible that…
• It is difficult to believe that…

Accepting other points to a certain degree

• One can agree up to a certain point with…
• Certainly,… However,…
• It cannot be denied that…

Emphasizing particular points

• The last example highlights the fact that…
• Not only… but also…
• We would even go so far as to say that…

Moderating, agreeing, disagreeing

• By and large…
• Perhaps we should also point out the fact that…
• It would be unfair not to mention the fact that…
• One must admit that…
• We cannot ignore the fact that…
• One cannot possibly accept the fact that…

Consequences

• From these facts, one may conclude that…
• That is why, in our opinion, …
• Which seems to confirm the idea that…
• Thus,…/ Therefore,…
• Some critics suggest…, whereas others…
• Compared to…
• On the one hand, there is the firm belief that… On the other hand, many people are convinced that…

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Phrases For Balanced Arguments

Introduction

• It is often said that…
• It is undeniable that…
• It is a well-known fact that…
• One of the most striking features of this text is…
• The first thing that needs to be said is…
• First of all, let us try to analyze…
• One argument in support of…
• We must distinguish carefully between…
• The second reason for…
• An important aspect of the text is…
• It is worth stating at this point that…
• On the other hand, we can observe that…
• The other side of the coin is, however, that…
• Another way of looking at this question is to…
• What conclusions can be drawn from all this?
• The most satisfactory conclusion that we can come to is…
• To sum up… we are convinced that…/ …we believe that…/ …we have to accept that…

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Words to Use in an Essay: 300 Essay Words

Hannah Yang

It’s not easy to write an academic essay .

Many students struggle to word their arguments in a logical and concise way.

To make matters worse, academic essays need to adhere to a certain level of formality, so we can’t always use the same word choices in essay writing that we would use in daily life.

If you’re struggling to choose the right words for your essay, don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of over 300 words and phrases to use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay.

Words to Use in the Essay Introduction

Words to use in the body of the essay, words to use in your essay conclusion, how to improve your essay writing vocabulary.

The introduction is one of the hardest parts of an essay to write.

You have only one chance to make a first impression, and you want to hook your reader. If the introduction isn’t effective, the reader might not even bother to read the rest of the essay.

That’s why it’s important to be thoughtful and deliberate with the words you choose at the beginning of your essay.

Many students use a quote in the introductory paragraph to establish credibility and set the tone for the rest of the essay.

When you’re referencing another author or speaker, try using some of these phrases:

• To use the words of X
• According to X
• As X states

Example: To use the words of Hillary Clinton, “You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health.”

Near the end of the introduction, you should state the thesis to explain the central point of your paper.

If you’re not sure how to introduce your thesis, try using some of these phrases:

• In this essay, I will…
• The purpose of this essay…
• This essay discusses…
• In this paper, I put forward the claim that…
• There are three main arguments for…

Example: In this essay, I will explain why dress codes in public schools are detrimental to students.

After you’ve stated your thesis, it’s time to start presenting the arguments you’ll use to back up that central idea.

When you’re introducing the first of a series of arguments, you can use the following words:

• First and foremost
• First of all
• To begin with

Example: First , consider the effects that this new social security policy would have on low-income taxpayers.

All these words and phrases will help you create a more successful introduction and convince your audience to read on.

The body of your essay is where you’ll explain your core arguments and present your evidence.

It’s important to choose words and phrases for the body of your essay that will help the reader understand your position and convince them you’ve done your research.

Let’s look at some different types of words and phrases that you can use in the body of your essay, as well as some examples of what these words look like in a sentence.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transitioning from one argument to another is crucial for a good essay.

It’s important to guide your reader from one idea to the next so they don’t get lost or feel like you’re jumping around at random.

Transition phrases and linking words show your reader you’re about to move from one argument to the next, smoothing out their reading experience. They also make your writing look more professional.

The simplest transition involves moving from one idea to a separate one that supports the same overall argument. Try using these phrases when you want to introduce a second correlating idea:

• Additionally
• In addition
• Furthermore
• Another key thing to remember
• In the same way
• Correspondingly

Example: Additionally , public parks increase property value because home buyers prefer houses that are located close to green, open spaces.

Another type of transition involves restating. It’s often useful to restate complex ideas in simpler terms to help the reader digest them. When you’re restating an idea, you can use the following words:

• In other words
• To put it another way
• That is to say
• To put it more simply

Example: “The research showed that 53% of students surveyed expressed a mild or strong preference for more on-campus housing. In other words , over half the students wanted more dormitory options.”

Often, you’ll need to provide examples to illustrate your point more clearly for the reader. When you’re about to give an example of something you just said, you can use the following words:

• For instance
• To give an illustration of
• To exemplify
• To demonstrate
• As evidence

Example: Humans have long tried to exert control over our natural environment. For instance , engineers reversed the Chicago River in 1900, causing it to permanently flow backward.

Sometimes, you’ll need to explain the impact or consequence of something you’ve just said.

When you’re drawing a conclusion from evidence you’ve presented, try using the following words:

• As a result
• Accordingly
• As you can see
• This suggests that
• It follows that
• It can be seen that
• For this reason
• For all of those reasons
• Consequently

Example: “There wasn’t enough government funding to support the rest of the physics experiment. Thus , the team was forced to shut down their experiment in 1996.”

When introducing an idea that bolsters one you’ve already stated, or adds another important aspect to that same argument, you can use the following words:

• What’s more
• Not only…but also
• Not to mention
• To say nothing of
• Another key point

Example: The volcanic eruption disrupted hundreds of thousands of people. Moreover , it impacted the local flora and fauna as well, causing nearly a hundred species to go extinct.

Often, you'll want to present two sides of the same argument. When you need to compare and contrast ideas, you can use the following words:

• On the one hand / on the other hand
• Alternatively
• In contrast to
• On the contrary
• By contrast
• In comparison

Example: On the one hand , the Black Death was undoubtedly a tragedy because it killed millions of Europeans. On the other hand , it created better living conditions for the peasants who survived.

Finally, when you’re introducing a new angle that contradicts your previous idea, you can use the following phrases:

• Having said that
• Differing from
• In spite of
• With this in mind
• Provided that
• Nevertheless
• Nonetheless
• Notwithstanding

Example: Shakespearean plays are classic works of literature that have stood the test of time. Having said that , I would argue that Shakespeare isn’t the most accessible form of literature to teach students in the twenty-first century.

Good essays include multiple types of logic. You can use a combination of the transitions above to create a strong, clear structure throughout the body of your essay.

Strong Verbs for Academic Writing

Verbs are especially important for writing clear essays. Often, you can convey a nuanced meaning simply by choosing the right verb.

You should use strong verbs that are precise and dynamic. Whenever possible, you should use an unambiguous verb, rather than a generic verb.

For example, alter and fluctuate are stronger verbs than change , because they give the reader more descriptive detail.

Here are some useful verbs that will help make your essay shine.

Verbs that show change:

• Accommodate

Verbs that relate to causing or impacting something:

Verbs that show increase:

Verbs that show decrease:

• Deteriorate

Verbs that relate to parts of a whole:

• Comprises of
• Is composed of
• Constitutes
• Encompasses

Incorporates

Verbs that show a negative stance:

• Misconstrue

Verbs that show a positive stance:

• Substantiate

Verbs that relate to drawing conclusions from evidence:

• Corroborate
• Demonstrate

Verbs that relate to thinking and analysis:

• Contemplate
• Hypothesize
• Investigate

Verbs that relate to showing information in a visual format:

Useful Adjectives and Adverbs for Academic Essays

You should use adjectives and adverbs more sparingly than verbs when writing essays, since they sometimes add unnecessary fluff to sentences.

However, choosing the right adjectives and adverbs can help add detail and sophistication to your essay.

Sometimes you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is useful and should be taken seriously. Here are some adjectives that create positive emphasis:

• Significant

Other times, you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is harmful or ineffective. Here are some adjectives that create a negative emphasis:

• Controversial
• Insignificant
• Questionable
• Unnecessary
• Unrealistic

Finally, you might need to use an adverb to lend nuance to a sentence, or to express a specific degree of certainty. Here are some examples of adverbs that are often used in essays:

• Comprehensively
• Exhaustively
• Extensively
• Respectively
• Surprisingly

Using these words will help you successfully convey the key points you want to express. Once you’ve nailed the body of your essay, it’s time to move on to the conclusion.

The conclusion of your paper is important for synthesizing the arguments you’ve laid out and restating your thesis.

In your concluding paragraph, try using some of these essay words:

• In conclusion
• To summarize
• In a nutshell
• Given the above
• As described
• All things considered

Example: In conclusion , it’s imperative that we take action to address climate change before we lose our coral reefs forever.

In addition to simply summarizing the key points from the body of your essay, you should also add some final takeaways. Give the reader your final opinion and a bit of a food for thought.

To place emphasis on a certain point or a key fact, use these essay words:

• Unquestionably
• Undoubtedly
• Particularly
• Importantly
• Conclusively
• It should be noted
• On the whole

Example: Ada Lovelace is unquestionably a powerful role model for young girls around the world, and more of our public school curricula should include her as a historical figure.

These concluding phrases will help you finish writing your essay in a strong, confident way.

There are many useful essay words out there that we didn't include in this article, because they are specific to certain topics.

If you're writing about biology, for example, you will need to use different terminology than if you're writing about literature.

So how do you improve your vocabulary skills?

The vocabulary you use in your academic writing is a toolkit you can build up over time, as long as you take the time to learn new words.

One way to increase your vocabulary is by looking up words you don’t know when you’re reading.

Try reading more books and academic articles in the field you’re writing about and jotting down all the new words you find. You can use these words to bolster your own essays.

You can also consult a dictionary or a thesaurus. When you’re using a word you’re not confident about, researching its meaning and common synonyms can help you make sure it belongs in your essay.

Don't be afraid of using simpler words. Good essay writing boils down to choosing the best word to convey what you need to say, not the fanciest word possible.

Finally, you can use ProWritingAid’s synonym tool or essay checker to find more precise and sophisticated vocabulary. Click on weak words in your essay to find stronger alternatives.

There you have it: our compilation of the best words and phrases to use in your next essay . Good luck!

Take your writing to the next level:

20 Editing Tips From Professional Writers

Whether you are writing a novel, essay, article, or email, good writing is an essential part of communicating your ideas., this guide contains the 20 most important writing tips and techniques from a wide range of professional writers..

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

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.”

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 .

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Transitional Words and Phrases

One of your primary goals as a writer is to present ideas in a clear and understandable way. To help readers move through your complex ideas, you want to be intentional about how you structure your paper as a whole as well as how you form the individual paragraphs that comprise it. In order to think through the challenges of presenting your ideas articulately, logically, and in ways that seem natural to your readers, check out some of these resources: Developing a Thesis Statement , Paragraphing , and Developing Strategic Transitions: Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections Between Ideas.

While clear writing is mostly achieved through the deliberate sequencing of your ideas across your entire paper, you can guide readers through the connections you’re making by using transitional words in individual sentences. Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between your ideas and can help your reader understand your paper’s logic.

In what follows, we’ve included a list of frequently used transitional words and phrases that can help you establish how your various ideas relate to each other. We’ve divided these words and phrases into categories based on the common kinds of relationships writers establish between ideas.

Two recommendations: Use these transitions strategically by making sure that the word or phrase you’re choosing matches the logic of the relationship you’re emphasizing or the connection you’re making. All of these words and phrases have different meanings, nuances, and connotations, so before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely, and be sure that it’s the right match for your paper’s logic. Use these transitional words and phrases sparingly because if you use too many of them, your readers might feel like you are overexplaining connections that are already clear.

Categories of Transition Words and Phrases

Causation Chronology Combinations Contrast Example

Importance Location Similarity Clarification Concession

Conclusion Intensification Purpose Summary

Transitions to help establish some of the most common kinds of relationships

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

after all although and yet at the same time but

despite however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

Improving Your Writing Style

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Clear, Concise Sentences

Use the active voice

Put the action in the verb

Tidy up wordy phrases

Reduce wordy verbs

Reduce prepositional phrases

Reduce expletive constructions

Avoid using vague nouns

Avoid unneccessarily inflated words

Avoid noun strings

Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

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• Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Published on May 29, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2023.

Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.

The proposed solution to the problem did not work. Therefore , we attempted a second solution. However , this solution was also unsuccessful.

For clear writing, it’s essential to understand the meaning of transition words and use them correctly.

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Table of contents

When and how to use transition words, types and examples of transition words, common mistakes with transition words, other interesting articles.

Transition words commonly appear at the start of a new sentence or clause (followed by a comma ), serving to express how this clause relates to the previous one.

Transition words can also appear in the middle of a clause. It’s important to place them correctly to convey the meaning you intend.

Example text with and without transition words

The text below describes all the events it needs to, but it does not use any transition words to connect them. Because of this, it’s not clear exactly how these different events are related or what point the author is making by telling us about them.

If we add some transition words at appropriate moments, the text reads more smoothly and the relationship among the events described becomes clearer.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Consequently , France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union initially worked with Germany in order to partition Poland. However , Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Don’t overuse transition words

While transition words are essential to clear writing, it’s possible to use too many of them. Consider the following example, in which the overuse of linking words slows down the text and makes it feel repetitive.

In this case the best way to fix the problem is to simplify the text so that fewer linking words are needed.

The key to using transition words effectively is striking the right balance. It is difficult to follow the logic of a text with no transition words, but a text where every sentence begins with a transition word can feel over-explained.

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There are four main types of transition word: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific functions.

Remember that transition words with similar meanings are not necessarily interchangeable. It’s important to understand the meaning of all the transition words you use. If unsure, consult a dictionary to find the precise definition.

Additive transition words

Additive transition words introduce new information or examples. They can be used to expand upon, compare with, or clarify the preceding text.

Adversative transition words

Adversative transition words always signal a contrast of some kind. They can be used to introduce information that disagrees or contrasts with the preceding text.

Causal transition words

Causal transition words are used to describe cause and effect. They can be used to express purpose, consequence, and condition.

Sequential transition words

Sequential transition words indicate a sequence, whether it’s the order in which events occurred chronologically or the order you’re presenting them in your text. They can be used for signposting in academic texts.

Transition words are often used incorrectly. Make sure you understand the proper usage of transition words and phrases, and remember that words with similar meanings don’t necessarily work the same way grammatically.

Misused transition words can make your writing unclear or illogical. Your audience will be easily lost if you misrepresent the connections between your sentences and ideas.

Confused use of therefore

“Therefore” and similar cause-and-effect words are used to state that something is the result of, or follows logically from, the previous. Make sure not to use these words in a way that implies illogical connections.

• We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. Therefore , the average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

The use of “therefore” in this example is illogical: it suggests that the result of 7.5 follows logically from the question being asked, when in fact many other results were possible. To fix this, we simply remove the word “therefore.”

• We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. The average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

Starting a sentence with also , and , or so

While the words “also,” “and,” and “so” are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence.

• Also , a second round of testing was carried out.

To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.

• A second round of testing was also carried out.
• Additionally , a second round of testing was carried out.

Transition words creating sentence fragments

Words like “although” and “because” are called subordinating conjunctions . This means that they introduce clauses which cannot stand on their own. A clause introduced by one of these words should always follow or be followed by another clause in the same sentence.

The second sentence in this example is a fragment, because it consists only of the “although” clause.

• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. Although other researchers disagree.

We can fix this in two different ways. One option is to combine the two sentences into one using a comma. The other option is to use a different transition word that does not create this problem, like “however.”

• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed, although other researchers disagree.
• Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. However , other researchers disagree.

And vs. as well as

Students often use the phrase “ as well as ” in place of “and,” but its usage is slightly different. Using “and” suggests that the things you’re listing are of equal importance, while “as well as” introduces additional information that is less important.

• Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf, as well as presenting my analysis of To the Lighthouse .

In this example, the analysis is more important than the background information. To fix this mistake, we can use “and,” or we can change the order of the sentence so that the most important information comes first. Note that we add a comma before “as well as” but not before “and.”

• Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf and presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
• Chapter 1 presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse , as well as discussing some background information on Woolf.

Note that in fixed phrases like “both x and y ,” you must use “and,” not “as well as.”

• Both my results as well as my interpretations are presented below.
• Both my results and my interpretations are presented below.

Use of and/or

The combination of transition words “and/or” should generally be avoided in academic writing. It makes your text look messy and is usually unnecessary to your meaning.

First consider whether you really do mean “and/or” and not just “and” or “or.” If you are certain that you need both, it’s best to separate them to make your meaning as clear as possible.

• Participants were asked whether they used the bus and/or the train.
• Participants were asked whether they used the bus, the train, or both.

Archaic transition words

Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning.

• Poverty is best understood as a disease. Hereby , we not only see that it is hereditary, but acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

These words should usually be replaced with a more explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement relates to the preceding one.

• Poverty is best understood as a disease. Understanding it as such , we not only see that it is hereditary, but also acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

Using a paraphrasing tool for clear writing

With the use of certain tools, you can make your writing clear. One of these tools is a paraphrasing tool . One thing the tool does is help your sentences make more sense. It has different modes where it checks how your text can be improved. For example, automatically adding transition words where needed.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Powerful words and Phrases to use in Essays

Although many might consider essay writing an easy task, it is not always the case with most students. Writing academic papers (essays, term papers, research papers, dissertations, theses, proposals, reports, and other assignments) requires students to hone and practice continuously. Thus, mastering writing at the academic level takes time and much practice, after which most students begin to be confident writing essays. For some, this confidence comes towards the end of the undergraduate course, while some master the art a few months or a week into their undergrad level studies.

This might sound like you, and you do not have to feel sorry about it. We have a list of academic writing power words that you can use when writing academic assignments. These words and phrases to use in your essay and other papers will help you avoid the dead words that probably deny you the top grade. Together with our team of experts in best essay writing, we have listed essential academic words that you can use in your introduction, body, and conclusion for all your essays and research papers .

Although you might have arguments and ideas that might attract the best grade, using the words we have listed could help you articulate, expound, and present the ideas effectively. Consequently, you will end up with a standard academic paper that any professional can grade, or that attracts your reader's attention and keeps them glued to the end.

After all, academic writing is a formal practice that disdains cliches or dead words such as colloquial expressions, controversial phrases, or casual words/slang. This means that the words you use when texting your friends, such as LOL, OMG, TIA, and the rest, should only end in the messages and not on the PDF or Word document you are typing your essay. As we have mentioned, formal academic writing is very delicate; it requires in-depth skills.

We hope that as you plan, write, and polish your essay, you will consider using the words we have listed here for inspiration and to hone your professional writing skills.

Words to Spice up your Introduction

Crafting a perfect introduction is arguably the most challenging part of academic writing. Whether you write the introduction first or last, it is always the invitation point for your readers to enjoy what is in the body. So, naturally, with adequate planning and structuring, you need to ensure that the introduction counts.

To begin an essay, you need to mind that your reader is uninformed about your arguments and topic, which means that the very first sentence has to summarize the central argument and the topic.

Although there is no preserved set of words to use in your essay introduction, you use the following words and phrases to explain what your essay is discussing (its scope) without losing the formality of your academic writing.

• For decades
• Over the years
• Challenging
• Significance
• Complex problem
• To begin with
• As far as is proven in the literature
• From the statistics presented by studies
• The main objective
• This topic resonates

This list of phrases is not complete; you can use the other phrases and words we will cover in the following sections of this guide. As long as you have a good reason to use a phrase, do not feel limited : use it for the glory of excellent grades.

General Explanations

When providing general explanations, both in the body, introduction, and conclusion of your essays, either for complex or easy points, you can use these phrases:

• In order to
• In other words
• To that end
• In another way
• That is to say

We will see (in the course of this guideline) how else you can use the exact phrases in your essay.

Giving Examples in your essay

Any standard piece of academic writing must include examples. For instance, when presenting an argument in an argumentative or persuasive essay, you must illustrate your essay with examples to make the arguments stand out. Examples help clarify explanations, which makes it easy for the reader to connect the dots. Besides, they create an ideal picture in the mind of the reader. Instead of repeating for example when introducing illustrations in your essay, here are other phrases, transitions, and words that you can use in their place.

• To illustrate
• As evidence
• To elucidate
• To exemplify
• On this occasion
• As in the case of
• Take the case of
• In this sense
• In this situation
• In another case
• In this case
• As a demonstration
• As a testament
• To demonstrate
• As an example,
• For instance
• For example
• To give an illustration

Academic essays that receive top scores always have well-kit paragraphs that entail the topic sentence, arguments, examples (illustration), and closing sentences with the relevant transition words. These academic phrases are helpful when introducing examples. You can ideally use them in any academic piece, including theses, proposals, and dissertations. They help you avoid repeating similar phrases, which facilities readability and smooth flow in your essays.

Showing importance of arguments in an essay

When writing academic essays, it is vital to demonstrate that a given argument or point is fundamental. You can highlight this in your essay writing by using the following phrases:

• In particular
• Specifically
• Importantly
• Significantly
• Fundamentally

These words can comfortably be used interchangeably when demonstrating significant ideas that are critical to understanding a topic.

Arguing based on facts from other authors

You can use phrases that acknowledge what others have said concerning a topic at the beginning of your essay. When you begin your essay with such phrases, you are posing your argument based on the authors' findings or a general interest/concern in your area of research. You can use such phrases when the evidence supports or refutes your arguments. Here are the essay phrases to use when acknowledging authors:

• Considering
• In light of
• Taking into consideration
• On account of
• All things considered
• On the whole
• Insomuch as
• Inasmuch as
• Forasmuch as

Introducing the views of an author who is an authority in your area of interest or topic is critical in academic essay writing. For example, when you include a quote but do not want to use parenthetical citation or the exact words, you can use academic phrases such as:

• According to X
• X contends that
• Referring to the views of
• Drawing from X
• As argued by Y
• Findings by Y
• As hypothesized by X
• As proposed/shown/demonstrated/suggested by X
• Studies by X
• A recent study by X

Although you are referencing a quote here, it is not always advisable to use direct quotes at the start of your essay unless directed by your instructor. This means that using the above phrases can help spice up your essay introduction.

Laying Emphasis

When writing an essay, whether it be an English class essay or any essay, you must emphasize the main argument. The idea behind this is to create coherence within your essay. You can use the transition words below to emphasize your paragraphs. This list of academic essay words can be used in the introduction, body, and even conclusion.

• In any case
• Some other words include unquestionably, without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, without reservation, naturally, surprisingly, always, forever, perennially, eternally, never, emphatically,

Showing some sequence

When describing ideas or presenting arguments in sequence within an essay, here are the proven phrases and words that can earn you the best grades in school.

• First, second, third
• First, secondly, thirdly
• Following this
• At this point
• Before this
• Consequently
• Subsequently
• At this time

It would help if you were extra careful when introducing ideas because each paragraph only has one idea. They are also ideal when giving a list of examples.

You can also show the order of events using the phrases below:

• Furthermore
• In the meantime
• Simultaneously
• In the first place
• First of all
• For the time being
• With this in mind

These phrases come in handy when writing about a linear event or a sequential occurrence of facts. They further help to maintain a good flow, clarity, and coherence.

Creating Flow and providing further information

Essays, even the short ones, should be as informative as possible. Knowing how to present arguments, points, and facts concisely and helps you avoid bluff in the essay. As the flow of your essay matters to the reader and for your grades, we recommend that you use these phrases or words that denote more information or flow. These words will help you to chronologically and structurally present your arguments and ideas

• In addition
• What's more
• Additionally

These are academic phrases that help you expand your argument; add a point you have made without interrupting the flow of your essay. You can also use them when beginning new paragraphs.

The next set of essay words are a great choice when you want to add a piece of information that corroborates the argument or point you just mentioned. When writing academic essays and papers, it is critical to concur with your arguments. Doing so not only helps you to keep your readers glued but also helps you to contextualize your research.  They also help you avoid repeating also many times. Repetitions are a sure way to score poor grades in your essay : they make your writing predictive and boring. Here are some words to save you grades and embracement.

• Another key thing to remember
• Not only but also ( use this when establishing similarity in your arguments- it makes the argument stand out)
• Coupled with
• Firstly, secondly, thirdly

You can also use the essay phrases below when stating your claim or introducing your claim. When your essay requires you to prove how you will achieve a goal- as is with a problem-solution essay or proposal argument essay , you can use these sentences to expand your points.

• To this end

You can also use the academic phrases below to improve continuity in your essay write-up. These essay phrases explain a point that you already made but differently. Avoid repetition when elaborating specific points or arguments in your essay by using the phrases below

• To put it in another way
• To put it more simply

The phrases above can also be used when rounding up a point that came before the sentence that you begin.

An Example: He was already abusive to both the mother and the kids. In other words, it was a long-term domestic violence case.

Comparing and Contrasting Points

In academic essays, there are instances when you are required to include information that proves or refutes a point. For instance, when writing an argumentative essay, you have to include a counterargument. To show the views of the researchers that disagree with your main argument or point of view, you can use these words to introduce alternative arguments:

• Nevertheless
• On the contrary
• On the other hand
• Even though

These phrases are a seamless way to include an alternative perspective.

An Example: While 35% of the population appears to be living below the poverty line, the remaining 65% seem to be doing well.

You can also use phrases that show contrast, present uncertainty, and compare facts associated with your significant arguments. Here are some of the phrases:

• By contrast
• In comparison

The phrases above demonstrate expertise in your topic, authority in writing and help you convince your readers.

When you intend to demonstrate a positive aspect of your subject matter, you can use these phrases in your academic piece:

• Despite this
• Provided that
• Nonetheless

Example : Provided that there is a red flag in a relationship, it is only safe that the victim acts or seeks help.

To add contrast, you can also highlight the relevance of an opinion, argument, point, or fact as regards your research. Here are some academic words that can help you introduce paragraphs or sentences that have big ideas in your essay:

• Another key point

Perfect words to conclude your essay

An essay conclusion carries as much weight as the introduction. Therefore, you must ensure that you have concluding words for your essay good enough to wrap up your arguments. In addition, considering that your conclusion should have a summary of the main ideas, your final statement and road plan to the conclusion must be evident. Here is a list of categorized phrases to use to conclude an essay effectively:

• In conclusion
• To summarize
• In the final analysis
• On close analysis
• As can be seen from the argument above
• The most compelling finding
• The outstanding idea
• The most persuasive point
• This suggests that
• It can be seen that
• The consequence is
• Subsequent to
• Most significantly
• It should be noted
• It is worth noting

These are essay phrases that you use when articulating your reasons in the essay. Some of them summarize the relevant ideas or arguments, while others emphasize the relevant arguments.

Parting Shot

We have explored the list of useful phrases for writing great essays. When coupled with the correct vocabulary words, an essay easily scores the top grade in a rubric. When you use the words above, you automatically sound smart.

Whether you are writing a narrative, argumentative, or descriptive essay, these are words that you can use to convince your readers. They help you maintain a good flow, play around with other vocabularies, present authors' views, and finalize your essay in a bang.

We hope that these words will transform your essays from better to best. So, stay confident while articulating points, arguments, and ideas in your essays.

If writing an essay is not your thing, and these academic words and phrases sound Greek to you, you can hire an essay writer. Sourcing essay writing help from Gradecrest guarantees you a sample academic essay that is well-formatted. In addition, we have writers who specialize in writing different essays and can deliver within the shortest turnaround time.

Gradecrest is a professional writing service that provides original model papers. We offer personalized services along with research materials for assistance purposes only. All the materials from our website should be used with proper references. See our Terms of Use Page for proper details.

Transitions

What this handout is about.

In this crazy, mixed-up world of ours, transitions glue our ideas and our essays together. This handout will introduce you to some useful transitional expressions and help you employ them effectively.

The function and importance of transitions

In both academic writing and professional writing, your goal is to convey information clearly and concisely, if not to convert the reader to your way of thinking. Transitions help you to achieve these goals by establishing logical connections between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your papers. In other words, transitions tell readers what to do with the information you present to them. Whether single words, quick phrases, or full sentences, they function as signs that tell readers how to think about, organize, and react to old and new ideas as they read through what you have written.

Transitions signal relationships between ideas—relationships such as: “Another example coming up—stay alert!” or “Here’s an exception to my previous statement” or “Although this idea appears to be true, here’s the real story.” Basically, transitions provide the reader with directions for how to piece together your ideas into a logically coherent argument. Transitions are not just verbal decorations that embellish your paper by making it sound or read better. They are words with particular meanings that tell the reader to think and react in a particular way to your ideas. In providing the reader with these important cues, transitions help readers understand the logic of how your ideas fit together.

Signs that you might need to work on your transitions

How can you tell whether you need to work on your transitions? Here are some possible clues:

• Your instructor has written comments like “choppy,” “jumpy,” “abrupt,” “flow,” “need signposts,” or “how is this related?” on your papers.
• Your readers (instructors, friends, or classmates) tell you that they had trouble following your organization or train of thought.
• You tend to write the way you think—and your brain often jumps from one idea to another pretty quickly.
• You wrote your paper in several discrete “chunks” and then pasted them together.
• You are working on a group paper; the draft you are working on was created by pasting pieces of several people’s writing together.

Organization

Since the clarity and effectiveness of your transitions will depend greatly on how well you have organized your paper, you may want to evaluate your paper’s organization before you work on transitions. In the margins of your draft, summarize in a word or short phrase what each paragraph is about or how it fits into your analysis as a whole. This exercise should help you to see the order of and connection between your ideas more clearly.

If after doing this exercise you find that you still have difficulty linking your ideas together in a coherent fashion, your problem may not be with transitions but with organization. For help in this area (and a more thorough explanation of the “reverse outlining” technique described in the previous paragraph), please see the Writing Center’s handout on organization .

How transitions work

The organization of your written work includes two elements: (1) the order in which you have chosen to present the different parts of your discussion or argument, and (2) the relationships you construct between these parts. Transitions cannot substitute for good organization, but they can make your organization clearer and easier to follow. Take a look at the following example:

El Pais , a Latin American country, has a new democratic government after having been a dictatorship for many years. Assume that you want to argue that El Pais is not as democratic as the conventional view would have us believe.

One way to effectively organize your argument would be to present the conventional view and then to provide the reader with your critical response to this view. So, in Paragraph A you would enumerate all the reasons that someone might consider El Pais highly democratic, while in Paragraph B you would refute these points. The transition that would establish the logical connection between these two key elements of your argument would indicate to the reader that the information in paragraph B contradicts the information in paragraph A. As a result, you might organize your argument, including the transition that links paragraph A with paragraph B, in the following manner:

Paragraph A: points that support the view that El Pais’s new government is very democratic.

Transition: Despite the previous arguments, there are many reasons to think that El Pais’s new government is not as democratic as typically believed.

Paragraph B: points that contradict the view that El Pais’s new government is very democratic.

In this case, the transition words “Despite the previous arguments,” suggest that the reader should not believe paragraph A and instead should consider the writer’s reasons for viewing El Pais’s democracy as suspect.

As the example suggests, transitions can help reinforce the underlying logic of your paper’s organization by providing the reader with essential information regarding the relationship between your ideas. In this way, transitions act as the glue that binds the components of your argument or discussion into a unified, coherent, and persuasive whole.

Types of transitions

Now that you have a general idea of how to go about developing effective transitions in your writing, let us briefly discuss the types of transitions your writing will use.

The types of transitions available to you are as diverse as the circumstances in which you need to use them. A transition can be a single word, a phrase, a sentence, or an entire paragraph. In each case, it functions the same way: First, the transition either directly summarizes the content of a preceding sentence, paragraph, or section or implies such a summary (by reminding the reader of what has come before). Then, it helps the reader anticipate or comprehend the new information that you wish to present.

• Transitions between sections: Particularly in longer works, it may be necessary to include transitional paragraphs that summarize for the reader the information just covered and specify the relevance of this information to the discussion in the following section.
• Transitions between paragraphs: If you have done a good job of arranging paragraphs so that the content of one leads logically to the next, the transition will highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows. A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a phrase, or a sentence. Transitions can be at the end of the first paragraph, at the beginning of the second paragraph, or in both places.
• Transitions within paragraphs: As with transitions between sections and paragraphs, transitions within paragraphs act as cues by helping readers to anticipate what is coming before they read it. Within paragraphs, transitions tend to be single words or short phrases.

Transitional expressions

Effectively constructing each transition often depends upon your ability to identify words or phrases that will indicate for the reader the kind of logical relationships you want to convey. The table below should make it easier for you to find these words or phrases. Whenever you have trouble finding a word, phrase, or sentence to serve as an effective transition, refer to the information in the table for assistance. Look in the left column of the table for the kind of logical relationship you are trying to express. Then look in the right column of the table for examples of words or phrases that express this logical relationship.

Keep in mind that each of these words or phrases may have a slightly different meaning. Consult a dictionary or writer’s handbook if you are unsure of the exact meaning of a word or phrase.

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60 Useful Words and Phrases for Outstanding 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.”

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.

Effective Essay Words and Phrases to use in your following Essay

• Assignment Help

How to make an essay interesting is a common question among students. In this article, you will learn to write an engaging essay by understanding the steps or techniques. But, before we go into the solution, we need to understand the essay’s fundamental components. An essay is made up of various elements, including essay words, phrases, statements, thoughts, expressions, research, and format. These elements combined create a compelling essay. The most significant aspect of all of this is the essay words. So, in this article, we’ll mainly emphasize essay words.

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Essay words to use in the introduction section: The very first paragraph a reader sees in your essay is the introduction. The majority of students and aspiring writers assume that readers only pay attention to the central portion of the essay. That, however, is not the case. In every writing style, the introduction is crucial since it makes the initial impact on the readers. No one will bother with the central section if your introduction is poorly written.

For students, writing a flawless and eye-catching introduction is relatively difficult. However, even the first line or sentence has tremendous potential to make a positive or negative impression on the reader’s mind, so choose your words wisely.

I’ve compiled a list of the essential essay words and phrases to utilize in an essay introduction to help you narrow down your options.

Examples of essay words and phrases to use in the introduction of the essay:

• Significance
• Challenging
• This essay’s main points are as follows
• The main issue that was discussed
• Why is it necessary to write this essay?
• In the essay, the approaches adopted included
• It is a significant subject because
• This essay’s goal is to
• The purpose of this article is to
• The primary goal of writing
• The topic of this essay is

These are some of the most typical essay words and expressions to utilize in the introduction chapter of any paper. Another thing to remember is that your essay introduction should begin with a catchy phrase or a quotation. The majority of authors start their essays with quotations that are widely known. However, you may have come across books that begin with a proverb, a memorable sentence, or a passage from a great poet’s verse. The classic “Things Fall Apart” by Chinua Achebe, for instance, begins with a sentence.

Turning and turning in the widening gyre

The Falcon cannot hear the falconer;

Things fall apart: the centre cannot hold:

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.

The poem “The Second Coming” by Lord Byron contains these words. These phrases are used to set the pace for the entirety of the narrative. Essay writers might utilize a similar strategy to produce their writings.

Essay words to use in the body section: Following the essay’s intro, the next step is writing the essay’s body section. The body paragraphs are where the writer may provide their ideas and supporting evidence. Compose the body in numerous parts, each containing a description of a point of view and solid evidence to back it up.

You’ll need good words to explain and persuade the reader with your viewpoint, in addition to solid proof and perspective. Your writing should be able to persuade the reader to trust you. To write a decent body section of your essay, you might utilize the following essay words.

Example of essay words and phrases to use in the body section of the essay:

• To evaluate
• Furthermore
• Contradictory
• Contrastingly
• Let’s begin with the debate.
• My personal opinion is that
• On the one hand…
• On the contrary

These are the essay words and phrases that you can utilize in the body sections of your essay. Ensure to use them sparingly; if they don’t make logical sense, refrain from using them.

Essay words to use in the conclusion section: It’s time to create a decent conclusion now that you’ve completed the previous two sections. Most of you probably think that there is no need to spend time on the conclusion; it would be just a synopsis of the entire work. Unfortunately, that isn’t the case at all. The conclusion is just as crucial as the rest of the paper. If you don’t write it effectively, you might lose a lot of marks. Below are some essay words and phrases to consider while drafting the essay’s conclusion.

• To cover all bases,
• To sum up the entire article
• To summarise the situation,
• To sum up everything,
• To put it briefly,
• In a nutshell

Finish your essay in a positive tone by using these essay words and phrases in conclusion.

Aside from these terms, one must concentrate on the essay’s vocabulary. The vocabulary to employ in an essay will be described in the following section.

Essay words to include in your vocabulary The vocabulary of an essay refers to the essay words that must be utilized throughout the essay at various points according to the specifications. Specific terms in your essay vocabulary will aid in improving your writing style. Please take a look at some of them.

• In addition
• Generalization

There are many essay words to choose from while composing an essay. In the essay, such words explain your opinions and perspectives more accurately. Make yourself comfortable with these words and compose yourself a masterpiece.

The different types of essays: Now that you know what essay words mean, it’s time to figure out what kind of essay you’ll be writing. Yes, you read that correctly. There are several kinds of essays depending on the requirement and theme. The objective will determine the type of essay you write. The type will depend on whether you’re trying to describe something, tell a narrative, illustrate something, or persuade others. So, let’s have a look at some of the different forms of essays.

• Narrative essay

The purpose of a narrative essay is to convey a tale about an experience. Students frequently believe that such essays are straightforward; however, this is not always the case. The most challenging task is to reflect on oneself. It’s possible that writing about oneself may be challenging. You may not always be able to find the perfect words to describe your persona, or you may not be perfectly aware of yourself.

The goal of a narrative essay is to grab the reader’s attention as much as possible, which can only be accomplished by a detailed account and a vivid description.

• Descriptive essay

This form of essay is comparable to a narrative essay in that you must use your words to develop a good understanding of the reader’s imagination. A writer’s job is to describe a place, an item, a recollection, or a person in this case. A descriptive essay is more than just a list of facts; it also has subtle or profound meaning. Always strive to demonstrate rather than explain while writing a descriptive essay. To make things feel, use sensory essay words and vibrant descriptions. Your essay must connect to the reader’s sentiments.

• Expository essay

You can create a solid expository essay if you are adept at gathering data. Expository essays are essays that provide information. Information gives a good evaluation of a topic in this style of essay. A writer here employs facts, statistical information and studies several instances to describe the issue perfectly. Of course, if your facts are incorrect, your essay will be an embarrassment. So, either select suitable sources or seek online essay assistance from professionals. Note that an expository essay is factual; therefore, it doesn’t make an emotional appeal.

• Persuasive essay

These writings are meant to convince readers, as the name implies. The writer’s goal is to persuade the audience to accept their perspective. Here, too, you’ll need to rely on facts, data and persuading essay words to support your point. Reason and rationality should be followed throughout your writing. The writer must present all sides of the issue while clearly stating why their perspective is more appropriate or accurate.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the different types of essays.

Essays can be divided into four main types. It includes a persuasive essay, expository essay, narrative essay, and descriptive essay.

Why is the introduction section of an essay important?

The introduction is the first section that the reader encounters; therefore, it is essential to crafting the introduction perfectly.

How should you start the introduction of your essay?

The introduction should start with an exciting hook sentence that makes the readers interested in reading the essay.

Why is it essential to have a good vocabulary of essay words?

Having a solid vocabulary of essay words will help to enhance your essay writing skills.

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20 Academic Words and Phrases to Use in Your Essay

In many students, it has been found that essay writing is a difficult task. This is because the students think that writing academic essays for schools, colleges or universities requires in-depth knowledge of the topic and thus they lack confidence in their course. So, we have jotted down the list of words as well as phrases that are mandatory to be used in an essay to judge that the student is in the correct place. All these words can be used are essential to be used in the introduction, conclusion, or body of the essay. 

General Explaining

1. Firstly, Secondly, and Third

These are some of the words that are likely to make the arguments presented by the students clearer and thus assist to deliver the ideas accordingly. This can be considered to be an effective method to present the fact. However, while using it, a student should not be rigid and thus must try to number each point upon requirement so that it becomes easier for the reader to identify it.

2. According, To the words, Referring to

It is crucial to introduce the views of the author in the initial stage because quotations are not preferred use in academic essays and so there has to be proper referencing and citation. There should be a use of one’s own words while writing the essay so that it reduces the plagiarism percentage accordingly.

3. Considering, Given

These words are essential to start the essay and thus assist to present the arguments of the author systematically. This phrase can be used as a piece of evidence that helps to shed new light on the argument in an improved way.

4. In other words, in simple terms, to put in a more simple way

These words are used to highlight the simple descriptions by using appropriate sentences. All these words are used in academic essay writing as it helps the readers to understand the meaning differently. However, the writer should not make repeated or frequent use of the words if the reader does not require further explanation or the explanation is written technically.

5. In contrast, While comparing

These phrases are used to highlight the comparisons or differences between the evidence. Moreover, it is the responsibility of the writer to check that there is an appropriate use of these phrases while writing the essay.

6. For example, To give an illustration

These phrases are used to describe examples or illustrations that are made about the paragraphs. However, it is the responsibility of the writer to make appropriate and correct use of the phrase and avoid repetition.

7. In view of, Considering, In light of

These phrases are used in the introduction of an essay. It helps the essay writer to highlight the argument by comparing it with the views of the other authors. All these phrases can be used as a piece of evidence to shed light on the argument.

8. Likewise, Similarly, as well as

All these words add good choice to the piece of information following the fact of the argument in the essay. It also refers to the relevant points or views that are to be included in the essay to express one’s opinion.

9. Significantly

 This word is used in Essay Writing Service to introduce a particular point that has an adequate meaning which might not be apparent. It also highlights the importance of the particular paragraph so that the writer can highlight the specific meaning to the reader.

10. In conclusion

This phrase is used for introducing the concluding sentence or the ending paragraph of the conclusion. Moreover, this also provides a broad overview of the conclusion in evidence to a particular point.

11. However

This word is used for introducing a particular point that is in contrast with the previous paragraphs. The writer must try to use this whenever he/she wants to highlight the contradictions in the previous paragraphs.

12. Therefore, the consequence, It can be seen that

All these phrases are used to explain the significance of the results of a particular piece of research. Moreover, the use of these phrases assists the writer to provide a correct and perfect explanation.

13. Compelling, persuasive

Both these words in the essay have used the emphasis of the relevant or the correct arguments in the study. Moreover, it can be said that both these words are used to denote the same meaning and it is the responsibility of the writer to apply them adequately.

14. Despite this, Nonetheless

These phrases as well as the essay words are used to highlight positive aspects of the subject matter irrespective of the proper evidence, coherence, criticism as well as logic. Both these phrases are used to highlight the clarity as well as additional expertise to academic writing.

15. Likewise, similarly, another important fact to remember

These words can be regarded as a good choice in writing the essay as it provides an argument or description of the fact. It is relevant to include the viewpoints in the study so that it assists the researcher to understand the research essay.

16. All things considered, Taking into consideration, Weighing all circumstances

These phrases are used to highlight the analysis or the judgment after considering all the facts that are discussed in the essay

17. Salient, important, noticeable, Crucial

These adjectives are used to highlight or discuss the importance of the facts or the analysis that has been carried out in the essay. All these words highlight the attention of the reader.

18. Elucidate, illustrate, explain

The use of these words is made to clarify, clear up, and enlighten as well as shed light on the sentences or the technical words that are used in the essay.

19. To end this, To, to this end

These phrases are used to introduce an explanation or analyze the aim of the essay. These are used because in most cases it is the responsibility of the writer to prove how he/she intends to achieve the goals and this is done by using the phrases.

20. Moreover, In addition, Furthermore

The use of these phrases is done for adding or expanding the fact that has been made already. Further, it protects against the interruption of the flow altogether.

If you are stuck or confused with the appropriate use of the words in the appropriate place, you can seek the help of our experts and clarify your doubts immediately. We are always there at your Assignment help service and you can reach us by clicking LiveWebTutors.

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synonyms for essay

• dissertation
• composition
• disquisition
• explication

See also synonyms for: essayed essays

antonyms for essay

Most relevant

Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

How to use essay in a sentence

As several of my colleagues commented, the result is good enough that it could pass for an essay written by a first-year undergraduate, and even get a pretty decent grade.

GPT-3 also raises concerns about the future of essay writing in the education system.

This little essay helps focus on self-knowledge in what you’re best at, and how you should prioritize your time.

As Steven Feldstein argues in the opening essay , technonationalism plays a part in the strengthening of other autocracies too.

He’s written a collection of essays on civil engineering life titled Bridginess, and to this day he and Lauren go on “bridge dates,” where they enjoy a meal and admire the view of a nearby span.

I think a certain kind of compelling essay has a piece of that.

The current attack on the Jews,” he wrote in a 1937 essay , “targets not just this people of 15 million but mankind as such.

The impulse to interpret seems to me what makes personal essay writing compelling.

To be honest, I think a lot of good essay writing comes out of that.

Someone recently sent me an old Joan Didion essay on self-respect that appeared in Vogue.

There is more of the uplifted forefinger and the reiterated point than I should have allowed myself in an essay .

Consequently he was able to turn in a clear essay upon the subject, which, upon examination, the king found to be free from error.

It is no part of the present essay to attempt to detail the particulars of a code of social legislation.

But angels and ministers of grace defend us from ministers of religion who essay art criticism!

It is fit that the imagination, which is free to go through all things, should essay such excursions.

Choose the synonym for vengeful

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The Most Important Words To Avoid in Academic Writing

• Posted on September 21, 2023 September 18, 2023

Whether in high school or already attending college, you have many academic writing assignments ahead of you. You’ll write research papers, opinion pieces, argumentative essays, lab reports, thesis statements, analyses, and more. Improving your writing is a must if you want to be successful.

When writing an academic paper, you’re expected to use formal, academic language and write well-cited content . There are many words to avoid in academic writing. Follow the writing tips below to figure out which words not to use in a research paper and formal writing.

Personal Pronouns

You should avoid personal pronouns like “I,” “me,” and “my” in almost all academic writing. In most cases, your work will be research- or evidence-based. Inserting yourself reduces your paper’s credibility, as professors want ideas you can source.

Even most opinion pieces should not contain personal pronouns. Again, you’re arguing using research-backed logic, not your personal opinions.

You should also avoid using the word “you” or directly addressing your audience. Instead, use the word “one,” such as, “One must always . . .”

Cliches are phrases that have been so overused that they no longer feel fresh or unique. Some common examples of wordy cliches include “thinking outside the box” and “better safe than sorry.” 

When you use a cliche, it makes it hard for your professor to take you seriously. The more cliches you use, the worse it gets. Cliches weaken any research you’ve done and your credibility as a writer.

Cliches often make your essays wordier than it has to be. Look for other ways to get your point across, and try to stick to your own voice as much as possible.

Contractions & Abbreviations

Contractions and abbreviations have their place in writing but never in academic writing. A contraction uses an apostrophe to shorten two words into one word. “Don’t” and “could’ve” are examples of contractions.

Abbreviations are shortened forms of words. Here are a few examples:

• Dept. (department)
• Univ. ( university)

Abbreviations are often used to shorten proper nouns and longer words.

Both contractions and abbreviations are informal and don’t fit with academic writing. Even if you have high-quality research and arguments, contractions and abbreviations can take away from the formality of your work. They also disrupt the flow of your writing and make it look clunky.

Weak Modifiers & Overused Adverbs

Weak modifiers and overused adverbs often seem helpful when you’re using them but do nothing to strengthen your points. A modifier is a word, phrase, or clause used to strengthen, clarify, or intensify meaning in a sentence. Weak modifiers do not add to the meaning of a sentence and can even detract from it. Examples include “merely,” “rather,” and “fairly.”

Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. Below is a list of words considered overused adverbs:

Professors consider weak modifiers and overused adverbs filler words because they add to the word count but not the meaning. You can often improve a sentence by taking out these words. If the sentence is still lacking in meaning, try a stronger adjective or verb.

Idioms are phrases that have a meaning that can’t be figured out by knowing the meaning of the individual words. Meanings are figurative, not literal. Idioms are usually only understood by members of a certain culture or speakers of a specific language.

Common English examples include:

• “Raining cats and dogs”
• “Under the weather”
• “Once in a blue moon”

Idioms are best left to informal writing, as they can take away from the integrity of academic work. 

There’s also a chance that a non-English speaker may read your work. While they may understand English, they likely won’t understand all the idioms.

Passive Voice

Understanding passive voice can be challenging. In a sentence, you will often have an actor and a receiver of the action. When you make the receiver the subject of a sentence and the actor the object, it doesn’t read well.

Consider these two sentences:

• Active voice : Liam took Jakob to the movies.
• Passive voice : Jakob was taken to the movies by Liam.

You’ll notice that in the active example, the first person mentioned is the one doing the action. The second person is the one receiving the action. It reads much more clearly than the second example. 

It’s crucial to avoid passive voice when possible. You should even try to avoid passive voice in informal writing, as it almost always makes your writing awkward and difficult to read. 

Transitional Words

Writers use transitional words to move from one idea to another. Some transitional words have a place in writing as they can connect two ideas. Transitional words like “however” serve a purpose in writing.

Some transitional words are unnecessary. Students often think they’re making transitions between ideas or paragraphs but are just adding filler content. Examples of unnecessary transitional words include “in conclusion” and “furthermore.”

When using a transitional word, ask if it’s necessary to understand your thought. If it isn’t, you should take it out.

Colloquial Terms

Colloquial terms are words and phrases that we use in everyday speech. Colloquial terms are often slang words and can overlap with idioms. Words and phrases like “kinda,” “y’all,” and “go nuts” are all colloquialisms.

Colloquialisms take away from the formality of scholarly writing. Your professor may even think you have a poor vocabulary.

For academic writing, stick to academic language. Otherwise, your writing suffers, and you may get lower grades. Don’t forget these writing tips.

To recap, here are some phrases and words to avoid in academic writing:

• Personal Pronouns: Putting yourself in a paper weakens your research-based evidence. 
• Cliches: Cliches are overused and aren’t formal enough for a college essay.
• Contractions & Abbreviations: Shortening words is not appropriate for academic writing.
• Weak Modifiers & Overused Adverbs: These words are unnecessary and may imply that you’re trying to pad your word count.
• Idioms: Not everyone knows all idioms, especially non-English speakers.
• Passive Voice: Passive voice adds unnecessary words and makes your writing difficult to understand.
• Transitional Words: Certain transitional words aren’t needed, as they add nothing to your meaning.
• Colloquial Terms: These words/phrases aren’t appropriate for the formal tone required by academic writing.

Before submitting your assignment, check for formatting and do some proofreading. You should also use a plagiarism checker. Even if you didn’t copy, you may sometimes unintentionally plagiarize . Check your school’s style guide because you will probably need to use APA or MLA. Quetext’s software can help you create citations at the click of a button, all for free.

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Student Opinion

Should Students Let ChatGPT Help Them Write Their College Essays?

If so, how? Tell us what you are thinking, and what practical and ethical questions these new A.I. tools raise for you.

Natasha Singer

Hey, ChatGPT, can you help me write my college admissions essays?

Absolutely! Please provide me with the essay prompts and any relevant information about yourself, your experiences, and your goals.

By Katherine Schulten

Teachers: We also have a lesson plan that accompanies this Student Opinion forum.

Are you working on a college application essay? Have you sought help from an adult? How about from an A.I. chatbot like ChatGPT or Bard? Were either useful? If so, how?

The New York Times recently published two articles about the questions these new tools are raising for the college process. One explores how A.I. chatbots are upending essay-writing. The other details what happened when a reporter fed application questions from Harvard, Yale, Princeton and Dartmouth to different bots.

Here’s how the first article, “ Ban or Embrace? Colleges Wrestle With A.I.-Generated Admissions Essays ,” explains what’s going on:

The personal essay has long been a staple of the application process at elite colleges, not to mention a bane for generations of high school students. Admissions officers have often employed applicants’ essays as a lens into their unique character, pluck, potential and ability to handle adversity. As a result, some former students say they felt tremendous pressure to develop, or at least concoct, a singular personal writing voice. But new A.I. tools threaten to recast the college application essay as a kind of generic cake mix, which high school students may simply lard or spice up to reflect their own tastes, interests and experiences — casting doubt on the legitimacy of applicants’ writing samples as authentic, individualized admissions yardsticks.

The piece continues:

Some teachers said they were troubled by the idea of students using A.I. tools to produce college essay themes and texts for deeper reasons: Outsourcing writing to bots could hinder students from developing important critical thinking and storytelling skills. “Part of the process of the college essay is finding your writing voice through all of that drafting and revising,” said Susan Barber, an Advanced Placement English literature teacher at Midtown High School, a public school in Atlanta. “And I think that’s something that ChatGPT would be robbing them of.” In August, Ms. Barber assigned her 12th-grade students to write college essays. This week, she held class discussions about ChatGPT, cautioning students that using A.I. chatbots to generate ideas or writing could make their college essays sound too generic. She advised them to focus more on their personal views and voices. Other educators said they hoped the A.I. tools might have a democratizing effect. Wealthier high school students, these experts noted, often have access to resources — alumni parents, family friends, paid writing coaches — to help them brainstorm, draft and edit their college admissions essays. ChatGPT could play a similar role for students who lack such resources, they said, especially those at large high schools where overworked college counselors have little time for individualized essay coaching.

The second article, “ We Used A.I. to Write Essays for Harvard, Yale and Princeton. Here’s How It Went ,” includes this example:

Dartmouth requires applicants to explain why they want to attend the college. I primed the A.I. chatbots by asking them to write in the voice of a high school senior who was hoping to double major at Dartmouth in computer science and biology. HuggingChat churned out text with trite words and phrases — “passion,” “meaningful impact,” “rigorous academic programs” — that seemed to me like the kind of stilted formal language a high school student might imagine a college admissions reviewer would want to read.

I asked Bard to minimize the clichés and add more specific details about Dartmouth’s computing department. But it still produced some of the same standard college application language — “renowned,” “impact” — as HuggingChat. Bard also wrote that I was hoping to study with Leslie Kaelbling, whom the chatbot described as an A.I. researcher at Dartmouth. That could have caused problems if I were a high school senior and had submitted the essay Bard had fabricated as part of my Dartmouth application. Professor Kaelbling , you see, teaches at M.I.T. My takeaway: high school seniors hoping to stand out may need to do wholesale rewrites of the texts they prompt A.I. chatbots to generate. Or they could just write their own — chatbot-free — admissions essays from scratch.

Students, read both articles, and then tell us:

Do you think you would use a chatbot to help you write your personal essay for college? If so, how? For example, would you ask it to suggest topics? Help structure your writing? Generate a rough draft? Edit?

If you have already used A.I. to write or edit a personal essay, what did you think of the result? Was the experience useful to you? To what extent did you, like the Times reporter, find the output generic and clichéd? Did the bot make any errors? How, if at all, did you use the results?

Some, like the teacher quoted in the first article, worry that letting A.I. help with your essays robs you of the chance to develop your personal voice. Do you agree? Why or why not?

Do you think there is value in drafting and revising writing without help? What has that process been like for you in the past? What have you learned from it?

Some people believe that these tools will help students who don’t have easy access to college counselors or writing coaches. Do you agree? Do these chatbots make the application process more fair for students with fewer resources?

Do any of the colleges you are applying to have a policy on the use of these tools? If so, what do you think of those guidelines?

What do you think is, or should be, the purpose of a college essay? Can it really show colleges who you are? If so, is it ethical to let a bot — or even another human — help?

Now, return to the questions we started with: Should students let ChatGPT help them write their college essays? If so, how? Did your answers change as you read the related articles or looked at other students’ responses? Are you left with any questions — whether practical or ethical — about the role of this new technology?

Students 13 and older in the United States and Britain, and 16 and older elsewhere, are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public and may appear in print.

Find more Student Opinion questions here. Teachers, check out this guide to learn how you can incorporate these prompts into your classroom.

Katherine Schulten has been a Learning Network editor since 2006. Before that, she spent 19 years in New York City public schools as an English teacher, school-newspaper adviser and literacy coach. More about Katherine Schulten

Related Words and Phrases

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Rachel’s Reflections

Rcl blog 5: rhetorical essay draft and updated speech outline.

Essay Draft

The idea of a school shooting, breaking into a place of education to murder innocent children, is something so evil, yet not unheard of. As the 2000s have progressed, school shootings have ravaged the nation. Two of the most tragic massacres to date are the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in December, 2012 and the Robb Elementary School shooting in May, 2022. Former President Obama addressed the Sandy Hook incident by issuing a speech to the nation, and Ted Cruz posted a tweet, concisely acknowledging the Uvalde shooting. While both of these artifacts have the exigence of tragic elementary school violence where more than 20 lives were taken, there is a stark difference in the empathy and care put into these responses. These differences exemplify the fact that over time, Americans and leaders alike have lost their consideration for these types of disasters and it is unacceptable. Through the analysis of ethos, pathos, and commonplaces used differently in both artifacts, the growing negligence of the nation in response to solvable tragedies has become apparent and needs to be addressed.

President Obama’s speech is formulated and delivered to match the rhetorical situation. It is approximately three minutes long and responds to the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in December of 2012, aiming to empathize with and reconnect communities who were drastically affected. Obama speaks to both the American population as a whole, addressing their sadness and fears, but also the families of the victims. He connects with them personally to indicate how sorry he is for their loss, then returns to a general audience of the entire population. Obama had several constraints to adjust to, including the fact that he could not talk to families directly or be at the site of the shooting. This could have created some disconnect, yet he was able to deliver a passionate and meaningful speech despite this. Time also presents itself as a constraint, as Obama was expected to deliver his speech on the day, meaning he had very few time to prepare his speech. Despite this, Obama was able to create a memorable deliverance for families and Americans.

Analyzing from an ideological criticism, Obama uses ethos, pathos, and commonplaces to effectively connect with his audience. As the President of the United States, Obama had the responsibility to respond to this event in a timely and appropriate manner, yet he emphasized his role as a parent over his authority to reflect his genuine feelings. He utilized ethos by reacting as a parent of two young girls to better relate to the parents and families who lost loved ones in this disaster. Obama’s speech epitomizes pathos as he uses powerful connotations with the words “overwhelming grief” and “hearts are broken”. In expressing these emotions empathetically and deeply, the American audience feels Obama’s words and relates to his feelings toward this tragedy. President Obama also references several commonplaces, acknowledging community, love, innocence, education, and various life milestones that the fallen children will never get to experience. Utilizing these commonplaces allows for the American people as a whole to understand the implications of this loss in regard to the families, victims, and communities torn apart as a result. Obama truly cared, and this speech, as well as the changes made as a result are representative of that. 

A tweet by Ted Cruz serves as an opposing artifact to Obama’s speech. This tweet, posted only hours after the shooting at Robb Elementary School, attempts to comfort the Uvalde community, but starkly fails. The victims and their families, as well as the people of Texas who are scared about the events, serve as the audience once again, but Cruz also heavily acknowledges law enforcement officers, prematurely thanking them for their swift response. Cruz had several constraints, including that his tweet was posted mere hours after the event and nobody had much information about what truly happened with law enforcement that day. A tweet, unlike a speech, has a limited word count and can lack emotion as it is in writing. The combination of these constraints allowed for Cruz’ tweet to come off as senseless, especially once people found out how law enforcement stood idly outside the school as children inside were actively being murdered.

Again analyzing through the lens of an ideological criticism, this tweet contains a clear lack of connection with families and people who lost loved ones as well as a lack of empathy. Ted Cruz, as the Texas Senator, was expected to release a statement on the tragedy that occurred in his state, yet he lazily opted to release a tweet instead of a speech or any other form of more sincere media. Cruz is a father of two children himself, but does not allude to this fact at all leaving a severe disconnect between him and families. The tweet is very short and is based on fact, with no real reference to emotions. While it describes this tragedy as “horrendous”, it simply reduces the response to thoughts and prayers. There is barely any pathos, and audiences are not prompted to feel anything besides resentment toward Cruz himself from these tweets. Cruz does not reflect any real emotion or care for the shooting, and despite being a leader, gives no real indication of a desired change. Cruz does use commonplaces, including security, justice, and religion, but exempts any inclusion of family and love. His response reflects the underwhelming response of leaders to the Uvalde shooting and the lack of care for the real issue at hand – gun violence.

Despite almost identical exigencies, there are many clear differences in the responses between Barack Obama and Ted Cruz. Obama shows a clear value of empathy and life, and these responses expose how Obama cared about the families themselves, addressing them directly, while Cruz only addressed the general public and law enforcement officers. Cruz did not show enough care to directly address the families of children who were brutally murdered. The location of the incidents, as well as the difference in political parties, Obama being a Democrat and Cruz being a Republican, plays a large role in the difference in responses. Republican leaders, such as in Texas, support the National Rifle Association in their campaigns and are often sponsored by them, so speaking about gun violence compromises their position. They instead have to avoid blaming guns and resort to thanking law enforcement, something that better aligns with the views of their constituents. Democrats, such as Obama and most of Connecticut’s population, openly acknowledge the need for better gun control and the dangers of not having it, looking at this tragedy as just one example. Differences in timing contribute to the difference in responses as well, as Obama knew all the details of the shooting before delivering his speech, but Cruz was expected to respond before anyone knew all the details. This led to a clear miscommunication and a completely untrue statement about law enforcement’s quick response, when in fact their delay cost many young lives. The ten year gap between these shootings may also serve as important, as Sandy Hook was the first mass shooting at an elementary school so it shook the nation, whereas by the time Uvalde happened last year, people are desensitized to these tragedies. They are seen as trivial, which is absolutely disgusting, but contributes to the American response as well as the response of leaders. Though there are many differences, both leaders exude religion as a commonplace, both referencing prayer and God. However, while this is what Ted Cruz begins his tweet with, acknowledging thoughts and prayers as the most important thing, Obama ends his speech with this commonplace, instead prioritizing families and empathy first. The differences in these responses can really affect communities and how the public responds emotionally to a tragedy like this. 

Empathy should be the only response to tragedies like these and the fact that this has not reigned true recently is ridiculous. Civic life is about connecting with families and having a genuine value for life, especially as the leader of a community. As Republican leaders continue to deny guns as a problem, their ignorance can be generalized to all Republican Americans because they are the ones who vote in leaders who care more about guns than children’s lives. For those who are not part of the Republican party, voting and fulfilling one’s civic duty is essential to voting out careless people and voting in leaders who will make real change in regards to gun control. The state of civic life is severely threatened by gun violence, and corrective action needs to be taken to stop simply asking for thoughts and prayers when 6 year olds have baseball sized holes in their bodies and to instead start caring enough about these issues to stop them from happening. 

Speech Outline

introduction 

• Hook: December 14, 2012. As millions of teachers and students returned home to their families, 26 bodies laid dead at Sandy Hook Elementary School. 6 year olds, slaughtered, in a place where they should have been safe.
• Obama gave a speech following this tragedy addressing both the nation and the families who lost loved ones directly; says that “as a country we ”
• Constraints may be that he had to respond in a timely manner (day of?), and he wasn’t able to be on site so he had to deliver the speech remotely to a conference room instead of families face to face 
• using an ideological criticism- ethos and pathos
• ethos- as both the president his responsibility to respond and make change but also as a father his understanding of losing a child
• pathos- his word choices and delivery
• commonplaces- emphasizing love, community, and innocence connected audiences 
• president (presidents seal in the back, mentions how he is the president and has the power and the willingness to make change)
• Commonplaces of love and family
• Uses commonplaces to appeal to the whole audience
• Commonplace of life milestones- everyone in america has been a child and most people have reached the milestones of things like graduation or marriage; using these as examples allow a large audience to relate and personalized the message
• religion as a commonplace can even touch on people who are more conservative in their values and may tend to support more right wing views to listen to this speech and these problems and want change too; Obama connects differences
• uses repeated phrases like “hearts are broken” and “overwhelming grief”
• Commonplaces of family and community
• Commonplace of safety
• Barack Obama’s genuine and heartfelt response to the Sandy Hook shooting was able to comfort families and communities in a time of great tragedy and unrest (reword)
• Obamas speech is short but it contains all the necessary pieces to be impactful and connect the audience and their thinking through the use of ethos, pathos, and commonplaces 
• why i in fact delivered on my thesis? still not sure what this means 

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The Ultimate Guide to Phrases

A phrase is a small group of words that communicates a concept but isn’t a full sentence. You use phrases in your writing and your speech every day. There are lots of different kinds of phrases, some of which play a technical role in your writing and others that play a more illustrative role. No matter which role a phrase is playing, it’s achieving one simple goal: making your sentences richer by giving your words context, detail, and clarity.

Keep in mind, not all phrases are good phrases. Sometimes, common phrases actually undermine your writing by making you look less confident or making your point less clear. Know which phrases to avoid so you don’t inadvertently weaken your writing by using them. Your writing, at its best Grammarly helps you communicate confidently Write with Grammarly Even though you write and speak phrases every single day, truly understanding their mechanics can be tricky. Read on for a deep dive into the various types of phrases English speakers use and become a stronger writer, speaker, and editor by mastering the art of phrasing. 

Phrases vs. clauses

Phrases and clauses aren’t the same thing. A clause contains a subject and a predicate and in many—but not all—cases, can be a sentence on its own. In contrast, a phrase can’t be its own sentence because a phrase does not contain a subject and predicate.

Here’s a quick example of a phrase vs. a clause: 

Phrase: Meows so loudly

Clause: That cat meows so loudly

Clauses contain phrases, and sentences contain clauses. So an easy way to visualize the three are: phrases < clauses < sentences. 

  The term “phrase” is understood to mean two different things: a sentence component and a common expression. These two types of phrases are known respectively as grammatical phrases and common phrases.

Grammatical phrases

A grammatical phrase is a collection of words working together as a unit. Grammatical phrases add meaning to sentences by giving detail about one or more of the parts of speech in use. 

A grammatical phrase can clarify any part of speech—the key here is that all a phrase does is provide some detail; it doesn’t have the structure to be a clause of its own. 

Sentences don’t need to have phrases to be grammatically correct. Sometimes, a sentence only has individual words working together, like:

• Sheila skated yesterday.

It’s a short, simple sentence that paints a clear, yet stark, picture. By expanding some of those words into phrases, you get a much more detailed image of how Sheila spent her time yesterday. For example, you might write:

• Sheila skated through the park yesterday.
• Sheila skated with Dennis and Terry yesterday.
• Sheila skated on her brand-new longboard yesterday.

Grammatical phrases come in a variety of types and often, you’ll find two or more in the same sentence. Each type is named for the part of speech it modifies or the role it plays in a sentence:

An adjective phrase is a phrase that describes or otherwise provides additional meaning for an adjective. It contains an adjective and any words that modify the adjective. Here are a few examples of adjective phrases within sentences, with the adjective phrases bolded:

• That song choice was way too bold .
• She was taller than all of her classmates .

An adverbial phrase is a phrase that takes on the role of an adverb in a sentence. Adverbs modify verbs, adjectives, and other adverbs. Adverbial phrases in action look like:

• He bakes cakes every Sunday .
• We ran out of there at a breakneck speed .

A noun phrase provides detail or clarification about a noun. Examples of noun phrases include:

• My small dog barks at ducks.
• The boxy van outside has circled the block twice already.

Verb phrases are phrases that contain a verb and any linking verbs or modifiers. Like an adverbial phrase, a verb phrase plays the role of a verb in the sentence where it’s used. Examples of verb phrases include:

• Shelley has been waiting for an hour already. 
• I am writing a novel.

Prepositional

Prepositional phrases are phrases that include a preposition and its object. They can also include modifiers, but they don’t have to. A few examples of prepositional phrases include:

• The cat jumped onto the counter .
• The space under the gray shed is overgrown and needs to be cleared out.

A gerund phrase is a phrase that includes a gerund, which is a noun created by adding ing to a verb, and its modifiers. Within a sentence, a gerund phrase acts as a noun. It can be tricky to understand, so remember the definition of a noun: a person, place, thing, or concept. Often, gerunds fall into the category of “thing.” Examples of gerund phrases include:

• Competitive horseback riding is one of my favorite hobbies.
• All the neighbors are looking forward to barbecuing on Sunday .

Can you guess what an infinitive phrase is? Yep, it’s a phrase made up of an infinitive (the most basic form of a verb, often accompanied by “to”) and the words that give it clarity. A few examples of infinitive phrases within sentences are: 

• We had hoped to be there .
• Mom said to call Grandma tomorrow .

Participles are modified verbs that take on the role of adjectives. Participle phrases are phrases that contain participles and their modifiers, like:

• The continually sputtering boat finally broke down.
• The fish that swam away from its school got eaten by a shark.

An appositive phrase is a phrase that includes an appositive and the noun (or pronoun) it describes. Appositives are short descriptions that add detail about a noun by defining it. 

Here are a few examples of appositive phrases:

• Their favorite horse, a pinto named Molly , won lots of awards.
• Fairfield, a town in New Jersey , is home to 7,500 people.

Tips and tricks for grammatical phrases

Verbs playing adjectives’ roles? Verbs turned into nouns? When you break down grammatical phrases and examine how they operate within sentences, they can suddenly seem complex and confusing. Here are a few tips for getting phrases just right every time: 

• Ask yourself if the phrase you’ve chosen is making your sentence clearer or if it’s just making your sentence longer . When you’re writing, clarity is always your top priority. Conciseness is another high, but not top, priority. The most effective sentence is always one that includes enough information to make your message clear without overshadowing it with extra information.
• Read your writing aloud and listen to its rhythm. Often, sentences and phrases that look fine on a screen sound confusing or feel too long when they’re read aloud. This is especially important if you’re writing a speech, presentation, or another type of message that will be delivered verbally.
• Don’t overthink phrases. If you’re a fluent English speaker, you use all kinds of grammatical phrases in your writing and speech automatically. If you’re not sure whether a phrase is grammatically correct, Grammarly can help you out by finding punctuation mistakes, syntax errors, and weak words that can be replaced to make your message stronger.

Common phrases

As we mentioned above, grammatical phrases are just one broad category of phrases. The other category, common phrases, are pieces of figurative language that rely on the listener’s familiarity with them to be understood. When the listener (or reader) isn’t familiar with a specific phrase, they might misunderstand or misconstrue the message. Keep this in mind when you’re writing. A big part of effectively writing with your readers in mind is accurately gauging whether they’re likely to understand the phrases you use. 

Types of common phrases include:

Euphemisms are phrases that communicate specific ideas through “softer,” more polite language. Euphemisms are typically used to avoid speaking directly about subjects that evoke an unpleasant image or otherwise make the speaker or listener uncomfortable.

Common euphemisms include:

• Use the restroom instead of use the toilet 
• Passed away instead of died

A saying is a pithy phrase that uses figurative language to describe something. A few common sayings are:

• In a nutshell
• A drop in the bucket
• A piece of cake

Sayings that convey a general truth or observation—usually through metaphor—are known as adages. Two common adages are:

• A penny saved is a penny earned.
• The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

A proverb is a type of saying that, like an adage, expresses a universal truth. However, the difference is that proverbs impart advice. They are the deeper sayings that convey wisdom, such as: 

• “’Tis better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.”—Alfred Lord Tennyson
• Two wrongs don’t make a right.

Figures of speech

A figure of speech is another kind of phrase that expresses a point through symbolic language. Figures of speech are typically used for rhetorical and storytelling purposes and come in many forms, like: 

• Her car was like a rocket.
• His room was a sauna.
• The clock glared at me menacingly.
• The more you know, the more you realize you don’t know.
• He’s got a few bucks in the bank.
• The pen is mightier than the sword.
• They’ve got a lot of mouths to feed.

Fixed expressions

A fixed expression, also known as a set phrase, is a phrase that’s been cemented into our consciousness in a specific order. The key here is that the phrase doesn’t have to be in this order to express its concept, but it’s become so familiar in this order that expressing it any other way would just sound weird. 

A few examples of common fixed expressions include:

• Pain and suffering
• So to speak
• Pop the question

What do phrases mean?

So why do we repeat common sayings, even when they’re impossible to understand at face value? 

Because they’re so ingrained in our language—and nearly every language has them—that they’re often the easier way to express an idea than expressing it through literal language.  

In other words, they’re a linguistic shorthand. Think about it—if your new colleague tells you to make sure you bring a sweatshirt to work because the office is like the North Pole, you know exactly what they mean. If instead, they described the office as “really cold,” you might not be as convinced to bring the sweatshirt because “really cold” is subjective and doesn’t have the same impact that “like the North Pole” has.

However, understanding common phrases can be a bit of a paradox. To understand what somebody means when they use a common phrase, you have to already know what the phrase means—and when you’re learning a new language or becoming acquainted with a new culture, you don’t have that luxury.

When you encounter a phrase you don’t understand, tools like The Phrase Finder can be very helpful. 

Often, phrases are deeply rooted in the cultures that create them and because of this, their meanings aren’t always obvious to people outside those cultures. For example, “of flowers, the cherry blossom; of men, the warrior” is a translation of a common Japanese proverb. To somebody who doesn’t know the cherry blossom is considered the foremost flower in Japan, it isn’t obvious that this proverb is saying that warriors are the foremost among men. Instead, one might guess the proverb is saying that warriors are the most beautiful men or that the cherry blossom is the toughest flower.

Employing phrases effectively involves two different skills: understanding the parts of speech and how they operate within sentences and knowing when to deploy specific phrases to create the desired impact. Grammarly can help with both. Not only does Grammarly catch mistakes in grammar , spelling , punctuation , and more, but also its tone detector helps you get your word and phrase choices just right.