1st grammar entry

• Linking Words

Linking words are essential for our writing to be natural and clear.
Linking devices vary in three ways:

a) Position in the text.

Some linking words normally form a link between clauses within a sentence.

and / but / so / because / then / until / such as ...

Another type of linking device is used to form a link between sentences. These words must start with a capital letter and are usually immediately followed by a comma:

Furthermore / Moreover / However / Nevertheless / Therefore/ In conclusion ...


Most linking words, however, can either start a sentence or form a link between sentences.

b) The function of linking words

Linking devices are neither nouns, nor verbs. They provide a text with cohesion and illustrate how the parts of the text relate to each other.
This way, linking words may add extra information to the main point, contrast ideas, express cause and effect, show exactly when something happened (narrating), express purpose (why?) and opinion, list examples, make conclusions and give emphasis.

c) Grammatical differences

Some linking words must be followed by a clause (Subject + Verb + Object).

while / why / because / although / so / when ...

Other linking words should be followed by a noun phrase (Linking word + (the) + Noun/Pronoun or gerund)

because of / despite / during / in spite of ...

The majority of linking devices can be followed by either a noun phrase or a clause.

Here is a list of the principal linking words in English, their function and if their position is usually fixed.

1. Adding : and / as well as / besides / Moreover/ Furthermore/ What is more/ In addition/
not only .... but also / another point is that ...
1.1. Relative clauses : who / where / that / which / whose / to whom/ when / what/ why...

2. Contrasting : but/ However /Although /despite / In spite of /Nevertheless/On the contrary / on the one hand / on the other hand/ while / but while /For one thing/In contrast ...

3. Expressing cause and/or reason : because / as /since /As a result /This is why /because of /Due to /Owing to / For this reason ...

4.Expressing effect and/or result : so/so....that/such a...that /Therefore /Thus /Consequently / too...for,to /not enough...for,to /

5. Expressing opinion: I would say that /In my opinion /I think (that) /I believe (that) /Personally / Apparently...

6. Summing up : All in all /overall /generally /In conclusion /on the whole /in the main /
To sum up ...

7. Expressing opinion : I would say that / In my opinion /I think (that) /I believe (that)Personally /Apparently...

Source :http://www.vivquarry.com/wkshts/linkwd.html