Connectors

Also called discourse markers, connectors guide readers through the piece of writing by emphasizing the important elements and connecting ideas, sentences, and paragraphs. If these connectors are not present in the text, readers may have to spend too much time trying to understand the message the author wants to express, thus making the literary work ineffective at its ultimate objective: to communicate. As English learners, we are still developing our writing style, so it is time to widen our vision of the tools we can use in our works. The following categorization of discourse markers will give us a hint on how to use them.

ADDING

and

also

as well as

moreover

too

furthermore

additionally

SEQUENCING

first, second, third…

finally

next

meanwhile

after

then

subsequently   

ILLUSTRATING

for example

such as

for instance

in the case of

as revealed by…

illustrated by

CAUSE and EFFECT

because

so

therefore

thus

consequently

hence

COMPARING

similarly

likewise

as with

like

equally

in the same way..

QUALIFYING

but

however

although

unless

except

apart from

as long as

if            

CONTRASTING

whereas

instead of

alternatively

otherwise

unlike

on the other hand..

conversely        

EMPHASISING

above all

in particular

especially

significantly

indeed

notably

Now let's try with these exercises:

There is no more food left. ______ there is plenty of drinks.

Wash the potatoes first. ______ you can boil them.

We have been trying to contact Michael for the past few days. ______ we managed to trace him to a hotel in town.

Life in the country may not be as exciting as life in the city. ______ you are close to nature which provides peace and quietness.

Lopez has experienced poverty and hardship before. ______ he has a sympathetic heart towards the poor and needy.

Here is a more didactic explanation of some of the words shown before: