40 useful words and phrases

8/17/2019 40 Useful Words and Phrases

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40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-NotchEssays25 August, 2014

The secret to a successful essay doesn’t just lie in the clever things you talk

about and the way you structure your points.

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a greatpoint, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered. Developingthe language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to writeoutstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to euip you with the wordsand phrases you need to write a top!notch essay, along with e"amples of how to utilisethem. It’s by no means an e"haustive list, and there will often be other ways of using thewords and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should bemore than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay!writingskills # whether you’re a native $nglish speaker or taking your %rst steps into writing essaysin $nglish.

General explaining&et’s start by looking at language for general e"planations of comple" points.

'. In order toUsage( )In order to* can be used to introduce an e"planation for the purpose of anargument.Example( )In order to understand +, we need %rst to understand Y.*

. In other wordsUsage( -se )in other words* when you want to e"press something in a dierent way /moresimply0, to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or e"pand on a point.Example( )1rogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.*

2. To put it another wayUsage( This phrase is another way of saying )in other words*, and can be used in particularlycomple" points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help thereader achieve a better understanding of its signi%cance.Example( )3lants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without thesun.*

4. That is to sayUsage( )That is* and )that is to say* can be used to add further detail to your e"planation, orto be more precise.Example( )5hales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.*

6. To that endUsage( -se )to that end* or )to this end* in a similar way to )in order to* or )so*.Example( )7oologists 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 theirpossible meanings.*

dding additional information to support apoint8tudents often make the mistake of using synonyms of )and* each time they want to addfurther information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument. 9ere aresome cleverer ways of doing this.

:. ;oreoverUsage( $mploy )moreover* at the start of a sentence to add e"tra information in support of apoint you’re making.

Example( );oreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence insupport of


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=. 1urthermoreUsage(This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add e"tra information.Example( )1urthermore, there is evidence to suggest that. 5hat’s moreUsage( This is used in the same way as )moreover* and )furthermore*.

Example( )5hat’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.*?. &ikewiseUsage( -se )likewise* when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve

just mentioned.Example( )8cholar @ believes +. &ikewise, 8cholar A argues compellingly in favour of thispoint of view.*

'B. 8imilarlyUsage( -se )similarly* in the same way as )likewise*.Example( )@udiences at the time reacted with shock to Aeethoven’s new work, because itwas very dierent to what they were used to. 8imilarly, we have a tendency to react withsurprise to the unfamiliar.*

''. @nother key thing to rememberUsage( -se the phrase )another key point to remember* or )another key fact to remember*to introduce additional facts without using the word )also*.Example( )@s a Comantic, Alake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humansand nature. @nother key point to remember is that Alake was writing during the IndustrialCevolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.*

'. @s well asUsage( -se )as well as* instead of )also* or )and*.Example( )8cholar @ argued that this was due to +, as well as Y.*

'2. ot only< but alsoUsage( This wording is used to add an e"tra piece of information, often something that’s insome way more surprising or une"pected than the %rst piece of information.Example( )ot only did $dmund 9illary have the honour of being the %rst to reach thesummit of $verest, but he was also appointed Enight Fommander of the Grder of the Aritish

$mpire.*

'4. Foupled withUsage( -sed when considering two or more arguments at a time.Example( )Foupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of. Gn the other handUsage( -sage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same


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piece of evidence, a dierent piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposingopinion.Example! )The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear!cut situation. Gn the otherhand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of whathappened that day.*

'?. 9aving said thatUsage( -sed in a similar manner to )on the other hand* or )but*.Example( )The historians are unanimous in telling us +, an agreement that suggests thatthis version of events must be an accurate account. 9aving said that, the archaeology tells adierent story.*

B. Ay contrastHin comparisonUsage( -se )by contrast* or )in comparison* when you’re comparing and contrasting piecesof evidence.Example( )8cholar @’s opinion, then, is based on insucient evidence. Ay contrast, 8cholarA’s opinion seems more plausible.*

'. Then againUsage( -se this to cast doubt on an assertion.Example( )5riter @ asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’spossible that he was being paid to say this.*

. That saidUsage( This is used in the same way as )then again*.Example( )The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much ofthe evidence is unreliable at best.*

2. YetUsage( -se this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea.Example( );uch of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees thatthis is the most important aspect of the situation.*

dding a pro"iso or ac#nowledging

reser"ations8ometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add aproviso. 9ere are some ways of doing so.

4. Despite thisUsage( -se )despite this* or )in spite of this* when you want to outline a point that standsregardless of a shortfalling in the evidence.Example( )The sample siJe was small, but the results were important despite this.*

6. 5ith this in mindUsage( -se this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge ofsomething else.Example( )5e’ve seen that the methods used in the '?th century study did not always liveup to the rigorous standards e"pected in scienti%c research today, which makes it dicult todraw de%nite conclusions. 5ith this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how theresults compare.*

:. 3rovided thatUsage( This means )on condition that*. You can also say )providing that* or just )providing*to mean the same thing.Example( )5e may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear inmind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.*

=. In view ofHin light of Usage( These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else.Example( )In light of the evidence from the B'2 study, we have a better understandingof. onetheless

Usage( This is similar to )despite this*.Example( )The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.*


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?. everthelessUsage( This is the same as )nonetheless*.Example( )The study was Kawed, but it was important nevertheless.*

2B. otwithstandingUsage( This is another way of saying )nonetheless*.

Example( )otwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an importantstudy in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.*

Gi"ing examplesLood essays always back up points with e"amples, but it’s going to get boring if you use thee"pression )for e"ample* every time. 9ere are a couple of other ways of saying the samething.

2'. 1or instanceExample( )8ome birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. 8wallows, for instance,leave the -E in early winter and Ky south


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Example( )The most compelling argument is presented by 8cholar @.*

4B. @ll things consideredUsage( This means )taking everything into account*.Example( )@ll things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that

40 useful words and phrases

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