Linking words

Linking words are an important way of developing a logical flow of ideas. They act as signposts for the reader so they can follow the way the writer has organised their ideas.

Develop cohesion

Linking words and phrases show the relationship between different ideas. They can show contrast, comparison, a sequence, add additional information, provide emphasis, and show cause and effect.

Example

In this example, notice how the writer uses linking words to develop the flow of their argument.

The Australian preferential voting system ensures the chosen candidate reflects the choice of most voters. In this system, voters rank candidates in order of preference on their ballots, instead of picking just one (Liu, 2024). For example¹Screen reader users, this is a linking word., if no candidate gets more than half of the first-choice votes, the candidate with the least votes is removed. Consequently¹Screen reader users, this is a linking word., their votes are given to the next preferred candidate on those ballots. Therefore¹Screen reader users, this is a linking word., this process helps to ensure that the winning candidate has wider support among voters.

Show connections between the ideas

Linking words enable the writer to show the connections between ideas.

Example

In this example, notice how the use of linking words emphasises the writer’s analysis of their research.

One factor within the team that seems to be important is the notion of team cohesiveness. Significantly¹Screen reader users, this is a linking word., team cohesiveness enables a diverse group of individuals to work towards common goals. Maxwell (2011, p.107) argues that highly cohesive teams ‘have clear goals and successful outcomes’. For example¹Screen reader users, this is a linking word., cohesive teams are more likely to work well together, have enthusiasm for their work (Brown 2009) and so achieve a high rate of success (Zheng & Hui 2008). Therefore¹Screen reader users, this is a linking word., team cohesiveness has been shown to enhance team effectiveness.

Common linking words

All sentences in a paragraph need to relate to the main idea in the topic sentence. The reader should be able to see how each sentence flows from the previous one and how each is connected to the topic sentence. Linking words and phrases weave sentences together to create a cohesive paragraph.