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Have you ever felt stuck while writing your essays? Do you have ideas to share but you’re not sure how to phrase them or how to link them together? Don’t worry, we’ve all been there!
Here are some phrases that you can use in your essays to help you out. Make sure you keep this list handy the next time you’re writing!
Useful Phrases For Your Essay Introduction
All essays will need to have a short introduction paragraph. An easy way to begin your essay is by paraphrasing the essay question. Simply replace some of the words with synonyms and tweak the sentence structure appropriately.
We’ve also listed down several different approaches that you can use to write your introduction alongside some sample phrases to use or incorporate into your essay introduction.
Defining or explaining the keyword(s)
Climate change refers to long-term changes in temperatures and typical weather patterns.
Briefly explain the origin of the problem or give a summary of the issue
Social media has become part and parcel of many people’s lives despite concerns about the dangers that it may bring.
Share a fact or statement
Did you know that …?
There are over …
Use a rhetorical question
Should cigarettes be banned completely?
Can animal testing be justified?
State your answer/view
This essay believes that …
I strongly agree/disagree …
I believe that the harms of [X] outweigh the benefits.
It is often said that … However, I believe that …
This essay will demonstrate/outline/argue …
You’d find that the phrases above are particularly useful for persuasive essays where you’re asked to share your opinions or arguments on the given topic. You could also combine some of the different phrases above to form your introduction. For more tips about how to write a persuasive essay, click here.
Useful Phrases To Link Ideas In Your Essay
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Signposting means using phrases and words to guide the reader through your essay. This is important because it keeps your essay well-organized and ensures that the ideas in your essay are conveyed effectively.
Sentence connectors are words that help signpost and link ideas or paragraphs in an essay. Below you will find some examples of these introductory phrases to use in your essay.
To demonstrate sequence or flow
Firstly, …
Secondly, …
Finally, …
Then, …
Next, …
After that, …
Subsequently, …
To introduce new arguments
Besides that, …
In addition,
Furthermore, …
Moreover, …
Similarly, …
On top of that, …
Another aspect to look at …
Building on from that …
To demonstrate a contrasting view or exceptions
However, …
On the other hand, …
Having said that, …
In contrast, …
Alternatively,
Yet, …
Despite …
In spite of …
Words that can be used to emphasise something or signify the importance
Notably, …
More importantly, …
More significantly, …
… definitely …
Obviously, …
Inevitably, …
Undeniably, …
Phrases to show the results of something
Therefore,
As a result, …
It can be seen that …
This suggests that …
It is evident that …
Useful Phrases To Elaborate And Give Examples
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Whenever you introduce a point or an idea, you should always back it up with explanations and examples to make it more convincing and interesting. These are some useful phrases to use in your essay to help you explain your points.
To elaborate
In other words, …
To put it in another way, …
Simply put, …
To give examples
For example, …
For instance, …
… such as …
In particular, …
Useful Phrases To Summarise Your Essay
Whenever you introduce a point or an idea, you should always back it up with explanations and examples to make it more convincing and interesting. These are some useful phrases to use in your essay to help you explain your points.
To elaborate
In other words, …
To put it in another way, …
Simply put, …
To give examples
For example, …
For instance, …
… such as …
In particular, …
Useful Phrases To Introduce Quotations
Have you ever wanted to quote someone or mention their ideas in your essay but are not sure how to do so? We’ve included some examples of phrases below that you can use in your essays!
According to X, …
As X always says, ‘…’
X argues that …
As demonstrated/stated by X, …
Useful Phrases To Summarise Your Essay
At the end of your essay, you will need to write a short conclusion paragraph. Remember not to introduce any new points in your conclusion. You should instead take this opportunity to summarise your essay.
Here are several ways you can conclude your essay alongside some sample phrases for you to use:
Summarise main points
In conclusion, …
To sum it up, …
In a nutshell, …
Reaffirm your opinion/argument
Therefore, I believe that …
It is important for us to …
It is clear that …
It has been established that …
Impactful closing sentence
If we don’t do something now, …
It is not too late to …
In the end, …
Suggestion/Rhetorical Question
Will you join the fight against climate change?
Why not get your Covid-19 booster today?
Call to action (if relevant)
Book an appointment today!
Don’t miss out on the offer!
Using Idioms To Spice Up Your Essays
Idioms are sayings and expressions used to convey figurative meanings that are different from their literal meanings. The meaning of these phrases is often universally understood by speakers of the same language.
When writing, idioms allow you to convey thoughts and messages in a concise and creative manner. Using these phrases in your essay also makes it interesting and shows off your English language skills. For a list of common idioms to use for your essays, click here.
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