Sentence Connectors

One of the best ways to improve your writing style is to use sentence connectors. Sentence connectors are used to link
ideas from one sentence to the next and to give paragraphs coherence. Sentence connectors perform different functions
and are used to introduce, order, contrast, sequence ideas, theory, data etc. Here is a list of the most useful connectors.

Addition
Type of Connector Connector(s) Examples
Coordinating and High level positions are stressful at times, and can be harmful to your health.
Conjunction
Conjunctive adverbs in addition, additionally, furthermore, High level positions are stressful at times; furthermore, they can be harmful to
moreover, also your health
Correlative not only...but also Not only are high level positions stressful at times, but they also can be harmful
conjunctions to your health.
Prepositional phrases in addition to, along with, as well as Along with being stressful, high level positions can also be harmful to your
health.
More examples: besides further

Opposition
Type of Connector Connector(s) Examples
Coordinating conjunction but High level positions are stressful at times, but professionals can learn to manage their stress levels.
Subordinating although, despite the fact Despite the fact that high level positions are stressful at times, professionals can learn to manage
conjunctions that their stress levels.
Conjunctive adverbs however, nevertheless High level positions are stressful at times; nevertheless, professionals can learn to manage their
stress levels.
Prepositional phrases despite, in spite of In spite of the stressful nature of high level positions, professionals can learn to manage their stress
levels.

Cause / Effect
Type of Connector Connector(s) Examples
Coordinating for (cause), so (effect) Professionals can sometimes be extremely impatient, for their positions are at times rather
conjunctions stressful.
Subordinating because, since Since high level positions are at times rather stressful, professionals can sometimes be
conjunctions extremely impatient.
Conjunctive adverbs therefore, as a result, High level positions are at times rather stressful; therefore, professionals can sometimes be
consequently extremely impatient.
Prepositions because of, due to, as a result Due to the stressful nature of high level positions, professionals can sometimes be extremely
of impatient.
More examples: as a consequence accordingly for this/that reason hence thus

Comparison
Type of Connector Connector(s) Examples
Coordinating Conjunction and...too High level positions are stressful, and can be harmful to your health too.
Subordinating conjunction just as Just as high level positions are stressful, they can be harmful to your health.
Conjunctive adverbs similarly, in comparison High level positions are stressful at times; similarly, they can be harmful to your health.
Prepositions like, similar to Similar to other important professions, high level business positions are stressful at times.
More examples: likewise correspondingly by the same token in the same way

Contrast
Type of Connector Connector(s) Examples
Coordinating but High level positions are stressful at times, but the financial rewards make these positions very
conjunction desirable indeed.
Subordinating whereas, while While high level positions are stressful at times, the financial rewards make these positions very
conjunctions desirable indeed.
Conjunctive adverbs in contrast, on the other High level positions are stressful at times; on the other hand, the financial rewards make these
hand positions very desirable indeed.
Prepositions unlike Unlike the undesirable stress of high level positions, the financial rewards make these positions very
desirable indeed.
More examples: however yet still
nonetheless nevertheless even so
in spite of this despite that/this

Condition
Type of Connector Connector(s) Examples
Subordinating if, unless, only if, If you consider the financial rewards of high level positions, the stressful nature of these positions becomes
conjunctions even if less important.
Conjunctive adverb otherwise You should remember the financial rewards of high level positions; otherwise, you might find the stressful
nature of these positions too demanding.
Source: http://esl.about.com
Other sentence connectors are :

Logical / sequential order Order of importance

 first (firstly, first of all, to begin with, in the  most / more importantly
first place, for one thing )
 secondly (second, in the second place, for another
 most significantly
thing)  above all
 thirdly (third, in the third place)  primarily
 next, last, lastly, last of all, finally  it is essential / essentially

Emphasis Explanation
in fact indeed as a matter of fact actually that is namely in other words that is to say
Particularization Exemplification
in particular particularly specifically for instance for example to illustrate

ACTIVITY
Fıll the blanks with the proper connector.

1. Mary worked hard. ____________________, John hardly did any work at all.
2. She studied diligently for several months. _______________________, she failed.
3. He is quite wealthy. _____________, he is one of the richest men in Italy.
4. There is only one topic to discuss, _____________, the question of our corporate
policies.
5. Women generally live longer than men. ________________, in the United States life
expectancy for women is 75, while it is 73 for men.
6. We still needed to arrange several details for the trip. ________________, we had to
make train reservations as well as decide on the final itinerary.
7. They'll be here soon. ______________________, let's have coffee.
8. I read the morning papers for a while. _______________________, I took a shower.
9. _____________________, I didn’t like him. Later, ________________ , we had to work
together and now we’re close friends.
10. Nick works for us; _____________________, he writes articles for a local newspaper.
11. Living in a big city offers good job opportunities. ________________________, it
provides good educational opportunities.
12. He passed his exams. _________________________________, he can.
13. He lacks self-confidence. ______________________, he is unlikely to be successful.