CONNECTORS

1. Adding Information
• And: Basic addition (e.g., "I like reading and writing.")

• Moreover / Furthermore / In addition: Used for formal or semi-formal contexts (e.g., "He’s
hardworking. Furthermore, he’s reliable.")

• Also: Adds extra information (e.g., "She’s very kind. Also, she’s quite funny.")

• As well as: Adds information, often more softly (e.g., "She speaks French as well as
Spanish.")

2. Showing Contrast

• But: Simple contrast (e.g., "I want to go, but I’m busy.")

• However: Formal contrast (e.g., "It’s a great idea; however, it’s risky.")

• On the other hand: Shows a different side (e.g., "It’s a nice job. On the other hand, it’s very
demanding.")

• Although / Even though: Used at the beginning or middle to show contrast (e.g., "Although it
was raining, we went out.")

• Whereas / While: Shows contrast between two things (e.g., "She likes spicy food, whereas I
don’t.")

3. Giving Examples

• For example / For instance: Introduces an example (e.g., "She likes outdoor activities, for
instance, hiking and cycling.")

• Such as: Lists examples (e.g., "We need supplies such as pens, notebooks, and folders.")

• Including: Lists some items as part of a group (e.g., "Many people, including my friends, love
that show.")

4. Showing Cause and Effect

• Because / Since: Explains why (e.g., "She’s staying home because she’s not feeling well.")

• So: Shows result (e.g., "It was late, so we decided to leave.")

• Therefore: More formal cause/effect (e.g., "The roads were icy; therefore, we took public
transport.")

• As a result / Consequently: Highlights the outcome (e.g., "She didn’t study. As a result, she
failed the test.")

5. Expressing Purpose

• To / In order to: Shows purpose (e.g., "I’m saving money to buy a new car.")
 • So that: Explains reason (e.g., "I’ll write it down so that I don’t forget.")

• For: Used with a noun to explain reason (e.g., "She went to the store for milk.")

6. Showing Sequence or Order

• First, Second, Third: To list points in order (e.g., "First, we’ll eat. Second, we’ll go for a walk.")

• Next / Then / After that: Shows progression (e.g., "We’ll eat lunch, then we’ll go out.")

• Finally / Lastly: Concludes a sequence (e.g., "Finally, don’t forget to check your work.")

• Before / After: Shows sequence in time (e.g., "Let’s eat before we leave.")

7. Expressing Similarity

• Similarly: Shows a similarity (e.g., "She loves cooking. Similarly, her brother enjoys baking.")

• In the same way: Emphasizes sameness (e.g., "I study every night, in the same way, my
friend practices daily.")

• Likewise: Shows agreement or similarity (e.g., "She’s an artist, and her mother is likewise
talented.")

8. Emphasizing a Point
• Actually / In fact: To clarify or emphasize (e.g., "I thought it would be difficult; in fact, it was
easy.")

• Indeed: Adds emphasis, often in formal contexts (e.g., "Indeed, this is an impressive
achievement.")

• Especially / Particularly: Focuses on a specific part (e.g., "I love fruit, especially
strawberries.")

9. Summing Up or Concluding

• In conclusion / To sum up: Formal conclusion (e.g., "In conclusion, it’s best to be prepared.")

• Overall: General summary (e.g., "Overall, it was a great experience.")

• All in all: Summing up informally (e.g., "All in all, we had a fantastic day.")

• To summarize: Brief summary (e.g., "To summarize, she made several key points.")

10. Expressing Conditions

• If: Simple condition (e.g., "If it rains, we’ll stay inside.")

• Unless: Shows exception (e.g., "I’ll go unless it’s too late.")

• As long as / Provided that: Sets a condition (e.g., "You can borrow my car as long as you
drive safely.")

• Whether or not: Shows that something will happen regardless of the conditions (e.g., "I’ll go
to the gym whether or not it’s busy.")

11. Clarifying or Rephrasing

• That is to say: Adds more detail (e.g., "He’s a linguist, that is to say, he studies languages.")

• To put it simply: Makes something clearer or easier (e.g., "The project is complex. To put it
simply, it requires teamwork.")

• Namely: Provides specifics (e.g., "Several countries participated, namely Japan, India, and
Brazil.")

12. Indicating Time or Frequency

• Meanwhile: Indicates simultaneous events (e.g., "I was cooking, and meanwhile, he was
setting the table.")

• Afterwards: Shows what happens next (e.g., "We’ll have lunch; afterwards, we’ll go
shopping.")

• Eventually: Shows something happening after some time (e.g., "He searched for hours, and
eventually found his keys.")
• From time to time: Shows occasional frequency (e.g., "We meet from time to time.")

13. Emphasizing a Contradiction

• Nevertheless / Nonetheless: Despite something (e.g., "It was raining; nevertheless, they
played the game.")

• Despite / In spite of: Shows contrast with nouns/gerunds (e.g., "Despite the traffic, we
arrived on time.")

• Still: Softens contradiction (e.g., "The hike was tough, but still, it was worth it.")

• On the contrary: Opposes a previous idea (e.g., "Some say it’s easy. On the contrary, it’s
quite challenging.")

14. Giving Reasons or Explanations

• Due to: Formal way of giving a reason (e.g., "The event was canceled due to rain.")

• Owing to: Similar to “due to” in formal settings (e.g., "Owing to a lack of interest, the class
was postponed.")

• For this reason: Introduces a cause or reason (e.g., "He was late. For this reason, we started
without him.")

• Because of: Used before a noun or noun phrase (e.g., "The game was delayed because of the
rain.")

15. Expressing a Limitation or Exception

• Except for: Excludes something (e.g., "The park was empty, except for a few people.")

• Apart from: Shows a difference or exception (e.g., "Apart from the ending, the movie was
great.")
 • Besides: Adds an alternative idea or exception (e.g., "We don’t have time. Besides, it’s
raining.")

16. Stressing Importance

• Above all: Highlights the most important point (e.g., "She’s smart, kind, and, above all,
trustworthy.")

• Primarily: Shows the main reason or aspect (e.g., "The festival is held primarily for charity.")

• Essentially: Summarizes the core idea (e.g., "He’s essentially an optimist.")

17. Highlighting Similarity

• Equally: Indicates that two things are alike in importance (e.g., "Both candidates are equally
qualified.")

• Not only…but also: Adds emphasis on two related points (e.g., "She’s not only a great singer
but also an excellent dancer.")