Posted in Academic Tips

Top Helpful Words to Use in an Essay

To truly get the message across to your reader – the professor – your essay has to have brilliant wording. You could make a great point but if you say it poorly, your grade won’t be as good as you hoped for. There are some good words to use in essays that could make all the difference.

Here are some of those essay words.

Explaining words

    • In order to

This phrase can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument.

    • In other words

You can use this phrase when you want to explain something but in different words to make it easier to understand.

    • To put it another way

This phrase is another way of saying “in other words” and it’s used to simplify complex points.

Additional information – replacing “and”

    • Furthermore

This is one of the best words to use in an essay – it’s used to add more information.

    • Similarly

This word is also used to add more information, but in this case that information is similar.

    • As well as

This phrase can replace the words “also” and “and”.

    • What’s more

Use it the same way you would use “moreover” or “furthermore”.

    • Likewise

Use this when you want to add something that agrees with your previous point.

Demonstrating contrast – replacing “but”

    • However

Use this word in your essay when you want to introduce something that disagrees with something you just said.

    • On the other hand

This phrase can be used similarly to “however”.

    • Then again

Use this phrase to cast doubt on something.

    • Having said that

You can use this phrase in the same way you would use “on the other hand”.

    • Yet

Use this to introduce a contrasting idea.

General explaining

    • Nevertheless

Use this phrase to introduce a point that stands despite the lack of evidence.

    • Significantly

Use this word to introduce or highlight something important.

    • Notably

You can use this word the same way as “significantly”. You can also use this word instead of “in particular”.

    • For instance

This phrase is most commonly used to introduce an example of the previous statement. You can also use “for example” or “to illustrate the point”.

Closing your essay

    • In conclusion

You can use this phrase to introduce a closing paragraph or a sentence in an essay. It summarizes your main points.

    • All things considered

This phrase means “taking everything into account” and it introduces a conclusion based on all of the information you have provided.

    • Above all

This phrase introduces your main point, the main conclusion and the main message of your essay.

There you have it – some of the best phrases to include in your essays. They can replace mundane words and add more flair to your style of writing.

transition words and phrases

Source: Smart Words