Signal Words

In order to be able to lead your reader in the direction you want to go, you will have to use strong transitions in your writing. You can do that in several ways: by using entire sentences to connect one thought to another, entire paragraphs to give more background information, or simply a word or two to indicate your intentions.

This list of signals is from The New Reading Teacher's Book of Lists, 1985 Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632. By E. Fry, D. Fountoukidis, and J. Polk.

1. Continuation Signals (Warning—there are more ideas to come):

and	also	another	again	and finally
first of all	A final reason	furthermore	in addition	last of all
moreover	likewise	more	moreover	next
one reason	other	secondly	similarly	too
with

2. Change-of-direction signals (Watch out—we’re doubling back):

although	but	conversely	despite	different from
even though	however	in contrast	instead of	in spite of
nevertheless	otherwise	the opposite	on the contrary	on the other hand
rather	still	yet	while	though

3. Sequence signals (There is an order to these ideas):

first, second, third	A, B, C	in the first place	for one thing	then
next	before	now	after	while
into (far into the night)	until	last	during	since
always	O’clock	on time	later	earlier

4. Illustration signals (Here’s what that principle means in reality):

for example	specifically	for instance	to illustrate	such as
much like	in the same way as	similar to

5. Emphasis signals (This is important):

a major development	it all boils down to	a significant factor	most of all	a primary concern
most noteworthy	key feature	more than anything else	a major event	pay particular attention to
a vital force	remember that	a central issue	should be noted	a distinctive quality
the most substantial issue	above all	the main value	especially important	the basic concept
especially relevant	the crux of the matter	especially valuable	the chief outcome	important to note
the principal item

6. Cause, condition, or result signals (Condition or modification coming up):

because	if	of	for	from
so	while	then	but	that
until	since	as	whether	in order that
so that	therefore	unless	yet	thus
due to	resulting from	consequently

7. Spatial signals (Answers the “where” question):

between	on	by	here	there
left	right	these	close to	near
this	side	middle	west	beside
east	about	north	south	around
over	under	away	in front of	across
into	behind	toward	beyond	above
below	opposite	upon	outside	upon
outside	inside	alongside	over	out
far	in	adjacent	near	next to

8. Comparison-contrast signals (We will now compare idea A with idea B):

and	or	also	too	best
most	either	less	less than	more than
same	better	even	then	half
much as	like	analogous to	but	different from
still	yet	however	although	opposite
rather	while	though

9. Conclusion signals (This ends the discussion and may have special importance):

as a result	consequently	finally	from this we see	in conclusion
in summary	hence	last of all	therefore

10. Fuzz signals (Idea not exact, or author to positive and wishes to qualify a statement):

almost	if	looks like	maybe	could
some	except	should	alleged	nearly
might	reputed	seems like	was reported	purported
sort of	probably

11. Non-word emphasis signals

exclamation point (!)	underline	italics	bold type	subheads, like The Conclusion
indention of paragraph	graphic illustrations	numbered points (1,2,3)	very short sentence: Stop War.	“quotation marks”