Summer School 2023 is filling up fast. Enrol online now or call +44 1865 954800 to book your place
- 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays
To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.
Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.
It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.
This article is suitable for native English speakers and those who are learning English at Oxford Royale Academy and are just taking their first steps into essay writing.
General explaining
Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.
1. In order to
Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”
2. In other words
Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”
3. To put it another way
Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”
4. That is to say
Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”
5. To that end
Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”
Adding additional information to support a point
Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.
6. Moreover
Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”
7. Furthermore
Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”
8. What’s more
Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”
9. Likewise
Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”
10. Similarly
Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”
11. Another key thing to remember
Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”
12. As well as
Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”
13. Not only… but also
Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”
14. Coupled with
Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”
15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…
Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.
16. Not to mention/to say nothing of
Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”
Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast
When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.
17. However
Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”
18. On the other hand
Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”
19. Having said that
Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”
20. By contrast/in comparison
Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”
21. Then again
Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”
22. That said
Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”
Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”
Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations
Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.
24. Despite this
Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”
25. With this in mind
Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”
26. Provided that
Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”
27. In view of/in light of
Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”
28. Nonetheless
Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”
29. Nevertheless
Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”
30. Notwithstanding
Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”
Giving examples
Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.
31. For instance
Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”
32. To give an illustration
Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”
Signifying importance
When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.
33. Significantly
Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”
34. Notably
Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”
35. Importantly
Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”
Summarising
You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.
36. In conclusion
Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”
37. Above all
Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”
38. Persuasive
Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”
39. Compelling
Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”
40. All things considered
Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”
How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.
At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , politics , business , medicine and engineering .
One response to “40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays”
Thanks in favor of sharing such a pleasant idea, post is pleasant, thats why i have read it fully
Leave a Reply Cancel reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
- Features for Creative Writers
- Features for Work
- Features for Higher Education
- Features for Teachers
- Features for Non-Native Speakers
- Learn Blog Grammar Guide Events Community Academy eBooks Free Grammar Checker
Grammar Guide
- Free Grammar Checker
Words to Use in an Essay: 300 Essay Words
Hannah Yang
Speculative Fiction Author
It’s not easy to write an academic essay.
Many students struggle to word their arguments in a logical and concise way.
To make matters worse, academic essays need to adhere to a certain level of formality, so we can’t always use the same word choices in essay writing that we would use in daily life.
If you’re struggling to choose the right words for your essay, don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place!
In this article, we’ve compiled a list of over 300 words and phrases to use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay.
Words to Use in the Essay Introduction
Words to use in the body of the essay, words to use in your essay conclusion, how to improve your essay writing vocabulary.
The introduction is one of the hardest parts of an essay to write.
You have only one chance to make a first impression, and you want to hook your reader. If the introduction isn’t effective, the reader might not even bother to read the rest of the essay.
That’s why it’s important to be thoughtful and deliberate with the words you choose at the beginning of your essay.
Many students use a quote in the introductory paragraph to establish credibility and set the tone for the rest of the essay.
When you’re referencing another author or speaker, try using some of these phrases:
- To use the words of X
- According to X
- As X states
Example: To use the words of Hillary Clinton, “You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health.”
Near the end of the introduction, you should state the thesis to explain the central point of your paper.
If you’re not sure how to introduce your thesis, try using some of these phrases:
- In this essay, I will…
- The purpose of this essay…
- This essay discusses…
- In this paper, I put forward the claim that…
- There are three main arguments for…
Example: In this essay, I will explain why dress codes in public schools are detrimental to students.
After you’ve stated your thesis, it’s time to start presenting the arguments you’ll use to back up that central idea.
When you’re introducing the first of a series of arguments, you can use the following words:
- First and foremost
- First of all
- To begin with
Example: First , consider the effects that this new social security policy would have on low-income taxpayers.
All these words and phrases will help you create a more successful introduction and convince your audience to read on.
The body of your essay is where you’ll explain your core arguments and present your evidence.
It’s important to choose words and phrases for the body of your essay that will help the reader understand your position and convince them you’ve done your research.
Let’s look at some different types of words and phrases that you can use in the body of your essay, as well as some examples of what these words look like in a sentence.
Transition Words and Phrases
Transitioning from one argument to another is crucial for a good essay.
It’s important to guide your reader from one idea to the next so they don’t get lost or feel like you’re jumping around at random.
Transition phrases and linking words show your reader you’re about to move from one argument to the next, smoothing out their reading experience. They also make your writing look more professional.
The simplest transition involves moving from one idea to a separate one that supports the same overall argument. Try using these phrases when you want to introduce a second correlating idea:
- Additionally
- In addition
- Furthermore
- Another key thing to remember
- In the same way
- Correspondingly
Example: Additionally , public parks increase property value because home buyers prefer houses that are located close to green, open spaces.
Another type of transition involves restating. It’s often useful to restate complex ideas in simpler terms to help the reader digest them. When you’re restating an idea, you can use the following words:
- In other words
- To put it another way
- That is to say
- To put it more simply
Example: “The research showed that 53% of students surveyed expressed a mild or strong preference for more on-campus housing. In other words , over half the students wanted more dormitory options.”
A grammar guru, style editor, and writing mentor in one package.
Often, you’ll need to provide examples to illustrate your point more clearly for the reader. When you’re about to give an example of something you just said, you can use the following words:
- For instance
- To give an illustration of
- To exemplify
- To demonstrate
- As evidence
Example: Humans have long tried to exert control over our natural environment. For instance , engineers reversed the Chicago River in 1900, causing it to permanently flow backward.
Sometimes, you’ll need to explain the impact or consequence of something you’ve just said.
When you’re drawing a conclusion from evidence you’ve presented, try using the following words:
- As a result
- Accordingly
- As you can see
- This suggests that
- It follows that
- It can be seen that
- For this reason
- For all of those reasons
- Consequently
Example: “There wasn’t enough government funding to support the rest of the physics experiment. Thus , the team was forced to shut down their experiment in 1996.”
When introducing an idea that bolsters one you’ve already stated, or adds another important aspect to that same argument, you can use the following words:
- What’s more
- Not only…but also
- Not to mention
- To say nothing of
- Another key point
Example: The volcanic eruption disrupted hundreds of thousands of people. Moreover , it impacted the local flora and fauna as well, causing nearly a hundred species to go extinct.
Often, you'll want to present two sides of the same argument. When you need to compare and contrast ideas, you can use the following words:
- On the one hand / on the other hand
- Alternatively
- In contrast to
- On the contrary
- By contrast
- In comparison
Example: On the one hand , the Black Death was undoubtedly a tragedy because it killed millions of Europeans. On the other hand , it created better living conditions for the peasants who survived.
Finally, when you’re introducing a new angle that contradicts your previous idea, you can use the following phrases:
- Having said that
- Differing from
- In spite of
- With this in mind
- Provided that
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
- Notwithstanding
Example: Shakespearean plays are classic works of literature that have stood the test of time. Having said that , I would argue that Shakespeare isn’t the most accessible form of literature to teach students in the twenty-first century.
Good essays include multiple types of logic. You can use a combination of the transitions above to create a strong, clear structure throughout the body of your essay.
Strong Verbs for Academic Writing
Verbs are especially important for writing clear essays. Often, you can convey a nuanced meaning simply by choosing the right verb.
You should use strong verbs that are precise and dynamic. Whenever possible, you should use an unambiguous verb, rather than a generic verb.
For example, alter and fluctuate are stronger verbs than change , because they give the reader more descriptive detail.
Here are some useful verbs that will help make your essay shine.
Verbs that show change:
- Accommodate
Verbs that relate to causing or impacting something:
Verbs that show increase:
Verbs that show decrease:
- Deteriorate
Verbs that relate to parts of a whole:
- Comprises of
- Is composed of
- Constitutes
- Encompasses
Incorporates
Verbs that show a negative stance:
- Misconstrue
Verbs that show a positive stance:
- Substantiate
Verbs that relate to drawing conclusions from evidence:
- Corroborate
- Demonstrate
Verbs that relate to thinking and analysis:
- Contemplate
- Hypothesize
- Investigate
Verbs that relate to showing information in a visual format:
Useful Adjectives and Adverbs for Academic Essays
You should use adjectives and adverbs more sparingly than verbs when writing essays, since they sometimes add unnecessary fluff to sentences.
However, choosing the right adjectives and adverbs can help add detail and sophistication to your essay.
Sometimes you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is useful and should be taken seriously. Here are some adjectives that create positive emphasis:
- Significant
Other times, you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is harmful or ineffective. Here are some adjectives that create a negative emphasis:
- Controversial
- Insignificant
- Questionable
- Unnecessary
- Unrealistic
Finally, you might need to use an adverb to lend nuance to a sentence, or to express a specific degree of certainty. Here are some examples of adverbs that are often used in essays:
- Comprehensively
- Exhaustively
- Extensively
- Respectively
- Surprisingly
Using these words will help you successfully convey the key points you want to express. Once you’ve nailed the body of your essay, it’s time to move on to the conclusion.
The conclusion of your paper is important for synthesizing the arguments you’ve laid out and restating your thesis.
In your concluding paragraph, try using some of these essay words:
- In conclusion
- To summarize
- In a nutshell
- Given the above
- As described
- All things considered
Example: In conclusion , it’s imperative that we take action to address climate change before we lose our coral reefs forever.
In addition to simply summarizing the key points from the body of your essay, you should also add some final takeaways. Give the reader your final opinion and a bit of a food for thought.
To place emphasis on a certain point or a key fact, use these essay words:
- Unquestionably
- Undoubtedly
- Particularly
- Importantly
- Conclusively
- It should be noted
- On the whole
Example: Ada Lovelace is unquestionably a powerful role model for young girls around the world, and more of our public school curricula should include her as a historical figure.
These concluding phrases will help you finish writing your essay in a strong, confident way.
There are many useful essay words out there that we didn't include in this article, because they are specific to certain topics.
If you're writing about biology, for example, you will need to use different terminology than if you're writing about literature.
So how do you improve your vocabulary skills?
The vocabulary you use in your academic writing is a toolkit you can build up over time, as long as you take the time to learn new words.
One way to increase your vocabulary is by looking up words you don’t know when you’re reading.
Try reading more books and academic articles in the field you’re writing about and jotting down all the new words you find. You can use these words to bolster your own essays.
You can also consult a dictionary or a thesaurus. When you’re using a word you’re not confident about, researching its meaning and common synonyms can help you make sure it belongs in your essay.
Don't be afraid of using simpler words. Good essay writing boils down to choosing the best word to convey what you need to say, not the fanciest word possible.
Finally, you can use ProWritingAid’s synonym tool or essay checker to find more precise and sophisticated vocabulary. Click on weak words in your essay to find stronger alternatives.
There you have it: our compilation of the best words and phrases to use in your next essay . Good luck!
Take your writing to the next level:
20 Editing Tips From Professional Writers
Whether you are writing a novel, essay, article, or email, good writing is an essential part of communicating your ideas., this guide contains the 20 most important writing tips and techniques from a wide range of professional writers..
Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.
Learn everything you need to know about grammar.
Great Writing, Made Easier.
A grammar checker, style editor, and writing mentor in one package.
Try it for free today.
Drop us a line or let's stay in touch via :
- +44 (0) 207 391 9032
Recent Posts
- Overcoming Emotional Problems Whilst Studying
- A guide to mature finance, funding and affordability
- 6 things to consider when choosing the right postgraduate course for you
- The Viva Exam: things to consider when preparing for your exam
Four types of essay explained
- Top tips for meeting urgent essay deadlines
- How to embrace university as a mature student
- Dissertation vs thesis: what’s the difference?
- Everything you need to know about postgraduate study
- Being a university student during COVID-19
- Academic News
- Custom Essays
- Dissertation Writing
- Essay Marking
- Essay Writing
- Essay Writing Companies
- Model Essays
- Model Exam Answers
- Oxbridge Essays Updates
- PhD Writing
- Significant Academics
- Student News
- Study Skills
- University Applications
- University Essays
- University Life
- Writing Tips
17 academic words and phrases to use in your essay
(Last updated: 20 October 2022)
Since 2006, Oxbridge Essays has been the UK’s leading paid essay-writing and dissertation service
We have helped 10,000s of undergraduate, Masters and PhD students to maximise their grades in essays, dissertations, model-exam answers, applications and other materials. If you would like a free chat about your project with one of our UK staff, then please just reach out on one of the methods below.
For the vast majority of students, essay writing doesn't always come easily. Writing at academic level is an acquired skill that can literally take years to master – indeed, many students find they only start to feel really confident writing essays just as their undergraduate course comes to an end!
If this is you, and you've come here looking for words and phrases to use in your essay, you're in the right place. We’ve pulled together a list of essential academic words you can use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essays .
Whilst your ideas and arguments should always be your own, borrowing some of the words and phrases listed below is a great way to articulate your ideas more effectively, and ensure that you keep your reader’s attention from start to finish.
It goes without saying (but we'll say it anyway) that there's a certain formality that comes with academic writing. Casual and conversational phrases have no place. Obviously, there are no LOLs, LMFAOs, and OMGs. But formal academic writing can be much more subtle than this, and as we've mentioned above, requires great skill.
So, to get you started on polishing your own essay writing ability, try using the words in this list as an inspirational starting point.
Words to use in your introduction
The trickiest part of academic writing often comes right at the start, with your introduction. Of course, once you’ve done your plan and have your arguments laid out, you need to actually put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard) and begin your essay.
You need to consider that your reader doesn’t have a clue about your topic or arguments, so your first sentence must summarise these. Explain what your essay is going to talk about as though you were explaining it to a five year old – without losing the formality of your academic writing, of course! To do this, use any of the below words or phrases to help keep you on track.
1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly
Even though it sounds obvious, your argument will be clearer if you deliver the ideas in the right order. These words can help you to offer clarity and structure to the way you expose your ideas. This is an extremely effective method of presenting the facts clearly. Don’t be too rigid and feel you have to number each point, but using this system can be a good way to get an argument off the ground, and link arguments together.
2. In view of; in light of; considering
These essay phrases are useful to begin your essay. They help you pose your argument based on what other authors have said or a general concern about your research. They can also both be used when a piece of evidence sheds new light on an argument. Here’s an example: The result of the American invasion has severely impaired American interests in the Middle East, exponentially increasing popular hostility to the United States throughout the region, a factor which has proved to be a powerful recruitment tool for extremist terrorist groups (Isakhan, 2015). Considering [or In light of / In view of] the perceived resulting threat to American interests, it could be argued that the Bush administration failed to fully consider the impact of their actions before pushing forward with the war.
3. According to X; X stated that; referring to the views of X
Introducing the views of an author who has a comprehensive knowledge of your particular area of study is a crucial part of essay writing. Including a quote that fits naturally into your work can be a bit of a struggle, but these academic phrases provide a great way in.
Even though it’s fine to reference a quote in your introduction, we don’t recommend you start your essay with a direct quote. Use your own words to sum up the views you’re mentioning, for example:
As Einstein often reiterated, experiments can prove theories, but experiments don’t give birth to theories.
Rather than:
“A theory can be proved by experiment, but no path leads from experiment to the birth of a theory.” {Albert Einstein, 1954, Einstein: A Biography}.
See the difference?
And be sure to reference correctly too, when using quotes or paraphrasing someone else's words.
Adding information and flow
The flow of your essay is extremely important. You don’t want your reader to be confused by the rhythm of your writing and get distracted away from your argument, do you? No! So, we recommend using some of the following ‘flow’ words, which are guaranteed to help you articulate your ideas and arguments in a chronological and structured order.
4. Moreover; furthermore; in addition; what’s more
These types of academic phrases are perfect for expanding or adding to a point you’ve already made without interrupting the flow altogether. “Moreover”, “furthermore” and “in addition” are also great linking phrases to begin a new paragraph.
Here are some examples: The dissociation of tau protein from microtubules destabilises the latter resulting in changes to cell structure, and neuronal transport. Moreover, mitochondrial dysfunction leads to further oxidative stress causing increased levels of nitrous oxide, hydrogen peroxide and lipid peroxidases.
On the data of this trial, no treatment recommendations should be made. The patients are suspected, but not confirmed, to suffer from pneumonia. Furthermore, five days is too short a follow up time to confirm clinical cure.
5. In order to; to that end; to this end
These are helpful academic phrases to introduce an explanation or state your aim. Oftentimes your essay will have to prove how you intend to achieve your goals. By using these sentences you can easily expand on points that will add clarity to the reader.
For example: My research entailed hours of listening and recording the sound of whales in order to understand how they communicate.
Dutch tech companies offer support in the fight against the virus. To this end, an online meeting took place on Wednesday...
Even though we recommend the use of these phrases, DO NOT use them too often. You may think you sound like a real academic but it can be a sign of overwriting!
6. In other words; to put it another way; that is; to put it more simply
Complement complex ideas with simple descriptions by using these sentences. These are excellent academic phrases to improve the continuity of your essay writing. They should be used to explain a point you’ve already made in a slightly different way. Don’t use them to repeat yourself, but rather to elaborate on a certain point that needs further explanation. Or, to succinctly round up what just came before.
For example: A null hypothesis is a statement that there is no relationship between phenomena. In other words, there is no treatment effect.
Nothing could come to be in this pre-world time, “because no part of such a time possesses, as compared with any other, a distinguishing condition of existence rather than non-existence.” That is, nothing exists in this pre-world time, and so there can be nothing that causes the world to come into existence.
7. Similarly; likewise; another key fact to remember; as well as; an equally significant aspect of
These essay words are a good choice to add a piece of information that agrees with an argument or fact you just mentioned. In academic writing, it is very relevant to include points of view that concur with your opinion. This will help you to situate your research within a research context.
Also , academic words and phrases like the above are also especially useful so as not to repeat the word ‘also’ too many times. (We did that on purpose to prove our point!) Your reader will be put off by the repetitive use of simple conjunctions. The quality of your essay will drastically improve just by using academic phrases and words such as ‘similarly’, ‘as well as’, etc. Here, let us show you what we mean:
In 1996, then-transport minister Steve Norris enthused about quadrupling cycling trips by 2012. Similarly, former prime minister David Cameron promised a “cycling revolution” in 2013…
Or Renewable Energy Initiative (AREI) aims to bridge the gap of access to electricity across the continent (...). Another key fact to remember is that it must expand cost-efficient access to electricity to nearly 1 billion people.
The wording “not only… but also” is a useful way to elaborate on a similarity in your arguments but in a more striking way.
Comparing and contrasting information
Academic essays often include opposite opinions or information in order to prove a point. It is important to show all the aspects that are relevant to your research. Include facts and researchers’ views that disagree with a point of your essay to show your knowledge of your particular field of study. Below are a few words and ways of introducing alternative arguments.
8. Conversely; however; alternatively; on the contrary; on the other hand; whereas
Finding a seamless method to present an alternative perspective or theory can be hard work, but these terms and phrases can help you introduce the other side of the argument. Let's look at some examples:
89% of respondents living in joint families reported feeling financially secure. Conversely, only 64% of those who lived in nuclear families said they felt financially secure.
The first protagonist has a social role to fill in being a father to those around him, whereas the second protagonist relies on the security and knowledge offered to him by Chaplin.
“On the other hand” can also be used to make comparisons when worded together with “on the one hand.”
9. By contrast; in comparison; then again; that said; yet
These essay phrases show contrast, compare facts, and present uncertainty regarding a point in your research. “That said” and “yet” in particular will demonstrate your expertise on a topic by showing the conditions or limitations of your research area. For example:
All the tests were positive. That said, we must also consider the fact that some of them had inconclusive results.
10. Despite this; provided that; nonetheless
Use these phrases and essay words to demonstrate a positive aspect of your subject-matter regardless of lack of evidence, logic, coherence, or criticism. Again, this kind of information adds clarity and expertise to your academic writing.
A good example is:
Despite the criticism received by X, the popularity of X remains undiminished.
11. Importantly; significantly; notably; another key point
Another way to add contrast is by highlighting the relevance of a fact or opinion in the context of your research. These academic words help to introduce a sentence or paragraph that contains a very meaningful point in your essay.
Giving examples
A good piece of academic writing will always include examples. Illustrating your essay with examples will make your arguments stronger. Most of the time, examples are a way to clarify an explanation; they usually offer an image that the reader can recognise. The most common way to introduce an illustration is “for example.” However, in order not to repeat yourself here are a few other options.
12. For instance; to give an illustration of; to exemplify; to demonstrate; as evidence; to elucidate
The academic essays that are receiving top marks are the ones that back up every single point made. These academic phrases are a useful way to introduce an example. If you have a lot of examples, avoid repeating the same phrase to facilitate the readability of your essay.
Here’s an example:
‘High involvement shopping’, an experiential process described by Wu et al. (2015, p. 299) relies upon the development of an identity-based alliance between the customer and the brand. Celebrity status at Prada, for example, has created an alliance between the brand and a new generation of millennial customers.
Concluding your essay
Concluding words for essays are necessary to wrap up your argument. Your conclusion must include a brief summary of the ideas that you just exposed without being redundant. The way these ideas are expressed should lead to the final statement and core point you have arrived at in your present research.
13. In conclusion; to conclude; to summarise; in sum; in the final analysis; on close analysis
These are phrases for essays that will introduce your concluding paragraph. You can use them at the beginning of a sentence. They will show the reader that your essay is coming to an end:
On close analysis and appraisal, we see that the study by Cortis lacks essential features of the highest quality quantitative research.
14. Persuasive; compelling
Essay words like these ones can help you emphasize the most relevant arguments of your paper. Both are used in the same way: “the most persuasive/compelling argument is…”.
15. Therefore; this suggests that; it can be seen that; the consequence is
When you’re explaining the significance of the results of a piece of research, these phrases provide the perfect lead up to your explanation.
16. Above all; chiefly; especially; most significantly; it should be noted
Your summary should include the most relevant information or research factor that guided you to your conclusion. Contrary to words such as “persuasive” or “compelling”, these essay words are helpful to draw attention to an important point. For example:
The feasibility and effectiveness of my research has been proven chiefly in the last round of laboratory tests.
Film noir is, and will continue to be, highly debatable, controversial, and unmarketable – but above all, for audience members past, present and to come, extremely enjoyable as a form of screen media entertainment.
17. All things considered
This essay phrase is meant to articulate how you give reasons to your conclusions. It means that after you considered all the aspects related to your study, you have arrived to the conclusion you are demonstrating.
After mastering the use of these academic words and phrases, we guarantee you will see an immediate change in the quality of your essays. The structure will be easier to follow, and the reader’s experience will improve. You’ll also feel more confident articulating your ideas and using facts and examples. So jot them all down, and watch your essays go from ‘good’ to ‘great’!
Essay exams: how to answer ‘To what extent…’
How to write a master’s essay
- academic writing
- writing a good essay
- writing essays
- writing tips
Writing Services
- Essay Writing Services
- Dissertation Writing Services
- Essay Plans
- PhD Proposals
Editing Services
- Proofreading Service
- Editing Service
- Academic Editing Service
Additional Services
- Marking Services
- Consultation Calls
- Personal Statements
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Fair Use Policy
- Policy for Students in England
- Become a Writer
- Affiliate Login
- Privacy Policy
- Terms & Conditions
Payment Methods
Cryptocurrency payments.
100+ Useful Words and Phrases to Write a Great Essay
Sharing is caring!
How to Write a Great Essay in English! This lesson provides 100+ useful words, transition word s and expressions used in writing an essay. Let’s take a look!
The secret to a successful essay doesn’t just lie in the clever things you talk about and the way you structure your points.
Useful Words and Phrases to Write a Great Essay
Overview of an essay.
Useful Phrases for Proficiency Essays
Developing the argument
- The first aspect to point out is that…
- Let us start by considering the facts.
- The novel portrays, deals with, revolves around…
- Central to the novel is…
- The character of xxx embodies/ epitomizes…
The other side of the argument
- It would also be interesting to see…
- One should, nevertheless, consider the problem from another angle.
- Equally relevant to the issue are the questions of…
- The arguments we have presented… suggest that…/ prove that…/ would indicate that…
- From these arguments one must…/ could…/ might… conclude that…
- All of this points to the conclusion that…
- To conclude…
Ordering elements
- Firstly,…/ Secondly,…/ Finally,… (note the comma after all these introductory words.)
- As a final point…
- On the one hand, …. on the other hand…
- If on the one hand it can be said that… the same is not true for…
- The first argument suggests that… whilst the second suggests that…
- There are at least xxx points to highlight.
Adding elements
- Furthermore, one should not forget that…
- In addition to…
- Moreover…
- It is important to add that…
Accepting other points of view
- Nevertheless, one should accept that…
- However, we also agree that…
Personal opinion
- We/I personally believe that…
- Our/My own point of view is that…
- It is my contention that…
- I am convinced that…
- My own opinion is…
Others’ opinions
- According to some critics… Critics:
- believe that
- suggest that
- are convinced that
- point out that
- emphasize that
- contend that
- go as far as to say that
- argue for this
Introducing examples
- For example…
- For instance…
- To illustrate this point…
Introducing facts
- It is… true that…/ clear that…/ noticeable that…
- One should note here that…
Saying what you think is true
- This leads us to believe that…
- It is very possible that…
- In view of these facts, it is quite likely that…
- Doubtless,…
- One cannot deny that…
- It is (very) clear from these observations that…
- All the same, it is possible that…
- It is difficult to believe that…
Accepting other points to a certain degree
- One can agree up to a certain point with…
- Certainly,… However,…
- It cannot be denied that…
Emphasizing particular points
- The last example highlights the fact that…
- Not only… but also…
- We would even go so far as to say that…
Moderating, agreeing, disagreeing
- By and large…
- Perhaps we should also point out the fact that…
- It would be unfair not to mention the fact that…
- One must admit that…
- We cannot ignore the fact that…
- One cannot possibly accept the fact that…
Consequences
- From these facts, one may conclude that…
- That is why, in our opinion, …
- Which seems to confirm the idea that…
- Thus,…/ Therefore,…
- Some critics suggest…, whereas others…
- Compared to…
- On the one hand, there is the firm belief that… On the other hand, many people are convinced that…
How to Write a Great Essay | Image 1
How to Write a Great Essay | Image 2
Phrases For Balanced Arguments
Introduction
- It is often said that…
- It is undeniable that…
- It is a well-known fact that…
- One of the most striking features of this text is…
- The first thing that needs to be said is…
- First of all, let us try to analyze…
- One argument in support of…
- We must distinguish carefully between…
- The second reason for…
- An important aspect of the text is…
- It is worth stating at this point that…
- On the other hand, we can observe that…
- The other side of the coin is, however, that…
- Another way of looking at this question is to…
- What conclusions can be drawn from all this?
- The most satisfactory conclusion that we can come to is…
- To sum up… we are convinced that…/ …we believe that…/ …we have to accept that…
How to Write a Great Essay | Image 3
Tuesday 15th of November 2022
Nur Syuhadah Zainuddin
Friday 19th of August 2022
thank u so much its really usefull
12thSeahorse
Wednesday 3rd of August 2022
He or she who masters the English language rules the world!
Friday 25th of March 2022
Thank you so so much, this helped me in my essays with A+
Theophilus Muzvidziwa
Friday 11th of March 2022
How to Use Microsoft Word Effectively for Essay Writing
Microsoft Word for Essay Writing
Using the traditional pen and paper to draft your essay has not completely gone out of style. However, if you want to effectively write, proofread and format your essay all at the same time, you need a sophisticated approach that would allow you to do all these in due time to succeed in professional essay writing from scratch.
It doesn’t matter how you feel about the Microsoft Word program but it is a word processing tool that you can’t do without in your profession. You get to use it daily as you go about your work.
Learning the basic aspect of using the program is quite not difficult. Most of us get to use the word processing program after learning the basics without taking out time to learn the more important features the program has.
To most people, that aspect is not necessary once they can type, search and replace words and make use of the format margins. I am guilty of that myself. I didn’t take out time to learn more than the basics before joining the tool.
I found out in my continuous use of Microsoft Word over the years that the program has some tricks that help to save time. If you are an impatient writer like me that wants to get each job done in the soonest possible time, you should learn about these alternative tools in the program. You will save a lot of time doing so.
Features How to Use Microsoft Word Effectively for Writing
- Track Changes . This feature comes in handy when I want to edit my work or give constructive criticism of another person’s work. The changes you make on the document appear on a highlight and that includes changes in format and deletions. The TRACK CHANGES option can be seen in the REVIEW tab and with it, the texts you edit are highlighted in red color.
- Document Map . The use of headings gives you an overview of the entire structure of the document when you use the special feature called DOCUMENT MAP. This feature makes it easy for you to skip through long documents and also to get the full picture of the storyline.
- Headings and Styles . When you make the necessary changes of marking section and chapter titles with the heading, it will make it easy for you to format the heading for the document in a single place. I use NORMAL for the body of the document and HEADING1 for the chapter titles.
- Headers and Footers . On the old typewriter, the typist has to manually include the page number and author name. This has been upgraded to a word progressing tool. You can add that information just once using the HEADER and it automatically appears on all pages.
- Comments . This can also be seen in the REVIEW column. With this feature, you can include margin notes into your document. This feature can be used for plenty of functions by a writer. For instance, you can use it to include reminders for some editing work you need to do in the future. You can also use it to create reminders on ideas you wish to develop later on in your document.
- Table of Contents . Most documents don’t need a table of content but when a document requires it, it can be stressful to manually create one. Not just the creation aspect, you have to go through the stress of updating it anytime you add more information to your document. The headings feature and TABLE OF CONTENTS work together. That is the Table of contents creates a table of headings and includes the page number where the heading can be found.
- Views . Microsoft Word provides you with different view options. With this option, you can get an overview of your overall manuscript in different ways.
- Compare Documents . Making edits manually in an older version of a manuscript can be a pain in the ass. This feature provides a highlight to pronounce the difference between the two documents. With this feature, you can go through the document at a later date and pick the better version.
- Full Screen . If you wish to focus on your writing without worrying about different tabs and editing buttons, the full-screen option comes in handy to minimize distraction.
- View Side by Side . With this feature, you can open up and review two documents at the same time without having to close one first.
- Integration with Endnote . If you are working on a nonfiction project, you will need to include a lot of references in your work. The endnote feature enables you to keep track of your references in a neat way.
- Full Page . This feature enables you to view your work as a full document. This is not the best mode for reading, but it allows you to check your documents for formatting errors and blank pages.
You can effectively use Microsoft Word for your professional essay writing if you consistently practice with the software and look for new tips every day. Microsoft Word is easy-to-use software but you don’t want to stop at the mediocre level. There are other things you could do with your software as outlined in this educational piece.
Please, disable AdBlock and reload the page to continue
Today, 30% of our visitors use Ad-Block to block ads.We understand your pain with ads, but without ads, we won't be able to provide you with free content soon. If you need our content for work or study, please support our efforts and disable AdBlock for our site. As you will see, we have a lot of helpful information to share.
How to use a cross-reference in Word
How to customize your Word settings
How to insert square root symbol or radical sign in Word
We use cookies to personalise content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners who may combine it with other information you’ve provided to them or they’ve collected from your use of their services.
- Words with Friends Cheat
- Wordle Solver
- Word Unscrambler
- Scrabble Dictionary
- Anagram Solver
- Wordscapes Answers
Make Our Dictionary Yours
Sign up for our weekly newsletters and get:
- Grammar and writing tips
- Fun language articles
- #WordOfTheDay and quizzes
By signing in, you agree to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy .
We'll see you in your inbox soon.
How to Write an Essay
- DESCRIPTION Steps to How to Write an Essay
- SOURCE Neliakott / iStock / Getty Images Plus
- PERMISSION Used under Getty Images license
Essays are common in middle school, high school and college. You may even need to write essays in the business world (although they are usually called reports at that point). An essay is defined as a short piece of writing that expresses information as well as the writer's opinion. Learn how to write an essay using 8 simple steps.
8 Steps to Writing an Essay
For some, writing an essay is as simple as sitting down at their computer and beginning to type. But a lot more planning goes into writing an essay successfully. If you have never written an essay before, you struggle with writing and want to improve your skills, or you're tasked with writing an essay fast , it is a good idea to follow a number of important steps in the essay writing process.
For example, to write an essay, you should generally:
- decide what kind of essay to write
- brainstorm your topic
- research the topic
- choose a writing style
- develop a thesis
- outline your essay
- write your essay
- edit your writing to check spelling and grammar
While this sounds like a lot of steps to write a simple essay, if you follow them you will be able to write more successful, clear and cohesive essays.
1. Choose the Type of Essay
The first step to writing an essay is to define what type of essay you are writing. There are four main categories into which essays can be grouped:
- Narrative essay - Tell a story or impart information about your subject in a straightforward, orderly manner, like in a story.
- Persuasive essay - Convince the reader about some point of view.
- Expository essay - Explain to the reader how to perform a given process. You could, for example, write an expository essay with step-by-step instructions on how to make a peanut butter sandwich.
- Descriptive essay - Focus on the details of what is going on. For example, if you want to write a descriptive essay about your trip to the park, you would give great detail about what you experienced: how the grass felt beneath your feet, what the park benches looked like, and anything else the reader would need to feel as if he were there.
Knowing what kind of essay you are trying to write can help you decide on a topic and structure your essay in the best way possible. Here are a few other types of essays:
- Argumentative essay - Take a position on a controversial issue and present evidence in favor of your position. If you’ve been assigned an argumentative essay, check out these top 10 argumentative essay topics .
- Compare and contrast essay - Identify similarities and differences between two subjects that are, typically, under the same umbrella.
- Problem solution essay - Describe a problem, convince the reader to care about the problem, propose a solution, and be prepared to dismantle objections.
- Informative essay - Educate the reader on a particular topic with facts.
2. Brainstorm Your Topic
You cannot write an essay unless you have an idea of what to write about. Brainstorming is the process in which you come up with the essay topic. You need to simply sit and think of ideas during this phase.
- Write down everything that comes to mind as you can always narrow those topics down later.
- Use clustering or mind mapping to brainstorm and come up with an essay idea. This involves writing your topic or idea in the center of the paper and creating bubbles (clouds or clusters) of related ideas around it.
- Brainstorming can be a great way to develop a topic more deeply and to recognize connections between various facets of your topic.
- Once you have a list of possible topics, it's time to choose the best one that will answer the question posed for your essay. You want to choose a topic that is neither too broad nor too narrow.
If you are given an assignment to write a one-page essay, it would be far too much to write about "the history of the U.S.," since that could fill entire volumes of books. Instead, you could write about a specific event within the history of the United States: perhaps signing the Declaration of Independence or when Columbus discovered the Americas.
Choose the best topic idea from among your list and begin moving forward on writing your essay. But, before you move forward, take heed of these topics to avoid .
3. Research the Topic
Once you have done your brainstorming and chosen your topic, you may need to do some research to write a good essay. Go to the library or search online for information about your topic. Interview people who might be experts in the subject.
Keep your research organized so it will be easy for you to refer back to. This also makes it easier to cite your sources when writing your final essay.
4. Choose a Writing Style
The writing style that you choose for your essay is dictated by your teacher or the topic of your paper. In general, there are three writing styles you might come across in high school and college.
- MLA (Modern Language Association) is designed for humanities and language arts essays. It uses the author-page number citation style. This is the most common writing style used by high school and college students.
- APA (American Psychological Association) uses the author-date citation style and was created for social science and psychology research papers and essays. It is the second most common writing style out there.
- Chicago Manual of Style , also known as Turabian, has two writing styles: author-date and notes-bibliography. Mostly used by college students and professionals, the author-date style works for scientific papers, while notes-biblio makes arts and humanities papers a breeze.
Each different writing style has its own unique format for in-text and reference list citations.
5. Develop a Thesis
Your thesis statement is the main point of your essay. It is essentially one sentence that says what the essay is about. For example, your thesis statement might be "Dogs are descended from wolves." You can then use this as the basic premise to write your entire essay, remembering that all of the different points throughout need to lead back to this one main thesis. You should usually state your thesis in your introductory paragraph.
Additionally, the thesis statement should be broad enough that you have enough to say about it, but not so broad that you can't be thorough. To help you structure a perfectly clear thesis, check out these thesis statement examples .
6. Outline Your Essay
The next step is to outline what you are going to write about. This means you want to essentially draw the skeleton of your paper. Writing an outline can help to ensure your paper is logical, well organized and flows properly. If you’ve been tasked with an argumentative essay, here’s the best formula for an argumentative essay outline .
- Start by writing the thesis statement at the top, then write a topic sentence for each paragraph below that. This means you should know exactly what each of your paragraphs is going to be about before you write them.
- Don't jumble too many ideas in each paragraph or the reader may become confused.
- Ensure you have transitions between paragraphs so the reader understands how the paper flows from one idea to the next.
- Fill in supporting facts from your research under each paragraph. Make sure each paragraph ties back to your thesis and creates a cohesive, understandable essay.
Does your teacher follow the APA guidelines for writing papers? If so, these APA outline format examples should help you pull it all together. As you progress into the meat of the essay (following our tips below), these APA format examples should prove beneficial! Or, if MLA is your teacher’s preferred style, check out these MLA format examples .
7. Write the Essay
Once you have an outline, it’s time to start writing. Write based on the outline itself, fleshing out your basic skeleton to create a whole, cohesive and clear essay.
You’ll want to edit and re-read your essay, checking to make sure it sounds exactly the way you want it to. Here are some things to remember:
- Revise for clarity, consistency and structure.
- Support your thesis adequately with the information in your paragraphs. Each paragraph should have its own topic sentence. This is the most important sentence in the paragraph that tells readers what the rest of the paragraph will be about.
- Make sure everything flows together. As you move through the essay, transition words will be paramount. Transition words are the glue that connects every paragraph together and prevents the essay from sounding disjointed. You can even use a list of transition words to help get you started.
- Reread your introduction and conclusion . Will the reader walk away knowing exactly what your paper was about?
In your introduction, it’s important to include a hook. This is the line or line that will lure a reader in and encourage them to want to learn more. For more on this, check out how to write a hook . And, to help you formulate a killer conclusion, scan through these conclusion examples .
8. Check Spelling and Grammar
Now the essay is written, but you're not quite done. Reread what you've written, looking out for mistakes and typos.
- Revise for technical errors.
- Check for grammar , punctuation and spelling errors. You cannot always count on spell check to recognize every spelling error. Sometimes, you can spell a word incorrectly but your misspelling will also be a word, such as spelling "from" as "form."
- Another common area of concern is quotation marks. It’s important to cite your sources with accuracy and clarity. Follow these guidelines on how to use quotes in essays and speeches .
- You might also want to consider the difference between quoting, paraphrasing and summarizing . Quoting is reserved for lines of text that are identical to an original piece of writing. Paraphrasing is reserved for large sections of someone else’s writing that you want to convey in your own words. Summarizing puts the main points from someone else’s text into your own words.
Planning Pays Off
A lot goes into writing a successful essay. Fortunately, these tips for writing essays can help you along the way and get you on the path to a well-written essay. Out of all these “how-tos,” the worst thing you could do is plagiarize someone else’s writing (intentionally or unintentionally). Take a look at these tips and techniques for preventing plagiarism . Other than that, we wish you great success as you work your way to a perfect A!
Top 85 List of Essay Words To Use
Here is our top list of essay words you can add to your writing. Read our guide.
Writing academic papers requires patience, thorough research, and appropriate words to relay ideas effectively. Below, we have prepared a list of essay words for your piece’s introduction, body, and conclusion.
What Are Essay Words?
Essay words for the introduction, essay words for giving examples, essay words for highlighting arguments, essay words for showing sequence, essay words for adding information, essay words for comparing and contrasting ideas, essay words for the conclusion.
Along with a paper’s arguments, format, and structure, essay words are used to adequately explain the subject in a formal but clear manner. Picking the correct phrases and words helps your audience realize your position and persuade them to follow your thinking. Plus, applying suitable words to introduce and expound ideas convinces your readers that you’ve done your research correctly. Here are essay words you can use:
Most academic essays require a formal writing style because using informal writing makes it hard to edit and grade based on a standard the school or university gives. Even personal and narrative essays must stay formal. These are the words to create and enhance your introduction without losing the sense of formality in academic writing.
According to the most recent data, more employees prefer working at home than in the office.
Before we begin analyzing the effects of the problem, we must first know the root of it.
- Challenging
Drug addiction is the most challenging global problem every government must solve.
Mental illness is a topic with many complex issues.
To understand the subject better, we will first discuss its history.
First and foremost , it’s essential to understand that not all politicians are bad.
We can learn a lot from the book “The Little Prince,” such as about the fundamental nature of love.
The main goal of this essay is to discuss the value of justice in our lives.
There’s a myriad of factors that affect a country’s tourism.
The objective of this essay is to spread awareness about the violence women and children face daily.
Lack of knowledge in managing finances is a prevalent problem today.
A good speaker delivers their speech without referring to notes.
- Significance
What is the significance of following rules?
The youth’s mental state today has been disturbed by societal pressures, such as the impossible beauty standards they see on social media.
Mental health is a sensitive topic affecting people of all ages.
Essays need examples to present arguments and illustrate cases. Examples support claims and offer evidence, and make complex concepts easier for readers. Knowing several essay words for giving examples is vital to avoid the repetition of similar words or phrases.
Our justice system’s flaws are apparent, such as in the case of O.J. Simpson , who was acquitted despite murdering his wife.
To clarify, not all police officers use the law to their advantage.
- Demonstrate
The researchers’ findings demonstrate people’s willingness to work as long as the minimum wage increase.
To elucidate the unjust treatment they endure, the employees talked about reaching the company’s sales goal in the hopes of receiving a bonus.
Low morale and decreased participation are only some evidence showing the employees’ dismay at the company’s policies.
Her work notes exemplify her dedication to the company.
To illustrate their points, the researchers added a line graph in their reports.
You can give him anything, a set of his favorite comic series, for instance .
The manager must learn from a previous situation where employees under her quit because she refused to hear their complaints.
The continuous decline in the number of young people willing to work is a testament to the country’s bad economy.
These words appear throughout the essay but are mainly for the body. You can use these words to effectively show the importance of an argument and emphasize essential paragraphs in your essay.
Money and power are absolutely the cause of corruption.
We definitely need to associate with successful people to motivate ourselves.
Some of the prisoners we interviewed are considered extremely dangerous.
The rule was expressly created to stop people like her.
In fact , his familiarity with the subject was minimal.
- Fundamentally
The students’ approach to the problem is fundamentally wrong.
- Importantly
It’s cheap, user-friendly, and, most importantly , durable.
The new company’s product indeed sold faster than any other merchandise offered in the first quarter.
There’s no instance when anyone can say it’s necessary to hurt a child.
Robert Downey Jr. is a notably successful actor of his generation.
Obviously , technology has both advantages and disadvantages.
- Particularly
He doesn’t want to be particularly called out for his behavior, but we did it anyway.
- Significantly
The donations have dropped significantly due to the pandemic.
- Specifically
Our school specifically prohibits bullying of any kind.
Alice in Wonderland syndrome, or AIWS, is undeniably one of the rarest diseases.
These words show the order of events or progress in an essay. They are used to give examples to further expound on a point or introduce another concept. However, be careful that each paragraph should only focus on one idea.
All of us went home after the incident.
My mother always checks if every door is locked before we leave the house.
- Consequently
Gigi is an intelligent and eager student; consequently , she excels at school.
Our team is currently developing new ways to approach the problem.
My mom told me she was awake during her whole leg operation.
She eventually returned home, so the search was called off.
I won’t buy that e-bike because, firstly , it’s expensive, and secondly, it operates too slowly.
Following the death of the Queen, her son Charles took over and became the United Kingdom’s King.
Rio fell off his bike yesterday, hence the bruises all over his body.
She mourned her grandfather’s death. Meanwhile , her husband was busy with his mistress.
I wonder what will happen next if I tell Janice about your lies.
This data was previously unavailable to the public due to the subject’s sensitivity.
To write an excellent paper, you need to have prior knowledge of the topic you choose.
The new president said the country’s economy must be fixed as soon as possible.
The lesson of the book is to enjoy life while you can.
No matter what type of essay you write, it should remain informative. Words used to add information create flow, expand arguments, and incorporate details that support your points.
I work at a great company that encourages work-life balance in addition to my salary.
Unsettled political issues make citizens worry and also affect investors’ earnings.
Another top piece of advice to live by is to be prepared for anything.
Besides being the family’s breadwinner, Jia also does all the house chores.
Overproduction coupled with low sales leads to enormous company losses.
- Furthermore
Furthermore , I don’t have time to do that.
My mom argued going on an extravagant vacation despite our little savings was a bad idea. I thought likewise .
We chose this place because the rent is cheap and the security is tight. Moreover , the location is close to our workplace.
Cindy and James are a married couple who are similarly successful in their chosen careers.
To break the silence in the room, she began to sing, then others joined in.
These are words used to include information that confirms or disagrees with a point in your essay. Words that compare and contrast ideas are common in argumentative essays. It’s because this type demands a counterargument to fairly present other experts’ take on the issue.
Although many researchers think environmental factors cause the disease, some also believe it’s inherited.
However, the sample size she used was too small in comparison to the big labs’ experiments.
Contrary to the storm forecast, we had a beautiful day for my birthday party.
Studies show that giving words of encouragement can make workers end up with subpar results. Conversely , praising employees can motivate them to work harder.
The principal decided to expel the students despite the many indications that they were not at fault.
Sheila says she loves her boyfriend very much; however , she didn’t think twice about cheating on him.
- Nevertheless
Her classmates bully her because her mother is a cleaner; nevertheless , she doesn’t let the hurtful words affect her.
- Nonetheless
The article is a long read; nonetheless , it was very entertaining.
The old system in our company was complicated whereas the new system is straightforward.
Cindy looks delicate, yet her tongue is sharp and often hurts others’ feelings.
The conclusion is an essential part of the essay. It reiterates important points, leaves the readers with something to think about, and wraps up the essay nicely so it doesn’t end abruptly.
- Accordingly
After realizing her self-destructive tendencies, Ella decided to make drastic changes and behaved accordingly .
She dropped out of her accounting classes, chiefly because she couldn’t see herself as an accountant.
To close, my essay focused on the advantages and disadvantages of increasing the minimum wage.
In the end, there’s no compelling reason to believe the suspect, so the jury found him guilty.
To conclude , many economic aspects rely on capitalism and what investors are willing to do to stabilize the market.
Finally , we must learn how to forgive and move on to have a happy life.
This paper summarizes all the essential information you need to know about writing.
Therefore , if you want love, you must give it in return.
Thus , the question of whether the chicken or egg came first is finally answered.
To wrap up everything, I believe that the only way to persuade workers to be dedicated to their work is by giving them the appropriate remuneration.Check out our guide packed full of transition words for essays .
Join over 15,000 writers today
Get a FREE book of writing prompts and learn how to make more money from your writing.
Success! Now check your email to claim your prompts.
There was an error submitting your subscription. Please try again.
Maria Caballero is a freelance writer who has been writing since high school. She believes that to be a writer doesn't only refer to excellent syntax and semantics but also knowing how to weave words together to communicate to any reader effectively.
View all posts
How to write a 3,000 word essay in a day
by Laura Brown in Study Tips
Updated 7 March 2023
So you've left your 3,000 word essay until the last minute? Not ideal, but don't stress. You can make it happen by following our steps.
Credit: Prostock-studio, mialapi, Olga_Shestakova – Shutterstock
We know. You had every intention of getting your essay done before the deadline, but sometimes life gets in the way.
Writing 3,000 words can take anywhere between six and 24 hours depending on the topic. But, with our tips, you can easily get the essay done within a day.
Get your head down and you could meet the deadline, and even produce an essay you're proud of. Best of all, you can adapt our tips for a 2,000 word essay, a 4,000 word essay, or whatever length – all in a day!
Take a deep breath. Remain calm. Here's how to write an essay fast.
How to write an essay quickly
"Fail to prepare? Prepare to fail". We've all had it said to us, whether it be from a lecturer or a well-meaning parent.
If you're reading this guide, we suspect you haven't entirely embraced that mantra. But, there are a few things you can do the morning before deadline day that will make your day of frantic essay-writing run smoothly. 3,000 word essay, here we come.
Eat a good breakfast
Fuel your body and mind with a healthy breakfast, like porridge . Its slow-release energy means you won't have a mid-morning slump over your laptop – something you can't afford right now!
Not into porridge? It's far from the only brain food that will help you write an essay. Check out our list of the best foods for brain fuel to see what else will get you off to the best start (and keep that flying start going).
Although you might be tempted to mainline coffee into your veins, try to avoid too much caffeine early on . Caffeine is basically the opposite of slow-release energy, and you'll find yourself crashing after a few hours.
Pick your workstation and equipment
Choose a quiet area where you won't be disturbed. You'll know whether you work better in the library or at home, but don't choose somewhere you've never been before. Make sure you'll be comfortable and able to focus for as long as possible.
Be organised and bring two pens, a bottle of water, your notes and some snacks to use as mini-rewards . These will keep you going without having to take your eyes off the screen (apparently dark chocolate is a great option for concentration!).
Get rid of social media and other distractions
Credit: PIMPAN - Shutterstock
Procrastination is a student's worst enemy (besides a hangover ). Turn off your phone (or place it face down on silent) and resist the urge to check social media.
Don't trust yourself? Temporarily deactivate your accounts or get a friend to change your passwords for 24 hours.
Plan a schedule and set yourself time management goals
Time management is pretty important when you have to write an essay in a day.
Assign yourself chunks of time to reach certain milestones. This breaks down the big daunting task and provides extra motivation every time you tick off one of the relatively easy mini-tasks.
Let's say it's 9am and your essay is due first thing tomorrow morning. If you're wondering how to write essays faster, here's a feasible 14-hour timeline that you can follow (remember this is just a brief summary of each stage – we go into more detail below ):
- 9am – 9.30am: Choose your essay question and decide on your overall argument
- 9.30am – 11am: Write a plan and outline of your essay (breaking it into mini-essays)
- 11am – 11.45am: Flesh out your introduction
- 11.45am – 1pm: Research quotes and references to back up your arguments
- 1pm – 1.45pm: Lunch break
- 1.45pm – 6pm: Write the body of the essay
- 6pm – 6.45pm: Dinner break
- 6.45pm – 10.30pm: Edit, improve and meet the word count
- 10.30pm – 11pm: Print (if needed) and get everything ready for the morning.
Remember to schedule in a few short 10-minute breaks (one every 45–60 minutes or so should do the trick). Giving your brain a rest is key to keeping your overall productivity levels up, and stretching or doing some brief exercises will also help.
Choosing a question and planning your essay
Choosing an essay question and how to answer it
Time: 9am – 9.30am
If you've been given a choice of essay questions, choose the one you have the most knowledge about, or have strong opinions on.
After all, this isn't the time to learn a new topic from scratch. No matter how much easier the question seems, 24 hours isn't long enough to learn anything in detail.
What's more, questions that seem easy at first glance are often the hardest of all.
The very fact that they're short and worded in a very straightforward way means you're probably expected to construct a much more original and complex essay to respond to it.
Deciding how to answer the question
Next, decide on your approach . How are you going to tackle the question? It's your essay and, as long as you keep relating your arguments to the question, you can take it in any direction you choose.
It helps to come up with a quick answer in your head. This gives you a general idea of what to write about and means you won't need to keep rereading the question.
This will help you understand the question better and avoid you having to keep referring back to it later on (when you should be concentrating on writing the body of your essay).
If you're finding it difficult to work out your argument, write down all the ideas that come to mind. From this, you'll see a theme start to emerge.
Planning your essay
Time: 9.30am – 11am
Once you've decided on your approach to answering the question, you should be able to form a pretty solid plan for the body of the essay.
Write out three to five key points that you want to make in your overall argument. Underneath each one, use bullet points to list all the information, supporting arguments (and, better still, any rebuttals you have to popular counter-arguments) or quotes you already have for each point.
Start with the most obvious or all-encompassing argument . This will allow you to progressively go into more detail on each of the smaller arguments – one of the keys to a good essay.
Once you've done this, actually writing the essay should just be a case of bulking out each point and filling in the gaps.
This method is perfect for writing against the clock . It will keep you on track with the essay, and avoid you from feeling confused about what to write next.
And yes, we realise we haven't got around to finding quotes and references yet. But stick with us, there's a good reason for this.
How to write an essay introduction quickly
Time: 11am – 11.45am
Writing all 3,000 words in one go is not easy, so anything you can do to break up the workload is a positive step.
As your intro is unlikely to need many (if any) quotes, it's a good place to start. As soon as you've planned your essay, you'll be able to get a sense of achievement by writing the introduction.
This way, when you sit down after lunch to tackle the main body of the essay, you'll have already knocked a couple of hundred words off the word count.
Don't worry too much about making it sound amazing at this point. Just get stuck into introducing your argument and telling the reader how you'll support it. You can go back and improve it later on when you're at the editing stage.
Create a mini-outline in your introduction so you signpost exactly what it is you're planning to argue.
And don't use the introduction as a space to throw in random references to things that are vaguely relevant, especially if you're just doing it to hit the minimum number of references required. When in doubt, leave it out.
How to find sources for your essay
Time: 11.45am – 1pm
Now it's time to gather the all-important information and quotes to support your arguments.
It's important to limit the time you spend on this to avoid getting distracted by irrelevant info. However, the essay will be easier to write if you're well-informed on the topic, so don't scrimp on the research either.
Choose the keywords you're searching for wisely, and copy and paste any key ideas and quotes you find into a separate 'Research' document.
If you're using reference books rather than online resources, give yourself an extra 10 minutes to get anything that looks useful from the library. And, although it sounds obvious, remember to use the index.
Where to look for quotes online
Google Scholar is a great place to find direct quotes without spending time going through endless paragraphs.
Of course, your best bet will be any references that you've picked up in your lecture notes . Even if you haven't noted down the names, look through the lecture slides (if your lecturer is kind enough to put them online) and see if they contain any gems.
Go straight to the source and check to see whether the lecturer has published a list of advised reading on your module's online platform .
While you gather quotes, keep a note of your sources and format them for your bibliography.
This helps you avoid any risk of accidental plagiarism, but compiling your list of citations as you work saves having to do them all at the end (the last thing you want after writing 3,000 words).
Extra referencing tips
Say you're reading a text by Author A, which includes references to quotes by Authors B, C and D. Rather than referencing the text by Author A, use the quotes from Authors B, C and D and use the bibliography from Author A to find the references to use for B, C and D.
Aside from being how you're supposed to reference anyway, it has the added benefit of adding three sources to your bibliography instead of just the one.
Also, if you're using Microsoft Word (2007 or later) to write your essay, make use of the automatic referencing system .
Simply enter the details of sources as you go along, and it will automatically create a perfect bibliography or works cited page at the end. This tool is amazing and could save you a lot of extra work typing out your references and bibliography.
Writing your essay
Time: 1.45pm – 6pm
You've had your brain-fuelling lunch , and now it's time to write the 3,000 word essay. With your detailed plan, it should just be a case of expanding on the points you've already listed.
If you struggle to word your ideas in an eloquent way, focus first on getting all of your content down.
You can refine the wording at the editing stage , and it's much easier to think about style once you've typed up everything you want to say first.
While your essay plan should see you through, there's nothing to say that more ideas won't occur to you as you go along.
Unless they absolutely have to be included, jot them down on a notepad. They could come in handy if you need to make up the word count later.
How to reach the word count
Use the research you gathered earlier to support the key ideas you set out in your outline, but don't ramble for the sake of it. Try to be concise and have faith that the strength of your arguments will take you to around 2,500(ish) words.
Imagine your essay is a bit like a kebab stick: the meat is your essential argument and you surround each chunk with vegetables (quotes and remarks) to make the full kebab... We can't wait for dinner at 6pm.
If you're struggling to reach the word limit, don't panic .
Pick out a single point in your argument that hasn't been fully built upon yet, and head back to your research. There will almost certainly be an additional quote or two that you could throw in to make your point even clearer.
Of course, if you're using a lot of quotes from other sources, make sure you paraphrase your main arguments to give the essay your own voice and make it clear which words are yours and which are someone else's. Plagiarism is serious and all your hard work could be completely discounted if you don't cite properly!
Your conclusion shouldn't take too long at all. You're basically summarising the arguments you've spent the last few hours detailing, and explaining how they all tie together to support your overall response to the essay question.
Editing your essay to perfection
Credit: Atanas Bezov - Shutterstock
Time: 6.45pm – 10.30pm
We've allowed 3 hours and 45 minutes for editing your essay, which might sound a bit excessive. For some of you, it will be.
If you're blessed with the ability to write immaculately and at speed, you may not need this long to edit your essay.
Although, as we touched on earlier, not everyone can get their ideas written down and do it eloquently all in one go. If this is you, then take the time to refine what you've produced and make sure it gets full marks for written communication .
However long you're taking, you should still check that your essay flows nicely.
Are your paragraphs linked? Does it all make sense? Do a quick spell check and make sure you have time for potential printer issues (if your uni still requires you to provide a paper copy). We've all been there.
A lot of students overlook the importance of spelling and grammar. It differs from uni to uni, subject to subject and tutor to tutor, but generally your writing style, spelling and grammar can account for up to 10% – 20% of your grade .
Finally, ensure that all the points you wanted to explore are on paper (or screen) and explained fully. Are all of your facts correct? Make things wordier (or more concise, depending on your circumstance) in order to hit your word limit.
Time to get started
While starting essays a day before the deadline is far from recommended and unlikely to get you the best grades , this guide should at least prevent tears in the library (been there) and the need for any extensions.
Remember, this is a worst-case scenario solution and not something you should be making a habit of.
Exams coming up? You may want to bookmark how to revise in one day too...
what are other people reading?
Best study snacks to help you revise
How to choose a university and the right degree
10 ways to take better lecture notes
How to get a first class degree
Free money cheat sheet.
Weekly deals, guides + free cheat sheet. Privacy policy
This is genuinely brilliant I have been in this situation a few times and this is exactly the best process I wish I had seen this as an undergraduate. I think actual writing time is a bit optimistic in truth it would be an all-nighter and I have always worked better with less food. A belly full of porridge would send me back to bed but I'm a hefty bloke and missing a meal wont kill me.
Anyway, back to the dissertation, 14000 words to go, still have 5 weeks though.
me reading this, is me procrastinating my assignment that was due 3 days
Jake Alexander Murray
This is one excellent article! I've referred back to this specific website (article) over for the past 2 years and it works wonderfully! Thank you for updating it!
For one of my finals, we actually have to write a 3500 words essay in 24 hours... We will get the topic at 10am on a Tuesday, and have to hand it back at 10am the day after... so, it's not a bug, it's a feature
some great tips
Here goes nothing! 3000 words in a day (and maybe handing it in a day late if I cant finish in time and copping the 5% deduction).
This is bullshit. I have a 10,000 word essay due tomorrow. I fucked up by leaving it to the last minute, but the time required to research the content spans a couple of weeks.
I am a medical student, and I have to write an essay about cancer. God knows how I even got into medical school.
Literally a God send! Just written out my plan for my essay on the political implications of the Italian Renaissance- Really don't want to start but I have a plan now and feel more motivated. Kind of.
Jake Butler
You can do it!!!
But I have only 6hours left to complete my essay, and it must be a very long one. What should I do? I got the outline, but seems not provide plenty information to write. God...I'm panic, procrastinated and stressed. ;|
Honestly, I can't get anything done without the thought that it needs to be in!
Did most essays last year within the last week and passed with flying colours... The one I took my time over and worked on for over a month I had to re-submit because I failed first time.
With the flood in Cumbria this year it's been easier to stretch myself out a little rather than drag myself through 16 hour periods of writing each day as we were given extentions. Hopefully, these ones will be graded even higher because although there's still pressure, I am able to re-write them in a more academic style (yay thesaurus!!!)
I'm doing this now. I'm so scared I wanna cry.
Doing this right now have 1 more week to do 10000 words. Done most of the prep, with kids, work etc...goodness knows how it's going to get done...but it will. Hard part will be editing
deadline in a couple days, going to bash it out tomorrow using this, fingers crossed it works!!
16,000 words 6 days. 3 night shifts. Urgh. Thanks for this though!
Will use this guide twice until friday! then no lectures till 21st, Challenge accepted!
I thrive on pressure and find it easier to write and concentrate within the last 24hrs before submission. Remember " Anything is Possible"! You can do it. MSc essay completed within 2 days fully researched and handed in with 10 minutes to go. Received a Merit grade! Push yourself!
could have started earlier and got a distinction* / 1st class
Doing this right now... the feeling of freedom once you've finished the essay though... and then instantly forgetting half the stuff you wrote about!
I do that all the time LOL
Yes this guide is Awesome! thanks.
scribbledoutname
Oh, and thanks, this is really helpful >:)
Challenge accepted.
Ask us a question or share your thoughts!
Tweet @savethestudent - Facebook Message - Email
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Adding additional information to support a point · 6. Moreover · 7. Furthermore · 8. What's more · 9. Likewise · 10. Similarly · 11. Another key thing
Strong Verbs for Academic Writing · Alleviate · Cease · Decline · Depress · Descent · Deteriorate · Minimize · Subside
17 academic words and phrases to use in your essay · 1. Firstly, secondly, thirdly · 2. In view of; in light of; considering · 3. According to X; X
Useful Phrases for Proficiency Essays · Firstly,…/ Secondly,…/ Finally,… (note the comma after all these introductory words.) · As a final point…
Using the traditional pen and paper to draft your essay has not completely gone out of style. However, if you want to effectively write, proofread and format
8 Steps to Writing an Essay · decide what kind of essay to write · brainstorm your topic · research the topic · choose a writing style · develop a thesis · outline
What Are Essay Words? ; Chiefly, Fundamentally, Soon ; Clarify, Furthermore, Specifically ; Close, Hence, State ; Comparison, However, Summarizes ; Compelling
Write out three to five key points that you want to make in your overall argument. Underneath each one, use bullet points to list all the
Creating a College Essay in Microsoft Word ... How I wrote 1st class essays at Cambridge University (how to write the best essay).
Here's how to write a basic, 300-word, five-paragraph essay, step by step. Learn how to write your introductory paragraph, body paragraphs