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The secret to a successful essay doesn’t just lie in the clever things you talk about and the way you structure your points.
To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively1 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 – whether you’re a native English speaker or taking your first steps into writing essays in English. 好文章不仅要有靠谱的观点和理由，还要有能够说服对方的语言。本文将为大家详细介绍你在撰写一篇出色的英文文章时所需的40个单词和词组——无论你是否是native speaker，这都将是你学习英文写作的第一步。
General Explaining 解释
Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points. 【解释】
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 emphasise3 or expand on a point.
Example: “Frogs are amphibians4. 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 photosynthesis5. 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 并列
Students often make the mistake of using synonyms6 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. 【衔接两个点的时候，不要总是用and】
6. Moreover
Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in supportof 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 unfamiliar7.”
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 proponent8 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 Knight9 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…”
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 unprecedented11 suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”
Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast 对比
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.【表对比】
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 interpretation12 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 straightforward13 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 archaeology14 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 insufficient15 evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible16.”
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.”
23. Yet
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 让步
Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.【让步】
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 举例
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.【好作文，必举例！】
31. For instance/ For example
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 强调
When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.【强调重要性】
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.”
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 portray18 the situation more favourably19 than he perhaps
Summarising 总结
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.【总结】
36. In conclusion
Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview20.
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.
38. Persuasive2
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…”
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persuasively
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| adv.口才好地；令人信服地 | |
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persuasive
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| adj.有说服力的，能说得使人相信的 | |
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emphasise
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| vt.加强...的语气，强调，着重 | |
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amphibians
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| 两栖动物( amphibian的名词复数 )； 水陆两用车； 水旱两生植物； 水陆两用飞行器 | |
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photosynthesis
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| n.光合作用 | |
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synonyms
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| 同义词( synonym的名词复数 ) | |
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unfamiliar
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| adj.陌生的，不熟悉的 | |
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proponent
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| n.建议者；支持者；adj.建议的 | |
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knight
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| n.骑士，武士；爵士 | |
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secondly
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| adv.第二，其次 | |
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unprecedented
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| adj.无前例的，新奇的 | |
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interpretation
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| n.解释，说明，描述；艺术处理 | |
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straightforward
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| adj.正直的，坦率的；易懂的，简单的 | |
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archaeology
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| n.考古学 | |
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insufficient
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| adj.(for，of)不足的，不够的 | |
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plausible
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| adj.似真实的，似乎有理的，似乎可信的 | |
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notably
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| adv.值得注意地，显著地，尤其地，特别地 | |
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portray
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| v.描写，描述；画(人物、景象等) | |
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favourably
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| adv. 善意地，赞成地 =favorably | |
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overview
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| n.概观，概述 | |
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pertinent
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| adj.恰当的；贴切的；中肯的；有关的；相干的 | |
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