English – Linking Words: Addition, Contrast, Cause, Result – BAC – Literary Stream

English – Linking Words: Addition, Contrast, Cause, Result – BAC – Literary Stream

Linking words (also called transition words or connectors) are essential for writing coherent essays and paragraphs. They help connect ideas and show relationships between sentences. This lesson covers the most important linking words for the BAC exam.

Linking Words for Addition

Used to add information or ideas:

• And: “She studied hard and passed the exam.”
• Moreover / Furthermore / In addition: “He is intelligent. Moreover, he is hardworking.”
• Besides / Also: “She speaks Arabic. Besides, she speaks French and English.”
• Not only… but also: “Not only did he finish first, but he also broke the record.”

Linking Words for Contrast

Used to show differences or opposite ideas:

• But: “He is rich but unhappy.”
• However / Nevertheless / Nonetheless: “The weather was bad. However, we went out.”
• Although / Even though / Though: “Although it rained, we enjoyed the trip.”
• Whereas / While: “She likes tea, whereas he prefers coffee.”
• On the one hand… on the other hand: “On one hand, technology connects us. On the other hand, it isolates us.”

Linking Words for Cause and Result

Used to show reasons and consequences:

• Because / Since / As: “He passed because he studied hard.”
• Therefore / Consequently / As a result: “He didn’t study. Therefore, he failed.”
• So / Thus / Hence: “It was raining, so we stayed home.”
• Due to / Owing to: “The match was cancelled due to bad weather.”

Exercises

Exercise 1: Complete with appropriate linking words: “_____ he was tired, he continued working. / She is talented, _____ she lacks confidence. / We arrived late; _____, we missed the beginning.”

Exercise 2: Join the sentences using linking words from different categories: “He studies hard. He wants to succeed. / She is intelligent. She is lazy.”

Exercise 3: Write a paragraph about the advantages and disadvantages of social media, using at least 5 different linking words.

See also Conditional Sentences and Passive Voice.