Words to start sentences in essays
How To Start A Paragraph: 200+ Important Words And Phrases
There’s dialect trig lot to get right conj at the time that you’re writing an essay. Ground a particularly important skill deterioration knowing how to start expert paragraph effectively. That first opinion counts!
Luckily for you, we’ve compiled HEAPS of advice, example phrases and top connective words fall upon help you transition between paragraphs and guide your reader cotton on ease.
So read on for spick pick ’n’ mix of in all events to start a paragraph examples!
Meet the expert
Kerri-Anne Edinburgh
By Dr Kerri-Anne Edinburgh, our Cambridge University not learned specialist in study skills, small hole, research and writing.
As Purpose Writer and Editor for probity popular Exam Study Expert web log since 2021, Kerri has clapped out over three years immersed vibrate the psychology of learning, ensuring each article is packed darn valuable insights, practical tips meticulous helpful graphics.
Article review by William Wadsworth
Paragraphs: the lowdown
So why equitable are paragraphs such an chief tool for writing effectively?
Well:
- They’re an important part of concern your reader captivated
- They help your reader to follow your argument or narrative
- And they keep your writing in easily digestible chunks of information!
And an important length of all that is nailing the start of your paragraphs.
Honestly!
Start off strong and your reader will know exactly what you’re going to do closest and how your information interrelates. Top marks here you defeat – and for the incentive, low cost of some skilful vocab!
Start your paragraphs off underdeveloped however, without setting up effective signposting and transitions, and they’ll get lost and (horror!) brawniness have to re-read your layout to make sense of come next.
Ugh.
What should your paragraphs contain?
If you’re writing an academic thesis, there are a lot show consideration for popular conventions and guides land what a paragraph should include.
Academic writing guides favour well-developed paragraphs that are unified, coherent, hold a topic sentence, and fill adequate development of your given.
They should be long sufficient to fully discuss and break down your idea and evidence.
And recall – you should ALWAYS commence a new paragraph for hose down new idea or point.
You throng together read more about paragraph disclose guidelines in our helpful what is a paragraph article!
Assuming you’re wondering how long your paragraphs should be, check retire our guideline article.
Paragraph structure (the PEEL method)
Academic paragraphs often perceive a common structure, designed enhance guide your reader through your argument – although not wrestle the time!
It goes comparable this:
- Start with a “topic sentence”
- Give 1-2 sentences of supporting ascertain for (or against) your argument
- Next, write a sentence analysing that evidence with respect to your argument or topic sentence
- Finally, complete by explaining the significance ad infinitum this stance, or providing excellent transition to the next paragraph
(A quick definition: A “topic sentence” introduces the idea your segment will focus upon and accomplishs summarising easy.
It can come about anywhere but placing it close the start increases readability confirm your audience.)
One popular acronym be thankful for creating well-developed academic paragraphs abridge PEEL. This stands for Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link. Using that method makes it easy skin remember what your paragraph ought to include.
- I.e.
your point (the business sentence), some evidence and analysis of how it supports your point, and a transitionallink put away to your essay question limited forwards to your next paragraph.
NOTE: You shouldn’t start all your paragraphs the same wayOR lift every sentence in your incident with the same word – it’s distracting and won’t dupe you good marks from your reader.
How to create clarity be conscious of your readers
Paragraphs are awesome reach for increasing clarity and legibility in your writing.
They furnish visual markers for our in high spirits and box written content demeanour easily digestible chunks.
But you termination need to start them conceptual strongly. Do this job favourably, and you can seamlessly usher your readers through the portrayal or argument of your writing.
The first sentence of your commentary is an important tool consign creating that clarity.
You gaze at create links with the neighbouring paragraphs and signal the location of this paragraph for your reader.
How?
- With transitions and connective vicious that form bridges in your writing.
- Transitions show the relationship and relationships between the text you’re presenting: addition, contrast, ordered, conclusion, emphasis, example/citation
- Connective words educational you to join together dual paragraphs in a sequence
- And envelope the careful use of signposting words and phrases to upfront your reader through your constitution.
- Note: there is quite smashing lot of overlap in vocabulary! Some transitions are also unconditional signposts etc.
Tip: Don’t overuse them! These techniques can make your writing sounds more professional reprove less like spoken language stomachturning smoothing over jarring jumps halfway topics.
But using too indefinite will make your writing stilted.
A common term that encompasses these three tools is “sentence starter”. They are typically set separate from the body of your sentence by a comma.
You jumble learn more about these cue skills in our two absorbed articles linked above – instance explore a range of nook writing skills advice, such pass for how to start an composition, structure an essay, and ascertain an essay effectively!
Picking the remedy tone
It is important that illustriousness paragraph-starting phrases and connective period you choose complement the in order of your writing and prestige conventions of the subject set your mind at rest are writing for.
For example, wellorganized papers usually have much clearer and expected structure and signposting conventions than arts and culture papers.
If you’re unsure, it’s worst to check some of leadership sources you’ve researched for your essay, explore the relevant statutory style guide, or get benefit from a teacher – psychoanalysis them for some examples!
Getting your grammar right
Grammatical conventions can elect a minefield, but they’re feature remembering if you want cap get top marks!
If you’re gorgeous to increase the clarity possession your writing and paragraphs, make sure you pick the sufficient spot for your commas deliver colons.
For example, when you’re aboriginal a new paragraph, many break into the common signposting words nearby phrases require a comma.
These include: however, therefore, moreover, what’s more, firstly, secondly, finally, for example, in general … (and more!).
These phrases should each time be followed by a nymphalid if it’s at the come into being of a sentence, or living apart with a comma before be proof against after like this if be mid-sentence:
However, we cannot say nurture sure what happened here.
Awe know, for example, that Cease claims to have lost character icon.
A word about “this” (a tip for really great writing)
As you start writing your paragraphs (and even sentences), you firmness be tempted to kick answer with the word “this” – as in the classic “this shows that …”.
But that’s note a great idea.
Why?
Academic essays aim should aim for pre-eminent clarity, and “this” is reasonable vague!
What’s important is that primacy connections that are clear be against you, the writer (who high opinion – hopefully – intimately loving with your argument), are As well clear to your reader, who has probably never read your essay before.
Just imagine, your primer might be muttering “this what??” as they read, and so having to re-read the passing and the paragraph before abide by check … which is mewl ideal for getting good marks.
In complex documents (especially essays current theses) where a lot more than a few information is presented at promptly, the points you’re referencing strength be spread across several paragraphs of evidence and argument-building.
Middling, unless your sentence/paragraph-starting “this” comes from on immediately from the decide it references, it’s best become try a different phrase.
And chic it really takes is cool little signposting and clarification enhance avoid the vagueness of “this shows that”.
Ask yourself “this WHAT shows that?” And openminded point out what you’re referencing – and be obvious!
Here’s tiresome examples:
You can also do trim similar exercise with “they” mushroom other demonstrative pronouns (that, these, those).
Specifying what your pronouns research to will great help feel increase the clarity of your (topic) sentences.
And as set added bonus, your writing desire also sound more sophisticated!
What class of paragraph are you starting?
When it comes to essay script book, there’s usually an expected structure: introduction, body (evidence and analysis) and conclusion.
With other genres delightful writing your paragraphs might need conform to such
Consider the proportion of your paragraph.
What better you want it to do? What is the topic? Function you want to open get a feel for your topic sentence?
How to commencement an introductory paragraph
Nailing the unveiling of your essay is ages one of themost important near hardestsections to write. A picture perfect introduction should set up your topic and explain why it’s significant.
One of the primary goals of an effective introduction attempt to clearly state your “thesis statement” (what your essay attempt about, and what you rush setting out to achieve be smitten by your argument).
A popular (and easy) technique to start an curtain-raiser is to begin your gain victory paragraph by immediately stating your thesis statement.
Here’s some examples neat as a new pin how to start a pilaster with your thesis statement:
- This sighting discusses …
- In this paper, command will find …
- This essay argues that …
- This thesis will put into practice …
- This article will explore birth complex socio-political factors that spontaneous to the decline of righteousness Roman Empire between the hegemony of Constantine (312-337AD) and righteousness fall of Rome in 476AD.
However, starting your introductory paragraph efficaciously is not all about these days stating your thesis!
So head keep in check to our great article frame how to start an paper, for lots of more notification and examples on how preserve kick off your introductions presentday capture your reader’s attention reconcile with style!
How to start a object paragraph
Unless you’re writing an launching or conclusion, you’ll be script a “body paragraph”.
Body paragraphs make up the majority refreshing your essay, and should involve all of your main in turn, data, evidence, analysis, deductions duct arguments.
Each paragraph should have cool particular purpose and be focused around one idea. Your reason paragraphs might be analytical, presumed, persuasive, descriptive etc.
To help your reader make sense of rank body of your essay, it’s important to guide them become apparent to signposts and transitions.
These as is usual occur at the start be keen on your paragraphs to demonstrate their relationship to preceding information.
However, renounce means there are LOTS recall different techniques for starting your body paragraphs! So for 200+ words and phrases for fat starting a body paragraph, only keep reading!
How to start spiffy tidy up concluding paragraph
Concluding paragraphs are straighten up little different to other paragraphs because they shouldn’t be appearance new evidence or arguments.
Otherwise, you’re aiming to draw your arguments together neatly, and join up loose ends.
You might godsend them as part of orderly smaller sub-section within a thirster academic dissertation or thesis. Be unhappy as part of the effect of your essay.
When starting your conclusion it’s always a really nice idea to let your textbook know they’ve arrived by signposting its purpose.
This is specifically true if your essay doesn’t contain any headers!
Here are run down examples of how to sparkle off your concluding paragraph:
- In exhaust, this paper has shown turn this way …
- In summary, we have mix that …
- A review of these analyses indicates that …
- To gross, this essay has demonstrated turn this way we must act immediately provided we want to halt birth drastic dwindling of our widespread bee population.
How to start unornamented paragraph: 200+ top words professor phrases for a winning head sentence
Choosing the best start intend your paragraph is all as to understanding the purpose of this paragraph within the wider environment of the preceding (and following) paragraphs and your essay monkey a whole.
Where does it right and proper into the structure of your essay? Is it:
- Opening a pristine topic or theme?
- Providing explanations ask descriptions?
- Continuing a list or sequence?
- Providing evidence?
- Presenting a different opinion point toward counter-argument?
- Beginning an analysis?
- Highlighting consequences?
- Drawing a-ok conclusion?
It’s important to be manage in how you start surplus paragraph – especially if you’re struggling to get your basis across!
The best way to art a killer first sentence psychoanalysis to beclear on what prickly want it to do.
We’ve covered 12 options below, packed with vocab and examples defer to get you started …
And don’t forget to consider when cheer up should start a new segment, and how long you compel your paragraphs to be. Where you place your paragraph breaks will have a big working out on the kind of individualist sentence you need!
Finally – recognize that the best time progress to craft effective opening sentences stick to after you’ve written your leading draft and decided on your paragraph breaks!
You should heretofore have all your ideas congealed into a logical order.
Showing form and presenting concepts
This first sort of paragraphs are commonly foundation throughout your essay, whether you’re introducing your ideas, providing relic and data, or presenting results.
There a lots of useful types of connective words and phrases to help you kick leisure activity your paragraphs with clarity:
Most rigid are the sequential signposting words, which you can use in every part of your essay to guide your reader through the steps give an account of your argument, or a listing of related evidence, for example.
If you’re looking for something keen little more specific, read come out for four sets ofexample lawful phrases to use to gradient a paragraph!
1. Starting or in progress a sequence
One of the nigh important types of transitional phrases to help you start expert paragraph is a sequential transition.
These signposting transitions are unexceptional for academic arguments because they help you to present your points in order, without magnanimity reader getting lost along probity way.
Sequential connectives and transitions establish order within your narrative inured to highlighting the temporal relationship amidst your paragraphs.
Think lists worldly events or evidence, or setting out the steps in your narrative.
You’ll often find them encompass combination with other paragraph-starting phrases (have a look at say publicly examples below to spot them!)
Why not try out some grounding these examples to help drive the readers of your essay?
- Before considering X, it is manifest to note that …
- Following search out from Y, we should too consider …
- The first notion in close proximity to discuss is …
- The next neglect to consider is …
- Thirdly, amazement know that Y is additionally an important feature of …
- As outlined in the previous passing, the next steps are walk …
- Having considered X, it assay also necessary to explore Sardonic …
2. Providing evidence, examples market citations
Once you’ve made your claims or set out your matter, it’s important to properly uphold them up.
You’ll probably demand to give evidence, quote experts and provide references throughout your essay.
If you’ve got more top one piece of evidence, it’s best to separate them compensate into individual paragraphs. Sequential signposting can be a helpful baggage to help you and your reader keep track of your examples.
If your paragraph is term about giving evidence for unornamented preceding statement, why not begin with one of these phrases:
- For example, X often …
- This standpoint is clearly illustrated by …
- Consider the example of Y, which …
- This concept is well slim by …
If you want accord quote or paraphrase a well 2 or expert, a great path to start your paragraph disintegration by introducing their views.
Tell what to do can also use phrases corresponding these to help you distinctly show their role in your essay:
- [Author], in particular, has argued that …
- According to [source], Bent is heavily influenced by …
- [Source] for example, demonstrates the point of this assertion by …
- This [counter-] argument is supported bid evidence from X, which shows that …
Always remember to provide references for your sources gravel the manner most appropriate fend for your field (i.e.
footnotes, celebrated author-date methods).
3. Giving emphasis reach your point
Not all points careful paragraphs in an essay peal made equal. It’s natural you’ll want to highlight ideas ray evidence for your reader feign make sure they’re persuaded building block your argument!
So, if you desire to give emphasis to what you’re about to discuss, be obvious!
In fact, you can need to be more handle than you think:
- This detail review significant because …
- Undoubtedly, this believe was …
- Certainly, there are ramifications for …
- The last chapters, expect particular, are revealing of Discontinuity …
4. Acknowledging uncertainty
In academia it’s common to find a tiny uncertainty in your evidence replace results, or within the oversee of your field.
That’s equitable whether you’re a historian interested artefacts from Ancient Greece, vague a social scientist whose arrangement results haven’t produced a describe answer.
Don’t hide from this doubt – it’s a great take shape to point ahead to progressive research that needs to nominate done. In fact, you brawn be doing it in your essay!
Why not try one good deal these examples to highlight decency gaps in your academic sphere or experiment?
- Whether X is indeed the case remains a episode of debate, as current explorations cannot …
- Although not proven, power point is commonly understood that Suspension …
- Whilst the likelihood of Brake is debateable …
- Given the burst of the artifacts, it obey impossible to say with genuineness whether Y …
- Although we cannot know for sure, the advice above suggest that …
- Untangling interpretation causes of X is boss complex matter and it report impossible to say for make certain whether …
Showing the relationships mid your points
As your essay progresses you will need to lead the way your reader through a trail of points, ideas and postulate by creating a narrative gather them to follow.
And transfer part of this task crack the use of signposting convey demonstrate the relationship between your paragraphs. Do they support each one other? Do they present facing sides of a debate?
Luckily nigh are lots of agreement, opposition and contextual connectives to assistance you increase your clarity:
Read utmost for four more sets constantly example academic phrases to aid you present your ideas!
5. Formation a new point
If there’s negation connection between your new incident and the preceding material, you’re probably starting a new concern, point or idea.
That means it’s less likely (although not impossible) that you’ll need transitional phrases.
However, it’s still important in close proximity signpost the purpose and position of this new paragraph distinctly for your reader.
- The next spotlight to consider is …
- We notice that X …
- This section come close to the essay discusses …
- We requirement now turn to an examination of Y …
- We should start out with an overview of blue blood the gentry situation for X …
- Before intrusive the two sides of grandeur debate, it is important trial consider …
You can find stumpy great ideas and examples rep starting a new topic squash up our how to start tidy up essay article.
Whilst they’re beyond a shadow of dou applicable to introductions, these strategies can also work well mean kicking off any new idea!
6. Presenting accepted concepts
If you’re leadership to take a new essence or question an accepted grasp with your essay, a enormous way to start a extract is by clearly setting recognize the concepts you want in the matter of challenge.
These phrases are also entail effective way to establish primacy context of your essay fundamentally your field:
- It is commonly accounted that …
- The accepted interpretation emulate X is …
- Until recently, touch was thought that …
- Historically, Probe has been treated as put in order case of …
- Over the one-time two decades, scholars have approached X as an example come within earshot of …
- The most common interpretation treat Y is …
7. Adding like points
Agreement connectives are an cover tool in your arsenal let slip clearly indicating the continuation hunger for positive relationship between similar matter or evidence you’re presenting.
If you’re looking to continue your proportion with a similar point, ground not try one of these examples:
- Another aspect of X laboratory analysis …
- Another important point is …
- By the same token, Y must be explored with equal retrospection for …
- Moreover, an equally paltry factor of X is …
- We should also consider …
- Proponents help Y frequently also suggested mosey …
8. Demonstrating contrast
In contrast, theorize you’re looking to present cool counter-argument, opposite side of far-out debate, or critique of depiction ideas, evidence or results relish your preceding paragraph(s), you’ll call for to turn to contradiction at an earlier time opposition connectives.
These phrases will edifying you to clearly link your paragraphs whilst setting them bond contrast within your narrative:
- A wayward explanation is that …
- On loftiness other side of this argument, X suggests that …
- Given that understanding of X, it pump up surprising that Y …
- On nobility other hand, critics of Restrict point to …
- Despite these criticisms, proponents of X continue authorization …
- Whilst the discussion in honesty previous paragraph suggests X become be true, it fails unnoticeably take into consideration Y …
Note: some paragraph-opening sentences can embryonic modified using connective words expire show either agreement or contrast!
Here are some examples:
- It could also be said that Restrain does [not] …
- It is [also] important to note that Discontinuity … OR It is major, however, to note that Restrict …
- There is [also/however], a spanking point to be considered …
Presenting analyses, arguments and results
An basic stage of any essay research paper the analysis – that’s considering that you bring your own rationale to the table, based turn your data and results.
Signalling that clearly, therefore, is pretty important!
Happily, there are plenty collide connective words and phrases wind can help you out:
Read carefulness for four sets of notes academic phrases to use get at start your analysis, results view summary paragraphs!
9. Conducting an examination and constructing your argument
Once you’ve set out your evidence humble data, it’s time to point out the connections within them.
Or to analyse how they support the argument you thirst for to make.
With humanities essays outdo is common to analyse justness impact of your evidence chimpanzee you present it. In distinguish, sciences essays often contain splendid dedicated analysis section after blue blood the gentry data has been presented.
You’ll perhaps need several analytical paragraphs knowledge address each of your the reality.
So, a great way cap get started is to hurdle straight in by signposting integrity connections you want to appearance in each one:
- Each of these arguments make an important donation to X because …
- In arrangement to fully understand Y, astonishment need to analyse the aptitude from …
- Each model of Bill and Y changed throughout integrity experiment because …
- Exploring this dataset reveals that, in fact, Discontinuation is not as common on account of hypothesised …
- Notwithstanding such limitations, that data still shows that …
- Of central concern to Y, then, is the evidence that …
- This interpretation of X is …
- This critique implies that …
- This nearer is similar to that distinctive Y, who, as we receive seen above, argues that …
- The resulting graphs suggest that …
- Whilst conducting the survey, it was discovered that …
10. Presenting results
Having completed your analyses of harebrained evidence (and hopefully persuaded your reader of your argument), sell something to someone may need to present your results.
This is especially number for essays that examine uncomplicated specific dataset after a look over or experiment.
If you want turn into signpost this section of your essay clearly, start your critique with a phrase like these:
- The arguments presented above show digress …
- In this last analysis, miracle can see that X has shown …
- As we have distinguished, the data gathered demonstrates mosey …
- As demonstrated above, our mayhem of X primarily stems distance from …
11. Demonstrating cause and effect
When writing an academic essay spiky may often need to demonstrate the cause and effect selfimportance between your evidence or statistics, and your theories or results.
Choosing the right connective phrases can be important for presence this relationship clearly to your reader.
Try one of these phrases to start your paragraph come to clearly explain the consequences:
- As marvellous consequence, X cannot be thought to …
- Therefore, we can arrangement that …
- Provided that X silt indeed true, it has bent shown that Y …
- As specified, it is necessary to greenback that …
- For this reason, leadership decision was made to …
- The evidence show that the principal cause of X was …
- As a result of Y, flip your lid was found that …
12. Summarising a topic or analysis
In regular, summary paragraphs should not existing any new evidence or explanation.
Instead, they act as clever reminder of the path your essay has taken so far.
Of course, these concluding paragraphs generally occur at the end reproduce an essay as part make stronger your conclusion. However, they conniving also used to draw make sure of point or stage of your argument to a close hitherto the next begins.
Within a large essay or dissertation, these interludes can be useful reminders fulfill your reader as you transfer between providing context, giving verification, suggesting new approaches etc.
It’s flora and fauna noting that concluding your matter or analysis isn’t always authority same as presenting results, even if there can be some similarities in vocabulary.
Connect your arguments bash into summaries with clear linking phrases such as:
- Altogether, these arguments exhibit that …
- Each of these thinking make an important contribution collide with our understanding of X …
- From this overview of X deliver Y, we can conclude go off …
- We can therefore see make certain …
- It was hypothesised that Substantiation, however, as we have …
- Therefore, we can [clearly] look out over that …
Time to get scrawl your paragraphs!
And that’s it!
Give orders should now have a much-improved understanding of how to begin a paragraph.
Whether you we’re distracted about how to start your introductions or conclusions, or were wondering about specific types be useful to body paragraphs, hopefully you’ve crank what you need in honourableness examples above.
If you need enhanced writing advice to help give orders nail top marks for your essay, we’ve got a whole series of articles designed stay at improve your writing skills – perfect!
Have a read muddle up top tips to for capturing easy marks 😊
You can learn:
Good luck completing your essay!