Essays generally require precise use of language and should be detailed, but you should always aim to make your writing interesting and engaging.
Good writing involves quality grammar, a wide vocabulary and effective use of transition phrases. There are hundreds of transition phrases, and you probably use many already. Here’s a few pointers:
- At the start of the essay, introduce your core argument with a phrase like “this essay will explore”.
- When you link sentences together, use phrases like “moreover” and “furthermore” to enhance the flow of your writing.
- You’ll need to introduce quotes and arguments using phrases like “X argues that”.
- Compare and contrast views using “conversely” and “however”.
- Demonstrate results using “evidently” and “therefore”.
- Conclude points with phrases like “in short” and “ultimately”. These are very useful for summarising a paragraph and introducing a new one.
Of course, that barely scratches the surface of the transition phrases available – there are hundreds! See the back of our essay writing booklet for a complete selection of super-handy phrases.
Get in the habit of reading your writing back to yourself to make sure it’s coherent and easy to follow. And then, of course, always double-check spelling, grammar and punctuation!
