Linking Words & Sentences

Linking words and sentences are extremely helpful in explanation writing to tie your article together! They are sometimes called transitional phrases. This page will help your child understand how to use linking words/phrases and why they’re important in explanation writing.

What are linking words & sentences? Why do they matter?

Linking words and sentences are used to transition between ideas or points. They make a piece of writing flow better and sound more cohesive. Linking words and sentences help make explanation writing more clear for its readers as well! Without using linking words or phrases, a piece of writing doesn’t flow as smoothly and sometimes doesn’t make sense, which is why linking words matter.

The four key areas of transitional phrases

1. Beginning

When you begin your explanation, it may be helpful to use opening linking phrases to introduce your ideas. For example, you may use linking words or phrases to start your sentences such as firstly, to begin with, or to start.

2. Providing evidence

When you provide evidence to support your points within your explanation piece, linking words/phrases may be useful as well. Some linking phrases you could use to provide evidence in your explanation article include the evidence for this is and this explanation is based on.

3. Concluding

In an explanation article, or any other type of writing, it’s useful to use conclusive wording when you are ending your piece of writing. This helps make your writing feel finished and complete, wrapping up your article nicely. Some linking phrases you may use in a conclusion include in sum, in conclusion, or finally.

4. Reasoning

When you are providing reasoning for the points you are making in an explanation piece, linking words/phrases within sentences is beneficial. For example, you may use linking phrases such as this means, as a result of, or a further reason is.

Activity & resource

Your child writer should now feel more confident in their ability to use linking words and sentences in their writing. If they need a refresher, we encourage them to use the downloadable resource below on how to use linking words, which includes a practice activity.