Useful phrases for academic writing, but also for debating

Here are suggestions for using words and phrases which could improve your academic writing structure and
style as well as your debating prowess significantly.

1. INTRODUCTION
This essay will deal with the following aspects of the question...
The aim of this essay is ......
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. !I"IN! #N O"$R"I$% O& T'$ $((#) CONT$NT
In order to link.... with ...., the background to ... will be briefly outlined.
The first part of the analysis will examine....
The second part of this analysis will consider...
The final level of the analysis consists of...
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*. +#,IN! # -OINT
It is clear noticeable that...
It is necessary important useful interestingto notepoint out highlight emphasise that
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.. $+-'#(I( +#R,$R( show clearly what you think is most important but allow you to avoid personal
language such as !I think!

#d/ecti0es " main, crucial, important, significant, key, essential

Nouns1 focus, element, concept, theory, aspect, part, idea, point, argument, discussion, debate

"erbs" to emphasise, to summarise, to focus, to highlight

#xamples"
The key aspect of this argument is
The most crucial point made so far
It is worth noting that
$nother relevant point is that
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2. INTRODUCIN! # N$% ID$#
Turning now to the question of
%earing in mind the previous points,
Having considered &'(
)ith regard to
$s far as ....... is concerned
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3. '$D!IN!
The group of ** words called modals can help you avoid over+generalisation as they express degrees of
certainty and possibility, thereby avoiding making statements which claim too much or suggest you know
everything about a sub,ect.
The ** modals are"
-$. /$0 -1234 /I5HT )I33
)1234 6H$33 6H1234, 125HT T1 /26T .##4.!T

%y far the most useful modal verbs are -$., /$0, -1234 and /I5HT. If you say something I6 true you
may well be guilty of over+generalisation. If you say something /$0 or /I5HT be true you avoid this
problem.
It couldmight be said that ....
It seemsappears ...
It is generally thoughtconsidered ......
6omemany people thinkbelieve ......
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4. CITIN! R$($#RC'
It has been found that
7esearch has shown that
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5. +#,IN! ')-OT'$($(
If, then
$ssuming that
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6. (T#TIN! CONDITION(
5iven that
8rovided that
5ranted that
If it is the case that9 then,
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17. !I"IN! $8#+-9$(
:or exampleinstance
In this situationcase
To illustrate
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11. #DDIN! IN&OR+#TION
$gain besides equally important in addition further furthermore moreover
It must also be noted remembered that
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1. DI(CU((ION +#R,$R(
1n the one hand, on the other hand
$lthough it may be true that....however
)hilst it is generally agreed that
There exists a contradiction between ..... and
Those in favour of 6upporters$dvocates of
Those opposed to -ritics of
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1*. R$:-'R#(IN!
In other words
To put it another way
That is to say
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1.. $"#9U#TI"$ 9#N!U#!$.
This is used to show more clearly what you think about different points. 4o you already use these words;
-ould you use them more;

-ositi0e ad/ecti0es" remarkable, innovative, complex, interesting, profound, comprehensive, powerful,
rigorous, systematic, useful, sensitive, reliable, logical,

Negati0e ad/ecti0es" flawed, modest, unsatisfactory, inadequate, limited, restricted

Nouns1 synthesis, survey, topic, study, review, history, concept, area, theme, overview, analysis, system

"erbs" explain, discuss, study, present, describe, bring into focus, consider, explore, illuminate, introduce,
analyse, constitute

#xamples"
The 2.1 has published an interesting survey...
It presents a useful concept...
However, the study is limited in that...
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12. R$-$#TIN!
In general, 41.!T< Try to organise your writing so that you stick to one point at a time. %ut if you must, you
can use phrases such as"
To return to an earlier point
$s noted beforeabove
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13. (U++IN! U-
%riefly, we can say it can be said that
To sum up
Hencethereforeaccordingly consequently
The evidence suggests, therefore
In general what this means suggests indicates is
It is clear from the above that
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14. CONC9U(ION
To concludeIn conclusion,