Virtuous English AcademyConnectors & Cohesion — C1 English Vocabulary
This C1 vocabulary list gathers 60 advanced English words about connectors & cohesion — the glue that joins ideas in writing. Every word comes with a simple definition, its British-English pronunciation and a natural example sentence, so you learn each one in real context. When you are ready, open the flashcards to practise and remember them for good.
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moreover/mɔːˈrəʊ.və/
In addition to what has been said.
“It is cheap; moreover, it is reliable.”
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additionally/əˈdɪʃ.ən.əl.i/
As an extra point.
“Additionally, the cost is low.”
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likewise/ˈlaɪk.waɪz/
In the same way.
“She agreed, and he did likewise.”
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similarly/ˈsɪm.ɪ.lə.li/
In a similar way.
“Similarly, prices fell in Asia.”
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conversely/ˈkɒn.vɜːs.li/
In an opposite way.
“Conversely, demand may rise.”
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regardless/rɪˈɡɑːd.ləs/
Without paying attention to something.
“Regardless of cost, they went ahead.”
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notably/ˈnəʊ.tə.bli/
In particular; especially.
“Notably, sales rose in March.”
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specifically/spəˈsɪf.ɪ.kəl.i/
In an exact and detailed way.
“Specifically, I mean the second clause.”
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namely/ˈneɪm.li/
That is to say; used to give details.
“One thing matters, namely trust.”
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incidentally/ˌɪn.sɪˈden.təl.i/
Used to add a less important remark.
“Incidentally, he arrived late.”
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ultimately/ˈʌl.tɪ.mət.li/
In the end; finally.
“Ultimately, it is your choice.”
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correspondingly/ˌkɒr.ɪˈspɒn.dɪŋ.li/
In a matching or related way.
“Demand rose and prices rose correspondingly.”
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alternatively/ɔːlˈtɜː.nə.tɪv.li/
As another possibility.
“Alternatively, you could walk.”
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by contrast/baɪ ˈkɒn.trɑːst/
Showing a clear difference.
“By contrast, the south stayed dry.”
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presently/ˈprez.ənt.li/
Soon, or at the present time.
“Presently, the door opened.”
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meanwhile/ˈmiːn.waɪl/
At the same time.
“Meanwhile, the others waited.”
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simultaneously/ˌsɪm.əlˈteɪ.ni.əs.li/
At the same time.
“Both events happened simultaneously.”
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arguably/ˈɑː.ɡju.ə.bli/
As can be reasonably argued.
“She is arguably the best.”
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ostensibly/ɒsˈten.sɪ.bli/
As it appears, but perhaps not really.
“He came ostensibly to help.”
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presumably/prɪˈzjuː.mə.bli/
As can reasonably be supposed.
“Presumably, they forgot.”
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supposedly/səˈpəʊ.zɪd.li/
As is claimed, but perhaps not truly.
“He is supposedly an expert.”
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essentially/ɪˈsen.ʃəl.i/
In the most basic and important way.
“It is essentially a tax.”
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fundamentally/ˌfʌn.dəˈmen.təl.i/
In a basic and important way.
“We fundamentally disagree.”
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predominantly/prɪˈdɒm.ɪ.nənt.li/
Mostly; mainly.
“The crowd was predominantly young.”
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invariably/ɪnˈveə.ri.ə.bli/
Always; without change.
“He is invariably late.”
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purportedly/pəˈpɔː.tɪd.li/
As is claimed but not proven.
“He purportedly resigned.”
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allegedly/əˈledʒ.ɪd.li/
As claimed without proof.
“He allegedly took the money.”
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conceivably/kənˈsiː.və.bli/
Possibly; as can be imagined.
“It could conceivably fail.”
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undeniably/ˌʌn.dɪˈnaɪ.ə.bli/
In a way that cannot be denied.
“She is undeniably talented.”
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markedly/ˈmɑː.kɪd.li/
In a clearly noticeable way.
“Standards have markedly improved.”
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inasmuch/ˌɪn.əzˈmʌtʃ/
To the extent that; because.
“Inasmuch as he tried, he failed.”
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even so/ˌiː.vən ˈsəʊ/
In spite of that.
“It is risky; even so, we agree.”
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granted/ˈɡrɑːn.tɪd/
Used to admit a point before arguing.
“Granted, it is expensive.”
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admittedly/ədˈmɪt.ɪd.li/
As must be admitted.
“Admittedly, I was wrong.”
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demonstrably/dɪˈmɒn.strə.bli/
In a way that can be clearly proved.
“It is demonstrably false.”
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in conclusion/ɪn kənˈkluː.ʒən/
Used to introduce a final summary.
“In conclusion, the plan works.”
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summarily/ˈsʌm.ər.əl.i/
In a quick way without detail.
“He was summarily dismissed.”
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broadly/ˈbrɔːd.li/
In a general way.
“Broadly, the trend is upward.”
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by and large/baɪ ən ˈlɑːdʒ/
On the whole; generally.
“By and large, the plan succeeded.”
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crucially/ˈkruː.ʃəl.i/
In a way that is extremely important.
“Crucially, the cost stayed low.”
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importantly/ɪmˈpɔː.tənt.li/
In a way that matters.
“More importantly, it is safe.”
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paradoxically/ˌpær.əˈdɒk.sɪ.kəl.i/
In a way that seems to contradict itself.
“Paradoxically, less is more.”
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ironically/aɪˈrɒn.ɪ.kəl.i/
In a way that is the opposite of what is expected.
“Ironically, the cure caused harm.”
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coincidentally/kəʊˌɪn.sɪˈden.təl.i/
By chance at the same time.
“Coincidentally, we met again.”
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despite/dɪˈspaɪt/
In spite of.
“Despite the rain, they marched.”
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lest/lest/
In case; to prevent something from happening.
“He whispered, lest he wake the baby.”
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providing/prəˈvaɪ.dɪŋ/
On the condition that.
“You may stay, providing you are quiet.”
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insofar as/ˌɪn.səʊˈfɑːr əz/
To the extent that.
“It is true insofar as it goes.”
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in turn/ɪn ˈtɜːn/
One after the other; as a result.
“Costs rose and, in turn, prices rose.”
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all the same/ˌɔːl ðə ˈseɪm/
In spite of what has been said.
“It is risky; all the same, we agree.”
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above all/əˌbʌv ˈɔːl/
Most importantly.
“Above all, be honest.”
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in essence/ɪn ˈes.əns/
Basically; in the most important way.
“In essence, it is a loan.”
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in general/ɪn ˈdʒen.ər.əl/
Usually; on the whole.
“In general, the results are good.”
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what is more/ˌwɒt ɪz ˈmɔː/
In addition; furthermore.
“What is more, it is free.”
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to that end/tə ˌðæt ˈend/
For that purpose.
“To that end, we hired staff.”
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for this reason/fə ðɪs ˈriː.zən/
Because of this.
“For this reason, we declined.”
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in particular/ɪn pəˈtɪk.jə.lə/
Especially.
“One area, in particular, needs work.”
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on the contrary/ɒn ðə ˈkɒn.trər.i/
The opposite is true.
“On the contrary, it helped.”
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in the end/ɪn ði ˈend/
Finally; after everything.
“In the end, they agreed.”
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for instance/fər ˈɪn.stəns/
As an example.
“Take fruit, for instance.”
Using connectors & cohesion words in English
Connectors are what hold an argument together, and the errors at C1 are no longer grammatical but rhetorical: choosing an additive connector where a contrastive one is needed, or reaching for moreover three times in a paragraph. The most valuable distinction on this page is conversely against on the contrary, which learners use interchangeably and which do quite different work.
What to watch out for
On the contrary corrects; conversely inverts
On the contrary rejects what has just been said and asserts its opposite: The measure was not popular; on the contrary, it was resented. Conversely introduces a statement that reverses the terms of the previous one, without contradicting it: Rural areas gained; conversely, cities lost. And on the other hand simply introduces a different consideration. The three are not interchangeable.
Namely specifies; notably selects
Namely introduces the complete list of what you have just referred to: one candidate, namely the incumbent. Specifically narrows to a particular case. Notably and in particular pick out the most significant example from a larger set without claiming completeness. Using namely when you mean for example claims an exhaustiveness you probably do not intend.
Position, punctuation and restraint
Most of these are adverbs and can sit at the start of a sentence, after the subject, or at the end, and moving them varies your rhythm: The result, however, was unexpected. They cannot join two independent clauses with a comma. And a paragraph rarely needs more than two — over-connected prose reads as though the writer does not trust the argument to hold together on its own.
Words learners mix up
Connectors are the words examiners look at first, because they show whether you can signal the shape of an argument rather than just its content. Three families cause nearly all the trouble at C1.
Four ways of not quite committing to a claim
| Word | What it actually means | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| allegedly | Someone has formally accused or asserted this and it is unproven. Legal in flavour; standard in news reporting to avoid stating a crime as fact. | He allegedly transferred the funds in April. |
| supposedly | People say so and the writer is not convinced. The everyday, spoken-register member of this group. | The meeting was supposedly about the budget. |
| purportedly | Something claims to be this, and the writer doubts it. The scepticism is built in. | A purportedly independent review, funded by the company. |
| ostensibly | This is the stated reason, and the real one is different. Always sets up a contrast, usually in the same sentence. | Ostensibly a routine visit, it was in fact a negotiation. |
The ordering is by how much doubt the writer takes on. Presumably is different in kind from all four: it reports the writer’s own inference rather than someone else’s claim — presumably they had already agreed. And conceivably concedes only that something is possible, not that anyone has asserted it.
Conceding a point without losing the argument
| Word | What it actually means | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| admittedly | Concedes something that weakens your own case, before you go on to answer it. | The sample was, admittedly, very small. |
| granted | The same move, but more conversational and usually placed first, alone, before a comma. | Granted, the first year was difficult. |
| even so | Accepts the point just made and insists the conclusion survives it. Comes after the concession. | The cost is high. Even so, the case is strong. |
| all the same | Identical function, but noticeably more spoken. Common at the end of a clause as well as the start. | I take the point. It seems risky, all the same. |
The full move is two steps: concede with admittedly or granted, then recover with even so, nevertheless or all the same. Writing the concession without the recovery is the commonest way C1 essays lose their thread.
Adding something — but adding what?
| Word | What it actually means | In a sentence |
|---|---|---|
| moreover | Adds a point that strengthens the argument, and implies it is the weightier one. Formal and written. | The plan is costly; moreover, it is unworkable. |
| additionally | Adds a further item to a list. Neutral, and makes no claim that the new point matters more. | Additionally, two staff members have resigned. |
| likewise | The same thing is true of a second subject. Needs a genuine parallel to work. | Exports fell in France; likewise in Spain. |
| correspondingly | One quantity changed because another did — a linked, proportional change. | Demand doubled and prices rose correspondingly. |
What is more does the job of moreover in a neutral register, and above all marks the single most important item rather than merely another one. Piling moreover on furthermore on additionally in one paragraph is the classic tell of an essay written to a template.
Collocations that sound natural
The -ly adverbs in this list are not free to modify anything. Each has a small set of partners it genuinely belongs with, and the pairing is what makes the sentence read as native rather than merely correct.
markedly
markedly differentmarkedly highermarkedly bettermarkedly less common
Only ever with comparison. It means the difference is large enough to be obvious, so markedly identical is nonsense.
demonstrably
demonstrably falsedemonstrably truedemonstrably betterdemonstrably wrong
Claims the point can be proved, not merely asserted. Reserve it for when you are about to show the evidence.
arguably
arguably the bestarguably the most importantarguably a mistake
Nearly always sits in front of a superlative — it is how English makes a strong claim while conceding it is contestable.
predominantly
predominantly malepredominantly ruralpredominantly used for
Describes what the majority of a group is like. Not a synonym for mainly before verbs of purpose.
invariably
invariably lateinvariably the casealmost invariably
Means every single time, without exception — stronger than usually, and easily overclaimed.
crucially
crucially, the deadlinecrucially importantand, crucially
Used to flag the one detail the reader must not skip. Loses all force if a paragraph contains two.
Formal, neutral or informal?
Connectors carry register more sharply than almost any other vocabulary: a single inasmuch as will lift a whole paragraph into legal English, and a single anyway will drop it into conversation.
- lestFormal · literaryMeans in case something bad happens and takes the subjunctive or should: lest it be forgotten, lest anyone should think otherwise. Beautiful in an essay, absurd in an email.
- inasmuch asVery formalLegal and academic. Means to the extent that or because. Insofar as is its slightly more common relative and is limited to the first of those senses.
- summarilyFormal · legalMeans done immediately and without the usual process, and it is almost always disapproving: summarily dismissed. Not a synonym for in summary.
- moreoverFormal · writtenBelongs to essays and reports. Nobody says it aloud; the spoken equivalents are and another thing or what is more.
- by and largeNeutral · spokenA fixed idiom meaning generally, with no commas inside it and no logic to its parts. Fine in speech and in journalism, too loose for an academic conclusion.
- incidentallyNeutral · asideMarks a genuine digression, the written form of by the way. It signals that what follows is not part of the argument, so never use it for a main point.
- presentlyAmbiguousIn British English it traditionally means soon; in American English, and increasingly everywhere, it means currently. Because readers split on it, use shortly or at present and avoid the word in exam writing.
Sentences to try
Four frames with connectors doing precise work. Check the punctuation in each.
- The reform was not merely unpopular; on the contrary, it provoked strikes.
- Exports rose steadily. Conversely, imports fell.
- Only one option remains, namely to withdraw the bid.
- The findings are notably stronger in the second cohort.
Questions about connectors & cohesion vocabulary
What is the difference between "conversely" and "on the contrary"?
On the contrary rejects a preceding statement and asserts the opposite; it is corrective and usually follows a negative: He was not discouraged — on the contrary, he redoubled his efforts. Conversely does not contradict anything; it introduces a statement whose terms are reversed relative to the one before, and both statements are true: Older workers gained from the change; conversely, younger workers lost. A third phrase, on the other hand, simply introduces a contrasting consideration without either correcting or inverting.
When should I use "namely"?
When you are about to state exactly and exhaustively what you have just referred to in general terms: Only one country objected, namely Hungary. It signals that the list which follows is complete. If you are giving one instance among several, use for example, such as, in particular or notably instead, since namely would falsely claim the list is finished. Specifically is close to namely but narrows the focus rather than completing an enumeration, and that is — Latin i.e. — restates in other words.
Is "irregardless" a word?
It is used, but it is not accepted in standard English and it will be marked as an error in any exam or edited publication. The problem is that it is a double negative: regardless already carries the negative sense through -less, so the ir- prefix adds a second one. Dictionaries record it as non-standard precisely because it is so widely criticised. The correct forms are regardless and irrespective, both of which take of: regardless of cost, irrespective of the outcome.