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How to Show Emphasis in Writing

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I often remind my six- and nine-year-old children that communication is not just what you say, but how you say it (frequently after one of them asks the other, “Will you please stop?” in a bloody-murder scream). The same is true in writing, both academic and nonacademic, with many subtle ways we can add to our meaning by emphasizing words, expressions, and phrases. In this post, I will write about some of the most common ones and offer suggestions for how to use them most effectively.

Text Styles

For emphasis, writers can vary the look of their text in a number of ways with bold, italics, underlining, and all-caps. Although some writers seem to like using all-caps, their use SHOULD BE AVOIDED ALTOGETHER. See? That’s just screaming, and screaming is unprofessional.

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Please note that bold, italics, underlining, and all-caps may be used in titles and headings because that use is for formatting, not emphasis. (Note the bold headings in this blog post that simply indicate separate sections.)

Always check your style guide to make sure you are following the proper format because each guide has specific formatting rules.

The Exclamation Point

Rule number one about the exclamation point is to use only one at a time. Adding two, three, or more of these little guys has a “screamy,” unprofessional effect like all-caps does. (I think you know what I mean!!!)

Rule number two is to avoid exclamation points entirely in academic writing and use them very sparingly in nonacademic writing. People often try to use exclamation points to show they are excited about their content, but after a couple uses the effect is lost and the punctuation just clutters up the writing.

Maybe it’s just me [Editor here: No, it’s not just you.], but I feel like they make an author sound like a child, which is certainly not the desired effect in your college essays or professional correspondence .

Quotation Marks

Quotation marks can indicate different types of emphasis. An author may want to be sarcastic or flip, as in: That’s so “interesting.” These are called “scare quotes” and are the print version of putting up your fingers and making “air quotes.” This can be useful, but only in nonacademic writing, where papers are never supposed to be sarcastic.

Close to this usage, though without the sarcasm, an author may put quotation marks around a word or expression with a figurative meaning to make sure the reader doesn’t take the words literally.

Again, these types of emphasis should be used as little as possible so they keep their effect. Also, make sure you are using quotation marks for only one of these types of emphasis, or your writing can get a bit “confusing.”

The Em Dash and Colon

The em dash (a dash the length of three hyphens) can be used to draw attention to a word, phrase, or entire clause—to great effect. See, it works! (Wait, was that exclamation point necessary?) An em dash can be used in the middle of a sentence—like this— or at the end as in the previous example. A colon can be used similarly, but only at the end of the sentence. Both em dashes and colons are useful in formal and informal writing, but, again, a little goes a long way.

The dash in particular gets overused. Some authors just stick one in when unsure whether to use a semi-colon, colon, or comma. This fools no one. Here at ProofreadingPal , we get to correct these all the time. A dash is for emphasis, not generic punctuation.

Depending on the purpose of your writing, using these strategies to provide emphasis can be highly effective and fun—if I do say so myself! Just remember to use the strategies in moderation, especially if you are writing for an academic or otherwise formal purpose. Too much of a good thing can lose the desired effect and even have negative effects you hadn’t considered.

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How to Emphasize a Word

Last Updated: January 9, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 88,099 times.

Emphasizing a word can be a way to make your point clearer or highlight key terms or phrases. Whether you're emphasizing a word in writing or text, the process is fairly simple. In texts, things like bold and italics are usually used as emphasis. You can pause and elongate a word to emphasize it in speech. With some attention to detail, you can really make your point clear through emphasis.

Emphasizing a Word in Text

• For example, if you're trying to emphasize a major point in an academic paper, you could use italics in a sentence like, "This new study actually poses a major challenge to conventional medical practices."
• If you're writing a paper for class or a particular journal, check the publication. Sometimes, things like book titles may be underlined instead of italicized.

• For example, if you're writing instructions on how to assemble a vacuum cleaner, you may write something like, "The upholstery brush is then attached to the end of the nozzle ."

• For example, you may use an exclamation point in a sentence like, "She screamed as he made his way to the train platform, 'Stop and listen to me!'"
• Exclamation points can come off as melodramatic if they're overused, so stick to using exclamation points for very big moments. If you're using text as a visual aid, such as in a presentation, try to incorporate other forms of emphasis such as using a bigger or bolded font, changing the spacing around the word, or changing the color of the word.

Emphasizing a Word in Speech

• For example, in the sentence, "This new technique led to a 30% increase in sales." You want to emphasize the phrase "30% increase," so pause for a moment after "a."

• Make sure to pronounce each syllable as clearly as possible and elongate the important word.

• For example, "This new technique led to a 30% increase, a 30% increase, in sales this quarter."

Avoiding Pitfalls

• Some publications may have their own unique style, using unconventional means like quotation marks as emphasis.

• To help you remember which words to emphasize as you practice your speech, try bolding certain terms or using ellipses around them as a visual signal in your notes or script.

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• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/adding_emphasis/index.html
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/sentence-emphasis/
• ↑ https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-publicspeaking/chapter/emphasis-volume-and-pauses/

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How to Use Emphasis in Writing

Emphasis in writing is important not only to create variety and maintain interest but also to help readers easily glean the main points from the text. The subject and associated verb in an independent clause are the elements that generally receive the most notice by readers, so that is often where you will want to make your point.

Short, snappy sentences are naturally emphatic. Though effective when used sparingly, they lose their power when overused. In order to give more meaning to your writing and to help readers understand which ideas are most important, combine short, related sentences in order to make writing smoother and to create emphasis.

Coordination and Subordination

One of the best ways to emphasize main ideas and de-emphasize less important ideas is through coordination and subordination of sentence parts.

Use Coordination for Equal Ideas

Coordination means combining sentences or sentence parts that have matching grammatical forms and connecting them using conjunctions (such as and, or, so, and but ), conjunctive adverbs (such as however, therefore, hence, and nevertheless ), or semicolons.

When using conjunctions to coordinate ideas, you can use a comma with conjunction.

He talked to me yesterday, but he didn’t mention the move. She walks to work, and she reads during lunch.

Conjunctive adverbs (preceded by a semicolon) also show the relationship between two independent clauses.

You’re the best person I know; however, I don’t know a lot of people. We made the best choice we could; consequently, I’m not going to worry about it.

You can also use transitional phrases—such as on the other hand , for example , or in addition —to coordinate ideas.

I think they made some good points; in fact, I might be willing to invest in their concept. He arrives late almost every day; on the other hand, he works quite late, as well.

If the sentences are closely related, you can also leave out the comma and conjunction or the conjunctive adverb and use just a semicolon.

Jan started playing fifteen years ago; she was only five. Dan Bros. was awarded the contract; they’ll begin working on it next week.

When using conjunctions or conjunctive adverbs, make sure to choose a word that adequately conveys the relationship between the two clauses. For example, if you want to contrast two ideas, you would generally use but or however , rather than and or thus .

Coordinating ideas using and , or , and similar words is quite easy; however, because of this, coordination is often overused. Your writing will generally be more effective if you use subordination to more clearly relate ideas that are in fact less important.

Mr. Damon arrived for the meeting, and he saw that the decision had already been made.

When Mr. Damon arrived at the meeting, he saw that the decision had already been made.

Use Subordination for Unequal Ideas

Subordination means combining two related ideas that are not equal. In such cases, the more important idea is part of the main clause and the less important idea is part of the subordinate clause. Such clauses are often introduced by subordinating conjunctions (such as although, as, furthermore, unless, because, though, if, and so forth). Subordinating ideas can also be set off by relative pronouns, such as that, which, and who .

He said that the party would be on Saturday, though I’m not sure what time it starts. I’ve been waiting for this vacation for two years; furthermore, I can’t refund my tickets. We will go in August, which is the best time to be there.

Relative clauses can also be used to add subordinate information.

All the employees are huge basketball fans. That makes it a very fun winter. He couldn’t give me a straight answer. This leaves a lot of room for doubt.

In such cases, the latter sentence can often be combined with the preceding sentence.

All the employees are huge basketball fans, making it a very fun winter. He couldn’t give me a straight answer, leaving a lot of room for doubt.

Less important ideas can also be structured as part of a participial phrase at the beginning of a sentence and combined with a main idea in a second sentence to form one sentence from two.

I left early one evening from work. I saw a beautiful sunrise on the way home. My daughter saw that our neighbor needed help. She went over and lent him a hand.

Leaving early one evening from work, I saw a beautiful sunrise on the way home. Seeing that our neighbor needed help, my daughter went over and lent him a hand.

Appositives also allow you to combine two sentences, when both sentences modify the same noun, by embedding one related sentence into another.

Jared Morgan works in our department. He has quickly become the favorite go-to guy. When we bought the new windows, they were the latest thing. That was two years ago.

Jared Morgan, who works in our department, has quickly become the favorite go-to guy. When we bought the new windows, which was two years ago, they were the latest thing.

Subordination is a very worthwhile tool to help emphasize the most important points in your writing. Be careful, however, not to cram too many ideas into one sentence. If a sentence seems too long, especially when discussing complex ideas, divide the sentence into smaller pieces so that your readers don’t  become bogged down or confused.

Sentence Structure

In addition to using coordination and subordination, emphasis in writing can be achieved in several other ways. One of these is by parallelism. Another is by using occasional short sentences. One of the best ways to create emphasis is by using carefully chosen, powerful words. Another way is to employ judicious repetition. A fifth is through contrast. A sixth is by putting the most important words or phrases (that is, the most important points) at the end of a sentence. And finally, you can occasionally create emphasis through punctuation and typographical elements.

Parallelism

Parallel structure in a sentence naturally emphasizes paired ideas or ideas listed in a series. Constructions that compare or contrast paired ideas naturally draw attention to the words that emphasize those pairs.

They resolved never to talk about each other but always to talk with each other. These mountains to the west are beautiful, yet the mountains to the east are even more lovely.

For items in a series, parallel structure generally emphasizes the last item. For this reason, the final item should usually be the most important.

Last year was fantastic: I graduated from college, moved out of my parents’ place, got my first job, and married my beautiful wife. If you want to be successful, learn to do what successful people do—get up early and plan your day, prioritize your time and work hard, and make sure that important people see the results of the important work that you do.

Short Sentences

As mentioned above, using too many short sentences causes writing to seem needlessly choppy or repetitious. An occasional short sentence, however, not only helps to keep readers’ interest by staving off an overabundance of long sentences, but it is also a simple way to emphasize an idea.

Before I got married, my mother told me that I should plan things well in advance, that I should use a wedding planner to take care of the details, that I should pick a day at least six months away and stick with it, and that I should focus my energy on getting to know my future husband. So I did.

Word Choice

Careful word choice is one of the best ways to emphasize main ideas or themes in your writing. Vivid, carefully placed words not only grab the reader’s attention, but they can aid in understanding, as well. Carefully choose the nouns and verbs that you use, as well as the adjectives and adverbs that describe them. In the examples below, notice the difference between the following passages that results from a few simple changes in wording.

When Weston began working at the company, he didn’t really know what he was doing. But he quickly learned the ropes, and now he has worked his way up through the ranks of the company to become supervisor of his division. Really, he is one of the best employees we’ve ever had in this place.

When Weston began working for Tucker and Denton Incorporated, our policies and procedures were quite foreign to him. Nevertheless, he put his heart into his work and quickly learned the ropes, and now he is the supervisor of his division. His dedication and perseverance have made him one of the best employees we have ever had.

You can greatly improve your repertoire of words by consulting a thesaurus or dictionary on a regular basis. By doing so, you can find the best words to convey your meaning so that your writing will be both clear and interesting.

Use judicious repetition to emphasize an idea or main point. Though repetition can irritate if it is used overmuch, it can be a very effective tool when used appropriately and without overkill. Repetition is particularly useful when employed in conjunction with parallel constructs. In the following example, repetition helps drive home the point the speaker is making.

Strangers aren’t always the people in another country; sometimes they are the people next door. Strangers aren’t always somewhere out there; sometimes they’re the people in your home. A stranger isn’t always someone else—sometimes he’s the person in your soul.

Repetition can help burn an image into your reader’s mind or simply reinforce an important point. But again, do not overuse repetition in your writing, as doing so can make your writing overly long and dull.

Using contrasting words or phrases is another way to emphasize particular points or ideas. As with repetition, contrast is particularly effective when combined with parallelism.

He’s not smart as a surgeon but rather crafty as a fox.

Contrast is also achieved by using transitional words and phrases such as however, but, yet, although, unfortunately, on the other hand , and the like. Such words pointedly distinguish one idea from another.

We left early in order to beat rush-hour traffic; unfortunately, we still missed our plane.

End of Sentence

When we speak, the emphasis naturally comes at the end of the sentence. Our voices gradually rise toward the end of the sentence before abruptly falling. Thus, when writing, a simple, effective way to emphasize main ideas and important concepts is to structure your sentence so that the words you want emphasized come at the end of the sentence.

Death and taxes are the only things certain in this life. Mud pie used to be my favorite dessert in the whole world.

The only things certain in this life are death and taxes. My favorite dessert in the whole world used to be mud pie.

In the examples above, waiting to put the main point (the verb followed by the subject) at the end of the sentence helps build interest [and even suspense].

Punctuation and Typography

Punctuation or typographic elements can be used occasionally to emphasize a word, phrase, or sentence. When overused, however, they quickly lose their emphatic power and can irritate readers. In general, the more formal the type of writing, the less such devices should be used. In most cases, other techniques such as those mentioned above are preferred.

The most common punctuation mark used for emphasis is the exclamation point. It be used sparingly, and it is never appropriate in formal writing to use more than one. A question mark and exclamation point should not be used together in formal writing.

The typographical device most commonly used for emphasis is italics. Bold and italics can also be used together, though this device should be used very rarely. All caps are also sometimes used, particularly when introducing an important note or warning. Underlining is best avoided, as underlining can make text more difficult to read. In some documents, a distinct font (such as a sans serif font when the main text is serif) is used to draw readers’ attention to important information. This technique can be very effective when used appropriately. Below are examples of sentences that have been revised to better use emphasis.

Please turn in your annual reports before 5 p.m. on Friday , January 10 . All employees should bring at least two forms of identification and their social security cards with them on the first day of work. School ID cards will not be accepted.

Please turn in your annual reports before 5 p.m. on Friday, January 10. All employees should bring at least two forms of identification and their social security cards with them on the first day of work. School ID cards will not be accepted.

How to Emphasize a Word in an Essay

One of the most important aspects of quality essay, article, novel or any other type of paper is catching and retaining reader’s attention. In order to make sure your essays or articles are read from top to bottom, I’m going to show you different ways you can achieve emphasis in text.

After all, you don’t want your professor, client, or visitor of your blog or website to think the text is boring and stop reading it, right? Catching someone’s attention not only requires interesting and informative content. You have to know how to properly emphasize certain parts of the text. What I like the most about emphasizing text is that you can do so in numerous ways. This allows you to implement different essay strategies while typing.

Text devices

Back in time, people couldn’t rely on various features in MS Word to achieve visual emphasis in text. In order to accomplish this, they used underlining in the typescript. Then, typesetter in the print shop would use italic font for the underlined words. Even today, one of the most common and easiest ways of emphasizing text is to Italianize or underline the phrase or a single word. With variety of options we have to make certain words of phrases visually stand out, it’s important to use them properly. Here are some examples .

• Italics – subtle stressing of the words, gives light emphasis
• Underline – used for emphasis of complete phrase, more insistent than italics
• Bold – used to make strong impact and create tension
• Size – bigger fonts stand out, while small fonts recede. But, you should be careful not to mix font sizes too much or text would look unappealing. Ideally, use bigger fonts for subheadings and chapter titles, while standard font size should be used for text
• Punctuation! – for example, exclamation mark adds extra emphasis to the entire sentence, but you should use them sparingly. When used excessively, exclamation marks don’t achieve desired effect
• Bullet points – drawing attention to important information to demonstrate key facts and it’s more appealing at the same time
• Color – brighter colors stand out more and they are used for achieving bigger impact while darker color are more subtle.

Arrangement and choice of words

Besides various text devices, you can let your readers know that what follows in text is very important by using specific words to express the emphasis e.g. particularly, crucially, additionally, above all, most importantly etc.

You can also create a powerful emphasis by repeating certain words or phrases e.g. keywords. This also improve a cohesive effect . Naturally, you should keep this effect moderate and strive not to repeat certain phrases too much. Otherwise, accentuating some parts of the text wouldn’t cause desired impact on reader.

Example: There are couples who dislike one another furiously for several hours at a time; there are couples who dislike one another permanently; and there are couples who never dislike one another; but these last are people who are incapable of disliking anybody. (George Bernard Shaw)

Another way of emphasizing text is to depart from the basic structural patterns of the language. For example, inversion of subject-verb-object pattern into object-subject-verb phrase is a great idea.

Example: He was mowing the lawn to chase away the boredom…

The lawn he was mowing to chase away the boredom…

Ideally, words or phrases you’d like to accentuate should be placed near beginnings or endings of sentences. Moreover, you should never put words you want to emphasize in subordinate clauses!

Example: You can’t deny the fact that technology has made a powerful impact onto business world today.

Undeniably, the impact of technology onto business world today has been powerful.

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Other ways to achieve emphasis

• Use a question after series of statements
• Place subordinate clause in front of main clause
• Include short sentences (using variety sentences makes text seem choppy, but including them from time to time keeps readers’ attention and emphasizes particular part of text)
• Use contrasting words or phrases.

When adding emphasis to text you’re writing you should avoid some common traps that come with desire to make something stand out. Always bear in mind that moderation is the key and make sure you don’t overdo it. Furthermore, consistency is the key particularly when using visual tools to emphasize the text. I made sure the article contains easy tips and tricks that you can easily implement into your future tasks or school projects. With these simple hacks, you’ll keep readers’ attention and make your work visually appealing at the same time. Isn’t that what we all want anyway?

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Choice and Arrangement of Words for Achieving Emphasis

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The simplest way to emphasize something is to tell readers directly that what follows is important by using such words and phrases as especially , particularly , crucially , most importantly , and above all .

Emphasis by repetition of key words can be especially effective in a series, as in the following example.

See your good times come to color in minutes: pictures protected by an elegant finish, pictures you can take with an instant flash, pictures that can be made into beautiful enlargements.

When a pattern is established through repetition and then broken, the varied part will be emphasized, as in the following example.

Murtz Rent-a-car is first in reliability, first in service, and last in customer complaints.

Besides disrupting an expectation set up by the context, you can also emphasize part of a sentence by departing from the basic structural patterns of the language. The inversion of the standard subject-verb-object pattern in the first sentence below into an object-subject-verb pattern in the second places emphasis on the out-of-sequence term, fifty dollars .

I'd make fifty dollars in just two hours on a busy night at the restaurant.

Fifty dollars I'd make in just two hours on a busy night at the restaurant.

The initial and terminal positions of sentences are inherently more emphatic than the middle segment. Likewise, the main clause of a complex sentence receives more emphasis than subordinate clauses. Therefore, you should put words that you wish to emphasize near the beginnings and endings of sentences and should never bury important elements in subordinate clauses. Consider the following example.

No one can deny that the computer has had a great effect upon the business world.

Undeniably, the effect of the computer upon the business world has been great.

In the first version of this sentence, "No one can deny" and "on the business world" are in the most emphasized positions. In addition, the writer has embedded the most important ideas in a subordinate clause: "that the computer has had a great effect." The edited version places the most important ideas in the main clause and in the initial and terminal slots of the sentence, creating a more engaging prose style.

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Eight Synonyms for Emphasize

3-minute read

• 14th August 2023

Because it can be easy to overuse common words in research papers and essays , we’ve compiled a list of eight synonyms for emphasize for when you find yourself repeating it frequently.

Want to learn more? Keep reading for details on emphasize and ways to keep your writing interesting by varying your word choice.

What Does Emphasize Mean?

Emphasize is a verb that means to give special attention to something to highlight it or make it stand out. To emphasize something means to focus on it to ensure it’s understood as significant. In academic writing , we often use emphasize to indicate that a particular point, concept, or idea is noteworthy within the context of the discussion. For example:

Here, emphasize signals to the reader the specific aspects of the research or study that are particularly significant and/or will be discussed in more detail in a later section.

Synonyms for Emphasize

To avoid overusing emphasize in your writing, consider these synonyms instead:

●  Underline ( He underlined the importance of reviewing the results.)

●  Underscore ( The experimental results serve to underscore the previously overlooked influence of microorganisms in the soil ecosystem. )

●  Focus on ( This study will focus primarily on the works of the past century. )

●  Point out (The author pointed out the discrepancies between the two experiments.)

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●  Accentuate ( The strategic use of vivid imagery in the novel serves to accentuate the stark contrast between the two worlds. )

●  Highlight ( The case study highlights the relationship between environmental and hereditary factors .)

●  Stress ( The author stressed the importance of the peer-review process .)

●  Spotlight ( The documentary aims to spotlight the challenges faced by endangered species in their natural habitats .)

Remember that the choice of synonym can depend on the context in which you’re using it because different synonyms may carry slightly different nuances or connotations. For example, spotlight may not always be formal enough for an academic text but is appropriate for many other types of creative or business writing.

Also, when trying to vary your vocabulary, beware of relying only on your thesaurus . Although it can be a great writing tool, not all of the recommendations will work in the context of your writing. For example, you may find the phrase insist on listed in the thesaurus as a synonym for emphasize . However, insist on means something different (to “demand or assert something with persistence”) and has a much stronger implication. When in doubt, double-check the definitions of synonyms in a dictionary to ensure they suit your meaning before using them in your writing.

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Module Transcripts: Emphasis & Specification in APA Style

• Module Transcripts
• Avoiding Bias
• Avoiding Overt Plagiarism
• Avoiding Passive Plagiarism
• Clarifying the Actor
• Emphasis & Specification in APA Style
• Introduction to APA Style
• Introduction to Scholarly Writing
• Listing the Facts: Using Numbers, Hyphens, and Lists in APA
• Using & Formatting APA Headings
• Book Reference Entries
• Citation Formatting Basics
• Citation Frequency Basics
• Journal Article Reference Entries
• Essential Components and Purpose of APA Reference Entries
• Webpage Reference Entries
• Paragraph Development
• Transitions Within and Between Paragraphs
• Paragraph Development Part 2
• Writing Goals & Planning
• Previous Page: Clarifying the Actor
• Next Page: Introduction to APA Style

Ensuring Readability & Clarity

Title : Emphasis and specification in APA style help you:

Speaker: Welcome to Emphasis and Specification: Ensuring Readability and Clarity in APA Format. This module will walk you through several specific APA guidelines regarding how to specify and emphasize information in your text. Using tools such as capitalization, italics, abbreviations, and punctuation, you will learn how to set apart significant ideas within your work and draw the reader’s attention to important concepts.

Using emphasis and specification guidelines in APA format allow a writer to most clearly and effectively communicate with one’s readers. At times, it is important to draw a reader’s attention to specific information or ideas; at other times, it is necessary to set apart ideas so that readers see them stand out. Additionally, sometimes it is important to avoid misdirecting the reader by using emphasis that suggests bias or lacks objectivity.

In this module, you will walk through guidelines for creating emphasis and specification in APA format using capitalization, italics, abbreviations, and certain forms of punctuation. After learning these guidelines, you will be able to apply them in your own writing of scholarly work to make your ideas clearer and help set apart ideas or highlight specific information for your readers. When you are ready to begin, click “Continue” to go to the next slide.

Capitalization

Title : Capitalization

Speaker : One area of specification and emphasis in APA formatting is capitalization. Capitalization helps to specify particulars in your writing and emphasize important information in your source references. Capitalization occurs in order to specify a particular person, place, section, and so on, or to help identify significant information in your reference list, such as a name or title.

The next section will begin to discuss capitalization guidelines in more detail. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Capitalization: Specifying People, Places, and Things

Speaker : Capitalization can be used to specify people, places, or things and to create acronyms or abbreviations. Specific places are capitalized, like New York City or the Atlantic Ocean, but if I refer to the city or the ocean in general, those words are not capitalized. Specific people are also capitalized, like Queen Elizabeth or the names of researchers in models and theories. However, if I refer to a queen in general or a model or theory without a person’s name in it, those words are not capitalized.

Specific things are also capitalized, like distinction in titles or trade names. For example, I might discuss a department in a school in a general sense, which stays lower case, but if I named that specific department, like the Department of English, I would capitalize “Department”. Additionally, trade names are specific organizations, so they are also capitalized. Acronyms or abbreviations are also capitalized to help with concision and specification (and to ensure that they do not get confused with other words in the text).        

In each of these instances, capitalization helps to move from general to specific and at times even emphasizes the importance of an idea (such as an important and specific person or place). Click each category of capitalization to see examples. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Capitalization: Paper Headings

Speaker : In this example, you can see that the title of the essay as well as the heading include capitalized letters of words more than 4 letters long. There is an exception made for the word my because (a) it is considered a significant word in the title and (b) it is the very first word in the title. Note that this type of capitalization of headings and titles happens in your text, whether you are using your own heading or discussing the title of someone else’s work. Capitalizing titles helps to emphasize to your reader that this information is something significant. 

When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Capitalization: Source Titles

Speaker : Capitalization also helps to emphasize important concepts, such as headings, and set them apart from general ideas within the text. In your text, you’ll want to be sure to capitalize all words that are more than four letters long in a title or heading. Shorter words, such as and, of, and so on would not be capitalized.  

Title : Capitalization: Reference Entries

Speaker : In your reference entries, capitalization follows four general rules that are slightly different than in your text: You capitalize only the first word of a title, the first word after a colon, all journal titles, and proper nouns. These guidelines allow specific parts of your reference entries to be emphasized for the readers, and they adhere to APA’s formatting rules. 

Click each reference entry component you should capitalize to view an example. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Remember: Do NOT Capitalize

Speaker : As a refresher, while capitalization can be helpful in emphasizing and specifying, it should not be used for the names of theories, titles within your reference list, or models, with the exception of journal titles. Because models and theories are not proper names in and of themselves, they do not require capital letters. For example, writing about the theory of transformational leadership does not require any capitalization within APA format.

Title : Recap: Capitalization

Speaker : Remember that to help specify and emphasize important concepts within APA format, you will capitalize proper nouns, major words in titles, major words in headings, journal titles in reference lists, and abbreviations or acronyms. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Italics

Speaker : Italics also assist in emphasis and specification. Specifically in APA format, italics help to set words apart from the rest of the text, to highlight them. While they do not provide overt emphasis, or an emphasis of the writer’s voice, they do help to bring the reader’s attention to the term or phrase. In this section, we will discuss the use of italics in APA format. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Using Italics for Titles of Larger Works

Speaker : One of the first uses of italics in APA format is to set apart larger, more significant types of titles. For example, book titles, journal titles, magazine titles, DVD titles, and report titles are common documents that require italics. 

Click each type of title to see an example. When you have finished reviewing the examples and are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Using Italics for Genra, Species, and Foreign Language

Speaker : A writer should also use italics in APA format to call out non-English words or phrases. For example, writers should italicize Latin phrases or species names, as well as other foreign words. Words that originated as foreign expressions but have become accepted into general English, however, do not require italics.

See the examples given here. When you have finished reviewing the examples and are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Using Italics for New, Technical, or Key Terms

Speaker : To call attention to new terminology or key terms, writers would again use italics. In APA, new terms, technical terms, or key terms are often italicized. Remember to use italics for any lists of search terms regarding your own research as well.

Title : Using Italics for Linguistic Examples

Speaker : It is important to use italics to highlight words that are used in unusual ways. One specific example of this is the need to italicize any word that is a linguistic example. Typically, linguistic examples are preceded by the phrases “the word” or “the term”.  When you are talking about a word and not using it for its meaning, then you will italicize it.

Title : Using Italics for Parts of a Scale or Measurement

Speaker : Italics are also used to indicate parts of a scale or measurements. This does not refer to physical measurements like inches or feet. Instead, it refers to measurements of ratings, such as agree, neutral, and disagree.  These parts of a scale should also be italicized when you write about them in APA format.

Title : Using Italics for Volume Numbers in Reference Entries

Speaker : In APA reference entries, there are specific items that require italics. All titles of journals should be italicized, as well as any volume number for a journal entry. These are APA-specific requirements in your reference entries.

Title : Do NOT Use Italics for Emphasis

Speaker : While APA format uses italics to set apart and highlight different ideas and terms throughout your writing,

academic writing and APA do not allow for italics to be used simply to emphasize the writer’s tone. Instead, to add specific emphasis, writers must work within the bounds of syntax and sentence formation. They must avoid using italics to emphasize their tone or feelings; this sort of emphasis could lead to bias and informal tone in one’s academic writing.

Click the unaccepted uses of italics to view corrected revisions. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Recap: Italics

Speaker : Remember that italics can be helpful in highlighting significant terms or setting apart new information for your readers. You should use italics in APA format when you are listing larger titles, species, foreign words, linguistic examples, key terms, parts of a scale, and journal volume numbers in your reference entry. Do not italicize any phrases or words that are merely meant to emphasize your tone or feelings; instead, use unbiased and objective sentence structure to bring the important ideas to the forefront of the reader’s attention.

Abbreviations

Title : Abbreviations

Speaker : Often APA format uses abbreviations to help shorten specific details. Abbreviations allow both reader and writer to see the specific information in a very concise and consolidated manner. They are often used to ease your reader’s burden and simplify your text, specifying information without taking up more space on the page. In this section, we will discuss some specific APA guidelines for using abbreviations.

Title : Using Abbreviations for Introducing

Speaker : The purpose of an abbreviation is to provide a shortened version of a specific term, typically a person, place, or thing. Writers typically use abbreviations for long words or items that may be repeated frequently throughout the work and seem wordy if repeated often. For example, the name of an organization might be abbreviated if it is used frequently throughout a paper. 

It is up to the writer to determine if adding an abbreviation will help ease the reader’s experience. It is important to consider the reader, as abbreviating a word that is not frequently used in the text might instead confuse the reader or cause him or her to have to continually refer back to remember what the abbreviation is referring to.

Before a writer can use an abbreviation, however, the full term must first be written out once in the text. Then, the abbreviation comes in parentheses directly after that word or phrase. It is important to remember that every abbreviation must be introduced.

Click to see the example of an abbreviation in context. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Using Abbreviations for Latin Abbreviations

Speaker : Some abbreviations only occur in specific contexts. For example, common Latin abbreviations should only be used within parentheses. View this webpage for examples of when to use and not use Latin abbreviations. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Using Abbreviations for Units of Measurement

Speaker : One common use for abbreviations is referring to units of measurement. APA uses the common abbreviations for measurements like centimeters, hours, Hertz, and so on.

Title : Making Abbreviations Plural

Speaker : To make an abbreviation plural, the writer simply needs to add an s to the abbreviation. The exception would be measurements—the standard measurement abbreviations do not receive plural “s”s.

Click each abbreviation to see how it would be used as a plural noun in a sentence. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Using Abbreviations to Start a Sentence

Speaker : Once the writer introduces an abbreviation, he or she can use that abbreviation all throughout the rest of that text. In fact, abbreviations can even begin a sentence, so long as they are replacing a word that typically begins a sentence.

Speaker : In APA format, abbreviations are used to ease your reader’s burden and simplify your text, shortening the specifics. Remember to introduce abbreviations and then you can use them throughout the entirety of your text to allow your readers specific information without sifting through wordy or long paragraphs.

Punctuation

Title : Punctuation

Speaker : APA format sometimes uses punctuation to help emphasize and specify information within a text. Punctuation such as brackets, parentheses, and quotation marks help important information stand out to the reader.

Title : Punctuation: Parentheses

Speaker : : One type of punctuation that helps specify and emphasize information is parentheses. Parentheses have multiple purposes. One purpose of parentheses that helps set apart information is that they are used to introduce abbreviations. Every time an abbreviation is introduced for the first time, it should be written in parentheses directly after the full word.

Parentheses also help to specify and emphasize source information in APA format by setting apart in-text citations. Whenever a writer cites a source in APA format, he or she must use parentheses to specify that the information provided came from that particular source.

Parentheses are also used to emphasize a comment or allow for additional information in a sentence in an aside or side note. The writer can specify or clarify ideas, as well as give emphasis to certain information by providing these side notes in the text.

Click each use of parentheses to see examples. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Title : Punctuation: Brackets

Speaker : When one encounters an instance where parentheses are needed within parentheses, the writer would instead use brackets. Brackets function as parentheses within parentheses, and they also allow the writer to further specify or emphasize information in a citation or in a sentence.

Review the examples given on this page. When you are ready to move forward, click “continue.”

Title : Punctuation: Quotation Marks

Speaker : Another type of punctuation that APA format uses to specify and emphasize information is the quotation mark. Quotation marks are used to indicate smaller works that appear within larger works. You may remember from the italics section that larger works like book titles and TV series were italicized. The shorter sections within those larger works, like a chapter in a book, or an episode in a TV series, would appear in quotation marks. The quotation marks emphasize the source and specify the title, but show that it is a smaller work within something larger.

Click each type of work to see an example of how quotation marks are used in each title. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

Speaker : Quotation marks also help to specify when someone else is speaking. They give emphasis to the fact that the information given is not in the author’s own words. Thus, quotation marks are used in APA format to indicate dialogue or direct quotations.

Title : Recap: Punctuation

Speaker : APA uses punctuation such as parentheses, brackets, and quotation marks to help specify and emphasis important information such as citations, quotations, titles of shorter works, or abbreviations, making them stand out in a text.  They assist the reader in both specifying and emphasizing information.

Recap & Review

Title : Emphasis & Specification Recap and Review

Speaker: Using APA’s guidelines for emphasis and specification helps to ensure that communication between you and your readers is clear and accurate. Be sure to follow APA’s guidelines by using appropriate capitalization, italics, abbreviations and acronyms, and punctuation.

Visual : Emphasis & Specification Recap and Review

Speaker : As you consider each category of emphasis and specification in APA style, remember that each helps to emphasize and specify information within an academic paper. Each of these categories, if used per APA’s formatting guidelines, provides the writer with tools to ensure clear and consistent communication. 

Click on each category for a review of what it entails. When you are ready to move forward, click “Continue.”

• Capitalization helps specify and emphasize information.
• Italics set apart important ideas.
• Abbreviations shorten specifics for the ease of the reader.
• Punctuation can help specific information stand out in your text. 
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Words to Use in an Essay: 300 Essay Words

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

Words to use in the essay introduction, words to use in the body of the essay, words to use in your essay conclusion, how to improve your essay writing vocabulary.

It’s not easy to write an academic essay .

Many students struggle to word their arguments in a logical and concise way.

To make matters worse, academic essays need to adhere to a certain level of formality, so we can’t always use the same word choices in essay writing that we would use in daily life.

If you’re struggling to choose the right words for your essay, don’t worry—you’ve come to the right place!

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of over 300 words and phrases to use in the introduction, body, and conclusion of your essay.

The introduction is one of the hardest parts of an essay to write.

You have only one chance to make a first impression, and you want to hook your reader. If the introduction isn’t effective, the reader might not even bother to read the rest of the essay.

That’s why it’s important to be thoughtful and deliberate with the words you choose at the beginning of your essay.

Many students use a quote in the introductory paragraph to establish credibility and set the tone for the rest of the essay.

When you’re referencing another author or speaker, try using some of these phrases:

To use the words of X

According to X

As X states

Example: To use the words of Hillary Clinton, “You cannot have maternal health without reproductive health.”

Near the end of the introduction, you should state the thesis to explain the central point of your paper.

If you’re not sure how to introduce your thesis, try using some of these phrases:

In this essay, I will…

The purpose of this essay…

This essay discusses…

In this paper, I put forward the claim that…

There are three main arguments for…

Example: In this essay, I will explain why dress codes in public schools are detrimental to students.

After you’ve stated your thesis, it’s time to start presenting the arguments you’ll use to back up that central idea.

When you’re introducing the first of a series of arguments, you can use the following words:

First and foremost

First of all

To begin with

Example: First , consider the effects that this new social security policy would have on low-income taxpayers.

All these words and phrases will help you create a more successful introduction and convince your audience to read on.

The body of your essay is where you’ll explain your core arguments and present your evidence.

It’s important to choose words and phrases for the body of your essay that will help the reader understand your position and convince them you’ve done your research.

Let’s look at some different types of words and phrases that you can use in the body of your essay, as well as some examples of what these words look like in a sentence.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transitioning from one argument to another is crucial for a good essay.

It’s important to guide your reader from one idea to the next so they don’t get lost or feel like you’re jumping around at random.

Transition phrases and linking words show your reader you’re about to move from one argument to the next, smoothing out their reading experience. They also make your writing look more professional.

The simplest transition involves moving from one idea to a separate one that supports the same overall argument. Try using these phrases when you want to introduce a second correlating idea:

Additionally

In addition

Furthermore

Another key thing to remember

In the same way

Correspondingly

Example: Additionally , public parks increase property value because home buyers prefer houses that are located close to green, open spaces.

Another type of transition involves restating. It’s often useful to restate complex ideas in simpler terms to help the reader digest them. When you’re restating an idea, you can use the following words:

In other words

To put it another way

That is to say

To put it more simply

Example: “The research showed that 53% of students surveyed expressed a mild or strong preference for more on-campus housing. In other words , over half the students wanted more dormitory options.”

Often, you’ll need to provide examples to illustrate your point more clearly for the reader. When you’re about to give an example of something you just said, you can use the following words:

For instance

To give an illustration of

To exemplify

To demonstrate

As evidence

Example: Humans have long tried to exert control over our natural environment. For instance , engineers reversed the Chicago River in 1900, causing it to permanently flow backward.

Sometimes, you’ll need to explain the impact or consequence of something you’ve just said.

When you’re drawing a conclusion from evidence you’ve presented, try using the following words:

As a result

Accordingly

As you can see

This suggests that

It follows that

It can be seen that

For this reason

For all of those reasons

Consequently

Example: “There wasn’t enough government funding to support the rest of the physics experiment. Thus , the team was forced to shut down their experiment in 1996.”

When introducing an idea that bolsters one you’ve already stated, or adds another important aspect to that same argument, you can use the following words:

What’s more

Not only…but also

Not to mention

To say nothing of

Another key point

Example: The volcanic eruption disrupted hundreds of thousands of people. Moreover , it impacted the local flora and fauna as well, causing nearly a hundred species to go extinct.

Often, you'll want to present two sides of the same argument. When you need to compare and contrast ideas, you can use the following words:

On the one hand / on the other hand

Alternatively

In contrast to

On the contrary

By contrast

In comparison

Example: On the one hand , the Black Death was undoubtedly a tragedy because it killed millions of Europeans. On the other hand , it created better living conditions for the peasants who survived.

Finally, when you’re introducing a new angle that contradicts your previous idea, you can use the following phrases:

Having said that

Differing from

In spite of

With this in mind

Provided that

Nevertheless

Nonetheless

Notwithstanding

Example: Shakespearean plays are classic works of literature that have stood the test of time. Having said that , I would argue that Shakespeare isn’t the most accessible form of literature to teach students in the twenty-first century.

Good essays include multiple types of logic. You can use a combination of the transitions above to create a strong, clear structure throughout the body of your essay.

Strong Verbs for Academic Writing

Verbs are especially important for writing clear essays. Often, you can convey a nuanced meaning simply by choosing the right verb.

You should use strong verbs that are precise and dynamic. Whenever possible, you should use an unambiguous verb, rather than a generic verb.

For example, alter and fluctuate are stronger verbs than change , because they give the reader more descriptive detail.

Here are some useful verbs that will help make your essay shine.

Verbs that show change:

Accommodate

Verbs that relate to causing or impacting something:

Verbs that show increase:

Verbs that show decrease:

Deteriorate

Verbs that relate to parts of a whole:

Comprises of

Is composed of

Constitutes

Encompasses

Incorporates

Verbs that show a negative stance:

Misconstrue

Verbs that show a positive stance:

Substantiate

Verbs that relate to drawing conclusions from evidence:

Corroborate

Demonstrate

Verbs that relate to thinking and analysis:

Contemplate

Hypothesize

Investigate

Verbs that relate to showing information in a visual format:

Useful Adjectives and Adverbs for Academic Essays

You should use adjectives and adverbs more sparingly than verbs when writing essays, since they sometimes add unnecessary fluff to sentences.

However, choosing the right adjectives and adverbs can help add detail and sophistication to your essay.

Sometimes you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is useful and should be taken seriously. Here are some adjectives that create positive emphasis:

Significant

Other times, you'll need to use an adjective to show that a finding or argument is harmful or ineffective. Here are some adjectives that create a negative emphasis:

Controversial

Insignificant

Questionable

Unnecessary

Unrealistic

Finally, you might need to use an adverb to lend nuance to a sentence, or to express a specific degree of certainty. Here are some examples of adverbs that are often used in essays:

Comprehensively

Exhaustively

Extensively

Respectively

Surprisingly

Using these words will help you successfully convey the key points you want to express. Once you’ve nailed the body of your essay, it’s time to move on to the conclusion.

The conclusion of your paper is important for synthesizing the arguments you’ve laid out and restating your thesis.

In your concluding paragraph, try using some of these essay words:

In conclusion

To summarize

In a nutshell

Given the above

As described

All things considered

Example: In conclusion , it’s imperative that we take action to address climate change before we lose our coral reefs forever.

In addition to simply summarizing the key points from the body of your essay, you should also add some final takeaways. Give the reader your final opinion and a bit of a food for thought.

To place emphasis on a certain point or a key fact, use these essay words:

Unquestionably

Undoubtedly

Particularly

Importantly

Conclusively

It should be noted

On the whole

Example: Ada Lovelace is unquestionably a powerful role model for young girls around the world, and more of our public school curricula should include her as a historical figure.

These concluding phrases will help you finish writing your essay in a strong, confident way.

There are many useful essay words out there that we didn't include in this article, because they are specific to certain topics.

If you're writing about biology, for example, you will need to use different terminology than if you're writing about literature.

So how do you improve your vocabulary skills?

The vocabulary you use in your academic writing is a toolkit you can build up over time, as long as you take the time to learn new words.

One way to increase your vocabulary is by looking up words you don’t know when you’re reading.

Try reading more books and academic articles in the field you’re writing about and jotting down all the new words you find. You can use these words to bolster your own essays.

You can also consult a dictionary or a thesaurus. When you’re using a word you’re not confident about, researching its meaning and common synonyms can help you make sure it belongs in your essay.

Don't be afraid of using simpler words. Good essay writing boils down to choosing the best word to convey what you need to say, not the fanciest word possible.

Finally, you can use ProWritingAid’s synonym tool or essay checker to find more precise and sophisticated vocabulary. Click on weak words in your essay to find stronger alternatives.

There you have it: our compilation of the best words and phrases to use in your next essay . Good luck!

Good writing = better grades

ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of all your assignments.

Hannah Yang is a speculative fiction writer who writes about all things strange and surreal. Her work has appeared in Analog Science Fiction, Apex Magazine, The Dark, and elsewhere, and two of her stories have been finalists for the Locus Award. Her favorite hobbies include watercolor painting, playing guitar, and rock climbing. You can follow her work on hannahyang.com, or subscribe to her newsletter for publication updates.

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100+ Useful Words and Phrases to Write a Great Essay

By: Author Sophia

Posted on Last updated: October 25, 2023

Sharing is caring!

How to Write a Great Essay in English! This lesson provides 100+ useful words, transition words and expressions used in writing an essay. Let’s take a look!

The secret to a successful essay doesn’t just lie in the clever things you talk about and the way you structure your points.

Useful Words and Phrases to Write a Great Essay

Overview of an essay.

Useful Phrases for Proficiency Essays

Developing the argument

• The first aspect to point out is that…
• Let us start by considering the facts.
• The novel portrays, deals with, revolves around…
• Central to the novel is…
• The character of xxx embodies/ epitomizes…

The other side of the argument

• It would also be interesting to see…
• One should, nevertheless, consider the problem from another angle.
• Equally relevant to the issue are the questions of…
• The arguments we have presented… suggest that…/ prove that…/ would indicate that…
• From these arguments one must…/ could…/ might… conclude that…
• All of this points to the conclusion that…
• To conclude…

Ordering elements

• Firstly,…/ Secondly,…/ Finally,… (note the comma after all these introductory words.)
• As a final point…
• On the one hand, …. on the other hand…
• If on the one hand it can be said that… the same is not true for…
• The first argument suggests that… whilst the second suggests that…
• There are at least xxx points to highlight.

Adding elements

• Furthermore, one should not forget that…
• In addition to…
• Moreover…
• It is important to add that…

Accepting other points of view

• Nevertheless, one should accept that…
• However, we also agree that…

Personal opinion

• We/I personally believe that…
• Our/My own point of view is that…
• It is my contention that…
• I am convinced that…
• My own opinion is…

Others’ opinions

• According to some critics… Critics:
• believe that
• suggest that
• are convinced that
• point out that
• emphasize that
• contend that
• go as far as to say that
• argue for this

Introducing examples

• For example…
• For instance…
• To illustrate this point…

Introducing facts

• It is… true that…/ clear that…/ noticeable that…
• One should note here that…

Saying what you think is true

• This leads us to believe that…
• It is very possible that…
• In view of these facts, it is quite likely that…
• Doubtless,…
• One cannot deny that…
• It is (very) clear from these observations that…
• All the same, it is possible that…
• It is difficult to believe that…

Accepting other points to a certain degree

• One can agree up to a certain point with…
• Certainly,… However,…
• It cannot be denied that…

Emphasizing particular points

• The last example highlights the fact that…
• Not only… but also…
• We would even go so far as to say that…

Moderating, agreeing, disagreeing

• By and large…
• Perhaps we should also point out the fact that…
• It would be unfair not to mention the fact that…
• One must admit that…
• We cannot ignore the fact that…
• One cannot possibly accept the fact that…

Consequences

• From these facts, one may conclude that…
• That is why, in our opinion, …
• Which seems to confirm the idea that…
• Thus,…/ Therefore,…
• Some critics suggest…, whereas others…
• Compared to…
• On the one hand, there is the firm belief that… On the other hand, many people are convinced that…

How to Write a Great Essay | Image 1

How to Write a Great Essay | Image 2

Phrases For Balanced Arguments

Introduction

• It is often said that…
• It is undeniable that…
• It is a well-known fact that…
• One of the most striking features of this text is…
• The first thing that needs to be said is…
• First of all, let us try to analyze…
• One argument in support of…
• We must distinguish carefully between…
• The second reason for…
• An important aspect of the text is…
• It is worth stating at this point that…
• On the other hand, we can observe that…
• The other side of the coin is, however, that…
• Another way of looking at this question is to…
• What conclusions can be drawn from all this?
• The most satisfactory conclusion that we can come to is…
• To sum up… we are convinced that…/ …we believe that…/ …we have to accept that…

How to Write a Great Essay | Image 3

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• 40 Useful Words and Phrases for Top-Notch Essays

To be truly brilliant, an essay needs to utilise the right language. You could make a great point, but if it’s not intelligently articulated, you almost needn’t have bothered.

Developing the language skills to build an argument and to write persuasively is crucial if you’re to write outstanding essays every time. In this article, we’re going to equip you with the words and phrases you need to write a top-notch essay, along with examples of how to utilise them.

It’s by no means an exhaustive list, and there will often be other ways of using the words and phrases we describe that we won’t have room to include, but there should be more than enough below to help you make an instant improvement to your essay-writing skills.

If you’re interested in developing your language and persuasive skills, Oxford Royale offers summer courses at its Oxford Summer School , Cambridge Summer School , London Summer School , San Francisco Summer School and Yale Summer School . You can study courses to learn english , prepare for careers in law , medicine , business , engineering and leadership.

General explaining

Let’s start by looking at language for general explanations of complex points.

1. In order to

Usage: “In order to” can be used to introduce an explanation for the purpose of an argument. Example: “In order to understand X, we need first to understand Y.”

2. In other words

Usage: Use “in other words” when you want to express something in a different way (more simply), to make it easier to understand, or to emphasise or expand on a point. Example: “Frogs are amphibians. In other words, they live on the land and in the water.”

3. To put it another way

Usage: This phrase is another way of saying “in other words”, and can be used in particularly complex points, when you feel that an alternative way of wording a problem may help the reader achieve a better understanding of its significance. Example: “Plants rely on photosynthesis. To put it another way, they will die without the sun.”

4. That is to say

Usage: “That is” and “that is to say” can be used to add further detail to your explanation, or to be more precise. Example: “Whales are mammals. That is to say, they must breathe air.”

5. To that end

Usage: Use “to that end” or “to this end” in a similar way to “in order to” or “so”. Example: “Zoologists have long sought to understand how animals communicate with each other. To that end, a new study has been launched that looks at elephant sounds and their possible meanings.”

Adding additional information to support a point

Students often make the mistake of using synonyms of “and” each time they want to add further information in support of a point they’re making, or to build an argument . Here are some cleverer ways of doing this.

6. Moreover

Usage: Employ “moreover” at the start of a sentence to add extra information in support of a point you’re making. Example: “Moreover, the results of a recent piece of research provide compelling evidence in support of…”

7. Furthermore

Usage:This is also generally used at the start of a sentence, to add extra information. Example: “Furthermore, there is evidence to suggest that…”

8. What’s more

Usage: This is used in the same way as “moreover” and “furthermore”. Example: “What’s more, this isn’t the only evidence that supports this hypothesis.”

9. Likewise

Usage: Use “likewise” when you want to talk about something that agrees with what you’ve just mentioned. Example: “Scholar A believes X. Likewise, Scholar B argues compellingly in favour of this point of view.”

10. Similarly

Usage: Use “similarly” in the same way as “likewise”. Example: “Audiences at the time reacted with shock to Beethoven’s new work, because it was very different to what they were used to. Similarly, we have a tendency to react with surprise to the unfamiliar.”

11. Another key thing to remember

Usage: Use the phrase “another key point to remember” or “another key fact to remember” to introduce additional facts without using the word “also”. Example: “As a Romantic, Blake was a proponent of a closer relationship between humans and nature. Another key point to remember is that Blake was writing during the Industrial Revolution, which had a major impact on the world around him.”

12. As well as

Usage: Use “as well as” instead of “also” or “and”. Example: “Scholar A argued that this was due to X, as well as Y.”

13. Not only… but also

Usage: This wording is used to add an extra piece of information, often something that’s in some way more surprising or unexpected than the first piece of information. Example: “Not only did Edmund Hillary have the honour of being the first to reach the summit of Everest, but he was also appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.”

14. Coupled with

Usage: Used when considering two or more arguments at a time. Example: “Coupled with the literary evidence, the statistics paint a compelling view of…”

15. Firstly, secondly, thirdly…

Usage: This can be used to structure an argument, presenting facts clearly one after the other. Example: “There are many points in support of this view. Firstly, X. Secondly, Y. And thirdly, Z.

16. Not to mention/to say nothing of

Usage: “Not to mention” and “to say nothing of” can be used to add extra information with a bit of emphasis. Example: “The war caused unprecedented suffering to millions of people, not to mention its impact on the country’s economy.”

Words and phrases for demonstrating contrast

When you’re developing an argument, you will often need to present contrasting or opposing opinions or evidence – “it could show this, but it could also show this”, or “X says this, but Y disagrees”. This section covers words you can use instead of the “but” in these examples, to make your writing sound more intelligent and interesting.

17. However

Usage: Use “however” to introduce a point that disagrees with what you’ve just said. Example: “Scholar A thinks this. However, Scholar B reached a different conclusion.”

18. On the other hand

Usage: Usage of this phrase includes introducing a contrasting interpretation of the same piece of evidence, a different piece of evidence that suggests something else, or an opposing opinion. Example: “The historical evidence appears to suggest a clear-cut situation. On the other hand, the archaeological evidence presents a somewhat less straightforward picture of what happened that day.”

19. Having said that

Usage: Used in a similar manner to “on the other hand” or “but”. Example: “The historians are unanimous in telling us X, an agreement that suggests that this version of events must be an accurate account. Having said that, the archaeology tells a different story.”

20. By contrast/in comparison

Usage: Use “by contrast” or “in comparison” when you’re comparing and contrasting pieces of evidence. Example: “Scholar A’s opinion, then, is based on insufficient evidence. By contrast, Scholar B’s opinion seems more plausible.”

21. Then again

Usage: Use this to cast doubt on an assertion. Example: “Writer A asserts that this was the reason for what happened. Then again, it’s possible that he was being paid to say this.”

22. That said

Usage: This is used in the same way as “then again”. Example: “The evidence ostensibly appears to point to this conclusion. That said, much of the evidence is unreliable at best.”

Usage: Use this when you want to introduce a contrasting idea. Example: “Much of scholarship has focused on this evidence. Yet not everyone agrees that this is the most important aspect of the situation.”

Adding a proviso or acknowledging reservations

Sometimes, you may need to acknowledge a shortfalling in a piece of evidence, or add a proviso. Here are some ways of doing so.

24. Despite this

Usage: Use “despite this” or “in spite of this” when you want to outline a point that stands regardless of a shortfalling in the evidence. Example: “The sample size was small, but the results were important despite this.”

25. With this in mind

Usage: Use this when you want your reader to consider a point in the knowledge of something else. Example: “We’ve seen that the methods used in the 19th century study did not always live up to the rigorous standards expected in scientific research today, which makes it difficult to draw definite conclusions. With this in mind, let’s look at a more recent study to see how the results compare.”

26. Provided that

Usage: This means “on condition that”. You can also say “providing that” or just “providing” to mean the same thing. Example: “We may use this as evidence to support our argument, provided that we bear in mind the limitations of the methods used to obtain it.”

27. In view of/in light of

Usage: These phrases are used when something has shed light on something else. Example: “In light of the evidence from the 2013 study, we have a better understanding of…”

28. Nonetheless

Usage: This is similar to “despite this”. Example: “The study had its limitations, but it was nonetheless groundbreaking for its day.”

29. Nevertheless

Usage: This is the same as “nonetheless”. Example: “The study was flawed, but it was important nevertheless.”

30. Notwithstanding

Usage: This is another way of saying “nonetheless”. Example: “Notwithstanding the limitations of the methodology used, it was an important study in the development of how we view the workings of the human mind.”

Giving examples

Good essays always back up points with examples, but it’s going to get boring if you use the expression “for example” every time. Here are a couple of other ways of saying the same thing.

31. For instance

Example: “Some birds migrate to avoid harsher winter climates. Swallows, for instance, leave the UK in early winter and fly south…”

32. To give an illustration

Example: “To give an illustration of what I mean, let’s look at the case of…”

Signifying importance

When you want to demonstrate that a point is particularly important, there are several ways of highlighting it as such.

33. Significantly

Usage: Used to introduce a point that is loaded with meaning that might not be immediately apparent. Example: “Significantly, Tacitus omits to tell us the kind of gossip prevalent in Suetonius’ accounts of the same period.”

34. Notably

Usage: This can be used to mean “significantly” (as above), and it can also be used interchangeably with “in particular” (the example below demonstrates the first of these ways of using it). Example: “Actual figures are notably absent from Scholar A’s analysis.”

35. Importantly

Usage: Use “importantly” interchangeably with “significantly”. Example: “Importantly, Scholar A was being employed by X when he wrote this work, and was presumably therefore under pressure to portray the situation more favourably than he perhaps might otherwise have done.”

Summarising

You’ve almost made it to the end of the essay, but your work isn’t over yet. You need to end by wrapping up everything you’ve talked about, showing that you’ve considered the arguments on both sides and reached the most likely conclusion. Here are some words and phrases to help you.

36. In conclusion

Usage: Typically used to introduce the concluding paragraph or sentence of an essay, summarising what you’ve discussed in a broad overview. Example: “In conclusion, the evidence points almost exclusively to Argument A.”

37. Above all

Usage: Used to signify what you believe to be the most significant point, and the main takeaway from the essay. Example: “Above all, it seems pertinent to remember that…”

38. Persuasive

Usage: This is a useful word to use when summarising which argument you find most convincing. Example: “Scholar A’s point – that Constanze Mozart was motivated by financial gain – seems to me to be the most persuasive argument for her actions following Mozart’s death.”

39. Compelling

Usage: Use in the same way as “persuasive” above. Example: “The most compelling argument is presented by Scholar A.”

40. All things considered

Usage: This means “taking everything into account”. Example: “All things considered, it seems reasonable to assume that…”

How many of these words and phrases will you get into your next essay? And are any of your favourite essay terms missing from our list? Let us know in the comments below, or get in touch here to find out more about courses that can help you with your essays.

At Oxford Royale Academy, we offer a number of  summer school courses for young people who are keen to improve their essay writing skills. Click here to apply for one of our courses today, including law , business , medicine  and engineering .

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Is it OK to italicize a word for emphasis in my paper?

Note: This post relates to content in the eighth edition of the MLA Handbook . For up-to-date guidance, see the ninth edition of the MLA Handbook .

The MLA style discourages the use of italics in academic prose to emphasize or point, because they are unnecessary—most often, the unadorned words do the job without typographic assistance. And if they don’t, then rewording is often the best solution. This policy is a matter of stylistic convention, not grammar.  

Reserve italics for emphasis for those few occasions when misreading is likely to result without them or when you simply feel that emphasis is the most effective means of getting your idea across.

Advice: You should always give extra consideration to how a sentence reads without the italics you were thinking of adding, much like a computer prompt that asks, before you hit Enter, “Are you sure?” If you’re sure—and only if you’re sure there’s no better solution—go ahead and italicize the word.

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Synonyms and antonyms of emphasize in English

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verb as in stress, give priority to

Strongest matches

Strong matches

Weak matches

• labor the point
• make a point
• make emphatic
• make much of
• put accent on

Discover More

Example sentences.

Many Americans move to places that de-emphasize the particularities of their local community.

The pictures of Gilkes emphasize, quite rightly and inevitably, his classic good looks.

Sharpton would later emphasize to The Daily Beast that he neither possesses nor desires such power.

In 2014, it appears, the key to winning in a swing state is to avoid talking about issues and emphasize pig castration.

And as if to emphasize their accounts, in early afternoon a U.S. airstrike hit a building in the middle of Kobani.

I have wanted him to do it absolutely on his own, and I could not emphasize this better than by coming right away to Mudros.

The centenary of Petrarch celebrated at Avignon in 1874 tended to emphasize the importance and the glory of the new literature.

Wherefore Bud had deliberately done what he could do to stimulate and emphasize both the surprise and the gratification.

It is only necessary to take all these things for granted, and emphasize certain other things which are peculiar to the sea.

In an ordinary light it is only a few broad planes of value and color without an accent object to emphasize or centre on.

Related Words

Words related to emphasize are not direct synonyms, but are associated with the word emphasize . Browse related words to learn more about word associations.

verb as in place emphasis, importance

• draw attention to

verb as in focus attention on

• bring attention to
• call attention to
• give prominence to

verb as in maintain

Viewing 5 / 51 related words

On this page you'll find 96 synonyms, antonyms, and words related to emphasize, such as: accentuate, affirm, assert, highlight, indicate, and maintain.

From Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition Copyright © 2013 by the Philip Lief Group.

Transition words for emphasis to highlight an important point

Transition words are an important part of the English language as they help us structure what we say, show our thought process, and draw attention to particular points.

In this case, we are looking at transition words for emphasis . These are useful for highlighting an important point, accentuating meaning, or helping people focus on what you are saying.

Transition words for emphasis

Adverbial transition words for emphasis.

One easy way to emphasize a point or draw greater attention to it is with the use of adverbs.

There is no set list of adverbial discourse markers for emphasis, as the majority of adjectives can be converted to adverbs and used in this way.

However, to begin with, here are some adverbs that can be used to emphasize or highlight the importance of something:

• Importantly
• Particularly
• Significantly

These can also be called focusing adverbs , as they help focus attention on a particular part of a sentence.

Here are some example sentences using these adverbs as transition words to emphasize:

• The company’s profits have increased notably since the new CEO took over.
• She was laughing so hard, she even cried a little.
• Obviously , the children’s safety is our priority.
• We clearly need to refresh our advertising strategy this quarter.
• Due to a cold front moving through the area, the temperature will drop markedly .

In the sentences above, the adverb does not alter the meaning significantly; it just emphasizes a particular point.

More adverbial transition words to show emphasis

Now, here are some more adventurous adverbs that you could use to accentuate a point. Note that not all of these will be appropriate to use in every situation, so take note of what they actually mean.

• Compellingly
• Interestingly
• Intriguingly
• Specifically
• Surprisingly

This list is practically endless. You can use this type of adverb, also called adverbs of manner , to add nuance to a statement and even change its meaning.

For example, take the simple sentence “ She looked beautiful. ” Let’s see how adding one of these emphasizing words can alter the meaning slightly:

• She looked surprisingly beautiful.
• She looked strikingly beautiful.
• She looked incredibly beautiful.
• She looked remarkably beautiful.
• She looked curiously beautiful.

This resource has some more powerful adverb ideas and guidance on how to use them effectively.

Discourse markers to emphasize one point above others

Sometimes we use transition words for emphasis to highlight one point or one thing over others . In this case, the following words and phrases are suitable:

• In particular
• Predominantly

For example:

• We want to make sure that everyone gets a chance to speak in class, especially the less confident students.
• I know we are here to have fun, but above all , we are raising money for the orphanage.
• The new company policy is chiefly focused on improving employee productivity.
• Our revenue comes predominantly from online sales.

Emphasizing the indisputability of a point

These emphasis transition words and phrases are used to stress the factual accuracy or indisputability of something (at least, in the opinion of the speaker):

• Indisputably
• Irrefutably
• To say the least
• Undoubtedly
• Unquestionably
• Without a doubt
• Without a second thought
• Without doubt
• Without question
• Without reservation

Here are some example sentences using these emphasis transition words:

• I have been truly overwhelmed by all your kind words.
• He would, without reservation , quit his job to be a stay-at-home Dad.
• Chocolate mint chip is unarguably the best ice cream flavor.
• The video footage confirmed that she had indeed set a new record.
• I have absolutely no problem with letting Mark lead this meeting.
• Mozart is indisputably one of the most influential composers of all time.

Drawing attention back to a previous point

If you wish to emphasize a point that has already been mentioned, to make sure that it has not been forgotten, here are some transition words and phrases to use.

You can also use these to politely bring to mind a piece of general information that your audience should already be aware of.

• It must be remembered that…
• Let’s not forget that…
• Not forgetting that…
• Remembering that…
• Keeping in mind that…
• You may recall…
• We must keep in mind that…
• It’s important to realize that…
• A point often overlooked is…
• May I point out that…

Here are some example sentences using these transition words for emphasis:

• You may recall that last year our profit margin was minus six percent.
• Let’s not forget that independent user trials returned a positive opinion of the new layout.
• Remembering that our budget has been cut this year, let’s focus on cost savings.
• We must keep in mind that most students are relying on public transport to reach the event.
• It’s important to realize that “compostable” plastics only decompose under certain conditions.
• May I point out that our water dispenser has been broken for over three weeks?

Discourse markers for emphasis and order

Finally, some phrases for emphasizing are also used as transition words for order and sequencing . Examples include:

• The first thing to remember is…
• First of all, …
• Let’s turn our attention to…
• Let’s move on to…
• As a matter of fact, …
• May I draw your attention to…

These not only guide the listener or reader on to the next point, but draw attention to it as well. Some of these also merge into the realm of counterclaim transition words. Here are a few examples of how you can use them:

• The first thing to remember is that we all have different opinions about this matter.
• Now, let’s turn our attention to the question of the new building fund.
• I don’t think we have enough coffee left to last us this week. In fact , we have almost run out.

To conclude

Transition words for emphasis can’t be as clearly defined as some other types of signal words, especially when it comes to adverbs, since there is quite some freedom in how you use them.

Still, we hope you have found this article useful and it has given you some fresh inspiration for whatever you are working on.

If you’d like to continue learning about discourse markers, here are some additional resources for you to browse:

Addition transition words Compare and contrast transition words Transition words for similarity Transition words and phrases for concluding

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Definition of emphasize

transitive verb

Examples of emphasize in a Sentence

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'emphasize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

emphas(is) + -ize

1793, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing emphasize

• de - emphasize
• re - emphasize

Dictionary Entries Near emphasize

Cite this entry.

“Emphasize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary , Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/emphasize. Accessed 4 May. 2024.

Kids Definition

Kids definition of emphasize, more from merriam-webster on emphasize.

Nglish: Translation of emphasize for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of emphasize for Arabic Speakers

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