Signposts can be used to link your ideas between sentences and paragraphs and within sentences. Signposts that link ideas within a sentence are usually called conjunctions.
They are most useful when used in the following places:
- In the introduction
- At the beginning of a paragraph which develops a new idea
- At the beginning of a paragraph which expands on a previous idea
- At the beginning of a paragraph which offers a contrasting viewpoint
- At the end of a paragraph to sum up an idea
- In the conclusion
Table 1 and 2 present some of the functions of signposts in a sentence.
It is not practical to list all the signpost words, so we will focus on those that are most commonly used.
If you would like to print the tables on this page, click on the PDF link below.
Table 1 Signposts usually found at the beginning of the sentence
| Function | Signpost |
| Introduce a new subject | Regarding With regard to As regards Concerning Turning to |
| Sequence ideas | Firstly The most important reason Another reason Finally |
| Introduce a contrasting idea | However In contrast On the other hand Nevertheless Although Yet |
| Introduce a similar idea | Likewise Similarly |
| Add another idea | Also Moreover Furthermore In addition Besides |
| Give an example | For example For instance |
| Give the cause | Because of Due to |
| Give the effect | Therefore As a result As a consequence Consequently For this reason |
| Conclude your essay | In conclusion To sum up In summary |
Table 2 Signposts usually found within a sentence (conjunctions)
| Function | Signpost |
| Introduce a contrasting idea | Cities are polluted, but/while/whereas the countryside is not. |
| Give an example | Urbanisation causes a lot of pollution such as air, noise and water pollution. |
| Add another idea. | Air pollution is caused by smoke from factories and/as well as cars. |
| Air pollution is caused by smoke from factories too/also. | |
| Give the cause | Cities are polluted because/as there is so much smoke. |
| Give the effect | There is a lot of smoke in cities so/so that they become polluted. |
This is the table consisting of all the most common connective devices used in IELTS writing and speaking.
Using connective words to signpost:-
Addition Sequence Consequence
in addition firstly as a result
and initially thus
similarly secondly so
likewise to begin with therefore
as well as then consequently
besides next it follows that
furthermore earlier/later thereby
also after this/that eventually
moreover following this/that then
and then afterwards in that case
too admittedly
not only…but
even
besides this/that
Certainty Condition Definition
obviously if is
certainly unless refers to
plainly whether means
of course provided that that is
undoubtedly for consists of
so that
whether
depending on
Example Reason Time
for instance since before
one example as since
for example so as
just as because (of) until
in particular due to meanwhile
such as owing to at the moment
namely the reason why when
to illustrate in other words whenever
leads to as soon as
cause just as
Contrast Summary
however in conclusion
on the other hand in summary
despite lastly
in spite of finally
though to sum up
but to conclude
on the contrary to recapitulate
otherwise in short
yet
instead of
rather
whereas
nonetheless
compared with
alternatively
nevertheless
A signpost does not always need to be connective word; sometime we can use phrases too.
| Signposting stems for an introduction |
| To understand the role of … (your topic*) this essay aims to provide a discussion of … (the ideas you will develop) |
| This essay seeks to investigate/evaluate/illustrate/discuss the impact of … (your topic) in relation to … (the ideas you will develop) |
| Firstly, this assignment examines … (your topic) and its links with … (your first idea) Next, it closely examines … in relation to … (your next idea) Finally, it focuses on … and how this affects …(your next idea) |
| Signposting stems for a paragraph which introduces or develops a new idea |
| One aspect which illustrates … (your topic) can be identified as … (the idea you want to develop) |
| The current debate about … (your topic) identifies an interesting viewpoint on …(the idea you want to develop) |
| This first/next/ final section provides a general discussion of …(the idea you want to develop) |
| Signposting stems for a paragraph which expands upon a previous idea |
| Building on from the idea that … (mention previous idea), this section illustrates that … (introduce your new idea). |
| To further understand the role of …(your topic or your previous idea) this section explores the idea that … (introduce your new idea) |
| Another line of thought on … (your topic or your previous idea) demonstrates that … (introduce your new idea) |
| Signposting stems for a paragraph which offers a contrasting view |
| However, another angle on this debate suggests that … (introduce your contrasting idea) |
| In contrast to evidence which presents the view that … (mention your previous idea) an alternative perspective illustrates that … (introduce your contrasting idea) |
| However, not all research shows that … (mention your previous idea). Some evidence agrees that … (introduce your contrasting idea) |
| Signposting stems to sum up an idea in a paragraph |
| This evidence highlights that … (sum up your idea) |
| There is general agreement that … (sum up your idea) |
| The strength of such an approach is that …(sum up your idea) |
| Signposting stems for a conclusion |
| Clearly, this essay has shown that the main factors which impact upon … (your topic) are …(summarise your main ideas) |
| The evidence presented in this assignment has shown that … (mention the conclusions you have drawn) |
| To conclude, this assignment has addressed a number of significant issues which show that … (mention the conclusions you have drawn) |