What Are Sentence Starters? (With Examples)

October 28, 2024

Sentence starters help make writing clearer and more connected. So, how do you take advantage of them in your essay or report? In this article, we will go over what sentence starters are, including examples of sentence starters for conclusion, comparison, and more.

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Table of Contents

What Are Sentence Starters?

As the name suggests, sentence starters are words or phrases used to introduce a sentence. They improve the flow and readability by showing the relationship between two or more ideas. They also make sentences express an idea better.

Tip: Sentence starters are set apart from the rest of the sentence with a comma.

There are many different types of sentence starters that you can use. For example, “In conclusion” introduces the ending of an article or essay. Another example is “For instance, ” which presents an example of something.

Here are some sentence examples with sentence starters:

For example, the study looked at how climate change affects farming.
Interestingly, many experts think working together can lead to new ideas.
In short, the prince and princess lived happily ever after.
After that, the team had a meeting to talk about what to do next.
In conclusion, there is a strong link between what we eat and our health.

When to Use Sentence Starters

So, when should you use sentence starters? Well, one great thing about sentence starters is that they are applicable in different scenarios. Here are some of them:

Introduce a new idea
Emphasize important ideas
Transition from one paragraph to another
Show an example of something
Compare and contrast ideas
Show cause and effect
Wrap up a section of ideas

List of Good Sentence Starters

If you need help with sentence starters, here is a list that you can use for your next assignment.

Topic Sentence Starters

Topic sentence starters usually appear at the beginning of a paragraph or section of text. You can use this type of sentence starter to introduce what the entire text is about.

In this paper
First and foremost
One reason is
In this essay
We will discuss
The main purpose
In this story

For Lists / Series of Events

Aside from introducing the main topic of your paper, you can also use sentence starters to show a list or sequence of events. This helps communicate a specific order, such as when telling a story or giving someone step-by-step instructions.

First
Next
Then
Finally
Secondly
Afterward
Later on
After that
Following that
Subsequently

For Comparisons

Sentence starters are also great tools for comparison. For example, sentence starters like “similarily” help communicate how two things are alike. On the other hand, sentence starters like “however” introduce how two things are different.

Just like
In the same way
In comparison
Much like
On the other hand
In contrast
Whereas
Unlike
Although
Conversely
Nevertheless

For Adding New Points

Another way to use sentence starters is to elaborate on or add new points. For example, if you want to discuss a topic more in-depth without making your sentence too long, you can use sentence starters to continue your thoughts in a new sentence.

Additionally
Also
In addition
Furthermore
Moreover
Likewise
To add to this
To elaborate
Beyond that
On top of that

For Introducing Examples

You can also use sentence starters to signal the shift from general ideas to more specific scenarios. In return, you can make your sentences more organized, understandable, and easier to read.

For example
For instance
One example is
Such as
To demonstrate
Specifically
To illustrate

For Transitions and Contrast

Sentence starters can also be handy for helping bridge different ideas or sections of text. These are sometimes called transition words or phrases. Sometimes, this is done by showing an immediate contrast in the next section of your idea or argument.

However
Then again
Yet
Still
Despite this
In contrast
On the contrary
Also
Additionally
Nevertheless
Instead
While

For Cause and Effect

Another great way to use sentence starters is to present cause and effect.

Since
Based on findings
Due to
Given that
As a result
Therefore
Consequently
Hence
Thus
Consequently

For Emphasis

Sentence starters are perfect for adding emphasis to your sentences, especially when you want to highlight important points to the reader.

Importantly
Clearly
Without a doubt
Undoubtedly
Especially
Certainly
Above all
Particularly
Definitely

For Uncertainty

You can also use sentence starters to show doubt or lack of confidence in the statement that follows.

Perhaps
Maybe
Arguably
Obviously
May
Perhaps
Possibly

For Historical or Generally Accepted Concepts

Sentence starters can also help provide context and background information and give a better introduction to widely recognized ideas.

Traditionally
Historically
Formerly
At first
Conventionally
In the past
Customarily

For Conclusion

Are you struggling to end your essay? Conclusion sentence starters are handy. Unlike other sentence starters, they are simply a signal for readers that they come to the end of your essay.

In summary
In conclusion
To summarize
Ultimately
Overall
All in all
In short
All things considered
To sum up
Finally

Final Thoughts

In conclusion, sentence starters are valuable tools not only in academic writing but also in essay writing and even in fiction and nonfiction. They enhance the flow of your ideas, give them structure, and add clarity, making your writing more compelling and engaging to your readers.