When you need to give additional information or expand further on a point, some addition transition words will help you communicate clearly.
You might know some common words for addition such as:
- And
- Also
- Too
- In addition
- Additionally
- As well (as)
- Plus
- Besides
- Another
In this article we will cover all of these and give examples of how to use them, but we will also look at some less common transition words for addition which you might want to add to your vocabulary.
What are addition transition words used for?
The purpose of using transition words for addition is to signal to your reader or listener that what you are about to say (or have just said) is in some way linked to what you previously mentioned.
It is important that the two clauses, sentences or paragraphs are logically connected, though.
For example, consider the sentence: My dog’s name is Jerry and it’s a sunny day today. Although grammatically correct, the two pieces of information are not linked in any way, so it doesn’t make sense to join them like this.
Adding phrases and expressions (also called discourse markers of addition) are helpful for structuring points in an essay, article, or presentation, as well as in everyday conversation. However, some more formal addition words are best reserved for academic works or other formal pieces of writing. We have some more information on this later.
Common words for addition
We already mentioned some of the most common adding words like ‘in addition’, ‘and’, ‘also’, ‘as well (as)’, ‘besides’ and ‘too’.
You are probably familiar with how to use and to join two clauses in a sentence:
“I work at the supermarket on Saturdays and Sundays.”
“Jerry and Selina both like go-karting.”
But not all of these words follow the same pattern.
Usage note: too and also
It can be confusing knowing where to place too and also in a sentence, so here is a quick guide:
Too usually comes at the end of a sentence:
“James loves chocolate ice cream and I do, too.”
“We went on holiday to France but we visited Italy for three days too.”
It can also come mid-sentence:
“I, too, am passionate about helping disadvantaged people.”
“They, too, went to the park at the weekend.”
For more about using too, have a look at this article.
Also usually comes before the main verb:
“Joanna also likes riding horses.”
“We have also had an excellent month of sales.”
The exception is where the main verb is ‘be’ (and there are no auxiliary verbs), in which case also comes after ‘be’:
“Liam is a good runner and he’s also good at swimming.”
“I think we should paint the bedroom blue, but purple is also a good idea.”
In informal American English, also may be used at the end of a sentence, in the same way as too. This structure isn’t used in British English, though.
Usage note: as well and as well as
As well is used at the end of a sentence, just like too:
“Are you coming to the party as well?”
“They went shopping and watched a movie as well.”
As well as is a conjunction and can be used at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence:
“My husband is good-looking as well as intelligent.”
“As well as bread, the bakery sells cakes and local jams.”
Usage note: besides
We use besides when we are supporting what we have previously said, but adding something on a slightly different topic. We can use besides when stating an opinion, giving advice, or supporting one side of an argument:
“You’re too young to be going out to a party. Besides, you have school in the morning.”
“I think you should try speed dating. You could meet the man of your dreams, and besides, you’ve got nothing to lose!”
Read more: What’s the difference between beside and besides?
More formal transition words for addition
The following words and phrases are all used at the beginning of a sentence or paragraph to show that you’re about to give additional information. They are typically used in more formal contexts, and are more often written than spoken.
- Moreover
- Furthermore
- Further to this/that
- In addition (to this/that)
- Additionally
- In the same way/fashion
- Likewise
- Coupled with
“Our company has a proven track record in the field of SEO. In addition, we’ve recently added three industry experts to our management team.”
“The plans to build a new supermarket will have a negative impact on smaller local businesses. Furthermore, we will lose a valuable area of park land.”
“We have lost customers this year because of everything moving online. Coupled with high inflation rates, it has been a tough year for the business.”
Remember that we use these to add additional, supporting information. This means that if the previous point was positive, we’re adding more positive information and vice versa. If you want to add contrasting information, you’ll need some transition words for comparing and contrasting.
See also: Further vs father
Some other words for addition
The following addition transition words are suitable for everyday use, whether you’re having a conversation, sending an email, or writing an article.
- What’s more
- On top of this/that
- Equally
- Another thing
- Not to mention
- Similarly
- Together with
- To say nothing of
“Yulia sang her recital perfectly last night and received a standing ovation. What’s more, she won an award for it!”
“Alan seems like a strong candidate for the job. Equally, Irene has a lot of experience in a similar role.”
“It’s going to take us all day to remove the old wallpaper, to say nothing of how long it’ll take to paint the walls.”
“Our family enjoys a long walk every Saturday afternoon, together with our neighbours.”
Some of these can also be used as transition words for similarities.
Two-part phrases for addition
Finally, let’s look at some two-part discourse markers for addition:
- Both … and …
- Not only … but also …
- Neither … nor …
Well, technically the last one is for exclusion rather than addition, but it works in the same way so seems relevant to include here.
Here are some examples of these addition transition phrases in use:
“Both Jenny and Elijah have their birthdays on 17th April.”
“Not only does this new model have a larger screen, but also a 20% better battery life than its predecessor.”
“Neither the manager nor the security guard was on site when the robbery occurred.”
That’s all we have on the topic of transition words for addition. If you find these vocabulary terms helpful or you have any questions about how to use them correctly, please leave a comment below.
You might also want to check out some similar topics:
Cause and effect transition words
Discourse markers for giving examples
Discourse markers for order and structure
Summary and conclusion transition words
Transition words for emphasis
