Linking words / Transitional devices - EXERCISES

I. Choose the correct linking devices expressing addition.

1. I overslept this morning. ........ , my car ran out of petrol on the way to work. (not only that /
furthermore)
2. The report is expected to be critical of the industry. ........, it is likely to recommend extensive
changes to production. (what is more / furthermore)
3. The witness claims to have seen the suspect at the scene of the crime. ........, the police are in
possession of video evidence of the man entering the building. (moreover / as well as that)
4. ........ the wonderful main meal we also had a delicious pudding. (besides / in addition to)
5. If you're going into town could you get me some shampoo? ........, we need some more bread. (also
/ furthermore)
6. Payments to your account have fallen behind considerably. ........, on several occasions your credit
limit has been exceeded. (moreover / besides this)
7. It was a brilliant game. ........, we didn't have to pay to get in! (what’s more / in addition)
8. The meeting concluded without any agreement being reached. ........, several further issues arose.
(as well as that / in addition)

II. Choose the correct linking devices expressing contrast.

1. The team haven't been playing too well. ......, they are expected to win this afternoon. (nevertheless
/ in contrast / on the contrary)
2. ........ in nearly every country in the world they drive on the right, in England they insist on driving
on the left. (on the one hand / while / nevertheless)
3. ........ to the north, which will remain warm and sunny, the south will become cloudy during the
early morning. (on the contrary / in contrast / although)
4. He couldn't get the machine to work ........ following the instructions carefully. (despite / however /
while)
5. I'm not tired at all. ........, I'm feeling full of energy. (however / in contrast / on the contrary)
6. ........ the computer had recently been repaired, it still kept crashing. (although / whereas / in spite
of)
7. I know we agreed to raise the issue at the next meeting ........ we simply won't have the time to
discuss it. (although / whereas / but)
8. The man was arrested ........ claiming to have been nowhere near the scene of the crime. (whereas /
in spite of / while)

III. Paraphrase the following sentences using the words in brackets to express cause and
result.

1. The accident happened because of terrible weather.

The accident ........ bad weather. (RESULT)
2. The train was cancelled so I missed my appointment.
........ the cancellation I missed my appointment. (CONSEQUENCE)
3. They decided to buy a new car because of the problems they were having with their old one.
They decided to buy a new car ........ problems with their old one. (SINCE)
4. We were unable to contact you as communications were so poor.
We couldn't contact you ........ communications were so poor. (OWING)
5. You have been late every morning this week so we have deducted the lost time from your wages.
We have deducted money from your wages ........ you have been late every morning this week.
(DUE)
6. I was sent home from school because I was feeling sick.
The student was sent home ........ the fact that he was feeling sick. (ACCOUNT)
7. It was too far to walk so we caught the bus.
We got the bus as ........ to walk. (ENOUGH)
8. The film was so boring that we decided to leave early.
........ we decided to leave early. (SUCH)
IV. Insert correct linking words in the following texts:

1. Our state’s correctional system is plagued with problems. (a) _________ (example), high
officials increase their personal wealth by awarding building and catering contracts to
disreputable companies in return for bribes. (b) ___________ (addition), promotions
within the system are made on the basis of politics, not merit. (c) __________ (result), the
system is filled with people at the top who know little about what they are doing. (d)
__________ (addition), careless security measures, allowing trusted inmates to control
certain operations of the institution, are part of the growing problem. But one increasing
tendency in particular is doing harm to the system’s image and efficiency. This is the
tendency of officials who are charged with important tasks and who make faulty decisions
to cover up their mistakes. (e) __________ (conclusion), one would think that amid all the
strife some effort would be made to rectify these problems, but a seemingly dogged
determination to resist change overshadows the system.

2. Genetic screening in business, or testing the genes of employees to see if they are
susceptible to workplace-related diseases, may present problems for the tested. (a)
__________, the genetic screening tests and technology in general are in their infancy
stages. (b) __________, many physicians and health professionals doubt their reliability.
(c) ___________, once genetic information is recorded on employees, it cannot always be
kept secret. Even though employers are assured that their medical files are confidential,
clerical staff have access to them. (d) __________, if they are entered into a computer data
base, they are available to anyone with access. (e) __________, some argue that such
screening procedures are violations of personal rights. (f) __________, many cite
similarities between genetic screening and drug testing, noting that both involve a process
of obtaining information from unwilling individuals that might affect them adversely.
Opponents of genetic screening point out that some employees with the potential for
workplace diseases would rather run the risk than lose their jobs.

V. Complete the blanks in the following text with appropriate linking devices.

Students are eating unhealthy food for lunch (1)______ it is on sale at the school canteen. I propose
that it is in the best interests of the students to ban the sale of junk food.
(2)______ fatty foods contribute to obesity they should not be sold in the school canteen. It is
well known that obesity creates major health problems. (3)______, a New Zealand research found
children’s weight is changing: “The study found an increase in the number of obese children from 2.4
per cent in 1989 to 9.1 per cent in 2000. The number of those classed as overweight had gone up from
11 per cent to 20.9 per cent.” Who can refute these figures? (4)______ why is the school canteen still
selling food that is high in both fat and sugar? Other schools aren’t. One school in the same area now
only sells thirty pies a day compared to the thousand they sold before introducing healthy foods. Is it
not possible for our school to do the same?
(5)_______ the school should display a social conscience by promoting healthy foods.
Profiteering from selling junk foods to students is just not acceptable. (6)_______, the school has a
moral obligation to look after their students. It is in students best interests to sell them healthy
alternatives for lunch that are low in fat, sugar and salt rather than the junk food currently sold. What
is wrong with selling pizza’s rather than pies? The school can still make a profit.
Eating foods high in sugar can be disruptive to learning. It is often said that sugar gives you
energy, (7)______ this is only partly true. Researchers in America found that coca cola spiked a
person's energy levels almost immediately, (8)______ after approximately a minute and a half their
energy dropped to a much lower level. (9)_______, sugar does not really give you energy.
(10)______, students’ work levels may drop off because they feel tired. (11)______, teachers have
reported that some students are hyperactive after lunch. Often, it is those students who have eaten
doughnuts, chocolate, or had fizzy drinks all of which have been bought from the school canteen.
VI. Change the following text into a well-structured paragraph by choosing the most
appropriate linking words from the list below. Remember that each point has to have
some connection to the preceding one and the one to follow. The paragraph comes from
Elizabeth Grove-White's text on Virginia Woolf's novel, To the Lighthouse.

again, and, because, consequently, however, or, therefore, yet, whereas

(the words can be used more than once)

In all novels incidents, actions, thoughts and descriptions are related, (1)................. narrated,
by an agent who is known as a narrator. The reader, (2)................. , sees the events of a novel
to a greater or lesser degree through the eyes, (3).............. point of view, of the novel's
narrator. It is obvious, (4)................ , that the narrator is an extremely significant element in
considering a novel, (5).............. it is the narrator who decides what to show or tell us,
(6)................. what emphasis is to be placed on an event or character, (7)................ it is the
narrator's language that describes events and characters.

VII. Improve the following text by inserting appropriate linking devices:

One effect of Virginia Woolf's choice of the multiple point of view narrative mode is

immediately obvious when we examine the characters and characterisation of To the

Lighthouse. These characters are observed in action, or reflected in the consciousness of

themselves and others. Their very perspective on external reality serves to define them. We

cannot speak with confidence of Mrs Ramsay's goodness without acknowledging the

reservations imposed by herself and the other characters upon that goodness. We must take

into account the characteristic quality of Mrs Ramsay's view of the world. It is impossible to

make any clear-cut distinction between the characters in this novel and its narrative mode.

Virginia Woolf's method of creating the characters in To the Lighthouse is a cumulative one.

Our knowledge of the characters depends on the accumulated impressions of them we receive

from their own reflections and observations and from the responses they elicit from the other

characters. The reader is obliged to re-create for himself the characters of this novel.

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