Actually, It’s not Easy to Connect Linking Words and Commas Correctly

Linking words, connectives, or transition words all refer to the same words or constructions that facilitate coherence in your texts. They can fulfill various functions (adding, contrasting, elaborating). It’s important to separate them from the main clause by using a comma.

Adverbs as Linking Words

Using connectives in your writing helps the reader to understand the links between independent sentences. In this article, we focus on various ways to take advantage of these transition words. Spoiler alert: the following comma is usually mandatory.

Adverbs usually specify verbs (actions) or adjectives (characteristics). However, they may also serve as a sentence adverb modifying the whole statement—often for some kind of emphasis or evaluation. A comma always follows to separate the adverb from the main clause.

These adverbs express concession, sequence, comparison, and addition—among other functions (like elaboration). The most important ones are:

Verb Constructions as Connectors

If you have an introductory clause with a gerund, past participle, or to-infinitive, you separate it from the main clause by using a comma:

You can find these constructions most often when linking paragraphs to one another:

Whole Phrases as Transition Words

You’re also able to link your ideas by including phrases of nouns, prepositions, determiners, and other words. If you use one of these constructions, try to remember to place a comma after it.

Long story short, there are plenty of connectives that automatically trigger the use of a comma. Fortunately, LanguageTool knows all of them, and reminds you to include every comma in order to improve your written work. Additionally, it includes a style checker, in case a linking phrase is not quite idiomatic. Remember to pay attention to how you connect your sentences into a coherent text.