5. SEQUENCE MARKERS
◦ Sequence markers in English are a certain group of items, mainly adverbs
and preposition phrases, that link sentences together into a larger unit of
discourse. These linguistic items go by various names, e.g. conjuncts,
sentence adverbials, connectives, linking devices, among others.
◦ Sequence markers can signal how to interpret the relationship
between sentences in a number of different ways.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. For example, First of all …. then …. finally can indicate
chronological sequence (external), or order of
importance (internal).
13. HOW TO IDENTIFY SEQUENCE WHEN
READING OR VIEWING A TEXT.
◦ In its simplest terms, identifying a sequence in a text involves identifying
the beginning, the middle, and the end.
◦ One of the easiest ways to recognize the order of events is to look out
for the sequencing words or transitions that are used to connect the
various parts of the text.
◦ Some of these words and phrases also act as signals to provide an
indication of whether the event will be located in the beginning, in the
middle, or toward the end of the text’s chronology.
◦ There are a wide variety of ‘signal words’ and the following represent just
a few of the most common, as well as where they are most likely to occur
14. SEQUENCING SIGNAL WORDS
Beginning
● Once upon a time
/ Once there was
● In the beginning
● First of all
Middle
● Meanwhile
● After that
● Suddenly
End
● In the end
● Finally
● After all
19. Steps:
◦● What happened first, second, third
etc?
◦● What happened before or after a
specific event or step?
◦● What happened in the end?
20. Small Group Activity
◦ Write the events happened in the epic poem Beowulf in chronological order using the sequence
markers and ways to sequence the events.
21. How do we use sequence markers?
When to use them?
22. SEQUENCE MARKERS ACTIVITY
1.My sister was in the dentist’s office for ten minutes. ______, I sat
in the waiting room with an old magazine in my hands. ( First,
Meanwhile, Later )
2.An hour passed but there was no sign of Mike. ______, we
decided to go home. ( Until, Before, Finally )
3.We bumped into Salsa during our trip to Lang Island. A few
weeks ______, we met him again ( after, then, later )
4.The teacher had trouble telling the twins apart. ______ she
realized one had a mole above her lips. ( Subsequently, Finally,
Meanwhile )
5.The men went to a nearby restaurant for breakfast. ______, they
drove off towards the Penang Bridge ( After, Afterwards,
Meanwhile )
23. SEQUENCE MARKERS ACTIVITY
6. The football coach announced, “Today, we will begin
practicing for the coming match.” ______ he added, “Let’s
warm up first.” ( Then, After, Eventually )
7. ______, heat the oil in the frying pan. Then put in all the
marinated chicken pieces. ( Before, After, First )
8. Many customers bought the delicious chicken pies. ______
all the pies were sold out. ( Eventually, Afterwards, Next )
9. Many people wanted to buy the tickets. ______ a while, the
queue was quite long. ( Before, After, Finally )
10. Zulina will be back in fifteen minutes. ______, make
yourself at home. ( Later, Subsequently, Meanwhile )
