1. 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, amongst others.
Notes:
Sequence markers can signal how to interpret the relationship between sentences in a number of
different ways. For example:
1. They can indicate chronological order, or order of importance (e.g. first ... secondly ... thirdly; to begin
with .... next ... to conclude).
2. They can add to or reinforce what has already been said (e.g. furthermore; in addition; what is more).
3. They can indicate that two propositions have equal status (likewise; similarly).
4. They can indicate cause-result relationships (e.g. consequently; so; as a result).
5. They can indicate that a given proposition contradicts an earlier one (e.g. conversely; on the contrary;
by way of contrast).
6. They can indicate concession (e.g. nevertheless; in any case; for all that; all the same).
7. Sometimes a distinction is made between internal and external sequencers, i.e. the use of these
markers to indicate ‘real world’ events (external), or ‘rhetorical organisation’ (internal). For example,
First of all .... then .... finally can indicate chronological sequence (external), or order of importance
(internal).
As their name suggests, connective adverbs provide a link between different clauses or
sentences.
Notes
Connective adverbs, along with conjunctions and some prepositional phrases, link clauses by
signalling the relationship between them. The links can be understood as exemplification (‘namely’),
sequencing (‘secondly’), reason (‘so’), result (‘consequently’), comparison (‘likewise’), addition
(‘moreover’), concession (‘nevertheless’), correction (‘rather’), dismissal (‘anyhow’), reinforcement
(‘besides’), time reference (‘meanwhile’).
Because they connect clauses, adverbs like however and nevertheless are sometimes confused with
conjunctions like but and and. However, the punctuation used with connective adverbs and
conjunctions differs. There might or might not be a comma before a conjunction that links clauses, and
no punctuation mark after it. When a connective adverb is used, a semi-colon or a full-stop should
indicate where the first clause ends, and there should be one or two commas separating the adverb
from the rest of the second clause. Note the following possibilities:
He risked great personal danger to save the child; therefore, he was awarded a medal.
He risked great personal danger to save the child. He was, therefore, awarded a medal.
2. He risked great personal danger to save the child; he was awarded a medal, therefore.’
Unlike conjunctions, adverbs can often be moved around a sentence. Compare
He was a trained electrician, but he got a nasty shock.
He was a trained electrician; however, he got a nasty shock.
‘*He was a trained electrician; he got a nasty shock, but.’
‘He was a trained electrician; he got a nasty shock, however.’
In Scotland, you might hear ‘but’ at the end of a sentence. In such cases, it is no longer a conjunction.
Instead it is an interjection, signalling that the speaker has finished giving some information. When used
as a conjunction, ‘but’, like ‘however’ and ‘nevertheless’, signals a concession.
