Parveen A. Ali, PhD, RN, FFPH, FAAN
Writer’s Camp Counselor
Wordcraft at Camp offers bite-size lessons on language, clarity, and scholarly style from the counselors at Writer’s Camp.
We all love a good however or therefore. Connecting words help readers follow our logic, guiding them from one thought to the next. But like too much sugar in tea, too many can ruin the taste. Overusing connecting words makes writing sound mechanical, overly formal, or even patronising—as though the reader can’t connect ideas without constant signposts.
Rule of Thumb
Use connecting words only when the relationship between ideas isn’t already clear from context or structure.
Quick Definition
Connecting words (transitions) = words or short phrases (such as however, therefore, moreover, in addition, consequently) that show how ideas relate.
In Practice
- Overused: However, the findings were mixed. Moreover, some participants withdrew. Therefore, future studies should explore this further.
- Improved: The findings were mixed, and some participants withdrew. Future studies should explore this further.
Why it works: The logical connection is clear without extra scaffolding.
Common Pitfalls
- Redundancy: If the logic is obvious, skip the transition.
- Formality overload: Strings of however, therefore, furthermore can make writing stiff and impersonal.
- Sentence openers syndrome: Starting every paragraph with a transition becomes predictable and dull.
Counselor’s Tip
Before adding a connecting word, ask: Would my reader understand this link without it? If yes – delete it. Good writing trusts the reader’s intelligence and lets ideas connect naturally.
Author: Parveen A. Ali
Reviewed and Edited by: Leslie H. Nicoll
Copyright © 2025 Writer’s Camp and Parveen A. Ali
Citation: Ali PA. Wordcraft at Camp: When Connecting Words Get in the Way. The Writer’s Camp Journal, 2025; 1(3):8. doi:10.5281/zenodo.17391358