Cambridge Grammar of English Hardback with cd-rom a comprehensive Guide

Listing (firstly, lastly)

136i

Listing linking adjuncts indicate that the text segments in which they occur form

part of a list of segments. These include:

Single-word

There are 

two

problems with assuming that our figure applies to the whole

Chinese population. 

First, we ‘measured’ lefthandedness by looking at which hand each student

wrote with. This is only a restricted definition of lefthandedness. 

Secondly, the student population may not be representative of the population

as a whole. But we do not believe that any bias in the sample would account

for the difference between Gooch’s figure of 18 per cent and ours of 3 per cent.

Phrasal/clausal

(*particularly frequent in informal spoken contexts)

A: But do you think these hopes and ambitions for the children now are very

different from the ones your parents would have had for you? 

B: Yeah. Definitely. 

A: In what way? 

B: Well, I don’t think they’d have been worried so much about us going out

and getting a job, 

for a start.

first of all

for a start*

for one thing … for

another thing

in the first place/in

the second place

last of all

on the one hand … on

the other hand

to begin with/to start

with

a, b, c, 

etc. 

finally

first(ly)/second(ly)/

third(ly), 

etc.

lastly

next

one, two, three, 

etc.

then

all in all

in conclusion

in short

in sum

in summary

to conclude

to sum up

to summarise

Û

539 Glossary for any unfamiliar terms

Grammar across turns and sentences | 261

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Meta-textual (namely, so to speak)

136j

Meta-textual linking adjuncts indicate that the text segment they introduce either

explains, paraphrases, exemplifies or relates topically to the previous segment or

represents a temporary digression from the previous segment or a shift in topic.

These include:

Single-word

(*particularly frequent in informal spoken contexts)

A: We never do much at Arthur and Clarissa’s in the mornings, as you know. 

B: How is he, incidentally? 

A: Oh Arthur is better than he was two years ago.

Phrasal/clausal

(*particularly frequent in informal spoken contexts)

A: I’m wallpapering this week and doing all the little jobs, you know, that need

doing. 

B: Oh I know. I know. 

A: Isn’t it boring. 

B: Yeah. Oh, how did you get on by the way at the doctor’s? Er you went on Friday. 

A: Oh I’ll tell you about it over the weekend.

[review of the technical features of a digital camera]

You can even automatically place images in prespecified positions in

documents.

In other words, it is the shape of digital cameras to come.

A–Z

54 Now; 76 Well

Coordinating conjunctions (and, but, or) and sentence boundaries

137

In writing, the coordinating conjunctions and, but and or are traditionally viewed as being

inappropriate as the first item in a sentence. However, they frequently occur as sentence

beginners in both speech and writing, though less so in very formal and academic writing

styles. In this way they provide important cohesive links between sentences, and should not

be thought of as ‘bad style’:

A universal cry of horror and fury arose: Vengeance! The bodies of the victims were

loaded on a cart lit with torches. The cortege moved back amidst curses at a funeral

pace. 

And in a few hours Paris was covered with barricades.

Glass could be impregnated with inorganic pesticides, then ploughed into the land. 

Or pellets impregnated with trace elements could improve the diets of cattle; in

impoverished pastures similar pellets would protect cattle from parasites.

by the way*

for example

for instance

in other words

or rather

so to speak

that is

that is to say

to put it another way

incidentally

indeed

namely

now

well* 

262 | Grammar across turns and sentences

Cambridge Grammar of English

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