another word for also in an essay

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Is it incorrect to use the word "also" extensivly in an essay?

• Thread starter Saklig
• Start date Feb 24, 2008

Senior Member

• Feb 24, 2008

Hello, Saklig. Without reading the whole essay, it is impossible to tell. We are not allowed to proof-read whole essays on the Forums, as that is not what they are for. If you are not sure about your "alsos", why not try substituting a couple of synonyms?  

I suggest that any repetition is usually frowned on as it is taken to reflect some stylistic lack of effort or thoughtfulness ;-). Five times does not seem excessive to me, if you also use moreover, in addition, what is more, too, etc, where appropriate.  

I think varying the position (for example, putting it after the subject) and using some other options (e.g., in addition, as well) can make multiple uses of any type of transition signal sound better. However, it's difficult to tell without seeing the whole essay. It's not just a matter of counting, it's more how you manage the flow of ideas. I remember using a paragraph example with a class in which, within the single paragraph, a particular word was used 7 times. If someone had asked me (in the abstract) if that would be too many, I'd have said yes. However, in the particular paragraph, it worked perfectly well.  

I've mentioned this before in other threads. I was taught not to use the same word in a sentence more than once. With experience I have found that it is not necessarily good advice. If the word is the best possible word to express your meaning, and other substitutes are less exacting in meaning, then I would repeat the word as often as required. Note the frequency with which I have used the word, "word" in the above sentence. I could have broken out the thesaurus and tried to substitute some other words for "word" but it would not have improved the sentence, and might have been seen to be forced. If you feel you are using a word too often ask yourself these questions: 1. Is this the right word in this instance? 2. Is there another word that would serve just as well? When you have the answers to the above questions you will know what to do.  

Matching Mole

Five times in three pages may not be excessive, but as KHS points out, it is impossible to be sure without reading the text. I don't think you can widely generalize about repetition; extravagant use of synonyms can lead to irritation on the part of the reader. A classic example is "He/she said"; it's tempting for amateur writers to look for synonyms for "said", but the usual professional advice to writers is "Don't!". Using strained synonyms for common function words distracts from the important content, the dialogue in this case, and variations on "said" usually add nothing that isn't implied from the dialogue. I think I would only tend to criticize multiple "also's" if they all add items to the same original point (the same goes for "and"). If they are over three pages, I assume each "also" adds information to a separate point, and the effect may well be unremarkable.  

I agree with all of the above. However, this might not be just about "also's". I have encountered stylistic advice suggesting that it's unnecessary, and even immature/inadvisable to use those types of intro-words, including also, moreover, additionally etc just to make the new paragraph appear connected to the previous one in a superficial, aesthetic way.  

MagdaDH said: I agree with all of the above. However, this might not be just about "also's". I have encountered stylistic advice suggesting that it's unnecessary, and even immature/inadvisable to use those types of intro-words, including also, moreover, additionally etc just to make the new paragraph appear connected to the previous one in a superficial, aesthetic way. Click to expand...

The excessive use of "also" usually makes your essay seem slightly elementary, since usually younger writers do not have the vocabulary to substitute "also." Just replace it with other conjunctions such as "and," "moreover," and "furthermore."  

I agree with Dimcl's comment about "also" at the beginning of a sentence. It's best avoided, though it is appropriate sometimes, as has been discussed in previous threads in this forum.  

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Alternative structures for "not only ... but also ..."?

I'm trying to write this essay and I find myself writing too many "not only ... but also ..." structures. Can you guys help me come up with some alternatives?

Basically, I want this kind of progressive effect:

Doing this is not only fun, but also one of the most important activities of human beings.

How about this one:

He is not only a teacher, but also one of the greatest educators in history.

• conjunctions

• As Cerberus already noticed, it should be "one of the greatest educators." –  avpaderno Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 12:42
• What do you mean with "progressive effect"? –  avpaderno Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 12:51
• Related: english.stackexchange.com/questions/14462/… –  Robusto Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 12:56
• Progressive effect is like when you say one thing first, but what you really want to emphasize is the thing come after it. –  xzhu Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 13:04

3 Answers 3

Doing this isn't exclusively fun, it's one of the most important activities of human beings.

Doing this is not purely fun, on the contrary, it's one of the most important activities of human beings.

Doing this is not wholly classified as fun, conversely it's one of the most important activities of human beings.

He is not a mere teacher, he is one of the greatest educators in history.

He is a teacher and more, one of the greatest educators in history.

• 1 The sentences seem run-on sentences. –  avpaderno Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 11:08
• I think so too. Especially the third one, even kind of amusing. –  xzhu Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 11:36
• Added more to my amusing-ness –  Kirk Strobeck Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 12:28
• 1 But this is not what is asked. "Not only" implies "part of" and here examples antagonize/estrange "fun" with/from "activities of human beings" –  Gennady Vanin Геннадий Ванин Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 14:39

This is an example of a correlative conjunction .

A paired conjunction (such as not only . . . but also) that links balanced words, phrases, and clauses. The elements connected by correlative conjunctions are usually parallel--that is, similar in length and grammatical form.

You can find a link to a list of other kinds of correlative conjunctions above.

And you can find how to deal with the problems these create here: http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/parallelism.htm#correlative

• And can you apply these know-hows to phrases from question? –  Gennady Vanin Геннадий Ванин Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 14:43

Doing this is fun, but also one of the most important activities of human beings. Doing this is fun, and one of the most important activities of human beings. He is not just a teacher; he is one of the greatest educators in history. He is not a mere teacher: he is one of the greatest educators in history.

Between the first two sentences I wrote there is a little difference in meaning, though.

• @Cerberus: That is true; I merely copied the sentence as written by the OP. –  avpaderno Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 12:16
• Yeah that's what I thought (happens to me too sometimes). –  Cerberus - Reinstate Monica Commented Mar 8, 2011 at 12:35

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