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Giving examples

There are various phrases and ways to give examples for supporting ideas in body paragraphs.

Using linking phrases

There are some common linking phrases which can be used to give examples.

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Examples:

There are many benefits gained by living in a city. For example, the resident can enjoy many different leisure facilities in their free time.

There are many benefits gained by living in a city. The resident, for instance, can enjoy many different leisure facilities in their free time.

There are many benefits gained by living in a city. A good example of this is the leisure facilities that a resident can enjoy.

Such as v like

Are such as and like the same?

There is a difference between the words, but they can both be used in your writing.

Such as - saying it is something

Like - making a comparison and say it is similar to something.

Are they formal enough for essays?

Yes, there is a common misunderstanding thinking that these are informal phrases. They can be used in academic writing.

Do I need to put a comma before them?

If you are providing one example, then you do not need a comma.

If you are providing a list of examples, then you should put a comma before it.

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Examples:

Smoking can often cause many health conditions such as lung cancer.

Global warming is causing many problems in the world like flooding.

A poor work life balance is quite common these days and causing many issues for the modern employee, such as exhaustion and stress.

Useful phrase: ...can be seen by/in......

This is a useful phrase to give an example in a more subtle way.

Can it be used at the beginning of a sentence?

It can be used with a referencing pronoun (see referencing and substitution).

This can be seen in/ by ......

Such situation can be seen in/ by ........

Examples:

Inflation can be an issue that causes a lot of problems for a government and results in a change of government. This could be seen in Argentina which is suffering from very high inflation, making it one of the biggest aspects voters considered, and they chose a new president in 2023.

Prioritising the mental and physical health of employees has started to happen in a number of industries. Such change can often be seen in contracts offered to software engineers which include yearly eye-tests, vitamin supplements, and sometimes even a gym membership.

Can it be used in the middle of a sentence?

Yes, you can use it with 'and' or the relative pronoun 'which'

Examples:

Inflation can be an issue that causes a lot of problems for a government and results in a change of government, and this could be seen in Argentina which is suffering from very high inflation, making it one of the biggest aspects voters considered, and they chose a new president in 2023.

Prioritising the mental and physical health of employees has started to happen in a number of industries which can often be seen in contracts offered to software engineers which include yearly eye-tests, vitamin supplements, and sometimes even a gym membership.

Using adverbs

Adverbs are a good way to highlight an example or to list some examples.

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When do I need to use a comma?

You need a comma when you are listing more than one aspect.

Examples:

Smartphones have many useful features including banking apps.

Smartphones have many useful features, including the alarm clock, banking apps, translation apps, and instant messaging apps.

Using highlighting adverbs

Computer literacy is now considered a basic requirement for many jobs, especially those involving administrative tasks.

As technology develops, some types become obsolete, specifically CDs for transferring data and entertainment.

Can I start a sentence with highlighting adverbs?