To Heni,
Hello!

Because today I had to write some documents in English (abstract for the registration of an academic conference), now I get to look for some tips for English (academic) writing.
I heard using some paraphrasing and proper conjunctions (for example, when it comes to formal writing, I heard that using 'as the results' is much better than 'so').

So I wonder:
1. When paraphrasing, how often is it allowed? Like, if I used 'nice' then paraphrased as 'good' in the next sentence, is it okay to use 'nice' again in the following sentence?
2. Are there other 'informal' conjunctions?

Hi, Sophia,

First of all, I'm not sure you are understanding "paraphrasing." That means to put something someone said, or something you read, into your own words.

When you refer to using "nice" or "good" near each other it does not sound great to use the same adjective shortly after using it the first time. For example, "This book is very good. I recommend it. It is a nice story. The people in this book are very GOOD too." I wouldn't say the people are very good--Use a different adjective here like, maybe "pleasant," or "charming," or "delightful" or "decent" or "honest."

Second, "As the results" is not the phrase we use.. Sometimes we do say, "As a result...." For example, It is supposed to rain today, and as a result, I will bring an umbrella. Or, I forgot to put the ice cream in the freezer and, as a result, it melted.

Third, about conjunctions, they show relationships and yes, some sound more formal than others. For example, Saying "therefore" instead of "so" is more formal. "I have a cold, so I am staying home today." compared to "I have a cold, therefore, I will stay home." Or "But" vs. "however."  "I am not very hungry, but I will eat dinner with you," compared to, "I am not very hungry, however, I will join you for dinner."

You should remember this word as an acronym for the most common conjunctions in English:  FANBOYS--For, and, nor, but, or, yet, so

We will discuss all of this further in class. Good questions!