Here is an example of this kind of ordering: There are many reasons for switching to wind power. Firstly, it causes much less damage to the environment than fossil fuels such as oil and coal. In addition, wind power comes from a renewable energy source, and there will always be more wind available. Furthermore, wind turbines and windmills are much more graceful and attractive to look at than power stations. Last but not least, they are very cheap to run.
then / next adverb used when saying what happens next in a process:
First, we added the salt to the water, then we boiled the mixture for five minutes.
Take the fish and gently rub oil over it. Next, place it in a medium hot oven for 15 minutes.
When you receive the equipment, you need to check that all the parts are there. Then you need to connect it to the electricity supply.
in addition as well as what you have already mentioned:
Fast foods and snacks have been linked to obesity. In addition, studies have shown that these foods can cause behavioural problems in young children.
furthermore / moreover adverb as well as what you have already mentioned. These are formal words which are used especially when suggesting that what you are saying is just as important or even more important than what you have already said:
In order to keep the price of the book down, we have used fewer photographs than we wanted to. Furthermore, the book has no colour, which means that we have been limited to black and white images.
Older workers often have a great deal of experience to offer. Moreover, they are extremely reliable and less likely to change jobs.
lastly adverb used when something is the last of the things that you want to mention:
The island has become very popular, firstly for its beautiful beaches, secondly because of its friendly atmosphere, and lastly because it is so easy to get to from the UK.
There are many reasons why prison doesn't work. First of all, prisons often act as training colleges for criminals. Secondly, prison does not deal with the reasons why young men commit crime. Lastly, it costs huge amounts of money to keep people in prison.
finally adverb used when something is the last thing that you want to say, especially at the end of a long essay, report etc. You also use finally when giving the last reason, example etc in a long list:
Finally, I would like to suggest some possible solutions to the problem.
one last / final point used when you want to add one last thing to what you have already said, for example at the end of the final paragraph of your essay:
One final point to remember is that although regular exercise is usually good for health, too much exercise can actually cause permanent damage to muscles and joints.
2. Ways of introducing a list of reasons, causes, points etc
there are several / there are a number of ... used when you are going to list several reasons, causes, points etc:
There are several points to keep in mind when writing business letters: try to be brief, always be polite, and make sure that you use the correct job title.
Women are more likely to suffer from depression than men. There are a number of reasons for this.
STUDY NOTE: Grammar
When you are introducing a list, you can either use a colon (:) before the list, or a full stop (.).
as follows used when introducing a list or an explanation:
The objectives of the study are as follows: firstly to find out whether there was a demand for this type of service, and secondly to establish how much people were willing to pay for it.
The facts are as follows. Kennedy was shot by a lone gunman named Lee Harvey Oswald. While Oswald was being held in custody, he was shot by Jack Ruby.
the following adjective, noun [singular] used when referring to the things or people that you are going to mention:
The following foods are high in fat: butter, cream, cheese, pastry, and any kind of fried food.
The following is a brief summary of the main sources of grants for postgraduate students.
STUDY NOTE: Grammar
Following can be used as an adjective, for example: the following example, or as a noun, for example: Benefits include the following.
Making Generalizations
.Ways of saying that something is true about most people or things
.To say that something is true about most people or things
1 .Ways of saying that something is true about most people or things
most determiner, pron used when saying that something is true about the majority of people or things in a group, or about the majority of something:
Most people would agree that the law needs changing.
In most cases the patient makes a full recovery. (=most patients recover completely)
Most of (=most people or things in a group) the class are women.
Most of the research supports this point of view.
The students speak English most of the time when they are at school.
mostly / mainly / largely adverb used when saying that something is true about most of a group of people or things, or about most of something:
The people who use the service are mostly businessmen.
The cars are mostly for export.
Apart from the Nile valley, Egypt is mostly desert.
The audience were mainly young people in their teens.
The disease mainly affects women.
Their attempts were largely unsuccessful.
Half of the country's people faced starvation, largely as a result of the civil war. STUDY NOTE: Grammar
Largely sounds more formal than mostly or mainly, and is used especially in written English.
predominantly adverb used when saying that most people or things in a group are of a particular type:
Engineering has traditionally been a predominantly male profession. (=most engineers are men)
At that time England was a predominantly agricultural society.
The condition predominantly affects middle-aged women.
almost all / nearly all / virtually all adverb used when you want to emphasize that there are very few exceptions:
Unemployment rates went up in almost all European countries.
The study found that in almost all cases people were satisfied with the service they received.