Signal Phrases and Verbs

Blinn College

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Bryan Writing Center

Spring 2023

Signal Phrases

Like a blinking arrow sign on the side of a highway that tells drivers the right lane is closed up ahead,

signal phrases in an academic essay notify your readers that quotes or paraphrases are approaching.

With signal phrases, readers are not surprised by quotes or paraphrases that are randomly dropped into

paragraphs. According to A Writer’s Reference, “A signal phrase usually names the author of the source,

provides some context for the source material . . . and helps readers distinguish your ideas from those of

the source” (pp. 154-55). It usually appears before the source material, although not always. The

information you include (or exclude) from your signal phrases determines what needs to go in the

corresponding in-text citations.

Here are some guidelines for crafting signal phrases. For more detailed information, refer to A Writer’s

Reference, pp. pp. 154-59.

1. If you are using an author’s name in a signal phrase, give the person’s full name the first time you

cite that author. Use only the author’s last name in subsequent signal phrases. This is true whether

you have one author or multiple authors.

2. If there are two authors, name both in the signal phrase. If there are three or more authors, you

can include only the first author’s name followed by “et al.” or simply put the title of the source in

the signal phrase and the authors’ names in the in-text citation.

3. In a case where there is no author given, use either the name of the organization that published the

information or the title of the periodical, website, or book in which it appears.

4. In a case where there are no page numbers given in the source, use a detailed signal phrase

followed by a general in-text citation.

5. Here are some additional examples of signal phrases:

• Similarly, Judith K. Powers emphasizes that . . .

• Marsden, Colwell, and Johnson agree that . . . OR Marsden and others agree that . . .

• Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Mary Oliver writes, in her poem “Wild Geese,” . . .

• Even though Shakespearean scholar Robert B. Schwartz argues that Hamlet . . .

• According to the National Institute of Mental Health, . . .

As you can see from these examples, you can use signal phrases to describe the authors of your sources,

which can lend credibility to them and to your essay. You can also show whether you agree or disagree

with the sources you are citing, which emphasizes the point you are making.

Also see the Blinn College – Bryan Writing Center’s “Sentence Templates” handout.

Signal Phrases and Verbs

Blinn College

−

Bryan Writing Center

Spring 2023

Signal Verbs

Signal phrase verbs do just that – signal or indicate that the writer is quoting, paraphrasing, or referring

to another source. The most common, “says,” is often overused. The following list of verbs offers more

interesting ways to show that you are citing someone else’s opinions or information found elsewhere.

These verbs are also more specific, defining more clearly the writer’s implied meaning. Be attentive to

each verb’s distinctions. Is the author agreeing with the cited material, explaining an idea, supporting a

claim, providing background, or lending authority?

While some signal phrase verbs are relatively objective, others carry more emotional weight and should

be used with care. For example:

More objective: illustrates, indicates, states, suggests

More weighted: charges, complains, asserts, insinuates

General list of signal phrase verbs:

accepts

accounts for

acknowledges

addresses

adds

admits

advises

affirms

agrees

alleges

allows

analyzes

answers

argues

asks

asserts

assumes

believes

categorizes

challenges

charges

cites

claims

comments

compares

complains

concedes

concludes

concurs

confesses

confirms

considers

contends

criticizes

deals with

decides

declares

defines

denies

describes

disagrees

discusses

disputes

emphasizes

endorses

explains

expresses

finds

grants

hypothesizes

illustrates

implies

indicates

insinuates

insists

interprets

introduces

lists

maintains

mentions

notes

objects

observes

offers

opposes

points out

proposes

questions

realizes

reasons

refutes

rejects

remarks

replies

reports

responds

reveals

sees

shows

speculates

states

supports

supposes

thinks

uses

utilizes

verifies

writes