how to write and or in an essay

8 Formal Ways to Say “And/Or”

Are you looking for a more suitable formal alternative to “and/or”?

Perhaps you’re worried that the slash in the phrase is unprofessional. Or maybe you simply think it doesn’t fit your formal writing.

Whatever the case, we’re here to help.

This article will explain how to say “and/or” formally.

Can “And/Or” Be Used in Formal Writing?

You can’t use “and/or” in formal writing. The slash is not correct in formal writing , which means it’s not something you should include in essays, newspapers, or other formal outlets.

Technically, the word is grammatically correct .

It shows that you can choose one of two options or both if that’s more relevant.

It can’t be used professionally, as APA Style discourages the use of and/or . After all, it won’t add much to your writing that other more formal phrases can’t.

Still, you can review this example to learn more:

It can come in black and/or gold. It’s up to you to decide.

• It’s a good way to give people as many options as possible.
• It’s quite effective at getting a lot of information out quickly with only a few words.
• It’s unprofessional.
• Most style guides discourage its use.

So, it might not be wise to use “and/or” in your writing. Still, that doesn’t mean you can’t explore some alternatives that do the same job and make your writing more formal.

Keep reading to learn how to say “and/or” in an email or other professional situation. We’ve gathered a helpful list of alternatives to show you what might work.

What to Say Instead of “And/Or”

• Either … or both
• In addition to
• In conjunction with
• One of … or both

1. As Well As

One of the best ways to replace “and/or” in professional writing is “as well as.”

This works really well in most academic writing cases.

After all, it shows that you can choose from one of two different options.

Generally speaking, you don’t need to include both “and” and “or” when showing that the reader can choose one or two things.

Instead, “as well as” shows that it’s up to the reader to decide which works best for them. So, you can use this in an essay if you’re wondering what to say instead of “and/or” that works professionally .

Check out these essay samples if you still don’t understand how to use it:

You can choose option one as well as option two. Of course, you can choose both if that’s more suitable for you.

It’s clear that they wanted to decide between figure three as well as figure five. Nobody could decide which was more potent, though.

2. Either … or Both

Next, you can include “either … or both” in a paper. This works well when you want to use “and/or” without the slash.

After all, instead of the slash, we’ve included space for you to write other words. Sure, it makes your writing wordier, but it also makes it more professional and streamlined .

For example:

• You can choose either white or black or both .

As you can see, something should come between “either” and “or both.” This will allow the reader to see that they have two options.

From there, the reader can decide whether they want to use one or the other or both, if that’s more suited to what they need.

Overall, the phrase makes a lot of sense. When you include something after “either,” it’s clear and direct , making it a great option to include.

Feel free to review these examples if you still need help with it:

It’s worth picking either one or three, or both . However, this is entirely up to the person drafting the response.

I looked into either time or temperature or both , depending on which was going to be most beneficial for each experiment.

3. In Addition To

Next, we recommend using “in addition to.” This is a professional way to say “and/or” that removes the need for the slash.

This time, we recommend writing it in a formal email . You can include it in business deals when discussing options that might appeal to the recipient.

For the most part, this works when contacting a client .

It gives them a better way to understand what you’re offering to them. From there, they can decide whether you’re providing them with quality information or if they’d rather go elsewhere.

You may also review this email sample to learn a bit more about it:

Dear Ms. Dean, You can take the profits in addition to the projected earnings. If it suits you, it might be worth taking both into account before moving forward. Kind regards, Jonathan Bennett

Next, you can simplify things by using one word. And that one word is “both.”

“Both” is an inclusive word. It gives people two options to choose from, and it also often suggests they can choose both options.

Therefore, you can use something like this in legal writing . It’s a simplified and straightforward way to use “and/or” that removes the need to include the slash.

Most readers will prefer how streamlined this word choice is.

It also helps that it keeps things more professional when used in this way.

You may want to review these examples to learn a bit more about it:

We could look into both instances to figure out which is the most important factor here. It’s up to the jury.

It’s clear that both options were included, but the agency lies with the affected party to determine what they investigate.

Are you still confused about how to use “and/or” professionally ? It can be tricky, but it doesn’t have to be!

That’s where “or” comes in.

Have you noticed how simple this synonym is? After all, we’ve removed “and” and the slash from the term.

Leaving “or” on its own gives you, as the writer, more options.

After all, “or” can be an inclusive or exclusive word.

But what does that mean?

Well, an inclusive “or” means you can choose one of two options, or both, if that’s better for you.

• You can choose either option or both.

However, an exclusive “or” means you’re given two options, but you must choose between them.

For instance:

• You can choose one or the other.

Since “or” is replacing “and/or” here, we recommend sticking to the inclusive sense of the word! This allows it to be more versatile and direct .

So, here are some examples showing you how to use “or” in more professional settings:

You can pick that one or this one. It’s up to you, and you may also choose them both if that’s more realistic.

They could choose between black or white. However, it’s possible that both options can be picked.

6. In Conjunction With

We want to return to an email context for a second. After all, this next synonym works really well in most formal email situations.

You can use “in conjunction with” as a formal way to say “and/or.”

It’s an excellent choice that keeps things professional and sincere .

So, you can use it when contacting an employee to give them an idea of some choices they might have to make moving forward.

Also, it’s worth reviewing the following email sample to find out how it works:

Dear Barry, You can refer to this in conjunction with the previous information I sent. However, it’s up to you to decide whether you’d like both pieces of information or only one. All the best, Rita Vaseline

7. One Of … or Both

You may also want to write “one of … or both.” Again, we’re using the ellipsis here to highlight that something should come after “one of.”

• One of this or that or both .

As you can see, “one of” is another way to say “either” that gives the reader an option between two things.

So, you can use something like this as a more professional and unique way to highlight that the reader has a choice.

Feel free to review these examples if you need a bit more help with it:

You can choose one of the following or both . However, your decision will be very important for what’s to come.

It’s clear that the choice lies between one of the two variables or both . I’m still trying to figure it out.

Finally, we recommend using “and” instead of “and/or.” Yes, it’s another useful synonym that helps to streamline your writing by removing one of the two words in “and/or.”

This time, we’re removing “or.”

You can use “and” on its own when giving someone two things to choose from.

It suggests that they can choose from two options, and it’s up to them to decide if they’re both good choices or if only one is relevant.

It works well in an essay . Also, it helps that it’s one of the most common words in English. So, it’s clearly quite a versatile choice!

Here are some essay samples to help you with it:

I had to choose between money and time, but I had the option to choose both if I played my cards right.

It’s clear that there were pictures and videos to choose from. However, I had to make the distinction clear.

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• Knowledge Base
• How to structure an essay: Templates and tips

How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

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Table of contents

The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

• Thesis statement
• Discussion of event/period
• Consequences
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement
• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
• Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
• Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
• High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
• Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
• Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
• Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
• Implications of the new technology for book production
• Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
• Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
• Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
• Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
• Summarize the history described
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

• Synthesis of arguments
• Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
• Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
• Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
• Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
• Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
• Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
• Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
• Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
• Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
• Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
• Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
• Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

• Point 1 (compare)
• Point 2 (compare)
• Point 3 (compare)
• Point 4 (compare)
• Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
• Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
• Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
• Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
• Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
• Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
• Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
• Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

• Introduce the problem
• Provide background
• Describe your approach to solving it
• Define the problem precisely
• Describe why it’s important
• Indicate previous approaches to the problem
• Present your new approach, and why it’s better
• Apply the new method or theory to the problem
• Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
• Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
• Describe the implications
• Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
• Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
• Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
• Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
• Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
• Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
• Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
• Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
• This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
• This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
• It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
• Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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How to Write the Perfect Essay: A Step-By-Step Guide for Students

• June 2, 2022

• What is an essay? 

What makes a good essay?

Typical essay structure, 7 steps to writing a good essay, a step-by-step guide to writing a good essay.

Whether you are gearing up for your GCSE coursework submissions or looking to brush up on your A-level writing skills, we have the perfect essay-writing guide for you. 💯

Staring at a blank page before writing an essay can feel a little daunting . Where do you start? What should your introduction say? And how should you structure your arguments? They are all fair questions and we have the answers! Take the stress out of essay writing with this step-by-step guide – you’ll be typing away in no time. 👩‍💻

What is an essay?

Generally speaking, an essay designates a literary work in which the author defends a point of view or a personal conviction, using logical arguments and literary devices in order to inform and convince the reader.

So – although essays can be broadly split into four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive – an essay can simply be described as a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. 🤔

The purpose of an essay is to present a coherent argument in response to a stimulus or question and to persuade the reader that your position is credible, believable and reasonable. 👌

So, a ‘good’ essay relies on a confident writing style – it’s clear, well-substantiated, focussed, explanatory and descriptive . The structure follows a logical progression and above all, the body of the essay clearly correlates to the tile – answering the question where one has been posed. 

But, how do you go about making sure that you tick all these boxes and keep within a specified word count? Read on for the answer as well as an example essay structure to follow and a handy step-by-step guide to writing the perfect essay – hooray. 🙌

Sometimes, it is helpful to think about your essay like it is a well-balanced argument or a speech – it needs to have a logical structure, with all your points coming together to answer the question in a coherent manner. ⚖️

Of course, essays can vary significantly in length but besides that, they all follow a fairly strict pattern or structure made up of three sections. Lean into this predictability because it will keep you on track and help you make your point clearly. Let’s take a look at the typical essay structure:  

#1 Introduction

Start your introduction with the central claim of your essay. Let the reader know exactly what you intend to say with this essay. Communicate what you’re going to argue, and in what order. The final part of your introduction should also say what conclusions you’re going to draw – it sounds counter-intuitive but it’s not – more on that below. 1️⃣

Make your point, evidence it and explain it. This part of the essay – generally made up of three or more paragraphs depending on the length of your essay – is where you present your argument. The first sentence of each paragraph – much like an introduction to an essay – should summarise what your paragraph intends to explain in more detail. 2️⃣

#3 Conclusion

This is where you affirm your argument – remind the reader what you just proved in your essay and how you did it. This section will sound quite similar to your introduction but – having written the essay – you’ll be summarising rather than setting out your stall. 3️⃣

No essay is the same but your approach to writing them can be. As well as some best practice tips, we have gathered our favourite advice from expert essay-writers and compiled the following 7-step guide to writing a good essay every time. 👍

#1 Make sure you understand the question

#2 complete background reading.

#3 Make a detailed plan 

#4 Write your opening sentences 

#5 flesh out your essay in a rough draft, #6 evidence your opinion, #7 final proofread and edit.

Now that you have familiarised yourself with the 7 steps standing between you and the perfect essay, let’s take a closer look at each of those stages so that you can get on with crafting your written arguments with confidence . 

This is the most crucial stage in essay writing – r ead the essay prompt carefully and understand the question. Highlight the keywords – like ‘compare,’ ‘contrast’ ‘discuss,’ ‘explain’ or ‘evaluate’ – and let it sink in before your mind starts racing . There is nothing worse than writing 500 words before realising you have entirely missed the brief . 🧐

Unless you are writing under exam conditions , you will most likely have been working towards this essay for some time, by doing thorough background reading. Re-read relevant chapters and sections, highlight pertinent material and maybe even stray outside the designated reading list, this shows genuine interest and extended knowledge. 📚

#3 Make a detailed plan

Following the handy structure we shared with you above, now is the time to create the ‘skeleton structure’ or essay plan. Working from your essay title, plot out what you want your paragraphs to cover and how that information is going to flow. You don’t need to start writing any full sentences yet but it might be useful to think about the various quotes you plan to use to substantiate each section. 📝

Having mapped out the overall trajectory of your essay, you can start to drill down into the detail. First, write the opening sentence for each of the paragraphs in the body section of your essay. Remember – each paragraph is like a mini-essay – the opening sentence should summarise what the paragraph will then go on to explain in more detail. 🖊️

Next, it's time to write the bulk of your words and flesh out your arguments. Follow the ‘point, evidence, explain’ method. The opening sentences – already written – should introduce your ‘points’, so now you need to ‘evidence’ them with corroborating research and ‘explain’ how the evidence you’ve presented proves the point you’re trying to make. ✍️

With a rough draft in front of you, you can take a moment to read what you have written so far. Are there any sections that require further substantiation? Have you managed to include the most relevant material you originally highlighted in your background reading? Now is the time to make sure you have evidenced all your opinions and claims with the strongest quotes, citations and material. 📗

This is your final chance to re-read your essay and go over it with a fine-toothed comb before pressing ‘submit’. We highly recommend leaving a day or two between finishing your essay and the final proofread if possible – you’ll be amazed at the difference this makes, allowing you to return with a fresh pair of eyes and a more discerning judgment. 🤓

If you are looking for advice and support with your own essay-writing adventures, why not t ry a free trial lesson with GoStudent? Our tutors are experts at boosting academic success and having fun along the way. Get in touch and see how it can work for you today. 🎒

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