順序和次序（Sequence and Order）英語寫作中的兩個(gè)重要內(nèi)容，兩者雖然是近義詞，在寫作手法上也有共同點(diǎn)，但區(qū)別是主要的。就定義來說，順序（Sequence）指的是時(shí)間的先后順序（Chronological order），經(jīng)常用于對事件、過程或動(dòng)作順序描寫。以歷史事件為例，Sequence 往往指的是按照時(shí)間先后關(guān)系的事件描述，例如下面的段落（注意斜體字部分）

　　After the Second World War, technological innovations began to emerge, which greatly changed the political and economic landscape of the world.At the same time,scientific theories were used to guide the practices and studies of concrete applications, leading to a great many inventions in life. Shortly after the end of the War in 1954, colored television based on NTSC protocol was invented. And after that in less than two decades,large-scaled invention in home-used electric and electronic appliances began to prosper.

　　在這個(gè)段落里，事件的先后順序通過Sequentialtransitions進(jìn)行了時(shí)間上的連接，使得讀者很清楚地了解了這些技術(shù)發(fā)明的先后時(shí)間關(guān)系。

　　與順序（Sequence）不同，次序（order）的外延要廣闊得多。在寫作里，次序一般指的是作者根據(jù)事物的內(nèi)在邏輯關(guān)系而進(jìn)行的排列，例如可以通過范圍大小、不同地位、事件的重要性等進(jìn)行的次序安排，這個(gè)叫“Order of ideas”，指的是次序安排的邏輯或標(biāo)準(zhǔn)。很多時(shí)候，次序和分類（Classification）是基本等同的。以下面的段落為例

　　Personality may refer to different things which are valuable to the social acceptance of a person. First of all, a person needs to be honest for social respect. Secondly, he or she is expected to be easy in temper so as to be welcome in social interactions. The third desirable personal characteristics, on the other hand, is open-heartedness which makes a person tolerant to others.

　　這個(gè)段落描述了人們的三個(gè)重要的性格特征。但很顯然，雖然作者用first, second和 third 這三個(gè)表示次序的連接詞進(jìn)行了先后的區(qū)分，但這種區(qū)分并不是時(shí)間關(guān)系上的，而是根據(jù)作者心目中的重要性而排列的。

　　綜上所述，順序和次序在寫作中表達(dá)的是作者對于材料和事件的邏輯排列。在英語寫作里，次序的外延要比僅僅表示時(shí)間先后的順序要廣闊得多。二者常用的連接詞總結(jié)如下

　　after, afterward, again, as long as, at length, at that time, at the same time, at this time, before, before this, beyond, behind, by, concurrently, consequently, earlier, eventually, finally, following this, formerly, in the beginning, in the meantime, in the past, in the same instant, last, lastly, later, meanwhile, moreover, next, now, now, presently, previously, shortly, simultaneously, then, thereafter, to begin, too, until, until now, when等等。

　　first, second, third, …finally, further, furthermore, besides, in addition, opposite, on the opposite side, on the right, on the left,on the other hand, not only…but also, and, as well as, also, moreover, in addition, apart from, whats more, for another等等。