The following table summarizes the contrastive sentence connectors according to their purpose, requirement for negative forms and the thing contrasted, as well as provides to links to other connectors that have similar or overlapping meaning. subtle differences in uses and meaning.

It is important to note that different research fields have preferences in their choice and use of these signals. The only way to get a "feeling" for which connectors and how they are used in your own field is to analyze articles in prominent journals from your field.

Sentence
connector		 Concessive
(surprising)		 Adversative
(different)		 Replacive
(substitutes)		 Argumentative
(true/false)		 Requires
negative		 Focus Similarities to
Alternatively     X   choices   instead of
Instead     X   Before actions instead of
On the other hand   X X     viewpoints instead of, while, whereas
However X X   X After Problem although, despite, notwithstanding
nevertheless X       Before Surprise
Unexpected		 although, despite, notwithstanding
In contrast   X       situations unlike, in contrast to
conversely   X       inverse
relationship		 while, whereas
On the contrary       X Before truth contrary to
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