顺序和次序（Sequence and Order）英语写作中的两个重要内容，两者虽然是近义词，在写作手法上也有共同点，但区别是主要的。就定义来说，顺序（Sequence）指的是时间的先后顺序（Chronological order），经常用于对事件、过程或动作顺序描写。以历史事件为例，Sequence 往往指的是按照时间先后关系的事件描述，例如下面的段落（注意斜体字部分）

Afterthe 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.

在这个段落里，事件的先后顺序通过Sequentialtransitions进行了时间上的连接，使得读者很清楚地了解了这些技术发明的先后时间关系。

与顺序（Sequence）不同，次序（order）的外延要广阔得多。在写作里，次序一般指的是作者根据事物的内在逻辑关系而进行的排列，例如可以通过范围大小、不同地位、事件的重要性等进行的次序安排，这个叫“Order of ideas”，指的是次序安排的逻辑或标准。很多时候，次序和分类（Classification）是基本等同的。以下面的段落为例

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.

这个段落描述了人们的三个重要的性格特征。但很显然，虽然作者用first,second和 third 这三个表示次序的连接词进行了先后的区分，但这种区分并不是时间关系上的，而是根据作者心目中的重要性而排列的。

综上所述，顺序和次序在写作中表达的是作者对于材料和事件的逻辑排列。在英语写作里，次序的外延要比仅仅表示时间先后的顺序要广阔得多。二者常用的连接词总结如下

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。