L E S S O N

6 Using
Transitions

LESSON SUMMARY
The word “transition” means to pass from one to another. This lesson
will show you different ways to use transitional words and phrases to
unify a piece of writing.

I magine you are playing music at a dance party. Your goal is to keep the dance floor filled with happy
people. To do this, you must keep the beat and the energy going from one song to the next, because
people often decide to sit down when there is an awkward break between songs. If you make a smooth
transition, the dancing never stops.
When writing an essay, transitions are just as important. You are trying to keep your reader reading,
and that means making smooth transitions between words and ideas within sentences, between sentences,
and between paragraphs.

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! Linking Expressions closely examine the transitions between sentences.

As always, it is helpful if your draft is double-spaced.
Linking expressions help your writing flow. Follow- First, draw a box around the last word of the first
ing is a list of words and phrases that serve as tran- sentence and the first word of the next sentence.
sitions. Identify the relationship that connects the sen-
tences. If the relationship is clear, then move on the
therefore furthermore next sentence. If the relationship is unclear, and you
consequently however cannot identify it, try adding a linking expression to
accordingly as a result serve as a transition.
an example of this similarly
finally besides Exercise 1
lastly nevertheless Revise the following sentences by writing a linking
also on the contrary expression on the line provided. Your answers will
meanwhile on the other hand vary depending on your word choice, but suggested
soon after all answers can be found at the end of the lesson.
in other words such
in addition likewise
1. We wanted to go to a movie, ______ the
then again as might be expected
theater was closed.

2. Joey’s car was full of gas, ______ we drove it

!
to the beach.
Tr a n s i t i o n s W i t h i n a
Sentence 3. The ballet did not impress the students.
______, the break dancers were a big hit.
Linking expressions can be used within a sentence
to connect two related clauses. 4. We visited Phoenix, Tucson, Albuquerque,
Santa Fe, and ______, Las Vegas.
Example
To plant similar trees, on the other hand, could 5. Some chili recipes do not include kidney
result in one disease wiping out all the trees on the beans. ______ would be the traditional West
block. Texas chili.

If used to connect two sentences, transition The purpose of using transitions between sen-
words will appear at the beginning of the second tences is to create unified paragraphs. Like the rungs
sentence. of a ladder, unified paragraphs allow the reader to
move one step at a time and to follow the main idea
Example to its conclusion.
Skateboarding is prohibited in certain public
areas. As a result, many skaters use designated
skating areas and are working hard to convince ! Tr a n s i t i o n s B e t w e e n
the city council to build more skate parks. Paragraphs

A strategy for revising your writing to clarify As discussed in Lesson 5, paragraphs are organized
and reinforce the connections between ideas is to in many ways. The same transitions—or linking

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expressions—used to connect sentences can be used lively interest in me several months before there
to connect paragraphs, and will help clarify the rela- was any possibility of us becoming personally
tionship between ideas in paragraphs. acquainted, first, that I was destined to be unlucky
Checking to see that your transitions between in life; and secondly, that I was privileged to see
paragraphs are clear is similar to the method you ghosts and spirits; both these gifts inevitably
used when checking transitions between sentences. attaching, as they believed, to all unlucky infants
Place a box around the last sentence of a paragraph of either gender, born towards the small hours on
and the first sentence of the next paragraph. Iden- a Friday night.”
tify the relationship that connects the two ideas. If —David Copperfield
the relationship is clear and the transition is
smooth, then there is no need to revise. If the rela- Spatial Order
tionship is not clear and there is not a smooth tran- Transition words that show spatial order are beside,
sition, sentences within the paragraphs may need to in the middle, next to, to the right, on top of, in front
be rearranged, the paragraphs may need to be bet- of, behind, against, and beneath. Spatial order is
ter organized, or the transition between the para- helpful when describing a place or the setting of a
graphs may need to be revised. Transitions between story.
paragraphs are very important for maintaining
coherence. Example
Against the wall, there is a dresser. On top of the
Chronological Order dresser is where Brad keeps his spare change.
Chronological order is shown by using such transi-
tion words as first, second, finally, next, then, after- Example
ward, later, before, eventually, and in the future. There is a damp cave beneath the house. If you
enter the cave, take the fork to the right, or, as leg-
Example end has it, you might disturb the ancient spirits.
Before the employees arrive in the morning, the
building is empty. It is then that the janitor can Order of Importance
clean thoroughly. Transition words that show the order of importance
are more, less, most, least, most important, least
Example important, and more importantly.
First, it is necessary to collect sources about your
research topic. Second, you must put these sources Example
in order of importance. Finally, you must read the Yesterday was a beautiful, sunny day, but more
information and take notes. importantly, it was my birthday.

Chronological order is a common organiza- Comparison and Contrast

tional technique for writers of fiction, as you will see Transition words that show comparison and con-
in the next example. trast are likewise, however, similarly, in contrast, a
different kind, unlike this, and another difference.
Example
“In consideration of the day and hour of my birth, Example
it was declared by the nurse, and by some sage The book Of Mice and Men begins with George
women in the neighbourhood who had taken a and Lennie walking through the woods. In

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contrast, the movie begins with a woman in a red Example

dress running through a field. One example of a Greek tragedy is Antigone.

Example Example
My mother and grandmother both taught pre- Most insects have very short life spans. For
school. I chose, however, to become an engineer. instance, the fruit fly can expect to complete its life
cycle in less than 48 hours.
Cause and Effect
Transition words used to show cause and effect are
therefore, as a result of, consequently, thus, one cause, ! Introducing Contradictions
one effect, another cause, and another effect.
When comparing and contrasting in a piece of writ-
Example ing, you often must introduce contradictions. They
Security officers guarded the gates of the airport. can be very effective tools for persuasion. Transition
As a result, traffic slowed considerably on the words that introduce contradictions are nonetheless,
highway. however, in spite of, otherwise, instead, and on the
contrary.
Example
The recipe calls for two tablespoons of butter, and, Example
consequently, the cookies will be thin and crisp. The storm continued to toss the ship and man-
aged to snap off the tip of the mast. In spite of this,
Classification they sailed on, desperate to reach Hawaii.
Transition words that show classification are help-
ful, especially in scientific writing where classifica- Example
tion is an important step in understanding the Growers have recently marketed prunes as dried
natural world. Transition words include another plums. Nonetheless, most people still refer to them
group, the first type, one kind, other sorts, other types, as prunes.
and other kinds.

Example ! Introducing Conclusions,

One type of tennis player, like John McEnroe, lets Summaries, or
his emotions show on the court. Another type of Generalizations
player stays calm throughout the match, whether
the calls are bothersome or not. Wrapping up your piece is a form of transition. As
you conclude your work, you need to lead your
reader to the end. Transition words for concluding
! Introducing Examples are in conclusion, therefore, and as a result. Sum-
maries and generalizations can be effectively intro-
To introduce examples in your piece of writing, you duced using in summary or in general.
can use transition words such as for example, one
example, one kind, one type, one sort, and for
instance.

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Example the second sentence with a transition word

Therefore, Cinco de Mayo is celebrated differently that shows comparison and contrast.)
in the United States than in Mexico.
____________________________________
Example
____________________________________
In general, the phenomenon of the Bermuda Tri-
angle is believed to be coincidental.
10. We kept adding water to the paint. It was too
thin to use. (Begin the second sentence with a
Exercise 2
transition word used for concluding.)
Revise the sentences below by following the direc-
tions in parentheses. Write the new sentences on the ____________________________________
lines. Suggested answers can be found at the end of
the lesson. ____________________________________

6. It rained all morning. We went to the park.

(Begin the second sentence with a transition ! P r o n o u n s a s L i n k i n g Wo r d s
word that introduces contradiction.)
Parts of a paragraph can be linked in other ways
____________________________________ besides using traditional transition words. Pro-
nouns link words and sentences when they refer to
____________________________________
a noun or another pronoun from a previous sen-
tence.
7. The company wants to hire experienced
employees. Those people with no experience
Example
need not apply. (Combine these sentences
John left work early to go to a doctor’s appoint-
using a cause and effect transition word.)
ment. He is getting his annual physical.
____________________________________
The pronouns he and his refer to the noun
____________________________________ John from the first sentence. Without the first sen-
tence, the reader would not know who he is. There-
8. Sylvia greeted all of her guests at the door. She fore, the sentences are linked together by a pronoun.
seated them at the dinner table. (Combine Pronouns can link entire pieces of writing
these sentences using a transition word that together. Make sure, however, that if you use pro-
shows chronological order.) nouns frequently in a piece of writing, they clearly
refer to their antecedents. A string of unclear or
____________________________________ ambiguous pronouns will confuse the reader.
____________________________________

! N o u n s a s L i n k i n g Wo r d s
9. Bob Marley used Sly and Robbie for a rhythm
section. Peter Tosh recorded with Sly and
Robbie on at least one of his records. (Begin Nouns can serve as linking words when repeated
from one sentence to another.

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Example This issue prompted the development of bear-

The people of Philadelphia have great pride in proof trash containers. They have a self-locking lid
their city. This pride comes from Philadelphia’s that is heavy enough to close on its own, and can
long and glorious history as one of the seats of be bolted to a cement pad.
democracy in the United States.

Example Summary
Everyone is very excited about our long weekend
in the Poconos. Our excitement increased when When revising your writing, examine your
transitions between sentences and
the weather report called for snow.
between paragraphs. If they do not effec-
tively move your idea along, or are not

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smooth, use the methods and strategies
Rephrasing as a Method of you have learned in this lesson to improve
Linking them.

Words and ideas can also be rephrased and used

again, as in the following sentences.
! Answers
Example
Everyone in the band looks forward to the State Exercise 1
Jazz Band Finals. This annual conference provides Remember, these are suggested answers. Other tran-
an opportunity for young musicians from all over sition words could work if the sentence makes sense
California to play and listen to jazz together. with them.
1. however
2. therefore
! Linking Paragraphs 3. on the other hand
4. lastly
Repeating or rephrasing nouns and pronouns not 5. an example of this
only links sentences, but can be used to create tran-
sitions between paragraphs as well. To make a tran- Exercise 2
sition between paragraphs clear, follow the methods Again, these are suggested answers.
described above, making sure to repeat or rephrase 6. It rained all morning. In spite of this, we went
the words from the last sentence of one paragraph to the park.
in the first sentence of the next. This can success- 7. The company wants to hire experienced
fully bridge the two paragraphs and connect ideas. employees, therefore, those people with no
experience need not apply.
Example 8. Sylvia greeted all of her guests at the door,
Black bears consistently cause problems for com- then she seated them at the dinner table.
panies that remove trash in Colorado. They break 9. Bob Marley used Sly and Robbie for a rhythm
into both residential and commercial trash con- section. Likewise, Peter Tosh recorded with Sly
tainers, leaving behind a mess and causing bears and Robbie on at least one of his records.
and humans to come into ever closer contact. 10. We kept adding water to the paint. As a result,
it was too thin to use.
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