transition sentences examples for informative essays

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Transition sentences | Tips & examples for clear writing

Transition Sentences | Tips & Examples for Clear Writing

Published on June 9, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Clear transitions are crucial to clear writing: They show the reader how different parts of your essay, paper, or thesis are connected. Transition sentences can be used to structure your text and link together paragraphs or sections.

… In this case, the researchers concluded that the method was unreliable.

However , evidence from a more recent study points to a different conclusion . …

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Transitioning between paragraphs, transitioning to a new section, transitions within a paragraph, other interesting articles.

When you start a new paragraph , the first sentence should clearly express:

What this paragraph will discuss
How it relates to the previous paragraph

The examples below show some examples of transition sentences between paragraphs and what they express.

Placement of transition sentences

The beginning of a new paragraph is generally the right place for a transition sentence. Each paragraph should focus on one topic, so avoid spending time at the end of a paragraph explaining the theme of the next one.

The first dissenter to consider is …

However, several scholars dissent from this consensus. The first one to consider is …

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While transitions between paragraphs are generally a single sentence, when you start a new section in a longer text, you may need an entire transition paragraph. Transitioning to a new section involves summarizing the content of the previous section and expressing how the new one will build upon or depart from it.

For example, the following sentences might be an effective transition for a new section in a literary analysis essay.

Having established that the subjective experience of time is one of Mann’s key concerns in The Magic Mountain , it is now possible to explore how this theme facilitates the novel’s connection with World War I. The war itself is not narrated in the book, but rather hinted at as something awaiting Castorp beyond the final pages. In this way, Mann links his protagonist’s subjective experience of time to more than just his illness; it is also used to explore the period leading up to the outbreak of war.

As in academic writing generally, aim to be as concise as you can while maintaining clarity: If you can transition to a new section clearly with a single sentence, do so, but use more when necessary.

It’s also important to use effective transitions within each paragraph you write, leading the reader through your arguments efficiently and avoiding ambiguity.

The known-new contract

The order of information within each of your sentences is important to the cohesion of your text. The known-new contract , a useful writing concept, states that a new sentence should generally begin with some reference to information from the previous sentence, and then go on to connect it to new information.

In the following example, the second sentence doesn’t follow very clearly from the first. The connection only becomes clear when we reach the end.

By reordering the information in the second sentence so that it begins with a reference to the first, we can help the reader follow our argument more smoothly.

Note that the known-new contract is just a general guideline. Not every sentence needs to be structured this way, but it’s a useful technique if you’re struggling to make your sentences cohere.

Transition words and phrases

Using appropriate transition words helps show your reader connections within and between sentences. Transition words and phrases come in four main types:

Additive transitions, which introduce new information or examples
Adversative transitions, which signal a contrast or departure from the previous text
Causal transitions, which are used to describe cause and effect
Sequential transitions, which indicate a sequence

The table below gives a few examples for each type:

Grouping similar information

While transition words and phrases are essential, and every essay will contain at least some of them, it’s also important to avoid overusing them. One way to do this is by grouping similar information together so that fewer transitions are needed.

For example, the following text uses three transition words and jumps back and forth between ideas. This makes it repetitive and difficult to follow.

Rewriting it to group similar information allows us to use just one transition, making the text more concise and readable.

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!

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Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Change will not be effected, say some others, unless individual actions raise the necessary awareness.

While a reader can see the connection between the sentences above, it’s not immediately clear that the second sentence is providing a counterargument to the first. In the example below, key “old information” is repeated in the second sentence to help readers quickly see the connection. This makes the sequence of ideas easier to follow.

Sentence pair #2: Effective Transition

You can use this same technique to create clear transitions between paragraphs. Here’s an example:

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Other experts argue that individual actions are key to raising the awareness necessary to effect change. According to Annie Lowery, individual actions are important to making social change because when individuals take action, they can change values, which can lead to more people becoming invested in fighting climate change. She writes, “Researchers believe that these kinds of household-led trends can help avert climate catastrophe, even if government and corporate actions are far more important” (Lowery).

So, what’s an individual household supposed to do?

The repetition of the word “household” in the new paragraph helps readers see the connection between what has come before (a discussion of whether household actions matter) and what is about to come (a proposal for what types of actions households can take to combat climate change).

Sometimes, transitional words can help readers see how ideas are connected. But it’s not enough to just include a “therefore,” “moreover,” “also,” or “in addition.” You should choose these words carefully to show your readers what kind of connection you are making between your ideas.

To decide which transitional word to use, start by identifying the relationship between your ideas. For example, you might be

making a comparison or showing a contrast Transitional words that compare and contrast include also, in the same way, similarly, in contrast, yet, on the one hand, on the other hand. But before you signal comparison, ask these questions: Do your readers need another example of the same thing? Is there a new nuance in this next point that distinguishes it from the previous example? For those relationships between ideas, you might try this type of transition: While x may appear the same, it actually raises a new question in a slightly different way.
expressing agreement or disagreement When you are making an argument, you need to signal to readers where you stand in relation to other scholars and critics. You may agree with another person’s claim, you may want to concede some part of the argument even if you don’t agree with everything, or you may disagree. Transitional words that signal agreement, concession, and disagreement include however, nevertheless, actually, still, despite, admittedly, still, on the contrary, nonetheless .
showing cause and effect Transitional phrases that show cause and effect include therefore, hence, consequently, thus, so. Before you choose one of these words, make sure that what you are about to illustrate is really a causal link. Novice writers tend to add therefore and hence when they aren’t sure how to transition; you should reserve these words for when they accurately signal the progression of your ideas.
explaining or elaborating Transitions can signal to readers that you are going to expand on a point that you have just made or explain something further. Transitional words that signal explanation or elaboration include in other words, for example, for instance, in particular, that is, to illustrate, moreover .
drawing conclusions You can use transitions to signal to readers that you are moving from the body of your argument to your conclusions. Before you use transitional words to signal conclusions, consider whether you can write a stronger conclusion by creating a transition that shows the relationship between your ideas rather than by flagging the paragraph simply as a conclusion. Transitional words that signal a conclusion include in conclusion , as a result, ultimately, overall— but strong conclusions do not necessarily have to include those phrases.

If you’re not sure which transitional words to use—or whether to use one at all—see if you can explain the connection between your paragraphs or sentence either out loud or in the margins of your draft.

For example, if you write a paragraph in which you summarize physician Atul Gawande’s argument about the value of incremental care, and then you move on to a paragraph that challenges those ideas, you might write down something like this next to the first paragraph: “In this paragraph I summarize Gawande’s main claim.” Then, next to the second paragraph, you might write, “In this paragraph I present a challenge to Gawande’s main claim.” Now that you have identified the relationship between those two paragraphs, you can choose the most effective transition between them. Since the second paragraph in this example challenges the ideas in the first, you might begin with something like “but,” or “however,” to signal that shift for your readers.

picture_as_pdf Transitions

Transitional Words and Phrases

One of your primary goals as a writer is to present ideas in a clear and understandable way. To help readers move through your complex ideas, you want to be intentional about how you structure your paper as a whole as well as how you form the individual paragraphs that comprise it. In order to think through the challenges of presenting your ideas articulately, logically, and in ways that seem natural to your readers, check out some of these resources: Developing a Thesis Statement , Paragraphing , and Developing Strategic Transitions: Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections Between Ideas.

While clear writing is mostly achieved through the deliberate sequencing of your ideas across your entire paper, you can guide readers through the connections you’re making by using transitional words in individual sentences. Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between your ideas and can help your reader understand your paper’s logic.

In what follows, we’ve included a list of frequently used transitional words and phrases that can help you establish how your various ideas relate to each other. We’ve divided these words and phrases into categories based on the common kinds of relationships writers establish between ideas.

Two recommendations: Use these transitions strategically by making sure that the word or phrase you’re choosing matches the logic of the relationship you’re emphasizing or the connection you’re making. All of these words and phrases have different meanings, nuances, and connotations, so before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely, and be sure that it’s the right match for your paper’s logic. Use these transitional words and phrases sparingly because if you use too many of them, your readers might feel like you are overexplaining connections that are already clear.

Categories of Transition Words and Phrases

Causation Chronology Combinations Contrast Example

Importance Location Similarity Clarification Concession

Conclusion Intensification Purpose Summary

Transitions to help establish some of the most common kinds of relationships

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

after all although and yet at the same time but

despite however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

transition sentences examples for informative essays

Improving Your Writing Style

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Clear, Concise Sentences

Use the active voice

Put the action in the verb

Tidy up wordy phrases

Reduce wordy verbs

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Reduce expletive constructions

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Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

33 Transition Words and Phrases

Transitional terms give writers the opportunity to prepare readers for a new idea, connecting the previous sentence to the next one.

Many transitional words are nearly synonymous: words that broadly indicate that “this follows logically from the preceding” include accordingly, therefore, and consequently . Words that mean “in addition to” include moreover, besides, and further . Words that mean “contrary to what was just stated” include however, nevertheless , and nonetheless .

as a result : THEREFORE : CONSEQUENTLY

The executive’s flight was delayed and they accordingly arrived late.

in or by way of addition : FURTHERMORE

The mountain has many marked hiking trails; additionally, there are several unmarked trails that lead to the summit.

at a later or succeeding time : SUBSEQUENTLY, THEREAFTER

Afterward, she got a promotion.

even though : ALTHOUGH

She appeared as a guest star on the show, albeit briefly.

in spite of the fact that : even though —used when making a statement that differs from or contrasts with a statement you have just made

They are good friends, although they don't see each other very often.

in addition to what has been said : MOREOVER, FURTHERMORE

I can't go, and besides, I wouldn't go if I could.

as a result : in view of the foregoing : ACCORDINGLY

The words are often confused and are consequently misused.

in a contrasting or opposite way —used to introduce a statement that contrasts with a previous statement or presents a differing interpretation or possibility

Large objects appear to be closer. Conversely, small objects seem farther away.

used to introduce a statement that is somehow different from what has just been said

These problems are not as bad as they were. Even so, there is much more work to be done.

used as a stronger way to say "though" or "although"

I'm planning to go even though it may rain.

in addition : MOREOVER

I had some money to invest, and, further, I realized that the risk was small.

in addition to what precedes : BESIDES —used to introduce a statement that supports or adds to a previous statement

These findings seem plausible. Furthermore, several studies have confirmed them.

because of a preceding fact or premise : for this reason : THEREFORE

He was a newcomer and hence had no close friends here.

from this point on : starting now

She announced that henceforth she would be running the company.

in spite of that : on the other hand —used when you are saying something that is different from or contrasts with a previous statement

I'd like to go; however, I'd better not.

as something more : BESIDES —used for adding information to a statement

The city has the largest population in the country and in addition is a major shipping port.

all things considered : as a matter of fact —used when making a statement that adds to or strengthens a previous statement

He likes to have things his own way; indeed, he can be very stubborn.

for fear that —often used after an expression denoting fear or apprehension

He was concerned lest anyone think that he was guilty.

in addition : ALSO —often used to introduce a statement that adds to and is related to a previous statement

She is an acclaimed painter who is likewise a sculptor.

at or during the same time : in the meantime

You can set the table. Meanwhile, I'll start making dinner.

BESIDES, FURTHER : in addition to what has been said —used to introduce a statement that supports or adds to a previous statement

It probably wouldn't work. Moreover, it would be very expensive to try it.

in spite of that : HOWEVER

It was a predictable, but nevertheless funny, story.

in spite of what has just been said : NEVERTHELESS

The hike was difficult, but fun nonetheless.

without being prevented by (something) : despite—used to say that something happens or is true even though there is something that might prevent it from happening or being true

Notwithstanding their youth and inexperience, the team won the championship.

if not : or else

Finish your dinner. Otherwise, you won't get any dessert.

more correctly speaking —used to introduce a statement that corrects what you have just said

We can take the car, or rather, the van.

in spite of that —used to say that something happens or is true even though there is something that might prevent it from happening or being true

I tried again and still I failed.

by that : by that means

He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.

for that reason : because of that

This tablet is thin and light and therefore very convenient to carry around.

immediately after that

The committee reviewed the documents and thereupon decided to accept the proposal.

because of this or that : HENCE, CONSEQUENTLY

This detergent is highly concentrated and thus you will need to dilute it.

while on the contrary —used to make a statement that describes how two people, groups, etc., are different

Some of these species have flourished, whereas others have struggled.

NEVERTHELESS, HOWEVER —used to introduce a statement that adds something to a previous statement and usually contrasts with it in some way

It was pouring rain out, yet his clothes didn’t seem very wet.

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The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Transitions

What this handout is about.

In this crazy, mixed-up world of ours, transitions glue our ideas and our essays together. This handout will introduce you to some useful transitional expressions and help you employ them effectively.

The function and importance of transitions

In both academic writing and professional writing, your goal is to convey information clearly and concisely, if not to convert the reader to your way of thinking. Transitions help you to achieve these goals by establishing logical connections between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your papers. In other words, transitions tell readers what to do with the information you present to them. Whether single words, quick phrases, or full sentences, they function as signs that tell readers how to think about, organize, and react to old and new ideas as they read through what you have written.

Transitions signal relationships between ideas—relationships such as: “Another example coming up—stay alert!” or “Here’s an exception to my previous statement” or “Although this idea appears to be true, here’s the real story.” Basically, transitions provide the reader with directions for how to piece together your ideas into a logically coherent argument. Transitions are not just verbal decorations that embellish your paper by making it sound or read better. They are words with particular meanings that tell the reader to think and react in a particular way to your ideas. In providing the reader with these important cues, transitions help readers understand the logic of how your ideas fit together.

Signs that you might need to work on your transitions

How can you tell whether you need to work on your transitions? Here are some possible clues:

Your instructor has written comments like “choppy,” “jumpy,” “abrupt,” “flow,” “need signposts,” or “how is this related?” on your papers.
Your readers (instructors, friends, or classmates) tell you that they had trouble following your organization or train of thought.
You tend to write the way you think—and your brain often jumps from one idea to another pretty quickly.
You wrote your paper in several discrete “chunks” and then pasted them together.
You are working on a group paper; the draft you are working on was created by pasting pieces of several people’s writing together.

Organization

Since the clarity and effectiveness of your transitions will depend greatly on how well you have organized your paper, you may want to evaluate your paper’s organization before you work on transitions. In the margins of your draft, summarize in a word or short phrase what each paragraph is about or how it fits into your analysis as a whole. This exercise should help you to see the order of and connection between your ideas more clearly.

If after doing this exercise you find that you still have difficulty linking your ideas together in a coherent fashion, your problem may not be with transitions but with organization. For help in this area (and a more thorough explanation of the “reverse outlining” technique described in the previous paragraph), please see the Writing Center’s handout on organization .

How transitions work

The organization of your written work includes two elements: (1) the order in which you have chosen to present the different parts of your discussion or argument, and (2) the relationships you construct between these parts. Transitions cannot substitute for good organization, but they can make your organization clearer and easier to follow. Take a look at the following example:

El Pais , a Latin American country, has a new democratic government after having been a dictatorship for many years. Assume that you want to argue that El Pais is not as democratic as the conventional view would have us believe.

One way to effectively organize your argument would be to present the conventional view and then to provide the reader with your critical response to this view. So, in Paragraph A you would enumerate all the reasons that someone might consider El Pais highly democratic, while in Paragraph B you would refute these points. The transition that would establish the logical connection between these two key elements of your argument would indicate to the reader that the information in paragraph B contradicts the information in paragraph A. As a result, you might organize your argument, including the transition that links paragraph A with paragraph B, in the following manner:

Paragraph A: points that support the view that El Pais’s new government is very democratic.

Transition: Despite the previous arguments, there are many reasons to think that El Pais’s new government is not as democratic as typically believed.

Paragraph B: points that contradict the view that El Pais’s new government is very democratic.

In this case, the transition words “Despite the previous arguments,” suggest that the reader should not believe paragraph A and instead should consider the writer’s reasons for viewing El Pais’s democracy as suspect.

As the example suggests, transitions can help reinforce the underlying logic of your paper’s organization by providing the reader with essential information regarding the relationship between your ideas. In this way, transitions act as the glue that binds the components of your argument or discussion into a unified, coherent, and persuasive whole.

Types of transitions

Now that you have a general idea of how to go about developing effective transitions in your writing, let us briefly discuss the types of transitions your writing will use.

The types of transitions available to you are as diverse as the circumstances in which you need to use them. A transition can be a single word, a phrase, a sentence, or an entire paragraph. In each case, it functions the same way: First, the transition either directly summarizes the content of a preceding sentence, paragraph, or section or implies such a summary (by reminding the reader of what has come before). Then, it helps the reader anticipate or comprehend the new information that you wish to present.

Transitions between sections: Particularly in longer works, it may be necessary to include transitional paragraphs that summarize for the reader the information just covered and specify the relevance of this information to the discussion in the following section.
Transitions between paragraphs: If you have done a good job of arranging paragraphs so that the content of one leads logically to the next, the transition will highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows. A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a phrase, or a sentence. Transitions can be at the end of the first paragraph, at the beginning of the second paragraph, or in both places.
Transitions within paragraphs: As with transitions between sections and paragraphs, transitions within paragraphs act as cues by helping readers to anticipate what is coming before they read it. Within paragraphs, transitions tend to be single words or short phrases.

Transitional expressions

Effectively constructing each transition often depends upon your ability to identify words or phrases that will indicate for the reader the kind of logical relationships you want to convey. The table below should make it easier for you to find these words or phrases. Whenever you have trouble finding a word, phrase, or sentence to serve as an effective transition, refer to the information in the table for assistance. Look in the left column of the table for the kind of logical relationship you are trying to express. Then look in the right column of the table for examples of words or phrases that express this logical relationship.

Keep in mind that each of these words or phrases may have a slightly different meaning. Consult a dictionary or writer’s handbook if you are unsure of the exact meaning of a word or phrase.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Common transition words and phrases.

In an effort to make our handouts more accessible, we have begun converting our PDF handouts to web pages. Download this page as a PDF: Transitions Return to Writing Studio Handouts

Transitions clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. These tools should alert readers to shifts in your argument while and also maintain the smoothness and clarity of your prose. Below, you’ll find some of the most commonly used transition categories and examples of each. Depending on the example, these suggestions may be within sentences or at the beginning of sentences.

Transitions by Category

1. addition.

Use when presenting multiple ideas that flow in the same direction, under the same heading/ idea also, another, finally, first, first of all, for one thing, furthermore, in addition, last of all, likewise, moreover, next, and, second, the third reason

2. Sequence/ Order

Use to suggest a temporal relationship between ideas; places evidence in sequence first, second (etc.), next, last, finally, first of all, concurrently, immediately, prior to, then, at that time, at this point, previously, subsequently, and then, at this time, thereafter, previously, soon, before, after, followed by, after that, next, before, after, meanwhile, formerly, finally, during

3. Contrast

Use to demonstrate differences between ideas or change in argument direction but, however, in contrast, on the other hand, on the contrary, yet, differ, difference, balanced against, differing from, variation, still, on the contrary, unlike, conversely, otherwise, on the other hand, however

4. Exception

Use to introduce an opposing idea however, whereas, on the other hand, while, instead, in spite of, yet, despite, still, nevertheless, even though, in contrast, but, but one could also say…

5. Comparison

Use to demonstrate similarities between ideas that may not be under the same subject heading or within the same paragraph like, likewise, just, in a different way / sense, whereas, like, equally, in like manner, by comparison, similar to, in the same way, alike, similarity, similarly, just as, as in a similar fashion, conversely

6. Illustration

Use to develop or clarify an idea, to introduce examples, or to show that the second idea is subordinate to the first for example, to illustrate, on this occasion, this can be seen, in this case, specifically, once, to illustrate, when/where, for instance, such as, to demonstrate, take the case of, in this case

7. Location

Use to show spatial relations next to, above, below, beneath, left, right, behind, in front, on top, within

8. Cause and Effect

Use to show that one idea causes, or results from, the idea that follows or precedes it because, therefore, so that, cause, reason, effect, thus, consequently, since, as a result, if…then, result in

9. Emphasis

Use to suggest that an idea is particularly important to your argument important to note, most of all, a significant factor, a primary concern, a key feature, remember that, pay particular attention to, a central issue, the most substantial issue, the main value, a major event, the chief factor, a distinctive quality, especially valuable, the chief outcome, a vital force, especially relevant, most noteworthy, the principal item, above all, should be noted

10. Summary or Conclusion

Use to signal that what follows is summarizing or concluding the previous ideas; in humanities papers, use these phrases sparingly. to summarize, in short, in brief, in sum, in summary, to sum up, in conclusion, to conclude, finally

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .”

Writing Effective Sentence Transitions (Advanced)

Transitions are the rhetorical tools that clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. The ability to integrate sentence transitions into your prose, rather than simply throwing in overt transition signals like “in addition,” indicates your mastery of the material. (Note: The visibility of transitions may vary by discipline; consult with your professor to get a better sense of discipline or assignment specific expectations.)

Transition Signals

Transition signals are words or phrases that indicate the logic connecting sets of information or ideas. Signals like therefore, on the other hand, for example, because, then, and afterwards can be good transition tools at the sentence and paragraph level. When using these signals, be conscious of the real meaning of these terms; they should reflect the actual relationship between ideas.

Review Words

Review words are transition tools that link groups of sentences or whole paragraphs. They condense preceding discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just completed a detailed discussion about the greenhouse effect. To transition to the next topic, you could use review words like “this heat-trapping process” to refer back to the green house effect discussion. The relative ability to determine a cogent set of review words might signal your own understanding of your work; think of review words as super-short summaries of key ideas.

Preview words

Preview words condense an upcoming discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just explained how heat is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. Transitioning to the theory that humans are adding to that effect, you could use preview words like “sources of additional CO2 in the atmosphere include” to point forward to that discussion.

Transition Sentences

The strongest and most sophisticated tools, transition sentences indicate the connection between the preceding and upcoming pieces of your argument. They often contain one or more of the above transition tools. For example: You’ve just discussed how much CO2 humans have added to the atmosphere. You need to transition to a discussion of the effects. A strong set of transition sentences between the two sections might sound like this:

“These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere may lead to a number of disastrous consequences for residents of planet earth. The rise in global temperature that accompanies the extra CO2 can yield effects as varied as glacial melting and species extinction.”

In the first sentence, the review words are “These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere”; the preview words are “number of disastrous consequences”; the transition signals are “may lead to.” The topic sentence of the next paragraph indicates the specific “disastrous consequences” you will discuss.

If you don’t see a way to write a logical, effective transition between sentences, ideas or paragraphs, this might indicate organizational problems in your essay; you might consider revising your work.

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .”

Last revised: 07/2008 | Adapted for web delivery: 05/2021

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Understanding Transition Sentences (For Essays and Writing with Examples)

What are transition sentences? And how do they work? Is there a correct way to use them? And an incorrect way? Understanding transition sentences is critical when writing essays, articles, or any type of logical flow.

Learn what transitional sentences are in this short guide…

What are transition sentences?

When you write an article, essay (or anything), you’ll want to write it in a logical sequence. You start with an introduction, highlight your points, and then end with a conclusion. Throughout your writing, you would be using sentences to express your thought. To make your writing effective, you need to link the sentences together in a logical way .

This is where transition sentences can be helpful.

As the name suggests, a transition sentence links the thoughts you are expressing in your writing. They make use of words and phrases that act as a bridge between different parts of your writing.

Transition sentences allow your reader to move smoothly from one section to another. Without transition sentences, your reader might not be able to understand the link between different parts of your writing.

What makes a good transition sentence?

Look at this example:

The CEO was very clear that productivity and efficiency were the two key things he would focus on. However , the legacy systems followed by the company acted as a detriment. Tech modernization was the solution that would enhance productivity and efficiency.

Sentences one and three make sense by themselves. But it is important to establish a relationship between the two. This is what the second sentence does . It acts as a bridge (or transition) between the first and third sentences. By doing so, it helps the writer communicate their ideas more effectively.

A good transition sentence would bring clarity by linking ideas expressed in the sentences before and after it. Words and phrases like ‘however,’ ‘in contrast,’ ‘for instance,’ ‘in fact,’ and ‘therefore’ can get used to help make the transition.

Many transition words are available to use. Choose the appropriate word for the situation.

For example, if you want to show the sequence between two sentences, you can use a word like ‘then’ or ‘after.’ If you want to emphasize a point through the transition, you can use ‘indeed,’ ‘especially,’ or ‘particularly.’

Transition words can be used at the start of the sentence ( e.g. , Surely , you are not going to go now!). It can also be used within the sentence (e.g., I rejected the job offer because the salary was lesser than my present pay ).

Here are a few tips that will help you use transition words correctly:

When sentences within a paragraph sound abrupt or awkward, you need to use transition words to link them.
Choose the correct transition word that is appropriate to the situation. A wrong selection can make your reader confused.
When moving from one idea to another, use a transition word to let the reader know.
Don’t make the mistake of overusing transition words. Too many transition words can end up making your writing look messy.

List of words for transition sentences

Some common words used in transition sentences are:

Furthermore
Nevertheless
Specifically

List of phrases for transition sentences

Transition sentences would use both words and phrases as the bridge. A few phrases that are used include:

In other words
On the contrary
As a result
In the long run
As you can see
In the following
In the previous
Having established
Most importantly
For example/instance
By the time

5 Examples of Transitions (Types of Transitions)

Conjunctive adverbs can be used to establish the logical link between ideas. They can be classified under five heads. It must be noted some words appear in multiple categories.

Of addition

Additionally
In addition
In the same way

The following example will make this clear.

First , put a pan on the stove and heat it. Next , add oil to the pan.

In the above, first and next act as the transition and are adding on to what is being said previously.

Of contrast

These words establish a contrast or difference while making the transition.

In contrast
Even though
At any rate
In spite of that
On the other hand

The island was not the paradise we were hoping for. On the contrary , it was dirty, noisy, and had unmanageable traffic.

The above example brings out a contrast between expectations and reality.

Of comparison

By comparison
In the same manner

Jonathan is crazy about chess. His daughter is similarly a big fan of the board game.

In this example, the word similarly shows a comparison between father and daughter. You may note the transition word need not be at the start of the sentence. It can be placed anywhere.

These transition words are indicative of a result. It shows the result of the previous sentence/idea.

Consequently

Their star player was suffering from a hamstring injury and could not play. Hence , their team faced a humiliating defeat on match day.

The star player’s absence resulted in the team’s defeat. The transition word ‘Hence’ in the example is the bridge between the cause/event and the result.

Some transition words show relationships in time. They include:

Simultaneously
Subsequently

The speaker will be a bit late for the talk. Meanwhile , let’s ask the participants to share their views on the program .

As the speaker will be late, there is time left. So, the participants are asked to share their views and opinions. In this example, ‘Meanwhile’ is a transition word that shows relationship to time.

Subordinating conjunctions and transition sentences

You can use a subordinating conjunction in a sentence to join a dependent clause to an independent clause .

Example: When the postman came, my dog greeted him with a volley of barks.

In this example, the word ‘when’ is the subordinating conjunction that joins ‘the postman came’ and ‘my dog greeted him …’

The subordinating conjunction serves a special purpose here. It acts as a transition between two ideas. The use of the coordinating conjunction provides a logical flow.

Example: He is smarter than you are.

In this example, “than” is the subordinating conjunction that connects ‘He is smarter’ and ‘you are.’ It provides the bridge or transition between the two clauses .

Let’s look at another example to understand this. There are two clauses – ‘The spring arrives’ and ‘my hay fever gets aggravated. A subordinating conjunction can link the two. We can use ‘As’ here. So, the sentence would now read – ‘ As the spring arrives, my hay fever gets aggravated.’

Correlative conjunctions and transition sentences

The correlative conjunction shows a correlation between two words or phrases within a sentence. They play a key role in transition sentences. The use of a correlative conjunction ensures a smooth flow between two sentences or ideas.

Example: My boss totally ignored my work. Neither my hard work nor my punctuality impressed him. So, I decided to move on and look for a new job.

In the above example, sentences one and three are independent and convey the meaning clearly. However, the second sentence acts as a transition explaining why sentence one leads to sentence two.

In the second sentence, we see the use of neither … nor. This combination of words acts as correlative conjunctions in this example.

Some other words that work as correlative conjunctions are:

Either … or
Neither … nor
Whether … or
Not only … Also

Whether you want to have dinner or prefer to skip it is entirely left to you.

The above example uses Whether … or as correlative conjunctions in the sentence.

Examples of transition sentences

Examples of transition sentences:

Communicate similarities

To communicate similarities, you can use transitional words like:

Examples of sentences where the transition word communicates similarities:

He decided to join the army just as his brother had done five years back.
You can fly this plane the same way you flew the trainer jet; there is no real difference.
All the employees in the Production department come from the neighboring town . Similarly , the store staff is also from that town.

Express emphasis

Words like ‘especially,’ ‘above all,’ ‘particularly’, ‘indeed,’ in fact,’ and ‘in particular’ can be used to express emphasis. When used in transition sentences, they emphasize the idea express previously.

She was overweight. In fact , it won’t be wrong to say she was grossly obese.
I liked the blue dress in particular .
Indeed , it won’t be wrong to say that her arrogance led to the engagement’s breakup.
There is a lot of focus on improving public services, especially education.

Cause and effect

Transition sentences can be very helpful in showing cause and effect or result. The following words can be used for this:

Accordingly
At that time
They spent the entire semester binge-watching shows. Consequently , they failed to obtain pass marks on any of the papers.
There are just ten items left in stock. Hence , it would be better if we suspend taking new orders at present.
The tests revealed that his blood pressure and cholesterol levels were very high. As a result , the doctor decided that he had to increase the dosage of his medicines.

Position or place can be indicated through the use of transition words like:

At the back

Here are some example sentences:

Walk towards the bookshelf. Adjacent to the shelf is a table, that’s where you will find the money.
The house was located a few yards from the river. Next to the house was the scary-looking tree.
You will see the building with the red flag. The storeroom is at the back of this building.

Describe a sequence

Transition words are perfect to use while describing a sequence. The words that can be used are:

Followed by
First , write down all the numbers in the form of a list. Next , add all the numbers. Finally , write down the total.
Initially , three employees were working on the project. Subsequently , the project grew the numbers rise to twenty.
The private plane owned by the CEO was the first to land. This was followed by the helicopter containing the crew.

To show examples

Transition words can be used to show examples or illustrate a particular point. Some words to use are:

For example
For instance
Illustrated by
As an example
In this case
On this occasion
To illustrate
To demonstrate
The speaker displayed the blueprint of the equipment on the screen. To illustrat e its working, he showed a video.
There are seven tools you can use to solve this problem. As an example , I will talk about the fishbone diagram.
Different essential oils can help you feel relaxed. For instance , using lavender oil makes you feel refreshed and rejuvenated.

How to use transition sentences between paragraphs

Transition sentences can get used within a paragraph. It also can get used between paragraphs.

This is important since the transition sentence provides a flow between paragraphs . It allows the readers to understand the relationship between the ideas expressed in those two different paragraphs.

When you start writing a paragraph , show a link to the previous paragraph in the first sentence. This establishes a bridge between both paragraphs.

Here’s an example:

There is no doubt that the effects of pollution by industries. This is why activists call for a ban on industries to stop pollution.

Despite the previous argument , we must also think about the economy. Banning industries will bring the economy to a standstill.

This example, ‘despite the previous argument’ is used to transition between the two paragraphs.

In contrast, the first part calls for a ban on industries, and the second discusses the economic effect. Using a transition allows for a smooth flow between the two.

Examples of transition sentences for essays

The use of transitions is very important in essays. An essay is written to convey an idea, opinion, or viewpoint. To ensure its effectiveness, transition sentences are needed at different parts of the essay. Transition sentences are needed between sentences, between sections, and at the conclusion of the essay.

A few examples of this:

Having established that a large majority of students have internet access, we can conclude t hat e-learning is a distinct possibility.
All the employees have a smartphone. In fact , most of them connect to the company’s Wi-Fi using their phone.

Examples of transition words for concluding sentences

Transition sentences are used throughout a write-up. It is imperative that the conclusion also has a transition. Your write-up needs to end with a summary of what you are trying to say. Or with a call-to-action. Using transition words in the conclusion can help you achieve this.

A few transition words you can consider using are:

In conclusion
As shown above
On the whole
Generally speaking
To summarize
To summarize , sustained use of this medicine offers significant benefits to patients.
In summary, democracy has many limitations but no other acceptable alternative.
Ultimately , it all boils down to the decision taken by the customer.
In short , the best option available is to get funds from a new investor.

Sentence structure

Core lessons

Abstract Noun
Accusative Case
Active Sentence
Alliteration
Adjective Clause
Adjective Phrase
Adverbial Clause
Appositive Phrase
Body Paragraph
Compound Adjective
Complex Sentence
Compound Words
Compound Predicate
Common Noun
Comparative Adjective
Comparative and Superlative
Compound Noun
Compound Subject
Compound Sentence
Copular Verb
Collective Noun
Colloquialism
Conciseness
Conditional
Concrete Noun
Conjunction
Conjugation
Conditional Sentence
Comma Splice
Correlative Conjunction
Coordinating Conjunction
Coordinate Adjective
Cumulative Adjective
Dative Case
Declarative Statement
Direct Object Pronoun
Direct Object
Dangling Modifier
Demonstrative Pronoun
Demonstrative Adjective
Direct Characterization
Definite Article
Doublespeak
Equivocation Fallacy
Future Perfect Progressive
Future Simple
Future Perfect Continuous
Future Perfect
First Conditional
Gerund Phrase
Genitive Case
Helping Verb
Irregular Adjective
Irregular Verb
Imperative Sentence
Indefinite Article
Intransitive Verb
Introductory Phrase
Indefinite Pronoun
Indirect Characterization
Interrogative Sentence
Intensive Pronoun
Inanimate Object
Indefinite Tense
Infinitive Phrase
Interjection
Intensifier
Indicative Mood
Juxtaposition
Linking Verb
Misplaced Modifier
Nominative Case
Noun Adjective
Object Pronoun
Object Complement
Order of Adjectives
Prepositional Phrase
Past Simple Tense
Past Continuous Tense
Past Perfect Tense
Past Progressive Tense
Present Simple Tense
Present Perfect Tense
Personal Pronoun
Personification
Persuasive Writing
Parallel Structure
Phrasal Verb
Predicate Adjective
Predicate Nominative
Phonetic Language
Plural Noun
Punctuation
Punctuation Marks
Preposition
Preposition of Place
Parts of Speech
Possessive Adjective
Possessive Determiner
Possessive Case
Possessive Noun
Proper Adjective
Proper Noun
Present Participle
Quotation Marks
Relative Pronoun
Reflexive Pronoun
Reciprocal Pronoun
Subordinating Conjunction
Simple Future Tense
Stative Verb
Subjunctive
Subject Complement
Subject of a Sentence
Sentence Variety
Second Conditional
Superlative Adjective
Slash Symbol
Topic Sentence
Types of Nouns
Types of Sentences
Uncountable Noun
Vowels and Consonants

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70+ Transition words for essays with examples

Transition words for essays.

Ever stared at a blank page, your thoughts swirling like a disorganized storm? Crafting a compelling essay often hinges on smooth transitions between ideas. Fear not, fellow writer! Here’s your guide to essential transition words , those linguistic gems that bridge the gaps in your essay and create a clear, logical flow.

List of Transition words for essays

Additionally
Furthermore
In addition
In the same way
In other words
That is to say
For example
For instance
Specifically
To illustrate
In particular
Without a doubt
Essentially
In conclusion
To conclude
On the whole
Consequently
Accordingly
As a result
For this reason
Because of this
Due to this
In light of this
Considering that
Seeing that
As a matter of fact
Nonetheless
Nevertheless
Even though
In spite of
On the contrary

Transition words for essays with examples

Here are examples of sentences using each of the transition words for cause:

Additionally : “She enjoys playing the piano. Additionally, she is proficient in playing the guitar.”
Furthermore : “The research indicated a positive correlation between exercise and mental health. Furthermore, it suggested that regular physical activity reduces stress levels.”
Moreover : “The company reported an increase in sales for the third quarter. Moreover, profits also saw a significant rise.”
In addition : “He enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. In addition, he is passionate about photography.”
Also : “He enjoys playing tennis. Also, he participates in swimming competitions.”
Likewise : “She volunteered at the local shelter. Likewise, her brother also dedicated his time to community service.”
Similarly : “The team implemented new strategies to improve productivity. Similarly, other departments adopted similar approaches.”
In the same way : “She excels in academics. In the same way, her siblings also achieve high grades.”
Equally : “Both candidates possess strong leadership skills. Equally, they demonstrate excellent communication abilities.”
Besides : “She enjoys reading novels. Besides, she also enjoys writing short stories.”
In other words : “The product received mixed reviews due to its functionality issues. In other words, customers experienced difficulties with its performance.”
That is to say : “She loves traveling to exotic destinations. That is to say, she prefers exploring off-the-beaten-path locations.”
Namely : “The research focused on several key areas, namely, customer satisfaction, product quality, and market trends.”
For example : “Many countries have implemented strict environmental policies. For example, Denmark has achieved significant progress in renewable energy.”
For instance : “Some popular social media platforms, for instance, Facebook and Instagram, have millions of active users.”
Specifically : “The training program focuses specifically on enhancing leadership skills and fostering teamwork.”
To illustrate : “To illustrate the concept further, let’s consider a real-life example.”
In particular : “The company aims to expand its operations globally. In particular, it plans to target emerging markets in Asia.”
In fact : “Contrary to popular belief, exercise is not only beneficial for physical health but also for mental well-being. In fact, it has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
Indeed : “The company’s efforts to promote diversity have yielded positive results. Indeed, diversity has been linked to increased innovation and creativity.”
Actually : “Contrary to what many people believe, the situation is actually quite different.”
Truly : “She was truly dedicated to her work and always gave her best effort.”
Certainly : “The results of the study certainly support the hypothesis.”
Of course : “Of course, you are welcome to join us for dinner.”
Without a doubt : “Without a doubt, she is one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever met.”
In essence : “The policy change, in essence, aims to improve customer satisfaction.”
Essentially : “The project, essentially, involves redesigning the user interface.”
In summary : “In summary, the findings suggest a need for further research in this area.”
In conclusion : “In conclusion, it is evident that climate change poses significant challenges.”
To sum up : “To sum up, the main points of the argument are as follows.”
In brief : “In brief, the report highlights key areas for improvement.”
To conclude : “To conclude, let’s consider the implications of these findings.”
Overall : “Overall, the project was a success.”
All in all : “All in all, it was a memorable experience.”
On the whole : “On the whole, the feedback has been positive.”
Therefore : “The traffic was heavy; therefore, they arrived late to the meeting.”
Thus : “The factory implemented new safety measures; thus, the number of accidents decreased.”
Hence : “The flight was canceled; hence, they had to make alternative travel arrangements.”
Consequently : “He missed the deadline; consequently, he faced disciplinary action.”
Accordingly : “The instructions were unclear; accordingly, many participants made mistakes.”
As a result : “The market demand increased; as a result, prices rose.”
For this reason : “She forgot her umbrella; for this reason, she got wet in the rain.”
Because of this : “He missed the train because of this, he couldn’t attend the meeting.”
Due to this : “Due to this unforeseen circumstance, the event had to be postponed.”
In light of this : “In light of this new information, we need to reconsider our strategy.”
Since : “Since it was raining heavily, they decided to stay indoors.”
Because : “He didn’t study for the exam because he was feeling unwell.”
For : “He received a promotion for his outstanding performance.”
As : “As the temperature dropped, people bundled up in warm clothing.”
Owing to : “Owing to his persistent efforts, he achieved success.”
Given that : “Given that she had prior experience, she was appointed as the team leader.”
Considering that : “Considering that it was his first attempt, he performed exceptionally well.”
Seeing that : “Seeing that the store was closing soon, they hurried to finish their shopping.”
In view of : “In view of the current situation, we need to take immediate action.”
As a matter of fact : “As a matter of fact, he was the first to arrive at the party.”
Regardless : “He continued with the project regardless of the challenges he faced.”
Nonetheless : “The weather was unfavorable; nonetheless, they decided to go ahead with the outdoor event.”
Nevertheless : “The plan faced criticism; nevertheless, it was implemented successfully.”
However : “She forgot her passport; however, she managed to board the flight with a temporary permit.”
Although : “Although it was raining, they decided to go for a walk.”
Though : “Though she was tired, she continued working late into the night.”
Even though : “Even though he was warned about the risks, he proceeded with the plan.”
Despite : “Despite the challenges, they remained committed to their goal.”
In spite of : “In spite of the obstacles, they persevered and succeeded.”
On the contrary : “The results were contrary to expectations; on the contrary, they were favorable.”
Conversely : “He expected to feel relieved; conversely, he felt even more anxious.”
But : “The weather was sunny, but they decided to cancel the picnic due to other commitments.”
Yet : “He had a busy schedule, yet he managed to find time for his hobbies.”
Whereas : “She preferred coffee, whereas her sister preferred tea.”

By mastering the art of transition words, you’ll transform your essay from a disjointed collection of ideas into a powerful and persuasive piece of writing. So, the next time you sit down to write, remember these transition words and watch your essay flow majestically!

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45 Best Transition Words and Phrases For Essays

Your essay needs to be coherent and written in a way where one idea flows naturally to the other, and for that, you need transition words.

But how to make sure that everything ties together, and that you present your arguments in a logical, smooth manner? It’s simple. You do it by using transition words and phrases, which can turn your scattered thoughts into a well-organized, and neatly looking piece of prose. “Look on every exit as being an entrance somewhere else.” – Tom Stoppard It is common knowledge that the ability to write a great essay is tremendously helpful to those who are pursuing higher education. So, it wouldn’t hurt to add all the weapons you can find to your essay-writing arsenal, like these transition words.

What are transition words?

Transition words and phrases are a part of speech , and they’re used to create coherent relationships between ideas in the text. The ones you might be familiar with are ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘so’, and ‘because’. They’re applied to maintain a logical, uninterrupted stream of thought and a smooth flow of paragraphs and sentences. Their goal is to show your reader the relationship between phrases, sentences, or even paragraphs. When you use them, you make it easier for your readers to understand how your thoughts and ideas are connected. There are around 200 of them in the English language. Example: Regular exercise leads to improved cardiovascular performance. It improves the function of the brain.

Here are the main rules for the usage of transitional words:

Using transitional words in essays

Your regular essay will comprise five paragraphs – an introduction, three paragraphs to present your points, and a conclusion. Your job is to make the prose consistent, and that’s why you need words and phrases to create links between the ideas. The words and phrases below are mostly used in persuasive (argumentative) essays where you need to convince the readers of your opinion confidently. But in fact, they’re useful in almost any type of writing (such as expository essays ) simply to keep the structure intact. If you use them well, they can emphasize contrast, highlight a similarity, and solidify your conclusion. Transition, a formal definition: the process of changing from one situation, form, or state to another.

Transition words are used at the beginning of each new paragraph. For Example:

To begin with
In the first place
To summarize

They can also be used when you present a new point in the same paragraph. For Example:

There’s a multitude of transition words that will contribute to a sleeker essay.

Many students make the mistake of repeating the same words repeatedly. This causes them to lose impact and meaning. Among grammarians, this phenomenon is called grammar saturation. The important thing to know is that there are several categories to transition words depending on the type of impact you’d like to create in your writing . Often, there are several words suitable for one transition. Just remember that they don’t always mean the same and you might need some practice to recognize the subtle differences between them. To avoid this, look up synonyms and never use the same transition word more than once in a single piece of prose (especially in the same paragraph). If you need a more in-depth course on this topic, you may read A Writer’s Guide To Transitional Words and Expressions.

Here’s a list of the best transition words that’ll come to your rescue:

When you want to indicate similarity or addition:.

Incidentally
More important
For instance
Furthermore
In addition
In the same fashion

Examples of use:

A diet based mostly on carbohydrates can cause massive weight gain. Furthermore, it can cause mental fog and a lack of energy in adult humans.
Small steps can lead to huge gains. For instance, if you write one page a day, you’ll have a whole book within one year.

When you want to indicate dissimilarity, contrast, or contradiction:

By contrast
On the other hand
On the contrary
All the same
At any rate
At the same time
Nonetheless
Despite this
By comparison
In comparison
In place of
Nevertheless
Notwithstanding
Unfortunately
A ban on the possession of firearms would vastly improve the safety of the civilian population. In spite of this, the politicians won’t push it through because of the powerful gun lobby.
Everyone knows that eating excessive amounts of sugar causes health problems. Yet, the consumption of “white poison” is higher than ever.

When you want to indicate similarity:

In the same way
In like manner
Learning computer languages serves as a competitive advantage in the job market. Likewise, the ability to speak Chinese or Japanese can be beneficial.
The cost of mobile devices around the world dropped significantly. In the same manner, laptops and TVs became more affordable.

When you want to indicate cause, effect, purpose, consequence, or result:

Accordingly
As a result
Knowing this
With this object
With this end
To this end
With this in mind
In many cases
In this way
Consequently
For this reason
Fortunately
In any case
Provided that
Excessive time spent at the desk at work can lead to coronary disease. Sitting for a long time is more harmful than the regular consumption of fast foods.
Becoming a self-employed digital nomad isn’t easy. Fortunately, there are many guides and forums on this topic.

When you want to emphasize something:

Specifically
In particular
More specifically
In other words
To illustrate
Drinking a lot of water raises your levels of energy. In particular, filtered and purified water is the best thing to drink.
The player dropped the ball at the very last moment. Truly, this was the reason the team was defeated.

When you want to indicate the time or sequence of events:

In the meantime
Immediately
In the same instant
Subsequently
At that point
The children were starving and without water. Finally, the international convoy came to help them.
The politician angered the crowds. Immediately, you could hear boos from every direction.

When you want to indicate spatial order or reference:

On the opposite side
On the right
On the left
In a corner
In front of
The huge mountain covered the horizon. Beneath it, there were kilometers of caverns.
The table stood in the center of the room. On the right, you could find a few scattered pieces of furniture.

How do these words relate to the format of your essay?

If you focus on academic writing you’ll need to adhere to a specific essay format. Use the following words to create comprehensive transitions between paragraphs:

Introductory transitions

These come in handy when you craft your first supporting paragraph (the one after the introductory one). Here you usually start building on your thesis and start giving arguments in its favor.

Words to use in an introductory paragraph:

The first reason

Connecting the second paragraph to the third:

Additionally
Another reason why
Pursuing this further

Connecting the third paragraph to the fourth:

Yet another reason why
One last reason why

Connecting the body to the conclusion:

In conclusion
To sum it all up
In the final analysis
You can see why
To wrap it all up

Pro tip: Words like ‘for’, ‘and’, ‘nor’, ‘but’, ‘or’, ‘yet’, and ‘since’ shouldn’t be used at the beginning of a sentence if you’re writing a formal essay. “The best part of your story is when it changes.” – Bella Bloom Bonus material – a printable PDF chart with link words (always keep it beside you): A complete list of transition words and conjunctions.

Now it’s your turn to use these transition words

Starting an essay is always challenging, even for advanced writers. Hopefully, by reading this article, I made your task easier by adding a valuable tool to your writer’s toolbox. Just remember to use these phrases originally, and without repetition. The last thing you want to do is to sound mechanical as if you’re writing from a template. Next up, you may want to check a list of amazing short pretty words in English .

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Essay Writing Guide

Transition Words For Essays

Transition Words For Essays - The Ultimate List

11 min read

What are Good Transition Words for Essays?

Transition words are essential tools in essay writing , providing a clear path for your readers to follow. They serve the crucial purpose of connecting words, phrases, sentences, or even entire paragraphs.

By using these transitions effectively, you can effortlessly convey your ideas and thoughts in a coherent and easily understandable manner.

However, it's crucial to exercise moderation when using transition words. Overusing them can clutter your essay, making it confusing and difficult to read.

On the other hand, omitting them entirely can result in a piece that lacks flow and direction. Striking the right balance ensures that your essay is both engaging and comprehensible.

Purpose of Transition Words

Let’s take a look at the purpose of using transitions in essays:

Enhance Readability: Transition words improve the overall flow and coherence of your writing.
Clarify Relationships: They signal connections between ideas, whether it's adding, contrasting, or summarizing.
Improve Comprehension: Readers can follow your argument or narrative more easily.
Smooth Transitions: They act as bridges, seamlessly guiding your audience from one point to the next.
Manage Change: They prepare the reader for shifts in topic or perspective.
Enhance Engagement: Well-placed transitions keep readers interested and invested in your content.
Encourage Flow: They maintain a logical progression, aiding in the overall structure of your work.

Examples of Different Types of Transition Words

Here are some common types of transitions for essays that can be used in almost any situation.

Addition Transitions

Furthermore
Additionally
In addition
Not only...but also

Comparison Transitions

In the same way
Comparable to
Correspondingly
In comparison
By the same token

Contrast Transitions

On the other hand
In contrast
Nevertheless
Nonetheless
Even though

Cause and Effect Transitions

Consequently
As a result
For this reason
Accordingly

Time Transitions

Simultaneously
In the meantime
Subsequently
At the same time

Illustration Transitions

For example
For instance
Specifically
To illustrate
In particular
In this case
As an illustration

Emphasis Transitions

Undoubtedly
Without a doubt

Summary Transitions

To summarize
To conclude

Sequence Transitions

Example transitions.

As an example
To demonstrate
For one thing
As evidence
As an instance

For Showing Exception

At The Same Time
Nevertheless
On The Other Hand
But At The Same Time
Conversely

For Proving

For This Reason
Certainly
To Demonstrate
In Fact
Clearly
As A Result

This transition words for essays list will make it easier for you to understand what words to use in which kind of essay or for which purpose.

Transition Words for Argumentative Essays

To begin with
By contrast
One alternative is
To put more simply
On the contrary
With this in mind
All things considered
Generally speaking
That is to say
Yet another

Transition Words for Persuasive Essays

furthermore
Moreover
Because
Besides that
Pursuing this further

Transition Words for Essays PDF

Transition Words for Compare and Contrast Essays

Althoughyhtjyjum,u
Notwithstanding

Transition Words for Informative Essays

After all
As can be expected
Obviously

Transition Words for Expository Essays

Equally important
Another reason
Not long after that
Looking back

Transition Words for Cause and Effect Essays

In order to
Provided that
Because of this

Transition Words for Synthesis Essays

As noted earlier
Consequently
Whereas
This leads to
Another factor
This lead to
The underlying concept
In this respect

Transition Words for Analysis Essays

(once) again
Primarily
Due to
Accordingly
That is to say
Subsequently
To demonstrate
However

Conclusion Transition Words for Essays

In any event
As mentioned
In other words
As you can see

Beginning Transition Words for Essays

These are some introduction transition words for essays to start writing:

In the first place
First of all
For the most part
On one hand
As a rule

Paragraph Transition Words for Essays

To put it differently
Once and for all

Transition Words for Essay’s First Body Paragraph

To start with
First and foremost
In the beginning

Transition Words for Essay’s Second Body Paragraph

In addition to this
Furthermore

Transition Words for Essay’s Last Body Paragraph

In conclusion
Finally
Last but not least
To sum up
Altogether

Transition Words for Quotes in Essays

Acknowledges

Transition Words for Essays Middle School

In conclusion
For instance

Transition Words for Essays High School

Today
In addition
To summarize
On the other hand
As well as
Although

Transition Words for Essays College

Here are some college level transition words for essay:

Pursuing this
Similarly
What’s more
As much as
In a like manner
In the same fashion

Do’s and Don’ts of Using Transition Words

So, now you have some strong transition words for essays at hand. But how do you use these transition words?

Here are the basic dos and don’ts of using transition words for essays.

Understand that these terms are an important part of any type of essay or paper, adding to its overall flow and readability.
Use these words when you are presenting a new idea. For example, start a new paragraph with these phrases, followed by a comma.
Do not overuse transition words. It is one of the most common essay writing problems that students end up with. It is important to only use those words required to convey your message clearly. It is good to sound smart by using these words but don’t overdo it.
Avoid using these words at the start and in the middle. Always try to use transition words only a few times where it is necessary to make it easy for the readers to follow the ideas.

So, now you have an extensive list of transition words. These are some of the best transition words for essays that you can add to your essays.

If your essay seems redundant because you used similar transition words, you can always have a look at this list to find some good replacements.

So, whenever you’re writing an essay, refer back to this list and let your words flow!

If you still feel that your essay is not properly conveying your ideas, turn to our expert essay writers at MyPerfectWords.com.

If you have some write-up, our essay writing service will make it flow without changing the entire content. Or, if you wish to have an essay from scratch, we will write a paper for you!

Simply contact us and place your order now. Our writers will take care of everything to help you ace your assignment.

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Make Smooth Transitions: 300+ Strong Transition Words for Essays

Table of contents

Have you ever read a piece of literature and wondered how smoothly the author transitioned from one paragraph to the next?

Making smooth transitions while writing is not a piece of cake. Most students struggle to write in a cohesive manner that effectively communicates the message.

If you want to improve paragraph transitions and are wondering which words or phrases to use, this article’s for you. Read on to learn more about using strong transition words for essays with confidence.

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What are transition words and phrases.

Having strong transition words for essays is pivotal as it leads the reader from one idea to another. In the absence of transition words, sentences would not have a structure, appear connected, or flow smoothly.

Using transition words prevents the reader from having to jump from one paragraph or sentence to another. This makes your essay easier to follow and gets your message across in a more coherent manner.

In short, transition words are majorly used to place smooth, easy to comprehend, and logical connections between sentences and paragraphs in your essay.

Here’s an interesting video by Write to Top that talks about the importance of coherence and cohesion in essay writing.

A Handy List of 300+ Strong Transition Words for Essays

Now that you know how important it is to use transition words and phrases to connect and structurally flow the ideas and arguments in your essay let’s take a look at 300+ strong transition words you can use.

The list is divided into 12 broad categories, making it easier for you to use them while writing essays .

1. Cause & Effect

Connects the instigator(s) to the consequences or the outcome of an action.

For that/this reason
As a result
Accordingly
In that case
Consequently
Under those circumstances
In other words
With the result that

2. Chronology or Time

Connects a situation or issue to when it occurred or conveys a series of events by limiting, restricting, and defining time.

From time to time
To begin with
Subsequently
In the meantime
Immediately
In a moment
In the first place
Without delay
At this instant
First, second, third
All of a sudden
In due time
Concurrently
In the future
Immediately after
Simultaneously

3. Combinations, Comparisons, or Additions

Finds similarities, compares two preceding statements, ideas, or concepts, connects multiple events to make one whole story, and adds new words to complete the paragraph.

Comparatively
Additionally
As a matter of fact
In the same way
In addition
Identically
In like fashion
In light of
Compared to
Furthermore
Not to mention
To say nothing of

4. Contrast or Differences

Connecting two instances or phrases, mainly focusing on their differences or suggesting alternative ideas to be considered. Alternatively, these can also be used to contrast two ideas, thoughts, or key pieces of information in your essay.

In contrast
Although this may be true
On the contrary
At the same time
In spite of
(and) still
On the other hand
Nevertheless
Be that as it may
Notwithstanding

5. Clarification

Connects to further clarify the arguments being made in simpler, more compact terms.

To rephrase it
To put it another way
In lay terms
Simply stated
In explanation
In simple terms
To clearly define
To break it down
To simplify
To put it clearly

6. Concession

Connects to express an idea that acknowledges the opposing view of the main part of the argument or sentence.

At any rate
Even though
While it may be true
Up to a point
Nonetheless
Regardless of this

7. Examples

Connects to add emphasis, or introduce evidence or example as support.

For example
For instance
To demonstrate
To emphasize
To enumerate
To put it differently
As an illustration
In this case
For this reason
That is to say
Important to realize
Most compelling evidence
Must be remembered
To point out
With this in mind
On the positive/negative side
Specifically
Particularly
To illustrate
Proof of this
As an example of
In this situation
By all means
Hypothetically
In particular
Another key point
More importantly

8. Importance

Connecting an important aspect to an otherwise unimportant sentence or paragraph.

Essentially
Most importantly
Principally
Fundamentally
Unquestionably

9. Generalization

Connects to give an idea about a general subject.

Generally speaking
For the most part
By and large

10. Location

Connects elements according to where they are placed in a relationship to each other. These provide spatial order and references to locations and space.

In the middle
In front of
To the right or left
Here and there
On this side
In the distance
In the foreground
In the background
In the center of
Opposite to
Adjacent to
Neighboring on
Along the edge
Straight ahead
At the bottom
In proximity to
In vicinity of
On the horizon
Peripherally
Surrounding
At the rear
At the front
Within sight
Out of sight

11. Purpose

Connects when you want to present specific intentions, causes, or conditions.

In the event that
As/So long as
For this purpose
In order that
To that end
To this end
With the hope that
With this intention
On the condition that
Provided that
With this purpose
Seeing that

12. Summary

Connects to summarize, conclude or restate certain arguments, points, and ideas that were previously mentioned in the essay. These transition words are used to indicate a final generalized statement about the approached argument and wrap it up.

To summarize
To conclude
In the final analysis
All things considered
As shown above
In the long run
As has been noted
Given these points
To reiterate
On the whole
In either case
As can be seen
As mentioned
As demonstrated above
As indicated
As discussed
In the short run
At the end of the day
In a nutshell
To put it briefly

8 Dos and Don’ts of Using Strong Transition Words for Essays

Just as using the above transition words are necessary for essays and other academic papers, it is equally important to know the appropriate dos and don'ts of using transition words in essays.

1. Be sure to know what your transition word means and if it is used correctly and makes sense in a sentence.

2. Ensure that you don't accidentally create incomplete sentences. Check to see if you are using subordinating conjunctions, as they can lead to fragmented sentences.

3. Use when presenting a new idea or in the middle of two ideas to show a logical connection.

4. Use an essay outline to organize your writing and figure out exactly where you can use your transition words and how to avoid overusing them.

1. Just as you can have too few transition words in your essay, you can also have too many. Use your transition words sparingly and in key places.

Adding too many can be distracting to read, can make your content piece complicated to understand, and make your reader seem as if they aren’t capable enough to comprehend basic connections.

2. Never add a transition word at the end of a sentence. This confuses the readers and takes the emphasis off what you want to say.

3. Never start a sentence with a “but,” “and,” or “because” in an academic assignment. Instead, replace them with a more formal transition word.

4. Don't use transition words from a different category than the one it is needed for. For example, if it is a general statement, don’t use transition words for summarizing a paragraph. Stick to the words or phrases in each category.

The Takeaway

This list must have felt like a lot; so many words and phrases to remember. But you wouldn’t necessarily need to do that because you can come back to this blog post whenever you need a reminder.

Our list of strong transition words for essays can guide you to achieve high grades on your assignments as well as impress your professors . So, use these transition words to do away with choppy sentences and disconnected ideas!

Not confident about your writing skills? Writers Per Hour can help. Our team of professional writers can help you deliver high-quality essays written from scratch with transition words et al.

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Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Published on 20 October 2022 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on 15 March 2023.

Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.

The proposed solution to the problem did not work. Therefore , we attempted a second solution. However , this solution was also unsuccessful.

For clear writing, it’s essential to understand the meaning of transition words and use them correctly.

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When and how to use transition words, types and examples of transition words, common mistakes with transition words.

Transition words commonly appear at the start of a new sentence or clause (followed by a comma ), serving to express how this clause relates to the previous one.

Transition words can also appear in the middle of a clause. It’s important to place them correctly to convey the meaning you intend.

Example text with and without transition words

The text below describes all the events it needs to, but it does not use any transition words to connect them. Because of this, it’s not clear exactly how these different events are related or what point the author is making by telling us about them.

If we add some transition words at appropriate moments, the text reads more smoothly and the relationship among the events described becomes clearer.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Consequently , France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union initially worked with Germany in order to partition Poland. However , Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Don’t overuse transition words

While transition words are essential to clear writing, it’s possible to use too many of them. Consider the following example, in which the overuse of linking words slows down the text and makes it feel repetitive.

In this case the best way to fix the problem is to simplify the text so that fewer linking words are needed.

The key to using transition words effectively is striking the right balance. It is difficult to follow the logic of a text with no transition words, but a text where every sentence begins with a transition word can feel over-explained.

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There are four main types of transition word: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific functions.

Remember that transition words with similar meanings are not necessarily interchangeable. It’s important to understand the meaning of all the transition words you use. If unsure, consult a dictionary to find the precise definition.

Additive transition words

Additive transition words introduce new information or examples. They can be used to expand upon, compare with, or clarify the preceding text.

Adversative transition words

Adversative transition words always signal a contrast of some kind. They can be used to introduce information that disagrees or contrasts with the preceding text.

Causal transition words

Causal transition words are used to describe cause and effect. They can be used to express purpose, consequence, and condition.

Sequential transition words

Sequential transition words indicate a sequence, whether it’s the order in which events occurred chronologically or the order you’re presenting them in your text. They can be used for signposting in academic texts.

Transition words are often used incorrectly. Make sure you understand the proper usage of transition words and phrases, and remember that words with similar meanings don’t necessarily work the same way grammatically.

Misused transition words can make your writing unclear or illogical. Your audience will be easily lost if you misrepresent the connections between your sentences and ideas.

Confused use of therefore

“Therefore” and similar cause-and-effect words are used to state that something is the result of, or follows logically from, the previous. Make sure not to use these words in a way that implies illogical connections.

We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. Therefore , the average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

The use of “therefore” in this example is illogical: it suggests that the result of 7.5 follows logically from the question being asked, when in fact many other results were possible. To fix this, we simply remove the word “therefore.”

We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. The average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

Starting a sentence with also , and , or so

While the words “also,” “and,” and “so” are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence.

Also , a second round of testing was carried out.

To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.

A second round of testing was also carried out.
Additionally , a second round of testing was carried out.

Transition words creating sentence fragments

Words like “although” and “because” are called subordinating conjunctions . This means that they introduce clauses which cannot stand on their own. A clause introduced by one of these words should always follow or be followed by another clause in the same sentence.

The second sentence in this example is a fragment, because it consists only of the “although” clause.

Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. Although other researchers disagree.

We can fix this in two different ways. One option is to combine the two sentences into one using a comma. The other option is to use a different transition word that does not create this problem, like “however.”

Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed, although other researchers disagree.
Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. However , other researchers disagree.

And vs. as well as

Students often use the phrase “ as well as ” in place of “and,” but its usage is slightly different. Using “and” suggests that the things you’re listing are of equal importance, while “as well as” introduces additional information that is less important.

Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf, as well as presenting my analysis of To the Lighthouse .

In this example, the analysis is more important than the background information. To fix this mistake, we can use “and,” or we can change the order of the sentence so that the most important information comes first. Note that we add a comma before ‘as well as’ but not before ‘and’.

Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf and presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
Chapter 1 presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse , as well as discussing some background information on Woolf.

Note that in fixed phrases like “both x and y ,” you must use “and,” not “as well as.”

Both my results as well as my interpretations are presented below.
Both my results and my interpretations are presented below.

Use of and/or

The combination of transition words “and/or” should generally be avoided in academic writing. It makes your text look messy and is usually unnecessary to your meaning.

First consider whether you really do mean “and/or” and not just “and” or “or.” If you are certain that you need both, it’s best to separate them to make your meaning as clear as possible.

Participants were asked whether they used the bus and/or the train.
Participants were asked whether they used the bus, the train, or both.

Archaic transition words

Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning.

Poverty is best understood as a disease. Hereby , we not only see that it is hereditary, but acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

These words should usually be replaced with a more explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement relates to the preceding one.

Poverty is best understood as a disease. Understanding it as such , we not only see that it is hereditary, but also acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

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Essay Writing Guide

Transition Words For Essays

Last updated on: Dec 19, 2023

220 Best Transition Words for Essays

By: Nova A.

15 min read

Reviewed By: Jacklyn H.

Published on: Jul 9, 2019

Writing essays can be hard, and making sure your transitions are smooth is even harder.

You've probably heard that good essays need good transitions, but what are they? How do you use them in your writing? Also, your essays are assessed according to particular criteria and it is your responsibility to ensure that it is being met.

But don't worry, we are here to help. This blog will give you transition words for essays, including how to choose the right ones and where to place them for maximum impact. Essay writing is a technical process that requires much more effort than simply pouring your thoughts on paper.

If you are new to the concept of transition words and phrases, deep dive into this article in order to find out the secret to improving your essays.

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What Are Transition Words

Transition words are essential elements in essay writing that create smooth transitions between ideas.

Think of a transition as a conjunction or a joining word. It helps create strong relationships between ideas, paragraphs, or sentences and assists the readers to understand the word phrases and sentences easily.

As writers, our goal is to communicate our thoughts and ideas in the most clear and logical manner. Especially when presenting complex ideas, we must ensure that they are being conveyed in the most understandable way.

To ensure that your paper is easy to understand, you can work on the sequencing of ideas. Break down your ideas into different sentences and paragraphs then use a transition word or phrase to guide them through these ideas.

Why Should You Use Transitions

The purpose of transition words goes beyond just connectivity. They create a cohesive narrative , allowing your ideas to flow seamlessly from one point to another. These words and phrases act as signposts and indicate relationships.

These relations could include:

Cause and Effect
Comparison and Contrast
Addition and Emphasis
Sequence and Order
Illustration and Example
Concession and Contradiction
Summary and Conclusion

They form a bridge and tie sentences together, creating a logical connection. In addition to tying the entire paper together, they help demonstrate the writer’s agreement, disagreement, conclusion, or contrast.

However, keep in mind that just using or including transitional words isn’t enough to highlight relationships between ideas. The content of your paragraphs must support the relationship as well. So, you should avoid overusing them in a paper.

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Types of Transitions

Transitions in essays can be classified into different types based on the relationships they indicate between ideas. Each type serves a specific purpose in guiding readers through your arguments.

Let's explore some common types of transitions and their examples:

Additive Transitions

These transitions are used to add information or ideas. They help you expand on your points or provide additional supporting evidence. Examples:

In addition
Furthermore
Additionally
Not only... but also
Coupled with

Adversative Transitions

Adversative transitions show contrast or contradiction between ideas. They are used to present opposing viewpoints or highlight differences. Examples:

Nevertheless
On the other hand
In contrast

Causal Transitions

Causal transitions explain cause-and-effect relationships. They help you establish the reasons behind certain outcomes or actions. Examples:

As a result
Consequently
Resulting in
For this reason

Sequential Transitions

Sequential transitions indicate the order or sequence of events or ideas. They help you present your thoughts in a logical and organized manner. Examples:

Subsequently
In the meantime
Simultaneously

Comparative Transitions

Comparative transitions highlight similarities or comparisons between ideas. They help you draw connections and illustrate relationships. Here are some transition words for essays examples:

In the same way
Compared to
In comparison
Correspondingly
By the same token
Equally important
Analogous to

Getting started on your essay? Check out this insightful read on essay writing to make sure you ace it!

List of Good Transition Words for Essays

As mentioned above, there are different categories of transitions that serve a unique purpose. Understanding these different types will help you pick the most suitable word or phrase to communicate your message.

Here we have categorized the best transition words for essays so you can use them appropriately!

Transition Words for Argumentative Essays

In argumentative essays , the effective use of transition words is essential for presenting a well-structured and coherent argument.

Transition Words for Compare and Contrast Essays

In compare and contrast essays , transition words play a crucial role in highlighting the similarities and differences between the subjects being compared.

Here are a few transition words that are particularly useful in compare and contrast essays:

Transition Words for Cause and Effect Essays

In cause and effect essays , transition words help illustrate the relationships between causes and their corresponding effects.

Here are a few transition words that are particularly useful in cause-and-effect essays:

Transition Words for Different Parts of Essays

Transition words are valuable tools that can be used throughout different parts of an essay to create a smooth and coherent flow. By understanding the appropriate transition words for each section, you can logically connect your ideas.

Introduction Transition Words for Essays

Introductions are one of the most impactful parts of the essay. It's important that it connects logically with the rest of the essay. To do this, you can utilize different transition words for essays to start. Here are some starting transition words for essays:

Transition Words for Essays Body Paragraph

In an essay, body paragraphs play a crucial role in presenting and developing your ideas. To ensure a logical flow within each body paragraph, the strategic use of transition words is essential.

Here are lists of transitions for essays for different body paragraphs:

Transition Words for Essays for First Body Paragraph

Here is a list of transition words that you can use for the first body paragraph of an essay:

Transition Words for Essays Second Body Paragraph

Here is a list of transition words for the second body paragraph of an essay:

Transition Words for Essays Third Body Paragraph

Transition words for essays last body paragraph, transition words for essays conclusion .

Here is a list of ending transition words for essays:

Do’s and Don’ts of Using Essay Transitions

When it comes to using transitions in your essay, there are certain do's and don'ts that can help you effectively enhance the flow of your writing. Here are some key guidelines to keep in mind:

Add transitions only when introducing new ideas.
Go through the paper to make sure they make sense.
Start by creating an outline, so you know what ideas to share and how.
Use different transitions for each idea.
Don’t overuse them.
Don’t keep adding transitions in the same paragraph.
Don’t completely rely on transitions to signal relationships.
Don’t incorporate it into your content without understanding its usage.

By now, you have probably understood how transition words can save you from disjointed and directionless paragraphs. They are the missing piece that indicates how ideas are related to one another. You can also generate more essays with our AI powered essay writer to learn the art of transitioning smoothly from one paragraph to another.

If you are still unable to distinguish transitions to open or conclude your essays, don’t be upset - these things require time and practice.

If you are looking for the perfect essay-writing service, get in touch with the expert writers at 5StarEssays.com. We will include the right transitions according to the type of paper, ensuring a coherent flow of ideas.

Just say ‘ write my essay ’ now and let our essay writer create quality content at the most pocket-friendly rates available.

As a Digital Content Strategist, Nova Allison has eight years of experience in writing both technical and scientific content. With a focus on developing online content plans that engage audiences, Nova strives to write pieces that are not only informative but captivating as well.

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Informative Essay — Purpose, Structure, and Examples

What is informative writing?

Informative writing educates the reader about a certain topic. An informative essay may explain new information, describe a process, or clarify a concept. The provided information is objective, meaning the writing focuses on presentation of fact and should not contain personal opinion or bias.

Informative writing includes description, process, cause and effect, comparison, and problems and possible solutions:

Describes a person, place, thing, or event using descriptive language that appeals to readers’ senses

Explains the process to do something or how something was created

Discusses the relationship between two things, determining how one ( cause ) leads to the other ( effect ); the effect needs to be based on fact and not an assumption

Identifies the similarities and differences between two things; does not indicate that one is better than the other

Details a problem and presents various possible solutions ; the writer does not suggest one solution is more effective than the others

Purpose of informative writing

The purpose of an informative essay depends upon the writer’s motivation, but may be to share new information, describe a process, clarify a concept, explain why or how, or detail a topic’s intricacies.

Informative essays may introduce readers to new information .

Summarizing a scientific/technological study

Outlining the various aspects of a religion

Providing information on a historical period

Describe a process or give step-by-step details of a procedure.

How to write an informational essay

How to construct an argument

How to apply for a job

Clarify a concept and offer details about complex ideas.

Explain why or how something works the way that it does.

Describe how the stock market impacts the economy

Illustrate why there are high and low tides

Detail how the heart functions

Offer information on the smaller aspects or intricacies of a larger topic.

Identify the importance of the individual bones in the body

Outlining the Dust Bowl in the context of the Great Depression

Explaining how bees impact the environment

How to write an informative essay

Regardless of the type of information, the informative essay structure typically consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction

Background information

Explanation of evidence

Restated thesis

Review of main ideas

Closing statement

Informative essay introduction

When composing the introductory paragraph(s) of an informative paper, include a hook, introduce the topic, provide background information, and develop a good thesis statement.

If the hook or introduction creates interest in the first paragraph, it will draw the readers’ attention and make them more receptive to the essay writer's ideas. Some of the most common techniques to accomplish this include the following:

Emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or by indicating that the subject is influential.

Use pertinent statistics to give the paper an air of authority.

A surprising statement can be shocking; sometimes it is disgusting; sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.

An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the informative essay topic and focus on what is to follow.

Directly introduce the topic of the essay.

Provide the reader with the background information necessary to understand the topic. Don’t repeat this information in the body of the essay; it should help the reader understand what follows.

Identify the overall purpose of the essay with the thesis (purpose statement). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.

Informative essay body paragraphs

Each body paragraph should contain a topic sentence, evidence, explanation of evidence, and a transition sentence.

A good topic sentence should identify what information the reader should expect in the paragraph and how it connects to the main purpose identified in the thesis.

Provide evidence that details the main point of the paragraph. This includes paraphrasing, summarizing, and directly quoting facts, statistics, and statements.

Explain how the evidence connects to the main purpose of the essay.

Place transitions at the end of each body paragraph, except the last. There is no need to transition from the last support to the conclusion. A transition should accomplish three goals:

Tell the reader where you were (current support)

Tell the reader where you are going (next support)

Relate the paper’s purpose

Informative essay conclusion

Incorporate a rephrased thesis, summary, and closing statement into the conclusion of an informative essay.

Rephrase the purpose of the essay. Do not just repeat the purpose statement from the thesis.

Summarize the main idea found in each body paragraph by rephrasing each topic sentence.

End with a clincher or closing statement that helps readers answer the question “so what?” What should the reader take away from the information provided in the essay? Why should they care about the topic?

Informative essay example

The following example illustrates a good informative essay format:

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Writing Tips

5 Examples of Concluding Words for Essays

4-minute read

19th September 2022

If you’re a student writing an essay or research paper, it’s important to make sure your points flow together well. You’ll want to use connecting words (known formally as transition signals) to do this. Transition signals like thus , also , and furthermore link different ideas, and when you get to the end of your work, you need to use these to mark your conclusion. Read on to learn more about transition signals and how to use them to conclude your essays.

Transition Signals

Transition signals link sentences together cohesively, enabling easy reading and comprehension. They are usually placed at the beginning of a sentence and separated from the remaining words with a comma. There are several types of transition signals, including those to:

● show the order of a sequence of events (e.g., first, then, next)

● introduce an example (e.g., specifically, for instance)

● indicate a contrasting idea (e.g., but, however, although)

● present an additional idea (e.g., also, in addition, plus)

● indicate time (e.g., beforehand, meanwhile, later)

● compare (e.g., likewise, similarly)

● show cause and effect (e.g., thus, as a result)

● mark the conclusion – which we’ll focus on in this guide.

When you reach the end of an essay, you should start the concluding paragraph with a transition signal that acts as a bridge to the summary of your key points. Check out some concluding transition signals below and learn how you can use them in your writing.

To Conclude…

This is a particularly versatile closing statement that can be used for almost any kind of essay, including both formal and informal academic writing. It signals to the reader that you will briefly restate the main idea. As an alternative, you can begin the summary with “to close” or “in conclusion.” In an argumentative piece, you can use this phrase to indicate a call to action or opinion:

To conclude, Abraham Lincoln was the best president because he abolished slavery.

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As Has Been Demonstrated…

To describe how the evidence presented in your essay supports your argument or main idea, begin the concluding paragraph with “as has been demonstrated.” This phrase is best used for research papers or articles with heavy empirical or statistical evidence.

As has been demonstrated by the study presented above, human activities are negatively altering the climate system.

The Above Points Illustrate…

As another transitional phrase for formal or academic work, “the above points illustrate” indicates that you are reiterating your argument and that the conclusion will include an assessment of the evidence you’ve presented.

The above points illustrate that children prefer chocolate over broccoli.

In a Nutshell…

A simple and informal metaphor to begin a conclusion, “in a nutshell” prepares the reader for a summary of your paper. It can work in narratives and speeches but should be avoided in formal situations.

In a nutshell, the Beatles had an impact on musicians for generations to come.

Overall, It Can Be Said…

To recap an idea at the end of a critical or descriptive essay, you can use this phrase at the beginning of the concluding paragraph. “Overall” means “taking everything into account,” and it sums up your essay in a formal way. You can use “overall” on its own as a transition signal, or you can use it as part of a phrase.

Overall, it can be said that art has had a positive impact on humanity.

Proofreading and Editing

Transition signals are crucial to crafting a well-written and cohesive essay. For your next writing assignment, make sure you include plenty of transition signals, and check out this post for more tips on how to improve your writing. And before you turn in your paper, don’t forget to have someone proofread your work. Our expert editors will make sure your essay includes all the transition signals necessary for your writing to flow seamlessly. Send in a free 500-word sample today!

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COMMENTS

Transition Sentences
Clear transitions are crucial to clear writing: They show the reader how different parts of your essay, paper, or thesis are connected. Transition sentences can be used to structure your text and link together paragraphs or sections. Example of a transition sentence for a new paragraph. In this case, the researchers concluded that the method ...
Transitions
explaining or elaborating. Transitions can signal to readers that you are going to expand on a point that you have just made or explain something further. Transitional words that signal explanation or elaboration include in other words, for example, for instance, in particular, that is, to illustrate, moreover. drawing conclusions.
Transitional Words and Phrases
Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between ideas in your paper and can help your reader understand the logic of your paper. However, these words all have different meanings, nuances, and connotations. Before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely and be sure…
33 Transition Words for Essays
33 Transition Words and Phrases. 'Besides,' 'furthermore,' 'although,' and other words to help you jump from one idea to the next. Transitional terms give writers the opportunity to prepare readers for a new idea, connecting the previous sentence to the next one. Many transitional words are nearly synonymous: words that broadly indicate that ...
Transitions
A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a phrase, or a sentence. Transitions can be at the end of the first paragraph, at the beginning of the second paragraph, or in both places. Transitions within paragraphs: As with transitions between sections and paragraphs, transitions within paragraphs act ...
Common Transition Words and Phrases
Common Transition Words and Phrases. ... 9. Emphasis. Use to suggest that an idea is particularly important to your argument important to note, most of all, a significant factor, a primary concern, a key feature, remember that, pay particular attention to, a central issue, the most substantial issue, the main value, a major event, the chief factor, a distinctive quality, especially valuable ...
Understanding Transition Sentences (For Essays and Writing with Examples)
A good transition sentence would bring clarity by linking ideas expressed in the sentences before and after it. Words and phrases like 'however,' 'in contrast,' 'for instance,' 'in fact,' and 'therefore' can get used to help make the transition. Transition sentence example. Many transition words are available to use.
70+ Transition words for essays with examples
Transition words for essays with examples. Here are examples of sentences using each of the transition words for cause: Additionally: "She enjoys playing the piano. Additionally, she is proficient in playing the guitar.". Furthermore: "The research indicated a positive correlation between exercise and mental health.
PDF 7th Edition Transitions Quick Guide
start of a paragraph to show how the paragraph logically connects with the previous paragraph. This handout covers only transitional words and phrases. • Transitional words and phrases serve two purposes: 1. They clarify the relationship between sentences (e.g., whether a sentence elaborates on or gives an example
Transition Words: Examples In Sentences, Paragraphs & Essays
The last thing you want is your transition words to feel trite and uninspired. Discover what these words are and a variety of examples for your writing here.
Transitional Phrases
Here is a list of some common transitional phrases that can be used to help make your ideas flow. To Add. To Compare/Show Similarity. To Contrast/Show Differences. To Show Cause & Effect. To Illustrate/Give an Example. To Generalize. To Emphasize. To Restate.
45 Best Transition Words and Phrases For Essays
All in all. Pro tip: Words like 'for', 'and', 'nor', 'but', 'or', 'yet', and 'since' shouldn't be used at the beginning of a sentence if you're writing a formal essay. "The best part of your story is when it changes.". - Bella Bloom Bonus material - a printable PDF chart with link words (always keep it ...
A List of 200+ Transition Words For Essays
Transition Words for Argumentative Essays. 4. Transition Words for Persuasive Essays. 5. Transition Words for Compare and Contrast Essays. 6. Transition Words for Informative Essays. 7. Transition Words for Expository Essays.
PDF transitional words and phrases
set off the transition word from the second 'sentence.' Example 1: People use 43 muscles when they frown; however, they use only 28 muscles when they smile. Example 2: However, transitional words can also be placed at the beginning of a new paragraph or sentence - not only to indicate a step forward in the reasoning, but
Make Smooth Transitions: 300+ Strong Transition Words for Essays
What are Transition Words and Phrases. Having strong transition words for essays is pivotal as it leads the reader from one idea to another. In the absence of transition words, sentences would not have a structure, appear connected, or flow smoothly. Using transition words prevents the reader from having to jump from one paragraph or sentence ...
Transition Words & Phrases
Example sentence. Transition words and phrases. Addition. We found that the mixture was effective. Moreover, it appeared to have additional effects we had not predicted. indeed, furthermore, moreover, additionally, and, also, both x and y, not only x but also y, besides x, in fact. Introduction.
220 Good Transition Words for Essays by Experts
Transition Words for Essays for First Body Paragraph. Here is a list of transition words that you can use for the first body paragraph of an essay: Firstly. To start off. Primarily. Another important factor is. To begin with. In the beginning. Above all.
Informative Essay
Purpose of informative writing. The purpose of an informative essay depends upon the writer's motivation, but may be to share new information, describe a process, clarify a concept, explain why or how, or detail a topic's intricacies. Informative essays may introduce readers to new information. Summarizing a scientific/technological study.
5 Examples of Concluding Words for Essays
To recap an idea at the end of a critical or descriptive essay, you can use this phrase at the beginning of the concluding paragraph. "Overall" means "taking everything into account," and it sums up your essay in a formal way. You can use "overall" on its own as a transition signal, or you can use it as part of a phrase.

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Understanding Transition Sentences (For Essays and Writing with Examples)

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5 Examples of Transitions (Types of Transitions)

Of addition

Of contrast

Of comparison

Subordinating conjunctions and transition sentences

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Communicate similarities

Express emphasis

Cause and effect

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Describe a sequence

To show examples

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Examples of transition sentences for essays

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70+ Transition words for essays with examples

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45 Best Transition Words and Phrases For Essays

What are transition words?

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