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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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

Transition Words for Essays

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.

Transition Words for Essays

On this Page

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.

Nova A.

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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Make Smooth Transitions: 300+ Strong Transition Words for Essays

Adela B.

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 for essays - wordscoach.com

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.”

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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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190 Good Transition Words for Essays

August 23, 2023

good transitions words for essays, college

Essay writing consists of two primary procedures: coming up with the content we want to include and structuring that content. These procedures might take place in either order or they could occur simultaneously. When writing an essay it is important to think about the ways that content and structure complement one another. The best essays join these two elements in thoughtful ways. Transition words for essays (including for college essays) are some of our most primary tools when it comes to structuring a piece of writing.

When beginning an essay it is often recommended to begin with a messy first draft. The purpose of this draft is to get everything out on the page. You should put down as many ideas and trajectories as you can without worrying too much about phrasing or whether they will make it into the final draft. The key here is to be loose—to get ahead of our self-editors and expel everything we can from our minds.

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (Continued)

While this is a good strategy for beginning an essay it will likely leave you unsure how everything fits together. This is where transition words come in. As you will see in this list (which is necessarily incomplete) the range of transition words for essays is vast. Each transition word implies a different relation, often in subtle ways. After accumulating content, the next step is to figure out how the elements fit together towards an overall goal (this could be but is not necessarily an “argument”). Consulting this list of transition words for essays can provide a shortcut for determining how one piece might lead into another. Along with transition words, rhetorical devices and literary devices are other tools to consider during this stage of essay writing.

Transition Words for College Essays

While this list will be a useful tool for all types of essay writing it will be particularly helpful when it comes to finding the right transition words for college essays . The goal of a college essay is to give a strong overall sense of its author in the tight space of 650 words. As you might imagine, it’s not easy to encompass a life or convey a complex personality in such a space. When writing a college essay you are working with a huge amount of potential content. Students often want to squeeze in as much as they can. To this end, transition words for college essays are essential tools to have at our disposal.

Here is our list of transition words for college essays and other essays. It is organized by the different types of transition words/phrases and their functions. While this organization should be convenient, keep in mind that there’s plenty of overlap. Many of these words can function in multiple ways.

1) Additive Transitions

These words function in an additive manner, accumulating content to build upon what has already been stated. They can be used to construct an argument or establish a scene through the accumulation of details.

  • Additionally
  • In addition to
  • Furthermore
  • Not to mention
  • In all honesty
  • To tell the truth
  • Not only…but also
  • As a matter of fact
  • To say nothing of
  • What’s more
  • Alternatively
  • To go a step further

 2) Comparative Transitions (Similarity)

  These transition words draw a parallel or bring out a similarity between images or ideas. They can be used not only in a straightforward sense but also to establish relations of similarity between objects or ideas that might appear to be dissonant.

  • In the same way
  • In a similar vein
  • Along the lines of
  • In the key of

 3) Comparative Transitions (Difference)

  While also functioning comparatively, the following words demonstrate difference between ideas or images. These transition words are useful when it comes to establishing contrasting points of view, an important component of any argument.

  • On the other hand
  • On the contrary
  • In contrast to
  • In contradiction
  • Nevertheless
  • Nonetheless
  • In any event
  • In any case
  • In either event

4) Sequential Transitions

  The following are particularly effective transition words for college essays. They will allow you to order ideas chronologically or in a sequence, providing a sense of continuity over time. This is particularly useful when an essay leans into something more creative or involves telling a story.

  • Subsequently
  • At the same time
  • Concurrently
  • In the beginning
  • At the start
  • At the outset
  • Off the bat

5) Spatial Transitions

Rather than organizing ideas or images in regards to sequence, these transitions indicate spatial relationships. They are particularly useful when it comes to painting a scene and/or describing objects, but they can also be used metaphorically. Consider, for example, how you might use the transition, “standing in […’s] shadow.”

  • Standing in […’s] shadow
  • In front of
  • In the middle
  • In the center
  • To the left
  • To the right
  • On the side
  • Adjacent to
  • Around the bend
  • On the outskirts
  • In the distance
  • On the horizon
  • In the foreground
  • In the background
  • Underground
  • Through the grapevine

 6) Causal Transitions

These transition words for essays indicate cause and effect relationships between ideas. They will be particularly useful when you are structuring a logical argument, i.e. using logos as a mode of persuasion . Causal transitions are an important element of academic, legal and scientific writing.

  • Accordingly
  • Resultingly
  • As a result
  • Consequently
  • In consequence
  • As a consequence
  • For this reason
  • So much that
  • Granting that
  • That being the case
  • Under those circumstances
  • With this in mind
  • For the purpose of
  • For all intents and purposes
  • In the event that
  • In the event of
  • In light of
  • On the condition that
  • To the extent that

7) Examples/Illustration/Supporting Transition

  These transition words for college essays can be used to introduce supporting evidence, emphasis, examples, and clarification. There is some overlap here with additive transitions and causal transitions. These transitions are also useful when it comes to building an argument. At the same time, they can signal a shift into a different linguistic register.

  • For example
  • For instance
  • In other words
  • As an illustration
  • To illustrate
  • To put it differently
  • To put it another way
  • That is to say
  • As the evidence illustrates
  • It’s important to realize
  • It’s important to understand
  • It must be remembered
  • To demonstrate
  • For clarity’s sake
  • To emphasize
  • To put it plainly
  • To enumerate
  • To speak metaphorically

8) Conclusory Transitions

These transition words for essays serve to bring an idea or story to a close. They offer a clear way of signaling the conclusion of a particular train of thought. They might be followed by a summary or a restatement of an essay’s argument. In this way they also provide emphasis, setting the reader up for what is about to come.

  • In conclusion
  • To summarize
  • To put it succinctly
  • To this end
  • At the end of the day
  • In the final analysis
  • By and large
  • On second thought
  • On first glance
  • That’s all to say
  • On the whole
  • All things considered
  • Generally speaking

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (Final Thoughts)

Even when elements appear to be disparate on first glance, transition words are a great tool for giving your essay a smooth flow. They can also create surprising juxtapositions, relationships, and equivalences. The way a reader will understand a transition word depends on the context in which they encounter it.

Individual words and phrases can be used in a wide variety of ways, ranging from the literal to the figurative to the colloquial or idiomatic. “Through the grapevine” is an example of the colloquial or idiomatic. When we encounter this phrase we don’t interpret it literally (as hearing something “through” a grapevine) but rather as hearing news secondhand. There are, of course, a vast number of idioms that are not included in this list but can also function as transitional phrases.

This list of transition words for college essays (and really any form of writing you might be working on) is a resource that you can return to again and again in your life as a writer. Over years of writing we tend to fall into patterns when it comes to the transition words we use. Mixing things up can be exciting both as a writer and for your readers. Even if you don’t choose to stray from your trusted transitions, considering the alternatives (and why they don’t work for you) can offer a deeper understanding of what you are trying to say.

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (An Exercise)

As an exercise in self-understanding, you may want to try highlighting all of the transition words in a piece of your own writing. You can then compare this to the transition words in a piece of writing that you admire. Are they using similar transitions or others? Are they using them more or less often? What do you like or dislike about them? We all use transition words differently, creating different tonal effects. Keeping an eye out for them, not only as a writer but also as a reader, will help you develop your own aesthetic.

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Emmett Lewis

Emmett holds a BA in Philosophy from Vassar College and is currently completing an MFA in Writing at Columbia University. Previously, he served as a writing instructor within the Columbia Artists/Teachers community as well as a Creative Writing Teaching Fellow at Columbia, where he taught poetry workshops. In addition, Emmett is a member of the Poetry Board at the Columbia Journal , and his work has been published in HAD , Otoliths , and Some Kind of Opening , among others.

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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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Table of contents

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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Thirty Transition Words for Essays

Thirty Transition Words for Essays

3-minute read

  • 10th August 2023

When writing an essay, you may know the main ideas and points you’re going to cover, but connecting them into a smooth, flowing piece of text that’s easy for readers to follow can seem like a challenge.

 Enter transition words . These words work like bridges between sentences and paragraphs so there are no jumps or choppy parts of your writing. Which transition words are appropriate for formal writing, and how do you choose the right ones for the connections you need to make? Check out our guide below.

Comparing or Contrast

If you want to introduce an idea in comparison to another, here are some transition words you can use:

If you want to add information or an extra point to an established one, try these transition words:

Proving or Causing

If you want to establish that one concept is the reason for another or serves as proof of an idea, some suitable transition words to use are:

Showing Sequence

Whether you’re establishing literal timing or just organizing your points into a sequence, use these transition words:

Emphasizing

If you want to emphasize or repeat a point, these transition words work well:

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Summarizing

If you want to lead into a conclusion or summary of an idea, here are some transition words you can use:

Tips for Using Transition Words in Essays

While transition words can be very useful in essays, you should keep a few things in mind. When using transition words or phrases, make sure that you:

Understand Their Meaning

Each transition word or phrase has a slightly (or vastly) different meaning than the next, so don’t view them as words that you can use interchangeably. Make sure you understand a word’s exact meaning and that it aligns with the connection you’re trying to make.

Don’t Overuse Them

Use transition words sparingly. Littering your paper with transitions can make your readers feel like you’re overexplaining concepts, and it adds unnecessary wordiness.

Don’t Start Sentences With Informal Transitions

Although starting a sentence with and or but is more acceptable than we may have once learned in elementary school, it’s still considered informal . You should avoid starting a sentence with informal transition words like and , but , or , so , and also , swapping them for more formal terms that have the same effect.

There are loads of transition words that you can use to help you connect ideas in your essay. We hope this post gave you some ideas. And once you finish a draft, send a copy our way. We can make sure you use transition words correctly as well as check your writing for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and more. Try it out for free today.

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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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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

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Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing an argumentative essay requires a lot of effort aside from research. Besides grammar and structure, you definitely need to make sure your essay is coherent by using transitions.

Argumentative essay transition words allow you to wrap up a piece of evidence to support your main point and then move on to another. Keep reading for tips and an exhaustive list of transition words I put together for your argumentative essays.

What Is a Transition Word?

strong transition words essay

A transition word is critical to producing quality content. Also known as linking words, transition words make basic connections between sentences and paragraphs to show a relationship between ideas.

A strong transition is crucial when writing an essay. It’s not enough that you provide complete information about your main points and supporting details. You also have to make your argument attractive and logical by using transitions in your academic essay.

The absence of transition words will make your paper less readable and understandable. But too many transitions can also ruin your piece. Use them in moderation to avoid confusion about your document.

Function and Importance of Transitions

The goal of transition words is to convey ideas clearly and concisely to your readers. If you’re writing an argumentative paper, you want to make logical connections in your document to prove your central point.

Transitional phrases and words help you produce a logical flow from one sentence or paragraph to another. In other words, they introduce what the following information will be. Some transitions come in single words, while others come in complete phrases and sentences.

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There are many categories of transitions, including those that present counterarguments and others that build on your arguments. Be careful about using the wrong transition. Otherwise, you won’t achieve your goal of clarity and conciseness. Consider these examples.

  • “ For instance , an anonymous TikTok user reports having a shorter attention span because of its over-swiping feature.” (In this sentence, for instance is used to provide an example).
  • “ Here’s an exception to my previous point. ” (This entire sentence is a transition, showing a logical connection between the previous and following sentences).

Transition can also be a sentence to a paragraph long. I’ll show you an example.

Paragraph A: A point that supports co-sleeping as a parenting method.

Transition: Despite this, there are many reasons that prove co-sleeping leads to sleep-related accidents.

Paragraph B: Points that oppose co-sleeping.

Types of Transition Words

There are several types of transitions you can use for making high-quality essays.

Transition Between Paragraphs

A type of transition required for a well-written essay is one you can find between paragraphs. Once you’ve arranged each paragraph according to your outline, it’s important to start each with an effective transition. This word or phrase is usually present in the topic sentence of the body.

Some examples include however, similarly, and for example. But these transition expressions cannot be a single sentence long. The initial sentence of every paragraph should be clear and substantial instead of simply connecting ideas.

Transition Within Paragraphs

Creating a powerful transition within every paragraph of your academic papers avoids choppy sentences. It provides a sense of connection between complex ideas to help readers anticipate what is coming.

These are usually single words or short phrases like in addition, since, and if.

Transition Between Sections

The last type of transition phrases and sentences are those between sections. You’ll find them all over the entire paper to summarize the information. They can be restatements of arguments or a short closing sentence to ensure the flow of ideas.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

It’s a type of essay that requires you to research a subject matter and establish a position for or against it.

Aside from researching and evaluating evidence, showing a relationship between sentences and sections is essential when writing a paper. This will allow you to wrap up an idea and then start another. You must cite different sources to support your point of view, then show counterarguments.

The entire essay should include an introduction, a conclusion, and at least three body paragraphs.

How Do You Start an Argumentative Essay?

Every type of paper starts with an introduction, which usually includes a hook, background, and thesis statement.

The common essay introduction piques the reader’s interest through a surprising statistic or an interesting question. Provide readers with a background of your entire content piece, then state your main argument in a clear sentence.

Transition expressions are not yet essential in this stage of essay writing. Focus on setting up your point and discussing how you will argue it throughout the paper.

Common Transitions for Argumentative Essay Writing

Take a look at this list of transitional words and phrases commonly used to make strong arguments.

  • Additionally
  • In addition
  • Not only… but also
  • In the same way
  • Comparatively
  • Furthermore
  • Equally important

Counterargument Transition Words

Here’s a transition word list for essays showing different sides of an argument.

  • While it is true that
  • Nevertheless
  • Despite this
  • On the other hand
  • Be that as it may
  • Even though
  • Although this may be true

Transition Words and Phrases for Comparing and Contrasting

Here’s a breakdown of transition words and phrases you can use when comparing and contrasting.

  • In spite of
  • On the contrary
  • Different from
  • In contrast

Transition Words to Include in Your College Essay

Here are some examples of transition words you can use when applying for college admission or scholarship.

  • To put it in another way
  • To demonstrate
  • As an illustration
  • By all means
  • In other words

Transition Words for Cause and Effect

Consider this transition word list when showing cause and effect.

  • As a result
  • For this reason
  • Consequently
  • Accordingly
  • Under those circumstances
  • Because the

Transition Words for Essay Paragraphs

  • At the present time
  • In due time
  • To begin with
  • All of a sudden
  • Immediately
  • In a moment

Transitions to Emphasize a Point

  • Most of all
  • The main problem/issue is
  • Without question
  • More importantly
  • Most important of all

Transition Words for Additional Support or Evidence

Transition words for sequence or order, transition words for space or place.

  • In the middle of
  • In the distance
  • In the background
  • Here and there
  • On the side

To Cite a Source or Paraphrase

  • According to
  • This means that
  • Put it more simply

Transition Words to Begin a Body Paragraph

  • What is more
  • Beyond that

Transition Words to Introduce Details

  • For example
  • As an example
  • For instance
  • A case in point
  • Specifically
  • In particular
  • More specifically

Transition Words for Conclusion

  • As can be seen
  • By and large
  • On the whole
  • To summarize
  • In the final analysis
  • Generally speaking

More Transition Words

  • With this intention
  • In order to
  • In the hope that
  • With this in mind
  • For the purpose of
  • Provided that

Tips for Using Argumentative Essay Transitions

strong transition words essay

Follow these tips to improve your use of transitions in your essay.

Know What the Transitions Mean

Non-native speakers may need help knowing the meaning of every transition expression, so research every term before using it.

There are also many categories of transition words. You can use them to summarize points, show contradictions, express sequence, or begin a paragraph.

Start Your Essay with an Outline

Writing an outline will make it easier to map your ideas and move them around. This strategy will help you transition between paragraphs.

Don’t Overuse Transitions

The last mistake you shouldn’t make is overuse. Instead of making connections between sentences, you’ll make your paper more difficult to read. It creates more incoherence and distraction in your writing, contradicting its intended purpose in your paper.

Use Transition Words Properly

Now you know how to use transition words and phrases for your argumentative essay through this guide and list. These expressions will help you produce a coherent relationship between every idea.

Mastering transitions for your essay may not be a piece of cake, but practice makes perfect. Don’t forget to revise and proofread your argumentative before submitting it to your professor.

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Essay Writing Guide

Transition Words For Essays

Nova A.

Transition Words For Essays - The Ultimate List

11 min read

transition words for essays

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Do you find it challenging to make your essays flow smoothly and hold your readers' attention from start to finish? Are your paragraphs disjointed, leaving your writing feeling unpolished?

It can be frustrating when your ideas don't connect seamlessly. You might wonder how to make your writing shine and ensure it leaves a lasting impression on your professors.

Don't worry; we've got you covered! 

In this guide, we'll introduce you to transition words for essays. These words are your secret weapon for crafting well-structured, compelling essays that will impress your teachers and elevate your writing game.  Let's get started!

Arrow Down

  • 1. What are Good Transition Words for Essays?
  • 2. Examples of Different Types of Transition Words
  • 3.   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
  • 8. Transition Words for Cause and Effect Essays
  • 9. Transition Words for Synthesis Essays
  • 10. Transition Words for Analysis Essays
  • 11. Conclusion Transition Words for Essays
  • 12. Beginning Transition Words for Essays
  • 13. Paragraph Transition Words for Essays
  • 14. Transition Words for Quotes in Essays
  • 15. Transition Words for Essays Middle School
  • 16. Transition Words for Essays High School
  • 17. Transition Words for Essays College
  • 18. Do’s and Don’ts of Using Transition Words

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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Nova Allison is a Digital Content Strategist with over eight years of experience. Nova has also worked as a technical and scientific writer. She is majorly involved in developing and reviewing online content plans that engage and resonate with audiences. Nova has a passion for writing that engages and informs her readers.

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Transition words for essays

Transition words for essays

The right transition words can transform a mediocre essay into a great paper. In this post, we discuss why effective transitions can substantially improve the quality and readability of your essay and provide examples of commonly used transition words.

What are transitions?

Transitions are the places in your paper where you move on to a new idea or paragraph. They may also be points at which you want to add to, expand upon, or conclude a previous statement.

The best transitions are signaled clearly by keywords and phrases that let the reader know that you’re moving on. Transition words typically occur at the beginning of a sentence.

How do transition words improve your essay?

Quality transitions are often the difference between a decent essay and a strong one. Transition words give clear signals to the reader that you are moving on to a new idea and this enables them to more easily follow your argument.

When a reader can efficiently follow the main threads of your paper, then they are more likely to be persuaded by your argument, which is the point of papers like argumentative essays .

Types of transition words

The transition words that you use in your paper will naturally depend on what kind of transition you’re making. In this section, we break down the main types of transitions that you might use in your essay and provide examples of common transition words.

Adding a point

There may be multiple times throughout a paper where you want to add to a point that you made or that came from one of your sources. To signal this, you might use one of the following phrases:

  • additionally
  • furthermore
  • in addition

Elaborating on a point

At other times, you may need to expand, or elaborate upon, a previously stated idea. In that case, you may utilize one of these keywords:

  • by extension
  • in other words
  • put differently

Introducing examples

Sometimes you may want to introduce an example that illustrates a previous point. To introduce examples, you can use one of the following phrases:

  • for example
  • for instance
  • specifically
  • to take a case in point

Indicating comparisons and contrasts

Some types of essays, like position papers, require you to introduce contrasting points of view. In order to transition from one perspective to another, you may want to use a transition word or phrase that signals a comparison or contrast:

Comparison :

  • along the same lines
  • in the same way
  • in the same vein
  • by contrast
  • even though
  • in contrast
  • nevertheless
  • nonetheless
  • on the contrary
  • on the other hand

Showing cause and effect

If you’re building an argument and you want to indicate that one point is dependent on another, you might want to employ one of these phrases to signal that transition:

  • accordingly
  • as a result
  • consequently

When you are ready to conclude a point or prepare your reader for your paper’s conclusion, it’s important to signal that you’re at that stage. Consider using one of these transition words to do so:

  • in conclusion
  • to summarize

If you are transitioning between your own words and borrowed material from secondary sources, be sure to properly cite any ideas that aren’t your own. You can use the BibGuru citation generator to create instant, accurate citations for a range of source types, including books , articles , and websites .

Frequently Asked Questions about transition words for essays

Commonly used transition words include: additionally, although, as a result, for example, for instance, however, moreover, therefore, thus, and ultimately.

To link two points together, or to add to a previous point, you might use transition words like:

The most popular types of transitions are those that introduce examples or that add to, elaborate upon, compare or contrast, or conclude a previous point.

To signal a transition in an essay, use a transition word or phrase. Choose a phrase based on the kind of transition that you’re making.

Transition words give clear signals to the reader that you are moving on to a new idea and or that you want to add to, expand, or conclude a previous point. Transition words can also be used to introduce examples and to indicate a comparison or contrast.

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Transition Words For Essays

Barbara P

Transition Words for Essays - An Ultimate List

12 min read

Published on: Jan 1, 2021

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Are you tired of reading essays that feel disjointed and difficult to follow? Do you find yourself struggling to connect your ideas smoothly and effectively? 

If so, then you're in luck, because today we're going to take a closer look at the magic of transition words.

In this blog, we'll cover different types of transition words and their precise usage, and how they can elevate your writing. By the end, you'll have the tools to captivate your readers and leave a lasting impression. 

Let's dive in!

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What are Transition Words?

Transition words are linking words used to connect sentences and ideas in the content. They help the audience move from one idea to another, building a coherent relationship within the document.

When  writing an essay , it is essential to make sure that the information provided is readable and understandable by the readers. For this purpose, explicit language, transition words, and phrases are used.

Moreover, these words set a base for the idea that is going to be discussed next.

Transition words can either make or break the entire essay. It is mandatory to keep in view that not every sentence in your essay needs a transitional phrase. 

Types of Transitions

Generally, there are three types of transitions that are used while drafting a piece of document. Depending on the length, complexity, and kind of text, transitions can take the following form:

  • Transition Between Sections - When your document is lengthy, transition paragraphs are used to summarize a particular section for the readers. In addition to this, it also links the information that is to be shared next.

For example:

"In the following section..." "Moving on to..." "Now, let's explore..." "Turning our attention to..." "To delve deeper, we will now examine..."

  • Transition Between Paragraphs -  The transition between paragraphs is when you logically connect the two paragraphs. This connection summarizes the paragraph’s primary concern and links it to the next idea of the other paragraph.

"Furthermore..." "On the other hand..." "Similarly..." "In contrast..." "Moreover..." "Additionally..." "In addition to..." "Conversely..." "Likewise..." "In a similar vein...

  • Transition Within Paragraphs -  They act as cues for the readers to prepare them for what is coming next. They are usually single words or small phrases.

"For instance..." "In particular..." "To illustrate..." "Additionally..." "Moreover..." "Furthermore..." "On the contrary..." "However..." "In contrast..." "In other words..."

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Types of Transition Words

Here's a table showcasing different types of transition words and their corresponding functions:

Transition Words For Different Types of Essays

Transitional words depend on the relationship you want to convey to the audience about the ideas and paragraphs. Below is a list of words and phrases that can be used to link different sentences, paragraphs, and sections.

Identify which transition expression you want to share for your logical relationship.

Transition Words for Argumentative Essay

  • In the same way
  • Equally important
  • Furthermore
  • Comparatively
  • Additionally
  • In addition
  • Not only...but also

Transition Words for Compare and Contrast Essay

  • In contrast
  • Different from
  • On the contrary
  • In spite of

Transition Words for Informative Essay

  • Provided that
  • With this in mind
  • For the purpose of
  • In the hope that
  • In order to
  • With this intention

Transition Words for College Essays

  • In other words
  • By all means
  • To demonstrate
  • As in illustration
  • To put it another way

Transition Words for Cause and Effect Essay

  • As a result
  • For this reason
  • Because the
  • Under those circumstances
  • Accordingly
  • Consequently

Transition Words for Expository Essay 

  • Not long after that
  • Specifically
  • To begin with
  • Without doubt
  • Undoubtedly
  • Due to circumstances
  • In similar fashion

Transition Words for Different Parts of Essay

Here's a table listing transition words for different parts of an essay:

How Transitions work

Transitions work by creating a bridge between ideas, sentences, paragraphs, or sections in your essay. They help to establish logical connections and guide the reader through the flow of your writing. 

Here's how transitions work:

  • Coherence : Transitions create smooth connections between ideas, ensuring a coherent flow in your writing.
  • Signal Relationships: Transitions clarify how ideas are related, such as cause and effect, comparison, contrast, or sequence.
  • Guide the Reader: It acts as signpost, guiding readers through your essay and indicating the direction of your thoughts.
  • Enhance Clarity: Transitions improve clarity by organizing ideas and helping readers understand logical progression.
  • Improve Flow: It ensures a seamless flow between sentences, paragraphs, and sections, preventing choppiness.
  • Emphasize Key Points: Transitions can be used strategically to highlight important ideas and make them more impactful.

Let's consider an example:

In the above example, transitions like " one such source " connect the idea of solar power to renewable energy sources. " Similarly " then introduces the concept of wind power, creating a logical progression. These transitions help readers follow the flow of ideas and understand the relationships between different energy sources.

Tips to Use Transition Words in your Essay

Here are some tips to effectively use transition words in your essay:

  • Understand the Purpose: Familiarize yourself with the different types and functions of transition words, phrases, or sentences. Recognize how they connect ideas, provide structure, and indicate relationships between different parts of your essay.
  • Plan your Essay Structure: Before you start writing, outline the main sections, paragraphs, and points you want to cover. Consider where transition words can be used to improve the flow and coherence of your essay.
  • Use Transition Words Appropriately: Ensure that the transition word you choose accurately reflects the relationship between ideas. Don't force a transition where it doesn't fit naturally.
  • Vary Transition Words: Avoid repetitive or excessive use of the same transition word throughout your essay. Use a variety of transition words to maintain reader interest and enhance overall readability.
  • Pay Attention to Placement: Place transition words at the beginning, middle, or end of sentences, depending on the desired effect. Consider the logical flow of your ideas and choose the appropriate placement for each transition word.
  • Use Transitional Phrases: Instead of using single transition words, consider incorporating transitional phrases or clauses. These can provide more context and clarity, strengthening the connection between ideas.
  • Revise and Edit: After completing your essay, review it for the effectiveness and smoothness of transitions. Ensure that they serve their purpose in guiding the reader and enhancing the overall coherence of your writing.
  • Seek Feedback: Share your essay with others and ask for feedback, specifically on the use of transition words. Others' perspectives can help you identify any areas that need improvement or where transitions could be strengthened.

To sum it up! While mastering transition words may require time and practice, it is a skill well worth developing. These words are crucial for creating coherence and flow in your essays. Throughout this blog, we have explored various transition words and phrases that can greatly enhance your writing.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't hesitate to apply these newfound skills in your future essays. You can utilize an AI essay writer to enhance and refine your writing skills.

If you still need assistance or have further inquiries, our team at CollegeEssay.org is available to provide legit essay writing service . 

Contact us today, and let us be a part of your journey toward academic excellence!

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

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Essential Transition Words for Essays to Smoothly Connect Your Ideas

By: Author ESLBUZZ

Posted on Last updated: September 8, 2023

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Transition words for essays are essential to writing. They are words or phrases that connect one idea to another, making it easier for readers to follow your train of thought. Using transition words can also make your writing more coherent and organized. In this article, we will explore the different types of transition words for essays and how to use them effectively.

Transition Words for Essay

Essential Transition Words for Essays to Smoothly Connect Your Ideas

Understanding Transition Words for Essays

Transition words are crucial in writing because they help to establish a clear and logical connection between different ideas and sentences. They help to create a smooth flow of ideas and thoughts, making your writing more coherent and easy to understand.

Using transition words in your writing can also improve the overall quality of your work by making it more professional and polished. They help to create a sense of organization and structure, which can make your writing more engaging and effective.

Transition Words for Essays: Similarity and Contrast

Transition words for essays: similarity.

When writing an essay, it is important to use transition words that help connect your ideas and make your writing more coherent. Transition words for expressing similarity are used to show how two or more things are similar to each other. Here are some examples:

Example sentences:

  • My sister and I are both good at math. Likewise , we both enjoy solving puzzles.
  • Similarly , the two paintings share similar color schemes.
  • Both candidates are excellent speakers. Equally , they both have strong support from their parties.
  • In the same vein , the two novels share similar themes.
  • The company’s profits have increased. Correspondingly , the number of employees has also increased.
  • The movie was well-acted. Furthermore , the special effects were impressive.

Transition Words for Essays: Contrast

Transition words for expressing contrast are used to show how two or more things are different from each other. Here are some examples:

  • I love ice cream, but my sister prefers cake.
  • Although the weather was bad, we still had a great time at the beach.
  • I know the risks, nevertheless , I still want to try skydiving.
  • My brother loves sports, whereas I prefer reading.
  • I usually prefer coffee, on the other hand , today I feel like drinking tea.
  • Despite the traffic, we arrived on time.

Using these transition words will help you express similarity and contrast in your writing. By using them effectively, you can make your writing more clear and organized.

Transition Words for Essays: Cause and Effect

Transition words for essays: showing causes.

Cause indicating transition words are used to show the reason behind an action or event. These words explain why something happened. Here are some examples:

  • Because of the heavy rain, the match was canceled.
  • Due to the pandemic, many businesses had to close down.
  • Since the bus was late, I missed my appointment.
  • As a result of the accident, the road was closed for several hours.
  • Owing to the bad weather, the flight was delayed.
  • Thanks to his hard work, he got the promotion.
  • On account of the strike, the production was affected.

Transition Words for Essays: Showing Effects

Effect indicating transition words are used to show the result of an action or event. These words explain what happened as a consequence of something else. Here are some examples:

  • He missed the train; consequently , he was late for the meeting.
  • She didn’t study for the exam; therefore , she failed.
  • He invested all his money in the stock market ; thus , he became rich.
  • The company didn’t meet its targets; as a result , it had to lay off employees.
  • The car broke down; hence , we had to walk to the nearest gas station.
  • She forgot her keys; so , she had to call a locksmith.

Transition Words for Essays: Adding Information

Transition words for essays: addition.

Transition words for addition are used to add information to what has already been said. These words help to show that you are providing additional information that supports your argument. Some common transition words for addition are:

For example:

  • I love to read. Additionally, I enjoy watching movies.
  • The weather is beautiful. Furthermore, the flowers are blooming.
  • She is intelligent. Moreover, she is also kind.

Transition Words for Essays: Emphasis

Transition words for emphasis are used to emphasize a point or add emphasis to what has already been said. These words help to show that you are giving special attention to a particular point. Some common transition words for emphasis are:

  • In fact, I think that he is the best candidate for the job.
  • Indeed, it is a beautiful day today.
  • Without a doubt, she is the most talented musician I know.

Transition Words for Essays: Time and Sequence

Transition words for essays: time.

When writing an essay, it is important to use transition words that help to show the order of events. ‘Time’ transition words help to indicate when something happened or when it will happen. Below is a list of some common ‘time’ transition words:

Here are some example sentences using ‘time’ transition words:

  • First, we need to gather all the necessary materials.
  • Next, we’ll start putting everything together.
  • Then, we’ll let it sit for a few hours.
  • While the mixture is cooking, we can prepare the toppings.
  • In the meantime, we can set the table and get everything ready.
  • Subsequently, we’ll add the finishing touches.
  • Henceforth, we will be implementing this new policy.

Transition Words for Essays: Sequence

‘Sequence’ transition words help to show the order in which events occurred. They are useful for writing essays that require a clear chronological order of events. Below is a list of some common ‘sequence’ transition words:

Here are some example sentences using ‘sequence’ transition words:

  • The first step in the process is to gather all the necessary materials.
  • The second step is to mix all the ingredients together in a bowl.
  • Next, we’ll pour the mixture into a baking dish.
  • After that, we’ll put it in the oven and let it bake for 30 minutes.
  • Finally, we’ll take it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Transition Words for Essays: Illustrating Points

Transition words for essays: examples.

When you want to provide examples to support your argument, it is important to use transition words that signal to the reader that you are about to provide an example. Here are some examples of transition words for examples:

Example: “Many people enjoy outdoor activities, such as hiking, camping, and fishing.”

Transition Words for Essays: Clarification

When you want to clarify a point you have made, it is important to use transition words that signal to the reader that you are about to clarify something. Here are some examples of transition words for clarification:

Example: “The study found that regular exercise can improve mental health. In fact, people who exercise regularly are less likely to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety.”

Using transition words for illustrating points can help make your writing clearer and more organized. By using these words, you can help the reader understand the relationship between different ideas and examples.

Transition Words for Essays: Concluding Thoughts

Transition words for essays: summarizing.

When you want to summarize the main points of your essay, you can use transition words such as “in conclusion,” “to summarize,” or “overall.” These words signal to the reader that you are wrapping up your essay and summarizing the main ideas. Here are some more examples:

Transition Words for Essays: Final Thoughts

When you want to signal that you are reaching the end of your essay, you can use transition words such as “above all,” “especially,” or “particularly.” These words signal to the reader that you are making a final point or emphasizing an important idea. Here are some more examples:

Common Mistakes When Using Transition Words

Using Too Many Transition Words

One of the most common mistakes is using too many transition words. While transition words are useful, using too many can make your essay sound unnatural and difficult to read. It’s important to use transition words only when necessary to establish the relationship between sentences and paragraphs.

Using Transition Words Incorrectly

Another common mistake is using transition words incorrectly. For example, learners may use a transition word that doesn’t fit the relationship between sentences or paragraphs. It’s important to choose the right transition word that accurately reflects the relationship between the ideas.

Using Transition Words Inappropriately

Using transition words inappropriately can also weaken the support for your arguments. For example, learners may use a transition word to connect two unrelated ideas. This can lead to confusion and weaken the logic of the essay.

Not Using Transition Words at All

Finally, not using transition words at all can also weaken the support for your arguments. Transition words are essential for establishing the relationship between sentences and paragraphs. Without them, your essay can sound choppy and difficult to read.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some common transition words for essays?

Common transition words for essays include “however,” “therefore,” “meanwhile,” “furthermore,” “in addition,” “thus,” “consequently,” “nevertheless,” “in contrast,” and “similarly.”

How do transition words improve the flow of an essay?

Transition words improve the flow of an essay by linking ideas and creating a smooth transition between sentences and paragraphs. They help the reader follow the logic of the argument and understand the connections between different parts of the essay.

What are some transition words to use in the first body paragraph?

Some transition words to use in the first body paragraph include “firstly,” “to begin with,” “initially,” “in the first place,” “at the outset,” and “in the beginning.”

What are some transition words to use in the conclusion?

Some transition words to use in the conclusion include “in conclusion,” “to sum up,” “finally,” “in summary,” “to conclude,” and “as a result.”

Can you provide examples of transition statements?

Sure! Here are some examples of transition statements:

  • “However, there are also some drawbacks to this approach.”
  • “In addition to this, there is also evidence to suggest that…”
  • “On the other hand, some experts argue that…”
  • “Moreover, recent studies have shown that…”
  • “In contrast to this, another approach is to…”

What are some transition words to use when introducing evidence?

Some transition words to use when introducing evidence include “for example,” “such as,” “in particular,” “specifically,” “to illustrate,” and “namely.” These words help to signal to the reader that you are providing evidence to support your argument.

Common transition words for essays include \"however,\" \"therefore,\" \"meanwhile,\" \"furthermore,\" \"in addition,\" \"thus,\" \"consequently,\" \"nevertheless,\" \"in contrast,\" and \"similarly.\"

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"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are some transition words to use in the first body paragraph?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Some transition words to use in the first body paragraph include \"firstly,\" \"to begin with,\" \"initially,\" \"in the first place,\" \"at the outset,\" and \"in the beginning.\"

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are some transition words to use in the conclusion?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Some transition words to use in the conclusion include \"in conclusion,\" \"to sum up,\" \"finally,\" \"in summary,\" \"to conclude,\" and \"as a result.\"

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"Can you provide examples of transition statements?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

  • \"However, there are also some drawbacks to this approach.\"
  • \"In addition to this, there is also evidence to suggest that...\"
  • \"On the other hand, some experts argue that...\"
  • \"Moreover, recent studies have shown that...\"
  • \"In contrast to this, another approach is to...\"

"}},{"@type":"Question","name":"What are some transition words to use when introducing evidence?","acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"

Some transition words to use when introducing evidence include \"for example,\" \"such as,\" \"in particular,\" \"specifically,\" \"to illustrate,\" and \"namely.\" These words help to signal to the reader that you are providing evidence to support your argument.

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45 Best Transition Words and Phrases For Essays

Author: Rafal Reyzer

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:

5 rules of transition 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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Strong Transition Words for Essays

What are transition words and why are they important, the purpose of this article.

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Strong Transition Words for Essays

Types of Transition Words

Introduction and thesis statement transition words, connection between paragraphs transition words, defining and summarizing transition words.

  • Showing Cause and Effect Transition Words

Contrasting Ideas Transition Words

What are transition words and why are they important.

Transition words are words or phrases that show a connection between ideas, sentences and paragraphs. They help the reader understand the logic of a text by showing how different parts of the text are connected. They are often used to help move a discussion along, as well as to clarify or emphasize certain points.

Transition words can be classified into different types depending on the purpose they serve. Some of the most common types of transition words are those that introduce an idea, connect two ideas, contrast ideas, or show cause and effect. By using these words in your writing, you can communicate your ideas more clearly and effectively.

In essays, transition words are especially important because they help organize your writing and make it easier for the reader to follow your argument. When used correctly, transition words give your essay a cohesive flow that makes it easier for the reader to understand your points. For example, if you are introducing an argument, you might want to use transition words such as ‘however’, ‘despite’ or ‘nevertheless’ to make your point clearer. Similarly, if you are contrasting two or more ideas, you might use words such as ‘but’, ‘even though’ or ‘although’.

Using transition words also helps to ensure that your arguments are logically sound and that there is a clear flow of ideas throughout your essay. In addition, transition words can be used to help highlight the most important points of your argument and to emphasize the conclusions you reach. Therefore, they are essential tools to help you make your writing more engaging and effective.

Introduction

Transition words are essential for any essay or creative writing piece. They are words used to connect ideas and create logical flow in a sentence.

In this article, we’ll be taking you through the most useful transition words for essays. We’ll give a brief overview of the different types of transition words, and explain how you can use each one to make your essays flow better and create a more cohesive writing style.

The categories of transition words we’ll be discussing include:

Showing Cause & Effect Transition Words

At the conclusion of this guide, you should feel well versed in the use of strong transition words for essays. Let’s get started!

Overview of Transition Words

Writing can often seem disjointed and scattered, which is why having an understanding of transition words is so important. Transition words are words or phrases that help bridge the gap between ideas, making it easier to understand how one idea connects to the next. In this guide, we will discuss the five categories of transition words you should use in your essays for better articulation and clarity.

By the end of this guide, you will have a better understanding of how to use strong transition words for essays. You will be able to easily identify which type of transition word should be used for each particular situation and how to effectively incorporate them within your writing.

  • First/ Secondly/ Lastly : These transition words can help you introduce different points of your argument. This can be used in the introduction part of your essay to provide an overview of the points you plan to cover.
  • Moreover/ Additionally/ Furthermore : These words are often used when introducing additional evidence or information to support your argument or thesis statement.
  • In conclusion/ To conclude/ Finally : These transitions are usually used at the end of the introduction paragraph to signal the start of the thesis statement.
  • In summary/ To summarize/ Ultimately : These words can be used to wrap up the introduction paragraph and sum up the main points before transitioning into the thesis statement.

Introducing a Thesis Statement with a Transition Word

Having a strong thesis statement with the correct transition words is key for ensuring a successful essay. Transition words serve as bridges between related ideas in your text and help to move your reader from one thought to the next. A good transition word will create a link between the sentence before and the sentence after it, strengthening the overall flow of your essay. Introducing your thesis statement with a transition word can help make clear the relationship between two parts of your argument, helping your reader follow along.

When introducing your thesis statement, it’s important to choose the correct transition word. Different transition words create different relationships between ideas. For example, a “however” transition word provides a contrast to the previous thought, while a “furthermore” transition word adds onto what was already said. Choosing the right transition word when introducing your thesis statement can help you make your argument more clear and concise.

A few common transition words used to introduce a thesis statement are:

  • Consequently
  • As a result

Using transition words to introduce a thesis statement is a great way to organize your thoughts and create a stronger argument. Transition words provide a strong link between the two parts of your argument, making it easier for the reader to understand your point of view and the conclusions that you’ve reached. By using the correct transition words, you can ensure that your essay is well-structured and easy to comprehend.

Transition words can be incredibly useful for introducing or concluding parts of a sentence, paragraph or essay. They are especially helpful when introducing the main point or premise of an essay. In this section, we’ll look at some of the most commonly-used transition words for beginning or concluding parts of an essay.

First off, let’s look at some introductory transition words. For example, you may use the word “Firstly” to introduce the thesis statement of an essay. This is an effective way to provide a reader with context and to let them know what they should expect from the essay. Another introductory transition word could be “To begin with” which helps to engage the essay’s readers. Both of these words provide a nice starting point for a paper.

Concluding transition words can also be extremely helpful in summarizing what has already been said. For example, if you wanted to end a sentence with a summary of its main points, then you may use the word “Overall”. This allows the reader to have a clear understanding of the sentence and its implications. Similarly, you can use the word “Finally” as a way to wrap up an essay. This will help to give the essay a sense of closure and finish off the main points.

From “Firstly” to “Finally”, there are many transition words that can effectively be used in introducing or concluding parts of an essay. All of these words provide a useful way to quickly introduce or conclude a sentence, paragraph or essay, and their strategic placement can enhance the overall structure of the paper.

Transition words are very effective in helping readers move from one paragraph to the next. As a writer, you can use transition words and phrases to signal to your readers that ideas are being linked together. This helps readers understand the flow of the text and can give each paragraph a sense of cohesion.

For example, if you are discussing the history of the automobile in one paragraph and then moving to the impact of the automobile on society in the next, you may want to use a transition word like “therefore” or “consequently” to let the reader know how these two ideas are connected. Here are some of the most commonly used transition words and phrases for connecting paragraphs:

  • Moreover : This is used to add additional information about a point that has already been discussed.
  • Consequently : This is used to show the result of an action or idea that was previously mentioned.
  • Furthermore : This is used to expand upon a point that has already been made.
  • Therefore : This is used to show a logical conclusion that is based on points that were previously made.
  • Nevertheless : This is used to contrast two opposing points.

By using strong transition words and phrases, you can make your writing more effective and help your readers better follow your ideas. When linking together two paragraphs, try to find a connection between them that you can highlight with a transition word or phrase.

The Importance of Smooth Transitions Between Paragraphs

Transition words are an essential part of any written essay. When used correctly, they can help move the reader from one idea to the next logically and effortlessly. In particular, transition words signal to the reader when one paragraph ends and another begins. By helping to clarify the flow of thought, transitions between paragraphs make a paper easier to read and understand.

Transitions are particularly important when moving from one main point to another in your essay. For example, if you are discussing the importance of understanding transition words in the introduction, it is a good idea to use a transition word or phrase to signal to the reader that you are moving on to your next point. Without this signal, the reader may get confused or lose track of your argument.

When transitioning between paragraphs, it is always best to use words that clearly link the two topics you are discussing. This helps to ensure that the paper has a logical progression and that each point is connected to the previous one. Common transition words for smooth transitions between paragraphs include words like “however”, “in addition”, “likewise”, “consequently”, and “furthermore”.

In addition to signaling transitions between paragraphs, many writers also choose to use transition words within their sentences. This can help to further clarify the direction of your argument and aid the reader in understanding the logic behind your ideas. Examples of these words include “but”, “whereas”, “subsequently”, and “for instance”.

Including transition words in your writing not only helps to create a clear and logical flow to your argument, but it also demonstrates your ability to craft a well-written essay. Taking the time to think about which transition words to use in your paper can make all the difference in how easily your argument is understood by the reader.

Connecting Ideas in Paragraphs: Transition Words

When writing an essay, it is important to connect the different paragraphs to clearly show the flow of ideas. To do so, transition words are used to indicate how two concepts are connected and how they develop a single argument. There are several transition words that can be used to achieve this goal. Let’s consider some of the most common.

For connecting the paragraphs of an essay in a logical sequence, transition words such as “first,” “second,” “third,” and so on, can be used. Other sequence words are used to explain the increasing order of importance. Examples of such words include “first of all,” “most important,” and “finally.”

Adding Information

When adding information or extending a thought or idea, transition words such as “in addition,” “also,” “moreover,” and “besides” can be used. These words come in handy when the writer needs to extend an idea or provide additional supporting details.

Time transition words are used to indicate how two ideas are related in terms of time. Examples of such words include “before,” “after,” “subsequently,” “eventually,” “simultaneously,” etc. Such words can help illustrate the sequence of events, whether it’s the past, present, or future.

To compare two ideas, transition words such as “likewise,” “similarly,” and “in comparison” are often used. Other words, such as “unlike,” “on the contrary,” and “however,” are also used to signal a contrast between two ideas.

The purpose of using transition words to connect ideas and paragraphs in an essay is to ensure the smooth flow of thoughts and the clarity of arguments. In conclusion, having a good understanding of transition words can be invaluable when it comes to writing effective essays.

Category 3: Defining and Summarizing Transition Words

When writing a persuasive essay or any other type of essay, it is important to include transition words that help the reader understand how one point relates to the next. Transition words help the reader make sense of the material they are reading and provide a logical flow to an argument. There are several types of transition words and this article will specifically focus on defining and summarizing transition words.

Defining transition words help the reader understand what the writer is talking about. These types of words are used to introduce a new concept or define a word or phrase. Examples of defining transitions include words such as “is”, “are”, “means”, “refers to”, “namely”, and “that is”. For example, if a writer wants to explain the definition of a word such as “conscientious” they might use the transition word “refers to” as in “Conscientious refers to being aware of and attentive to details”.

Summarizing transition words can be used to quickly summarize the main points made in a paragraph or essay. These words help make the reader understand why the arguments presented are important and should be taken into consideration. Examples of summarizing transition words include words such as “in conclusion”, “in summary”, “thus”, “in short”, “all in all”, and “in essence”. For example, if the writer wants to summarize their point they can use the transition word “in conclusion” as in “In conclusion, the effect of global warming must not be ignored”.

Knowing which transition words to use when writing an essay is key to creating a strong and well-written piece of writing. Defining and summarizing transition words provide readers with the clarity needed to understand the writer’s points and arguments. Therefore, using the correct transition words when writing any type of essay is essential for creating a successful piece of work.

Transition words play an important role when it comes to defining and summarizing topics of discussion. They are the bridge between two ideas and make points easier to understand for readers. By using transition words effectively, writers can help keep a essay organized, focused and flowing smoothly.

There are a variety of transition words that can be used to help define and summarize a topic. These transition words often act as signposts, helping readers follow along the writer’s train of thought. Below are some of the most common transition words and their usage in defining and summarizing topics:

  • In other words: Used to restate an idea
  • To put it another way: Used to express a similar idea in different words
  • Namely: Used to introduce a particular item or example
  • That is to say: Used to clarify a point further
  • To summarize: Used to get the main points of a topic
  • In brief: Used to state the conclusion quickly
  • In conclusion: Used to wrap up a discussion

When used properly, transition words can not only help make a paper coherent but also make it more interesting for readers. Knowing which words to use and when can help writers achieve greater clarity in their writing.

Transition words are a vital part of any successful essay. They help you link your ideas together and can be used to convey more complex meanings. In this section, we will focus on the transition words used for defining and summarizing points.

When defining a certain idea or concept it is important to provide context and make sure that the reader fully understands what you are talking about. One way to do this is by using transition words to introduce or define the concept or idea.

Here are some of the most commonly used transition words for defining and summarizing points:

  • In other words: This phrase is used to express an idea in a different way than what has been stated previously.
  • That is: This phrase is used to explain a previous point more clearly.
  • Namely: This phrase is used to elaborate on a previous point and provide specific details.
  • To put it another way: This phrase is used to express a fact or opinion in a different manner.
  • In short: This phrase is used to summarize all the points that were discussed.

These transition words are very useful for defining and summarizing the points of your essay. By using them, you can ensure that your ideas and arguments are properly expressed and understood by the reader.

Using Transition Words to Show Cause & Effect

Transition words play an important role in any essay or written work. They help to express and interpret relationships between ideas, facts and concepts in a meaningful way. One particular type of transition word is the cause and effect transition, which is used to explain how one event directly leads to another.

Cause and effect transition words can be used to show not just that one event causes another, but also why it does so. This helps readers to better understand the reasons for an event, as well as its consequences. Examples of cause and effect transition words include “consequently,” “therefore,” and “as a result.”

These types of transition words indicate how two events are related, but they also serve to lend emphasis to a point. When these transition words are used appropriately, readers are provided with an easy-to-follow explanation as to why and how an event occurs. In other words, it gives a further understanding of the causal relationship between two points.

When writing, it is crucial to restate the cause and its effect within a single sentence to ensure the reader has a clear understanding. For example, if writing about the hazardous effects of air pollution, a sentence might read, “The high levels of air pollution have consequently caused significant damage to human health.” Here, “consequently” is used to clearly show the relationship between an event (high levels of air pollution) and its impact (damage to human health).

The use of cause and effect transition words can be immensely helpful when describing how two events are related. It helps readers to better understand the context and reason behind an event and its outcome. By using transition words appropriately, readers are able to follow a straightforward explanation of how and why something has occurred.

Showing Cause & Effect with Transition Words

The ability to effectively use transition words to show cause and effect relationships is an important part of writing. By doing so, a writer can help their readers better understand the intended message. To make this easier, here are some of the most common transition words for showing cause and effect in essays.

  • Because – This simple word lets your readers know that one event or idea is following another because of a cause-and-effect relationship. For example, “I didn’t get enough sleep because I was up late studying.”
  • Therefore – This word is used in order to draw attention to the result of a particular action or event. For example, “I stayed up late studying, therefore I didn’t get enough sleep.”
  • Consequently – This word indicates that a certain result was caused by a previous event. For example, “I forgot to do my homework; consequently, I got a bad grade.”
  • As a result – This phrase serves as a means of connecting two related concepts, conveying that something happened due to a preceding event. For example, “I procrastinated on my essay, as a result, I had to pull an all-nighter to finish it in time.”
  • Thus – This word implies that one idea is the direct result of another. For example, “I was running late, thus I didn’t have time to eat breakfast.”
  • Causation – This term is often used to indicate the relationship between two events or ideas. For example, “John was late for work every day last week, causing his boss to reprimand him.”
  • Subsequently – This word suggests that a certain event was caused by a previously mentioned event. For example, “John was reprimanded by his boss; subsequently, he worked harder to be on time.”

Using these transition words and phrases can help you write clear, concise, and effective essays that clearly convey your ideas. Keep this list of terms handy when working on your next essay and use the transition words to improve the flow of your writing.

In any discussion, it can sometimes be hard to differentiate between ideas or to emphasize a particular point. Luckily, there are transition words that can help give clarity to points of comparison and contrast. Utilizing these words can help make it easier for readers to comprehend your discussions and arguments. Here are some of the most common contrasting ideas transition words that you can use in your essays.

  • Yet: Yet is used to convey the idea that there is a contrast between two different ideas, even though the first may be true. For example: “I love watching movies, yet I don’t watch them very often.”
  • But: But is used to indicate a contrast between two different ideas. For example: “I love watching movies, but I don’t watch them very often.”
  • Although: Although is used to show that one idea stands in contrast to another, although both ideas may still be true. For example: “Although I love watching movies, I don’t watch them very often.”
  • Despite: Despite is used to indicate that one idea stands in contrast to another, even though both ideas may still be true. For example: “Despite liking movies, I don’t watch them very often.”
  • Meanwhile: Meanwhile is used to indicate that one idea is in contrast to another, while both ideas occur at the same time. For example: “I like going to the movies, meanwhile, I rarely watch them at home.”
  • However: However is used to show a contrast between two ideas. For example: “I like going to the movies, however, I rarely watch them at home.”
  • On the other hand: On the other hand indicates a contrast between two ideas. For example: “I like going to the movies, on the other hand, I rarely watch them at home.”
  • In contrast: In contrast is used to indicate a strong contrast between two ideas. For example: “I like going to the movies; in contrast, I rarely watch them at home.”
  • Conversely: Conversely is used to show a contrast between two ideas. For example: “I like going to the movies; conversely, I rarely watch them at home.”
  • Instead: Instead indicates that one idea stands in contrast to another. For example: “I like going to the movies; instead, I rarely watch them at home.”

Using these transition words can help make your essay flow more smoothly and make your points of comparison and contrast stand out. As with all transition words, be sure to use them sparingly and only when they truly fit the context. With practice and the right usage of contrasting ideas transition words, you can take your essay writing to the next level!

Using Contrast Transition Words for Clarity

Being able to effectively utilize contrast transition words is a key part of crafting an essay. They are designed to help bring clarity and structure to a discussion. They are used to emphasize the difference between two or more distinct concepts and topics.

The primary purpose of contrast transition words is to make the reader fully understand the point that is being discussed by highlighting the essential elements. When used correctly, they can indicate points of comparison and help demonstrate relationships between different ideas. For example, when used in the conclusion of an essay, they can show how the focus of the essay has shifted throughout the writing and what implications it has on the topic.

Examples of contrast transition words include: however, instead, nevertheless, on the other hand, although, conversely, yet, despite, even though, instead, notwithstanding.

When using these words, it is important to consider how they may affect the overall flow of the essay. Generally, contrast transition words should come at the beginning of a sentence to clearly mark a shift in the argument or position. The main thing to remember is that contrast transition words should be used sparingly, so as not to disrupt the flow of the essay.

It’s also important to make sure that the words do not overstate the differences between the topics being discussed. It can be tempting to use these words to create exaggerated comparisons, but this can create confusion rather than clarity. It is essential to use them in moderation so that they do not overshadow the points being made.

By taking time to properly understand and incorporate contrast transition words into an essay, one can ensure that the piece flows smoothly, and that the points being discussed are communicated well. Learning how to effectively use them can be a powerful tool for making any essay stand out.

It is important to have a good understanding of transition words for essays when expressing contrasting ideas. Transition words help to emphasize the difference between two ideas, making it easier for the reader to understand your point. Some of the most common transition words used for contrasting ideas include:

  • However – Use this word to introduce a contradiction or something opposing the previous statement.
  • Nevertheless – This word can be used to show that the point made in the earlier statement is still valid despite its contradiction.
  • In contrast – Use this phrase to indicate something that does not agree with the previous statement or idea.
  • On the other hand – This transition phrase can be used to introduce a different point of view or opinion to the one previously discussed.
  • Conversely – Use this word to say that the statement that follows goes against the previous one.
  • By comparison – Use this phrase to compare two ideas or points of view in order to draw a contrast.

Transition words are a powerful tool when writing an essay and should not be overlooked. With proper usage, they help to make your essay flow more logically and clearly. By carefully selecting the right transition word, you can make your writing stand out and make it easier for the reader to understand your ideas.

Transition words are an incredibly useful tool for perfecting the flow of your essay. By introducing, connecting and defining topics, along with summarizing and showing cause you can ensure that your essay promotes clarity and understanding in your readers.

In this guide, we looked at the 5 main categories of transition words: Introduction and Thesis Statement; Connection between Paragraphs; Defining and Summarizing; Showing Cause & Effect; and Contrasting Ideas. Through understanding and using the different transition words in each category, you can ensure that your essay communicates your ideas effectively.

Transition words are essential to ensure that your essay flows coherently. By taking the time to understand the different transition words and how they function, you can perfect your essay and communicate your ideas more effectively.

We hope you have found this guide useful in helping you to use transition words successfully in your essays. Put your new knowledge into practice and you’ll be sure to make your writing more articulate, clear and persuasive!

Why Transition Words Are Important For Essays

Transition words are an important component of any essay because they give the reader context for what is about to come next in the text. They help provide a bridge between ideas, sentences, and paragraphs, connecting thoughts and providing additional meaning. By using transition words, writers make it easier for their readers to understand the logical flow of their ideas.

Using transition words well can also help to strengthen the argument of an essay. They signal to the reader the relationship between each point and can help to highlight the importance of a particular idea. Transition words can be used to show the structure of an argument and signal when a writer changes the direction of the argument. In this way, transition words provide continuity and guidance to the reader, creating a cohesive story.

Having a good understanding of transition words is essential for writing any type of academic essay. They will help to organize the essay in a clear and concise way, while adding emphasis to key points. Understanding how to use transition words properly will allow a writer to express their ideas more effectively and create a seamless flow throughout their essay.

Whether the essay is for an assignment or for a college application, mastering the use of transition words can be the difference between a mediocre essay and a great one. Investing time into learning how to effectively use transition words will make a marked improvement in any paper, ultimately increasing its readability.

Reinforcing Transition Words for Essays

Now that you have a good understanding of the different types of transition words to use in your essays, it is important that you reinforce each category. As mentioned before, transition words are vital for providing a logical flow and structure for your writing but by understanding the different types and their purpose, you can ensure that your essay has a great organization.

To reinforce the categories of transition words discussed in the guide we discussed five main types: introduction and thesis statement transition words, connection between paragraphs transition words, defining and summarizing transition words, showing cause & effect transition words, and contrasting ideas transition words.

Knowing these transition words can help you to create a successful essay, by providing a clear beginning, connection between paragraphs, and a conclusion. This ensures that readers of your essay can understand and follow your argument and point of view with ease.

It is key to use the right transition word for the right purpose to allow your essay to flow logically and easily. You should also practice using transition words, as this can help you to naturally find the best transition word in the moment.

We hope that you now have a good understanding of transition words and how to use them effectively in your essays. Remember to always think about the different categories when adding transition words to your essay and from there you can determine which one is the most effective for your argument.

Using Transition Words in Writing

When writing, it is important to remember to use transition words. Transition words allow the writer to express their ideas more clearly and make their writing flow better. By using appropriate transition words, you can help connect different ideas throughout your writing and make sure your paper sounds natural and cohesive.

Using transition words can help you build an argument and prove your point. It can also help you better organize your thoughts and the points you want to make. For example, if you are discussing two topics and want to compare and contrast them, using transition words can help make the connections between the two ideas more clear. By using transition words, readers can easily follow along and understand the purpose of your writing.

The way you use transition words in your writing will depend on the context of your paper and the type of transition word you are looking for. There are different categories of transition words that all have specific meanings and uses. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the different types of transition words and when to use each one.

Ultimately, transition words are incredibly useful tools for writers. By understanding when and how to use transition words, it can help you better articulate your thoughts and write more effective and engaging papers. So, get out there and start practicing your transition words!

Nick Radlinsky

Nick Radlinsky

Nick Radlinsky is a devoted educator, marketing specialist, and management expert with more than 15 years of experience in the education sector. After obtaining his business degree in 2016, Nick embarked on a quest to achieve his PhD, driven by his commitment to enhancing education for students worldwide. His vast experience, starting in 2008, has established him as a reputable authority in the field.

Nick's article, featured in Routledge's " Entrepreneurship in Central and Eastern Europe: Development through Internationalization ," highlights his sharp insights and unwavering dedication to advancing the educational landscape. Inspired by his personal motto, "Make education better," Nick's mission is to streamline students' lives and foster efficient learning. His inventive ideas and leadership have contributed to the transformation of numerous educational experiences, distinguishing him as a true innovator in his field.

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strong transition words essay

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Conclusion transition words: Phrases for summarizing and ending

strong transition words essay

Transition words help us structure our thoughts and guide the reader or listener through what we are saying. When it’s time to summarize your message or end a paragraph, conclusion transition words let you signal this closing.

It’s good to know some synonyms for ‘in conclusion’ and ‘to conclude’, because although these are good examples of concluding words, they can get repetitive.

Our comprehensive list of transition words for conclusion and summary should give you all the inspiration you need, whether you are writing an essay or speech, or just want to become more confident forming an argument. These signal words can also be helpful for restating ideas, drawing attention to key points as you conclude.

We have included plenty of examples of how you can use these transition words for concluding paragraphs or sentences, so by the end of this article, you should be clear on how to use them properly.

strong transition words essay

Conclusion transition words with examples

We have grouped these summarizing and concluding transition words according to how and where they can be used. For example, some should only be used when forming a final conclusion, whereas others can be used to summarize sections mid-way through your speech or writing.

First, let’s be clear about the difference between a summary and a conclusion .

Summary vs conclusion

A conclusion comes at the end of a speech, chapter, or piece of text, and it brings together all of the points mentioned. A summary, however, can be placed anywhere (even at the beginning). A summary gives a brief outline of the main points but is not as in-depth as a conclusion.

If you are giving a presentation or writing a blog, you may wish to summarize the main points in your introduction so that people know what you are going to cover. You could also summarize a section part-way through before moving on to another angle or topic.

In contrast, the conclusion always comes at the end, and you should only use specific conclusion transition words as you are drawing to a close.

Transition words for conclusion paragraphs

Let’s begin with some discourse markers that signal you are moving to the concluding paragraph in your presentation, speech, essay, or paper. These can all be used to start a conclusion paragraph.

  • In conclusion
  • To conclude
  • We can conclude that
  • Given these points
  • In the final analysis
  • As can be seen
  • In the long run
  • When all is said and done
  • I’ll end by
  • As we draw to a close

The last three on this list, the ‘closing’ transition words, would generally only be used in spoken discourse.

Some transition words for order and sequencing should also help with structuring what you want to say, including the ending.

Example conclusion sentences

The following sentences show how to use conclusion words correctly:

  • In conclusion , we can say that plan A will be of greater benefit to the company.
  • When all is said and done , it’s clear that we should steer clear of this investment strategy.
  • Given these points , I believe the trial was a great success.
  • I’ll end by reminding you all that this experiment was just the beginning of a much larger project.
  • To wrap up , let’s look at how this learning can be applied.
  • In the long run , we will make more profit by investing heavily in new machinery.
  • Having analyzed seven of our competitors in detail, we can conclude that our content marketing strategy should be updated.

Transition words for summary

The following summary transition words may be used as part of a conclusion paragraph, but they are especially helpful for concisely drawing together several points.

  • To summarize
  • On the whole
  • Generally speaking
  • All things considered
  • In a nutshell (informal)
  • In any case

Note that although you can insert summary transition words anywhere, the specific phrases ‘In summary’, ‘To summarize’ and ‘To sum up’ are generally only used at the end, similar to conclusion phrases.

Example summary sentences

  • In brief , this presentation is going to cover the pros and cons of the device and how we can apply this to our own product development.
  • This new technology is, in a word , revolutionary.
  • All things considered , we found that Berlin was a great city for a weekend break.
  • To summarize , we can say that Shakespeare’s writing continues to have a global influence.
  • We can say that the combustion engine was, on the whole , a good invention.
  • In any case , we should put the necessary precautions in place.
  • Generally speaking , girls are more thoughtful than boys.

Transition words to end a paragraph

You may wish to add ending transition words in the final sentence of a paragraph to conclude the ideas in that section of text, before moving on to another point.

Here are some transition words to conclude a paragraph:

  • This means that
  • With this in mind
  • By and large
  • For the most part

Note that some of these could equally be used to begin a new paragraph, so long as that paragraph is summarizing the points previously mentioned.

Cause and effect transition words could also be helpful in this context.

Examples of transition words for the end of a paragraph

  • Jamie is a vegan and Sheryl has a lot of allergies. This means that we should be careful which restaurant we choose.
  • The weather forecast said it would rain this afternoon. With this in mind , should we postpone our hike?
  • Each of the students has their own opinion about where to go for the field trip. Ultimately , though, it’s the teacher who will decide.

Restating points as you conclude

Conclusion transition words can also signal that you are restating a point you mentioned earlier. This is common practice in both writing and speaking as it draws the reader or listener’s attention back to something you want them to keep in mind. These are, therefore, also examples of transition words for emphasizing a point .

Here are some helpful transition words for concluding or summarizing by restating points:

  • As mentioned previously
  • As stated earlier
  • As has been noted
  • As shown above
  • As I have said
  • As I have mentioned
  • As we have seen
  • As has been demonstrated

You may switch most of these between the passive and active voice, depending on which is most appropriate. For example, ‘As has been demonstrated’ could become ‘As I have demonstrated’ and ‘As shown above’ could become ‘As I have shown’.

Example sentences to restate a point in conclusion or summary

  • As I stated earlier , the only way we can get meaningful results from this survey is by including at least a thousand people.
  • As has been demonstrated throughout this conference, there are exciting things happening in the world of neuroscience.
  • As shown by this study, the trials have been promising.

If you were researching these transition words for concluding an essay, you might find it helpful to read this guide to strong essay conclusions . Of course, there are many ways to use summary transition words beyond essays. They may be a little formal for casual conversation, but they certainly can be used in speech as part of a presentation, debate, or argument.

Can you think of any other concluding words or phrases that should be on this list? Leave a comment below to share them!

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Transition Words for Argumentative Essays: The Ultimate List

  • by Lesley V.
  • June 19, 2023 June 19, 2023

For college papers to rock, you need transition words for argumentative essays.

Argumentative essay phrases make your work sound convincing, coherent, and logical. These lexical items help you connect ideas and paragraphs to keep readers engaged. With proper linking items, you’ll make each sentence flow.

In this post, I’ve gathered the ultimate list of argumentative transition words for your assignments to become A-worthy.

What Is a Strong Transition?

Linking words tell readers how one idea or issue relates to another. When used right, they help you build more convincing arguments. These sayings help readers understand the flow and relations between points and references.

 Where to use college transition words?

  •  Between essay sections: connect an intro, body sections, and concluding paragraph.
  •  Between paragraphs: connect claims and ideas within a text’s core part.
  •  Within a paragraph: show the connection of claims in it.

The Purpose of Essay Transition Words

Why transition words in high school or college papers? The purpose is to make your writing look and sound coherent and convincing.

These expressions serve to:

  • Frame your arguments and convey ideas with clarity
  • Emphasize your points, support claims, and move to counterclaims
  • Illustrate addition, comparison, or contrast
  • Break down complex ideas within a paragraph for easier consumption and understanding
  • Highlight and clarify claims
  • Provide examples, summarize, and show the outcome
  • Tie the entire paper for better readability and coherent flow

Transition Words for Argumentative Essays: List

Transition sentences for essay introduction.

These expressions are great to use in the intro of a paper. They’ll establish your topic and core idea to readers and move smoothly to the first body paragraph .

Essay introductions are short, so the connecting words here aren’t diverse. Here goes the list:

  • Equally important
  • Additionally
  • Furthermore

Here’s an example of an introductory paragraph with linking phrases:

strong transition words essay

Argumentative Transition Words for Essay Body

Argumentative essay phrases in text bodies may differ depending on what you want to show.

If you need to share an example , consider lexical items like “Specifically,” “For instance,” “For example,” or “To illustrate.”

To provide further clarification , use phrases like “In other words,” “Specifically,” or “Namely.”

For time and sequence between arguments , write “ Firstly,” “Meanwhile,” “Second,” “Next,” “Subsequently,” and so on.

If you need to add quotes to your paper , consider transition and connecting words like “ As stated,” “As shown in,” “This states that,” “As confirmed,” or “As said.”

Transition words for argumentative essays’ first body paragraphs are common. Use the examples from the above list.

Conclusion Transition Words for Argumentative Essays

Transition words in argumentative essays’ conclusions wrap up the whole paper. Please, place them in the very last paragraph. The purpose is to rephrase your thesis, sum the arguments, and give readers the food for thought.

Practical Rules for Using Transition Words for Essays

  • College transition words are to place at the beginning or the middle of a paragraph or a sentence. By understanding the purpose behind connecting phrases and how they provide structure, you’ll see where to place them.
  • Outline your essay before writing. It will help you understand which transition sayings look appropriate for every section.
  • Don’t use transitions too often. Remember that they connect, not substitute ideas. Resist the temptation of placing these phrases for nothing but word count.
  • Use different argumentative essay phrases in a text. Vary them to boost readability and maintain the reader’s engagement.
  • Compare your essay sections and sentences with and without linking items. It will help you understand the importance of using them. Please don’t place connecting phrases where they don’t fit; keep the balance.
  • Re-read the draft once it’s ready. Does it sound smooth with the transition words you placed? Ensure they serve their purpose: guiding the reader and enhancing your paper’s coherence.
  • Ask a friend or a professional editor to read your work. They can share comments on how well you placed linking phrases. Based on their feedback, you’ll identify what to improve .

Good Argumentative Transition Words: Examples

You can’t write a great essay or other college paper without transition words and phrases. Below is the ultimate list of these words based on the purpose:

Do you need a PDF version with the ultimate list of transition words (200+) from this article? Here it goes to download for free:

strong-college-transition-words-pdf

Do argumentative essays have transition words?

Yes, they do. Whether you compose a high school essay or a college paper, you’ll use transition and connecting words to support arguments . Use argumentative essay phrases to order ideas. They also work to state the relationship between issues and highlight points. You illustrate examples with their help, too.

​​How do you transition an argumentative essay?

To transition an argumentative essay, please analyze the function of every phrase you want to use. Different connecting words serve for essay introductions, conclusions, or body paragraphs. Also, you may need particular terms to emphasize arguments. Consider them to add clarifications or draw parallels between ideas.

What words can I use to start an argumentative essay? 

Try these argumentative essay phrases to start a paper: “In the first place,” “To begin,” “Initially,” or “First of all.”  Consider the college transition words PDF list in this article for other examples.

What is an example of a transition sentence in an essay?

A great example of a transition sentence depends on what essay part you write and what idea you want to establish. While some expressions enhance clarity and move flow, others emphasize points and guide the reader. An example can be  “That is to say,” “Another way to view this,” and “As you see.”

What are some transition words to conclude an argumentative essay?

Transition words to conclude an argumentative essay can be as follows: “To sum up,” “Finally,” “All in all,” “Hence,” “So,” or “In the final analysis.” In the above PDF file, I’ve gathered the ultimate list of transition words and phrases to use in different parts of your essay.

Transition words for argumentative essays are many. All have their purpose and place, and it may seem challenging to ace their use. Don’t let them confuse you! While mastering these expressions can take time, this skill is worth your struggles. Whatever essay you craft, you’ll need linking lexical items to polish it.

I hope many examples and the PDF file with strong college transition words from this article will ease your writing life. Remember: practice makes perfect. The more you try, the better you understand the power of transition and connecting words in essays.

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Strong Taiwan Quake Kills 9, Injures Hundreds

The earthquake was the most powerful to hit the island in 25 years. Dozens of people remained trapped, and many buildings were damaged, with the worst centered in the city of Hualien.

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  • Hualien, Taiwan A landslide after the quake. Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times
  • New Taipei City, Taiwan Books flew off shelves as a home shook. @Abalamindo via Storyful
  • Taipei, Taiwan Passengers waiting at a train station as some services were suspended. Chiang Ying-Ying/Associated Press
  • Hualien, Taiwan People are rescued from a building that had partially collapsed. TVBS via Associated Press
  • Hualien, Taiwan Firefighters rescuing trapped residents from a building. CTI News via Reuters
  • Taipei, Taiwan Students evacuated to a school courtyard after the earthquake. Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times
  • Guishan Island, Taiwan Rocks tumbling down one side of an island popular for hiking. Lavine Lin via Reuters
  • Hualien, Taiwan A building leaned to one side after the quake. Randy Yang via Associated Press
  • Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan Watching news on a rooftop of a hotel after a tsunami warning. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
  • Hualien, Taiwan Motorbikes damaged in the quake. TVBS via Associated Press
  • New Taipei City, Taiwan Damage in an apartment Fabian Hamacher/Reuters
  • New Taipei City, Taiwan Water cascading down a building during the quake. Wang via Reuters

Meaghan Tobin

Meaghan Tobin and Victoria Kim

Here’s what you need to know about the earthquake.

Taiwan was rocked Wednesday morning by the island’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century, a magnitude 7.4 tremor that killed at least nine people, injured more than 800 others and trapped dozens of people.

The heaviest damage was in Hualien County on the island’s east coast, a sleepy, scenic area prone to earthquakes. Footage from the aftermath showed a 10-story building there partially collapsed and leaning heavily to one side, from which residents emerged through windows and climbed down ladders, assisted by rescuers. Three hikers were killed after being hit by falling rocks on a hiking trail in Taroko National Park, according to the county government.

By late afternoon, officials said rescue efforts were underway to try to rescue 127 people who were trapped, many of them on hiking trails in Hualien.

One building in Changhua County, on the island’s west coast, collapsed entirely. The quake was felt throughout Taiwan and set off at least nine landslides, sending rocks tumbling onto Suhua Highway in Hualien, according to local media reports. Rail services were halted at one point across the island.

The earthquake, with an epicenter off Taiwan’s east coast, struck during the morning commute, shortly before 8 a.m. Taiwanese authorities said by 3 p.m., more than 100 aftershocks, many of them stronger than magnitude 5, had rumbled through the area.

In the capital, Taipei, buildings shook for over a minute from the initial quake. Taiwan is at the intersection of the Philippine Sea tectonic plate and the Eurasian plate, making it vulnerable to seismic activity. Hualien sits on multiple active faults, and 17 people died in a quake there in 2018.

Here is the latest:

The earthquake hit Taiwan as many people there were preparing to travel for Tomb Sweeping Day, a holiday across the Chinese-speaking world when people mourn the dead and make offerings at their graves. Officials warned the public to stay away from visiting tombs in mountain areas as a precaution, especially because rain was forecast in the coming days.

TSMC, the world’s biggest maker of advanced semiconductors, briefly evacuated workers from its factories but said a few hours later that they were returning to work. Chip production is highly precise, and even short shutdowns can cost millions of dollars.

Christopher Buckley

Christopher Buckley

Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s vice president, who is also its president-elect, visited the city of Hualien this afternoon to assess the destruction and the rescue efforts, a government announcement said. Mr. Lai, who will become president in May, said the most urgent tasks were rescuing trapped residents and providing medical care. Next, Mr. Lai said, public services must be restored, including transportation, water and power. He said Taiwan Railway’s eastern line could be reopened by Thursday night.

Meaghan Tobin

Taiwan’s fire department has updated its figures, reporting that nine people have died and 934 others have been injured in the quake. Fifty-six people in Hualien County remain trapped.

Shake intensity

Taiwan’s fire department reports that nine people have died and 882 others have been injured in Taiwan. In Hualien County, 131 people remain trapped.

Agnes Chang

Agnes Chang

Footage shows rocks tumbling down one side of Guishan Island, a popular spot for hiking known as Turtle Island, off the northeast coast of Taiwan. Officials said no fishermen or tourists were injured after the landslide.

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The death toll has risen to nine, according to Taiwan government statistics.

Meaghan Tobin, Siyi Zhao

Meaghan Tobin, Siyi Zhao

Officials in Taiwan warned residents to not visit their relatives' tombs, especially in the mountains, this weekend during the holiday, known as Ching Ming, meant to honor them. There had already been 100 aftershocks and the forecast called for rain, which could make travel conditions on damaged roads more treacherous.

Crews are working to reach people trapped on blocked roads. As of 1 p.m. local time, roads were impassable due to damage and fallen rock in 19 places, according to the Ministry of Transportation. At least 77 people remain trapped. A bridge before Daqingshui Tunnel appeared to have completely collapsed.

Taiwan’s worst rail disaster in decades — a train derailment in 2021 that killed 49 people — took place on the first day of the Tomb Sweeping holiday period that year, in the same region as the earthquake.

The earthquake hit Taiwan as many people here were preparing to travel for Tomb Sweeping Day, or Ching Ming, a day across the Chinese-speaking world when people mourn their dead, especially by making offerings at their graves. Now those plans will be disrupted for many Taiwanese.

The holiday weekend would typically see a spike in travel as people visit family across Taiwan. Currently, both rail transport and highways are blocked in parts of Hualien, said Transport Minister Wang Guo-cai. Work is underway to restore rail transportation in Hualien, and two-way traffic is expected to be restored at noon on Thursday, he said.

Mike Ives

Taiwan’s preparedness has evolved in response to past quakes.

Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness has evolved over the past few decades in response to some of the island’s largest and most destructive quakes .

In the years after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in central Taiwan killed nearly 2,500 people in 1999, the authorities established an urban search-and-rescue team and opened several emergency medical operation centers, among other measures .

And in 2018, after a quake in the eastern coastal city of Hualien killed 17 people and caused several buildings to partially collapse, the government ordered a wave of building inspections .

Taiwan has also been improving its early warning system for earthquakes since the 1980s. And two years ago, it rolled out new building codes that, among other things, require owners of vulnerable buildings to install ad-hoc structural reinforcements.

So how well prepared was Taiwan when a 7.4 magnitude quake struck near Hualien on Wednesday morning, killing at least seven people and injuring hundreds more?

Across the island, one building collapsed entirely, 15 others were in a state of partial collapse and another 67 were damaged, the island’s fire department said on Wednesday afternoon . Structural engineers could not immediately be reached for comment to assess that damage, or the extent to which building codes and other regulations might have either contributed to it or prevented worse destruction.

As for search-and-rescue preparedness, Taiwan is generally in very good shape, said Steve Glassey, an expert in disaster response who lives in New Zealand.

“ The skill sets, the capabilities, the equipment, the training is second to none,” said Dr. Glassey, who worked with Taipei’s urban search-and-rescue team during the response to a devastating 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. “They’re a very sharp operation.”

But even the best urban search-and-rescue team will be stretched thin if an earthquake causes multiple buildings to collapse, Dr. Glassey said.

Taiwan has options for requesting international help with search-and-rescue efforts. It could directly ask another country, or countries, to send personnel. And if multiple teams were to get involved, it could ask the United Nations to help coordinate them, as it did after the 1999 earthquake.

Pierre Peron, a spokesman for the United Nations, said on Wednesday afternoon that no such request had yet been made as a result of the latest earthquake.

Meaghan Tobin contributed reporting.

At least seven people have died and 736 have been injured as a result of the earthquake, according to Taiwan’s fire department. Another 77 people remained trapped in Hualien County, many of them on hiking trails. Search and rescue operations are underway, said the fire department.

Siyi Zhao

Aftershocks of magnitudes between 6.5 and 7 were likely to occur over the next three or four days, said Wu Chien-fu, director of the Taiwanese Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Center, at a news conference.

As of 2 p.m., 711 people had been injured across Taiwan, the fire department said, and 77 people in Hualien County remained trapped. The four who were known to have died were in Hualien.

Victoria Kim

Hualien County is a quiet and scenic tourist destination.

Hualien County on Taiwan’s east coast is a scenic, sleepy tourist area tucked away from the island’s urban centers, with a famous gorge and aquamarine waters. It also happens to sit on several active faults , making it prone to earthquakes.

The county has a population of about 300,000, according to the 2020 census, about a third of whom live in the coastal city of Hualien, the county seat. It is one of the most sparsely populated parts of Taiwan. About three hours by train from the capital, Taipei, the city describes itself as the first place on the island that’s touched by the sun.

Hualien County is home to Taroko National Park, one of Taiwan’s most popular scenic areas. Visitors come to explore the Taroko Gorge, a striated marble canyon carved by the Liwu River, which cuts through mountains that rise steeply from the coast. The city of Hualien is a popular destination as a gateway to the national park.

According to the state-owned Central News Agency, three hikers were trapped on a trail near the entrance to the gorge on Wednesday, after the quake sent rocks falling. Two of them were found dead, the news agency said. Administrators said many roads within the park had been cut off by the earthquake, potentially trapping hikers, according to the report.

Earthquakes have rattled Hualien with some regularity. In 2018, 17 people were killed and hundreds of others injured when a magnitude 6.5 quake struck just before midnight, its epicenter a short distance northeast of the city of Hualien.

Many of the victims in that quake were in a 12-story building that was severely tilted, the first four floors of which were largely crushed, according to news reports from the time. The next year, the area was shaken by a 6.1-magnitude earthquake that injured 17 people.

The area has some of the highest concentrations of Taiwan’s aboriginal population, with several of the island’s Indigenous tribes calling the county home .

The county government in Hualien released a list of people that had been hospitalized with injuries, which stood at 118 people as of midday Wednesday.

Across Taiwan, one building fell down entirely, in Changhua County on the west coast, and 15 buildings partially collapsed, Taiwan’s fire department said. Another 67 buildings were damaged. One of the partially collapsed structures was a warehouse in New Taipei City where four people were rescued, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. Another 12 were rescued at a separate New Taipei City building where the foundation sank into the ground.

Peggy Jiang, who manages The Good Kid, a children’s bookstore down the street from the partially collapsed Uranus Building in Hualien, said it was a good thing they had yet to open when the quake struck. The area is now blocked off by police and rescue vehicles. “Most people in Hualien are used to earthquakes,” she said. “But this one was particularly scary, many people ran in the street immediately afterward.”

Lin Jung, 36, who manages a shop selling sneakers in Hualien, said he had been at home getting ready to take his 16-month-old baby to a medical appointment when the earthquake struck. He said it felt at first like a series of small shocks, then “suddenly it turned to an intense earthquake shaking up and down.” The glass cover of a ceiling lamp fell and shattered. “All I could do was protect my baby.”

strong transition words essay

Chris Buckley ,  Paul Mozur ,  Meaghan Tobin and John Yoon

The earthquake damaged buildings and a highway in Hualien.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday damaged many buildings and a major highway in Hualien, a city on the eastern coast, and it knocked out power as it rocked the island.

Across Taiwan, the quake and its aftershocks caused one building to completely collapse and 15 others to partially collapse, according to Taiwan’s fire department. Sixty-seven other buildings sustained damage.

Two tall buildings in Hualien that sustained particularly extensive damage were at the center of the rescue efforts there. Most damage across the city was not life-threatening, said Huang Hsuan-wan, a reporter for a local news site.

Where buildings were reported damaged in Hualien City

“A lot of roads were blocked off. There are a lot of walls toppled over onto cars,” Derik du Plessis, 44, a South African resident of Hualien, said shortly after the earthquake. He described people rushing around the city to check on their houses and pick up their children. One of his friends lost her house, he said.

One of the damaged buildings in Hualien, a 10-story structure called the Uranus Building that housed a mix of homes and shops, was tilted over and appeared to be on the verge of collapse. Many of its residents managed to flee, but some were missing, said Sunny Wang, a journalist based in the city. Rescuers were trying to reach the basement, concerned that people might be trapped there.

Photographs of the initial damage in Hualien showed another building, a five-story structure, leaning to one side, with crushed motorcycles visible at the ground-floor level. Bricks had fallen off another high-rise, leaving cracks and holes in the walls.

The quake also set off at least nine landslides on Suhua Highway in Hualien, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, which said part of the road had collapsed.

Taiwan’s fire department said four people had been killed in the earthquake.

John Yoon

Across Taiwan, 40 flights have been canceled or delayed because of the earthquake, according to Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Center.

President Tsai Ing-wen visited Taiwan’s national emergency response center this morning, where she was briefed about the response efforts underway by members of the ministries of defense, transportation, economic affairs and agriculture, as well as the fire department.

A look at Taiwan’s strongest earthquakes.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit Taiwan on Wednesday morning was the strongest in 25 years, the island’s Central Weather Administration said.

At least four people died after the quake struck off Taiwan’s east coast, officials said.

Here’s a look back at some of the major earthquakes in modern Taiwanese history:

Taichung, 1935

Taiwan’s deadliest quake registered a magnitude of 7.1 and struck near the island’s west coast in April 1935, killing more than 3,200 people, according to the Central Weather Administration. More than 12,000 others were injured and more than 50,000 homes were destroyed or damaged.

Tainan, 1941

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake in December 1941, which struck southwestern Taiwan, caused several hundred deaths, the United States Geological Survey said.

Chi-Chi, 1999

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake in central Taiwan killed nearly 2,500 people in September 1999. The quake, which struck about 90 miles south-southwest of Taipei, was the second-deadliest in the island’s history, according to the U.S.G.S. and the Central Weather Administration. More than 10,000 people were injured and more than 100,000 homes were destroyed or damaged.

Yujing, 2016

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake in February 2016 caused a 17-story apartment complex in southwestern Taiwan to collapse, killing at least 114 people . The U.S.G.S. later said that 90 earthquakes of that scale or greater had occurred within 250 kilometers, or 155 miles, of that quake’s location over the previous 100 years.

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  1. 33 Transition Words for Essays

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    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.

  3. Make Smooth Transitions: 300+ Strong Transition Words for Essays

    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. DOs. 1.

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    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.

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    Transition words for essays can help improve flow and enhance the quality of your writing. Includes transition words for college essays. Skip to content. 678-710-3699 ... The goal of a college essay is to give a strong overall sense of its author in the tight space of 650 words. As you might imagine, it's not easy to encompass a life or ...

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    A transition word is critical to producing quality content. Also known as linking words, transition words make basic connections between sentences and paragraphs to show a relationship between ideas. A strong transition is crucial when writing an essay.

  13. A List of 200+ Transition Words For Essays

    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. Do: Understand that these terms are an important part of any type of essay or paper, adding to its overall flow and readability. ...

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    97 Transition Words for Essays You Need to Know. May 16, 2016. A transition is a "passage from one state, stage, subject, or place to another.". At least that's what Merriam-Webster's dictionary says. But that thing's only been around for like 184 years or so, so I'd like to amend it a bit. Instead, let's say a transition is "a ...

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    The best essays use transition words to guide the reader through the key points. Learn how to use transition words effectively in this blog post with examples. ... Quality transitions are often the difference between a decent essay and a strong one. Transition words give clear signals to the reader that you are moving on to a new idea and this ...

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    Vary Transition Words: Avoid repetitive or excessive use of the same transition word throughout your essay. Use a variety of transition words to maintain reader interest and enhance overall readability. Pay Attention to Placement: Place transition words at the beginning, middle, or end of sentences, depending on the desired effect. Consider the ...

  17. Essential Transition Words for Essays to Smoothly Connect ...

    When you want to signal that you are reaching the end of your essay, you can use transition words such as "above all," "especially," or "particularly.". These words signal to the reader that you are making a final point or emphasizing an important idea. Here are some more examples: Transition Words. Meaning.

  18. 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 ...

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    Sequence. For connecting the paragraphs of an essay in a logical sequence, transition words such as "first," "second," "third," and so on, can be used. Other sequence words are used to explain the increasing order of importance. Examples of such words include "first of all," "most important," and "finally.".

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    If you were researching these transition words for concluding an essay, you might find it helpful to read this guide to strong essay conclusions. Of course, there are many ways to use summary transition words beyond essays. They may be a little formal for casual conversation, but they certainly can be used in speech as part of a presentation ...

  21. Transition Words for Argumentative Essays: The Ultimate List

    Transition words to conclude an argumentative essay can be as follows: "To sum up," "Finally," "All in all," "Hence," "So," or "In the final analysis.". In the above PDF file, I've gathered the ultimate list of transition words and phrases to use in different parts of your essay.

  22. Why Taiwan Was So Prepared for a Powerful Earthquake

    April 4, 2024. Leer en español. When the largest earthquake in Taiwan in half a century struck off its east coast, the buildings in the closest city, Hualien, swayed and rocked. As more than 300 ...

  23. Strong Taiwan Quake Kills 9, Injures Hundreds

    At least seven people have died and 736 have been injured as a result of the earthquake, according to Taiwan's fire department. Another 77 people remained trapped in Hualien County, many of them ...