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You are here: Home / Writing Process / Transitions

Transitions

To signal relationships or shifts in meaning, a transition connects one paragraph, sentence, clause, or word with another. A transition also identifies what kind of connection exists, helping readers anticipate how the next paragraph or sentence will relate to the meaning of what they have just read.
Following are the groups of transitions, what they signal, and examples of each:

1. Chronological Transitions. . . Relationship in time:

presently meanwhile the next day With that finished
thereupon at length second then
immediately soon afterward when I returned thereafter
afterward after that by that time Following this
next beforehand first later
soon at that moment at last earlier
within an hour shortly from then on finally

2. Spatial Transitions. . . Relationship in space:

a little farther on at the edge of the clearing above
in the next room at the center of the circle below
at that altitude across the way beyond this point
between those cities about a foot to the left just to the right

3. Comparison Transitions. . . What follows is similar to what precedes:

likewise once again similarly
in the same way in like manner at the same time

4. Contrast Transitions. . . A contradiction or contrast:

however conversely nevertheless notwithstanding
whereas still even so For all that
surely unlike on the other hand In contrast
nonetheless on the contrary in spite of this dissimilarly

5. Middle Paragraph Transitions. . . What follows is an illustration, a qualification, or an example:

for example for instance likewise
specifically frequently in particular
similarly to illustrate whenever
that is in general occasionally
generally especially usually

6. What follows is additional or supplementary:

furthermore besides Then, too
moreover as if that were not enough again
and indeed In addition
in fact first, second, third. . . also

7. What follows is quite expected, quite natural, or obviously true:

to be sure it follows, then, that surely
of course for that matter without a doubt
naturally as a matter of fact obviously then

8. Cause-Effect Transitions. . . What follows is a result of what precedes:

as a result as a consequence so
thus consequently another
therefore then hence
in other words wherefore at last
for this reason and that is why first
second on the whole accordingly
and so finally all in all

9. Counterargument Transitions. . . For concession:

of course Certainly to doubt that
doubtless to be sure granted

10. End of Paragraph or Conclusion Transitions. . . What follows is a repetition or intensification of that which precedes:

in other words Indeed as noted earlier
to repeat in any case besides
as we have seen in fact to sum up

11. Conclusion Transitions. . . What follows is a summary:

therefore all in all in short In summary
in a word on the whole in conclusion In brief
what we have, then in sum to summarize finally

Adapted from: http://owl.ccd.edu/writ_resources/handouts/Trans_Exp.html

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