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English 306: Expository Writing

Using Transition Words

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Taking in-class essay examinations

Student comments about class

Think of an essay as a river. Without bumps, gaps, or shifts, the paragraphs gently flow from one idea to the next. To make your essay flow as smoothly as possible, you must strengthen the ties between old information and new. One way to accomplish this is by using transitional words.

Common Transitions of Addition, Examples, Compare, and Contrast
Addition	Examples	Compare	Contrast
and also besides further furthermore in addition moreover next too first second	for example for instance to illustrate in fact specifically	in the same manner similarly likewise	but however on the other hand in contrast nevertheless still on the contrary even though yet although

Common Transitions of Time, Place/Direction, Summary/Conclusion, Logical Relationship/Cause-effect
Time	Place/Direction	Summary/Conclusion	Logical Relationship/Cause-effect
after as before next during later finally meanwhile then when while immediately	above below beyond farther on nearby opposite close to the left	in other words in short in summary in conclusion to sum up that is therefore	if so therefore consequently thus as a result for this reason since

Just as important as using the correct transition word between ideas is the importance of using the correct sentence structure which the transition word requires. Consider the following three types of transition words of contrast and their accompanying sentences:

"But:" The machine works, but it is damaged.

"But" is a coordinating conjunction used to join to independent clauses together.

"Although:" The machine works although it is damaged.

Although it is damaged, the machine works.

"Although" is a subordinating dependent clause connector used to join an independent clause with a dependent clause. In this sentence, the independent clause (main idea) is "the machine." The dependent clause (support idea) is "it is damaged."

"However:" The machine works. However, it is damaged.

The machine works; however, it is damaged.

"However" is used as a transition word to join two separate sentences together.

These examples show that, although the three have the same meaning, they can be grouped grammatically into three categories: coordinators, subordinators, and transition words.

Common Transition Words
Coordinators	Subordinators	Transition Words
so, and, but, for, or, yet	noun clause connectors: how, how many, if, that, what, when, where, whether, which, who, whom, whose, why, adjective clause connectors: that, when, where, whereby, which, whom, whose adverb clause connectors: as, because, inasmuch as, now that, since, if, in case, provided, providing, unless, whether, although, even though, though, whereas, while, in that, where, wherever, as, after, as long as, as soon as, before, by the time, once, since, until, when, whenever, while	also as a result besides consequently finally first for instance for example for this reason further furthermore however in addition in the same manner in other words in conclusion in fact in summary in contrast in short later likewise meanwhile moreover nevertheless next on the other hand on the contrary second similarly specifically still that is then therefore thus to sum up to illustrate

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English 306: Expository Writing

Using Transition Words