Transition words in an essay are a great way of linking ideas together.
If you’re writing an essay on why you should be allowed to eat cake at breakfast (and you should totally indulge in cake for breakfast!), for example, you might use a transition word such as ‘therefore’ or ‘thereby’ to show the connection between two ideas, such as ‘I should be allowed to eat cake because I am in love with the taste of sugar, and also because it makes me feel cheerful and happy.
In this blog post, we will examine some examples of common transition words that can help improve your students’ writing.
Transition words for essay paragraphs
Transitions are more than just words or phrases that help you move from one idea to the next. They also help your reader understand how one point relates to another, how one paragraph relates to another, and how one section relates to another.
There are two main types of transition words for essay paragraphs: transitions between paragraphs and transitions within paragraphs.
Transitions between paragraphs help your reader follow along by highlighting the relationship between the content in one paragraph and and the content in the next paragraph. In the prewriting phase of the writing process, writers painstakingly outline their ideas in order to effectively communicate their ideas and transitions from paragraph to paragraph help link those ideas together.
You’ll notice that without transitions, the paragraphs are clear, but they seem disconnected, almost as if they’re different ideas put together in one piece. The reader has to work harder to make sense of what you’re trying to say because there is no flow between your ideas.
You can see this in the first paragraph and second paragraph below:
- First paragraph – “In this essay I will be discussing how transitions can improve writing.”
- Second paragraph – “Transitions help the reader better understand how an essay is organized by showing how one idea relates to another.”
Without a smooth transition it feels like these two paragraphs are unrelated and as a reader you may feel like you’ve missed an important point.
By adding a transition, the relationship between the two paragraphs is clearer:
- First paragraph – “In this essay I will be discussing how transitions can improve writing.”
- Second paragraph – “One way transitions help the reader better understand how an essay is organized is by showing how one idea relates to another.”
In this example, the transition phrase “one way” indicates that this is the first of multiple ways transitions can improve paragraphs that will be explored in the course of the essay.
Here are a few common transition words and phrases to use from paragraph to paragraph grouped by category
Transition words for essays that compare and contrast
- After all
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
- However
- Likewise
- By the same token
- Similarly
- Yet
Transition words for essays to show sequence or chronology
- Before
- Since
- Next
- Now
- By the time
- At this instant
- In the meantime
- Once
Transition words for essays to show order of importance
- In addition to
- Similarly
- Most importantly
- Best of all
- Worst of all
- Opposite
- Beginning with
- Initially
Transitioning using repetition
Repetition, or the repeating of words and phrases for emphasis, is another effective way to transition between paragraphs.
- First paragraph– For all these reasons, the slowdown of traffic at that interchange constitutes a safety hazard and must be alleviated as soon as possible.
- Second paragraph– Not only do traffic conditions at that interchange constitute a safety hazard, but they increase air pollution as well.
Notice how the words and phrases traffic, at that interchange, and safety hazard are repeated in the first and second paragraphs.
This use of repetition emphasizes the keywords to the reader and helps to create cohesion.
Transition words for body paragraphs in an essay
Transitions also occur within paragraphs. Similar to transitions between paragraphs, transitions within paragraphs cue readers anticipate information before they read it (hey, I even managed to use one in this paragraph!
Notice how the word similar connects the idea of transitions in paragraphs with the previous section on transitions between paragraphs?!). Transitions within paragraphs are usually single words or short phrases.
Take a look at another example:
Buying a car can be a lengthy and complicated process. Therefore, it’s important to do your homework before going to the dealership such as looking at reputable sources like Kelly Blue Book and Auto Trader. However, don’t discount the advice of family and friends! They can be great sources of recommendations for what kind of car to buy and from where to buy it.
Notice how the transition words link the previous sentence to the next creating a seamless flow within the paragraph.
Transitions for online writing
When writing online, the same practices for using transitions apply as they do in writing essays.
Writers use transitions to link together ideas in one paragraph and between paragraphs in digital formats. Writers may also employ the use of headings in order to clarify information and organize their points.
Take a look at this example from “Save America’s Patent System.” This editorial advocating for a better system for creating patents in America employs the same usage of transitions in this digital article as traditional essayists would in their essays.
Paragraph 1: “By adding this old technology to its insulin drug, Glargine, however, the pharmaceutical giant Sanofi was nonetheless able to secure additional patents for a lucrative product. The drug’s existing patents were expiring, and new ones enabled the company to maintain its monopoly — and the bounty that goes with it — much longer. But for the patients who depend on this life-sustaining drug? Too many are still struggling to afford it.”
Paragraph 2: “Sanofi is not alone, of course. Other drug makers have patented scores of uninspiring tweaks to their existing products: making a tablet instead of a pill, changing the dose, adding a flavor.”
In the first paragraph of this editorial, the author introduces the pharmaceutical company Sanofi to illustrate the issues surrounding patents in the pharmaceutical industry. In the second paragraph, in order to introduce other companies to their commentary to illustrate how widespread the issue is, the author transitions by using Sanofi as the linking idea. This is an example of how to use an idea to transition rather than just a word alone.
The use of transition words to link together two paragraphs can be seen in the editorial, “The Self Destruction of Ye.”
Columnist Charles M. Blow introduces his first point by saying “Let me first say this…” The use of the transition word “first” alerts the reader that his first point is coming and signals for them to begin paying attention as he outlines his argument.
When writing in online formats, it’s important to remember that the rules for transitions work the same as they do in other forms of writing.
Recommendations
Transition words in an essay should be used strategically. Provide guidance to students as they practice choosing the right transition words and phrases for their goal. Make sure learners understand how different transitions illustrate different types of relationships.
Encourage students to use transitions sparingly. Once students learn they need to have transitions in their writing, it is easy for them to overuse the transition words and phrases.
Teach students the difference between too many and just right by providing examples, modeling in your own writing, and helping them to understand what is already clear and what should have a connecting point.
Conclusion
Essay transitions are essential parts of writing, and they can be used in many ways. They help connect ideas together and keep your meaning clear—this makes them a powerful tool in your writing toolkit!
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