Transitional words and phrases are used to connect one idea to the next. They show how the main idea and its further development are connected within a paragraph or within a sentence. They are like the asphalt (bitumen) that glues the materials of the road surface together.
If the amount of the asphalt is little or of bad quality, then the road surface will come out cracky and rough, and our ride rather bumpy. Likewise, if we use little or inappropiate transitions in our writing, the meanings will be disorganised and the reader will not be able to read smoothly from one point to the next.
On the other hand, too many transitional phrases make our writing unnatural. Thus, it is necessary to fully understand what kind of transitions there are and how they are used.
Two helpful lists follow: the first includes some basic transitional words and phrases and the second presents links to examples and exercises.
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Transitions
addition
- also, another, in addition,additionally, furthermore, moreover, again, and, as well, besides, equally important, further, furthermore,
cause-effect
- because, for, therefore, hence, as a result, consequently, due to, thus, so, this led to
comparison
- also,similarly, in the same way, just like, likewise, in comparison
conclusion
- to conclude, to summarize, to sum up,as one can see,in conclusion, in summary, for these reasons, finally, in a word, in brief, briefly, in the end, in the final analysis, on the whole, thus,
contrast/exception
- ,in contrast,on the contrary, in spite of, on the other hand, however, whereas, but, yet, nevertheless,nonetheless, instead, as opposed to, otherwise, regardless, still, yet
definition
- refers to, in other words, consists of, is equal to, means,consider, this means
emphasis
- even, indeed, in fact, of course, truly
example
- for example, for instance, such as, is like, including, to illustrate
order
- first, second, later, next, before, for one, for another, previously, then, finally, following, since, now
time
- then, after(something), afterward, at last, before, during, earlier,later, meanwhile, recently,simultaneously
GENERAL
Transition Words (from https://www.msu.edu/) under Creative Commons license 3.0
Transition Words and Clause Connectors (from http://www.usask.ca/)
Transition Words (http://www.smart-words.org/linking-words/transition-words.html) This list can be downloaded as PDF.
Transitional Words and Phrases (from http://www.studygs.net/)
How to Link Paragraphs (from http://www.tees.ac.uk/ ) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial- ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
EXERCISES
http://www.grammarbank.com/conjunctions-quiz.html
http://jc-schools.net/write/trans-quiz_files/frame.htm
http://www.learnenglish-online.com/writing/tests/transitions.html
http://www.oercommons.org/courses/transitional-words-and-phrases-quiz
http://teacher.scholastic.com/activities/writing/persuasiveflash/transitionalwords.htm
http://www.bergen.edu/pages1/Documents/ELRC/transitions1.htm