how to study effectively using transition signals essay

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Transition Signals in Writing

What are transition signals.

Transition signals are connecting words or phrases that strengthen the internal cohesion of your writing. Transition signals act like bridges between parts of your writing. They link your sentences and paragraphs together smoothly so that they flow and there are no abrupt jumps or breaks between ideas.

Transition signals also act like signposts making it easier for the reader to follow your ideas. They help carry over a thought from one sentence to another, from one paragraph to another, or between separate sentences, paragraphs or topics.

There are several types of transition signals. Some lead your reader forward and imply the building of an idea or thought, while others make your reader compare ideas or draw conclusions from the preceding thoughts.

Sample text

The following words and phrases can be used to indicate transitions and to cue your reader about how ideas are logically connected in your writing. This list is also helpful for providing alternative options if you find yourself constantly using the same linking word or phrase.

To indicate sequence or to logically order ideas

first, second, third etc.

followed by

before, after

next, finally

previously, subsequently

initially, followed by

concurrently

at that time

To refer to a specific incident or example

for example

to illustrate

for instance

in the case of case

specifically

in this case

on this occasion

To provide emphasis or indicate importance

particularly

To indicate time

at that/this point

immediately

simultaneously

then, later

at that/ this time

To compare and/ or contrast

To compare:

• on the one hand
• correspondingly

in the same way

To contrast:

in contrast

on the other hand

• a different view is

on the contrary

• differing from
• balanced against
• by/ in comparison

To indicate result or cause and effect

as a result (of this)

consequently

as a consequence

accordingly

for this reason

because (of this)

so much (so) that

To introduce a similar idea

To add another idea or more information.

in addition

furthermore

it could also be said

additionally

To introduce an opposite idea, to show exception or concession

alternatively

it could also be said that

nevertheless

despite/in spite of (this)

even though

nonetheless

notwithstanding (this)

regardless (of this)

To give an example

take the case of

to demonstrate

To identify or clarify

that is (to say)

in other words

To summarise or conclude

on the whole

in conclusion

as a result

to summarise

• Transition signals in writing
• Quotations and paraphrases
• Punctuation
• Paraphrasing, summarising, quoting
• ^ More support

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How to Use Transitions in an Essay – Tutorial with Examples

One of your main tasks in writing an essay is to help the reader make connections and understand your writing well. Transitions allow you to do that. They help ensure that the reading process flows smoothly. 

I’m Tutor Phil, and in this tutorial I’ll show you how to use transitions effectively in your essays and research papers.

Four Rules of Using Transitions in Academic Writing

Rule 1. structure your essay well.

If your essay has a clear structure, this will minimize the need for transitions. Remember – you shouldn’t really need a lot of transitional words and phrases in your essay. 

Use transitions in places where they are most likely to help the reader make the necessary connection and move along. And if your flow of ideas in the essay is clear, that alone is the single most important quality of your writing.

So, if you’re new to essay writing, I highly recommend my tutorial on essay writing for beginners .

Rule 2. Trust the reader

If you trust yourself to write a well-structured essay, then you should trust the reader to understand what you have written. 

Don’t use transitions to summarize what you just wrote.  

When you pause to remind the reader what you just stated – whether in a section or a paragraph – this makes them feel that you’re wasting their time. Nobody likes stuff repeated to them over and over.

Besides, this signals a lack of trust both in the writer and the reader. Instead, use transitions only to move the reader forward in your essay. I’ll show you exactly how.

Rule 3. Proceed from general to specific

Going from general to specific is a mode in which you should be writing your essay. And transitions should help you accomplish this.

Let’s leave it at that for now because the examples in this tutorial will illustrate this perfectly. But for now just keep in mind that transitions are a great way to help you move from general to specific in your essay. 

Rule 4. Use transitions on multiple levels

Transitions can be used to move into a section, a paragraph, or a sentence. When transitioning into a section or a paragraph, use the transition within the lead sentence. 

If you’re not familiar with lead sentences or need to brush them up, here is my short and sweet tutorial on lead sentences .

Transitions also come in handy when introducing or leading into a smaller bit of writing, such as a sentence or part of a paragraph. 

10 Categories of Transitions with Examples

1. transitions that indicate similarity.

These are transitions that allow you to introduce material that is similar to what came before. You can use these transitions to add material to your essay. 

These are such words and phrases as:

• By the same token

“Mozart and Haydn wrote music primarily for the emerging upper middle class. Similarly, Beethoven adhered to the musical tastes of this sliver of the society early in his career.”

2. Contrary Transitions 

These are important and powerful transitions that tell the reader that something opposite to what they just read is coming. These include such words and phrases as:

• Nevertheless
• Notwithstanding
• Despite (or “In spite of”)
• On the other hand

“Mozart and Haydn wrote music primarily for the upper middle class and nobility. Beethoven did the same because his sustenance depended on it. However, his creative spirit yearned to write highly evolved and complex music aimed at the connoisseur.”

Another Version (with a different transition)

“Mozart and Haydn wrote music primarily for the upper middle class and nobility. Conversely, Beethoven yearned to write highly evolved and complex music aimed at the connoisseur.”

The Counterargument

One of the ways transitions in this category can be used is to expand your essay while adding validity to your argument. 

Let’s say you’re making an argument that Beethoven was an amazingly innovative composer. And you have provided some evidence to support this claim. 

Here is how you can use a counterargument to add content and make your point even stronger. You can suggest that others may disagree with your point. But they miss the mark for one or more important reasons. 

For example:

“ Some contemporary critics of Beethoven argued that his music was needlessly complex and failed to please much of the public. However , they were quite shortsighted. Beethoven’s music continues to please audiences hundreds of years later while the names of his critics are lost in the shuffle of history.”

You can use the counterargument technique to add a couple of juicy paragraphs to your essay. Here’s a video I created which will show you how:

3. Transitions of Order and Sequence

These are very useful when enumerating or listing items. These are such words as:

A great place to use these transitions is in the thesis statement.

“Going to college presents great advantages. First, college graduates earn more than those without a degree. Second, higher education enriches a person’s inner world. Finally, college is a great way to start friendships that will last a lifetime.”

4. Time Transitions

These words and phrases specify or change the time in which the reader finds herself. Here are some of them:

• In the meantime
• Subsequently

“Two of the men were on the lookout. Meanwhile, the third and fourth were busy cleaning out the store.”

5. Place Transitions

These transitions indicate location or change of location:

• In front of 

“In front of the school stood a hot dog stand, students’ favorite food spot.”

6. Transitions into Examples/Specificity

These very important transitions indicate that a specific piece of information is about to support a more general statement that just came before. These are such words and phrases as:

• For example
• For instance
• To illustrate
• Specifically
• To be more specific

“Some kids love school. For example, my son is always excited to go to school because he loves to socialize and to learn.”

“Some subjects are crucial to students’ intellectual development. To be more specific, they cultivate such skills and abilities as critical thinking, decision making, and argumentation.”

7. Transitions of Emphasis or Focus

Use these transitions sparingly because they are often unnecessary. These are such words and phrases as:

• Importantly

“Indeed, Beethoven was an innovative composer.”

“Naturally, Beethoven’s patrons adored him.”

8. Transitions of Cause and Effect

These are very important transitions that I often call Power Words. ( Here is my article on Power Words where you can learn more about them .)

• Consequently

“Mozart wrote some of the most original music with catchy melodies. In effect, he quickly gained the favor of the Viennese.”

9. Transitions Indicating Additional Material 

Use these transitions when you want to add a new category or kind of material to support an argument. These words and phrases include:

• Furthermore
• In addition

“The nobles of Vienna adored Mozart for his musical genius and wit. Besides, he knew how to please them by writing music for soirees and social events that were all the rage at the time.”

10. Concluding Transitions

These transitions allow you to signal the coming of the final section, paragraph, or sentence. Definitely use them in the beginning of a conclusion paragraph. These are such words and phrases as:

• To conclude
• In conclusion
• In the final analysis

“In the final analysis, both Mozart and Beethoven enjoyed great success and formidable challenges as composers in their lifetimes.”

Hope this was helpful ( source ). Now go ahead and make these transitions a working part of your writing skills.

Tutor Phil is an e-learning professional who helps adult learners finish their degrees by teaching them academic writing skills.

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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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Writing Center

Loyola university chicago, transitions & signal words.

We use transitions in writing to connect ideas and signal to readers that we are moving through our discussion. Transitions help writers organize their papers and help readers understand how ideas and parts of the paper fit together. These transitions can occur Between Paragraphs and Between Sentences .

  Between Paragraphs

Each of your paragraphs should refer to a previous idea. In order to make sure the ideas flow logically, we use transitions between paragraphs to link ideas and show readers how the paragraphs are connected. Example phrases include:

• While A suggests B, C suggests D.
• After looking at A, we move to B.
• In addition, C also argues D.

  Between Sentences

We use transitions between sentences to link ideas and help the sentences flow coherently.

Use transition words such as first , next , however , and in addition to show the relationships among sentences and ideas. Repeat key words or phrases to tie related sentences together:

The new black middle class came of age in the 1960s during an unprecedented American economic boom and in the hub of a thriving mass culture . The economic boom made luxury goods and convenient services available to large numbers of hard-working Americans for the first time. American mass culture presented models of the good life principally in terms of conspicuous consumption and hedonistic indulgence.

—Cornel West, Race Matters*

Use parallel phrases—phrases that begin with the same word or that share the same grammatical structure—to emphasize connections among similar examples or related pieces of information:

I spent my two days at Disneyland taking rides . I took a bobsled through the Matterhorn and a submarine under the Polar Ice Cap and a rocket jet to the Cosmic Vapor Curtain. I took Peter Pan’s Flight, Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride, Alice’s Scary Adventures, and Pinocchio’s Daring Journey. I took a steamboat and a jungle boat. I took the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad to Coyote Country and the Splash Mountain roller coaster to Critter Country. […] More precisely, those rides took me : up and down and around sudden corners and over rooftops, and all I had to do was sit back and let whatever conveyance I was sitting in do the driving.

—William Zinsser, American Places*

Common Transition Words and Phrases:

To Add: and, again, and then, besides, finally, further, too, in addition, moreover, as equally important, as well, also, furthermore, likewise, moreover, similarly, still, next

To Compare/Contrast: but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, by comparison, where, compared to, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in contrast, nonetheless, rather, instead

To Prove: because, for, since, for the same reason, furthermore, moreover, indeed, in fact, as a result, consequently, accordingly, thus

To Show Exception: yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, of course, aside from, barring, except, excluding, other than, save

To Show Time/Sequence: immediately, thereafter, soon, finally, then, later, previously, formerly, first (second, third, fourth, etc.), next, first of all, to begin with, in turn, meanwhile, afterward, in conclusion, following, subsequently, previously, simultaneously, concurrently, after, before, consequently, previously, hence

To Repeat/Summarize: as I have said, as I have noted, as I have shown, as a result, in brief, in short, finally, to summarize, therefore, after all, in any case, in other words, once again, consequently

To Emphasize: definitely, extremely, surprisingly, without a doubt, certainly, above all, chiefly, especially, particularly

To Give an Example: for example, for instance, to illustrate, in this situation, to demonstrate, in this case, in particular, namely, specifically, such as, including

To Generalize: as a rule, for the most part, generally speaking, usually

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10.6 Editing Focus: Paragraphs and Transitions

Learning outcomes.

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Implement transitional words and phrases in a position argument.
• Apply genre conventions in paragraphs and transitions for general and specific situations.

In the initial drafts of your paper, you may have concentrated on single ideas for your body paragraphs and single thoughts within those paragraphs. Your argument will read more smoothly, however, if you use transitional words and phrases to show readers how your ideas are connected or opposed to each other.

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

To organize your paper most effectively, use transitional words or phrases , which show readers the relationship between different ideas—that is, how ideas connect with or are separate from each other. In the paragraph below, transitional words and phrases are underlined.

student sample text To get a copy of your transcript from Abbott Community College, underline first end underline log on to the college web site. underline Next end underline , click the “Transcript” link underline to the left of end underline the college logo. underline When end underline the link opens, fill out the information requested in the boxes. underline Then end underline upload a copy of your student ID underline and end underline pay $10 electronically. underline Finally end underline , submit your form. Your transcript will be emailed to you, underline but end underline you may have to wait up to three days underline before end underline you receive it. end student sample text

The transitional words and phrases show readers the sequence of steps they need to follow to get a transcript. If you remove the transitional words and phrases, the paragraph would be choppy, and readers might not follow the steps as easily.

Transitions also help guide readers between paragraphs. Below are the body paragraphs a student wrote about the need for a traffic light at a street that leads into his college. The first version has no transitions.

student sample text Many vehicles speed through the intersection without regard to the posted speed limit. A traffic signal would make vehicles slow down. They would not be able to speed through the signal. end student sample text

student sample text Pedestrian safety is a problem. Many students and others cross this intersection when coming to or leaving campus, and they must dodge traffic to get across. A traffic signal would allow them to cross at appropriate times. end student sample text

student sample text The amount of traffic has increased dramatically. A manufacturing plant opened four blocks from the intersection. The number of businesses in the strip mall at the intersection has grown by 50 percent. The college has changed its traffic routing for football games. Fans must enter via this intersection. end student sample text

student sample text The most compelling reason to install a traffic signal is that the number of accidents has risen far past an acceptable limit. According to recent police reports, a traffic accident occurs at least three times a month. One accident resulted in a loss of life. end student sample text

The student then added transitions and changed the wording accordingly to help readers follow his ideas. The underlined transitions at the beginning of each paragraph alert readers to the four reasons he presents and to where he changes from one to another. The underlined transitions within the paragraphs help readers understand the relationship of ideas.

student sample text underline First end underline , many vehicles speed through the intersection without regard to the posted speed limit. A traffic signal would make vehicles slow down, underline for end underline they would not be able to speed through the signal. end student sample text

student sample text underline Second end underline , pedestrian safety is a problem. Many students and others cross this intersection when coming to or leaving campus, and underline now end underline they must dodge traffic to get across. A traffic signal, underline therefore end underline , would allow them to cross at appropriate times. end student sample text

student sample text underline Another reason to install the traffic signal has to do with end underline the amount of traffic, which has increased dramatically underline in recent years end underline . underline Two years ago end underline , a manufacturing plant opened four blocks from the intersection. underline In the past 16 months end underline , the number of businesses in the strip mall underline at the intersection end underline grew by 50 percent. underline Furthermore end underline , the college has changed its traffic routing for football games, underline and now end underline fans must enter via this intersection. end student sample text

student sample text underline Finally end underline , the most compelling reason to install a traffic signal is that the number of accidents has risen far past an acceptable limit. According to recent police reports, a traffic accident occurs at that intersection at least three times a month. underline In fact end underline , one of those accidents resulted in a loss of life. end student sample text

Frequently Used Transitional Words and Phrases

Addition: again, and, further, in addition, next, then, also, as well as

Cause-and-effect : accordingly, consequently, for this reason, hence, therefore, thus, as a result

Amplification : again, also, apparently, first (second, third), moreover, indeed, more, most, in fact

Chronological order : after, before, during, earlier, finally, first (second, third), immediately, last, next, then, later

Concession or agreement : although, at least, at any rate, certainly, (even) though, in spite of, of course, still, nevertheless, nonetheless

Compare and contrast : at the same time, comparatively, conversely, however, instead, likewise, moreover, nevertheless, on the contrary, on the other hand, rather, similarly, still, yet, despite

Detail : including, in particular, namely, specifically, to list

Emphasis or clarification : above all, again, certainly, especially, furthermore, in fact, particularly, indeed

Example : chiefly, for example (instance), in other words, in particular, mainly, specifically

Intention : for this purpose, in order to do this, to this end, with this in mind

Location : above, along, behind, below, here, near, next to, opposite, to the left (right) of, under

Summary : finally, in conclusion, in short, in other words, thus

For more information about paragraphs and transitions, see Paragraphs and Transitions .

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Transition signals

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What are transition signals?

Transition signals are linking words or phrases that connect your ideas and add cohesion to your writing. They signpost or indicate to the reader the relationships between sentences and between paragraphs, making it easier for the reader to understand your ideas. We use a variety of transition signals to fulfil a number of functions. Some of these functions include: to show the order or sequence of events; to indicate that a new idea or an example will follow; to show that a contrasting idea will be presented, or to signal a summary or a conclusion.

How are transition signals useful?

Transition signals will:

•     make it easier for the reader to follow your ideas.

•     create powerful links between sentences and paragraphs to improve the flow of information across the whole text. The result is that the writing is smoother.

•     help to carry over a thought from one sentence to another, from one idea to another or from one paragraph to another.

How are transition signals used?

•     Transition signals are usually placed at the start of sentences; however, they may also appear in the middle or end of sentences.

•     A transition signal, or the clause introduced by a transition signal, is usually separated from the rest of the sentence by commas.

•     You DO NOT need to use transition signals in every sentence in a paragraph; however, good use of transition words will help to make the relationship between the ideas in your writing clear and logical.

Which transition signals can I use?

Before choosing a particular transition signal to use, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely and be sure that it's the right match for the logic in your paper. Transition signals all have different meanings, nuances, and connotations.

•     To introduce an example:

•     To introduce an opposite idea or show exception:

•     To show agreement:

•     To introduce an additional idea:

•     To indicate sequence or order, or logically divide an idea:

•     To indicate time:

•     To compare:

•     To contrast:

•     To show cause and effect:

•     To summarise or conclude:

The example below illustrates how transition signals can be used to improve the quality of a piece of writing. Note how the ideas flow more smoothly and the logical relationships between the ideas are expressed clearly.

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The Learning Centre 2013, Transition signals in writing , UNSW, viewed 20 September 2013, < https://student.unsw.edu.au/transition-signals-writing >.

Unilearning 2000, Transition signals , UOW, viewed 20 September 2013, <The UniLearning website is no longer available>.

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Writing Studio

Common transition words and phrases.

In an effort to make our handouts more accessible, we have begun converting our PDF handouts to web pages. Download this page as a PDF: Transitions Return to Writing Studio Handouts

Transitions clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. These tools should alert readers to shifts in your argument while and also maintain the smoothness and clarity of your prose. Below, you’ll find some of the most commonly used transition categories and examples of each. Depending on the example, these suggestions may be within sentences or at the beginning of sentences.

Transitions by Category

1. addition.

Use when presenting multiple ideas that flow in the same direction, under the same heading/ idea also, another, finally, first, first of all, for one thing, furthermore, in addition, last of all, likewise, moreover, next, and, second, the third reason

2. Sequence/ Order

Use to suggest a temporal relationship between ideas; places evidence in sequence first, second (etc.), next, last, finally, first of all, concurrently, immediately, prior to, then, at that time, at this point, previously, subsequently, and then, at this time, thereafter, previously, soon, before, after, followed by, after that, next, before, after, meanwhile, formerly, finally, during

3. Contrast

Use to demonstrate differences between ideas or change in argument direction but, however, in contrast, on the other hand, on the contrary, yet, differ, difference, balanced against, differing from, variation, still, on the contrary, unlike, conversely, otherwise, on the other hand, however

4. Exception

Use to introduce an opposing idea however, whereas, on the other hand, while, instead, in spite of, yet, despite, still, nevertheless, even though, in contrast, but, but one could also say…

5. Comparison

Use to demonstrate similarities between ideas that may not be under the same subject heading or within the same paragraph like, likewise, just, in a different way / sense, whereas, like, equally, in like manner, by comparison, similar to, in the same way, alike, similarity, similarly, just as, as in a similar fashion, conversely

6. Illustration

Use to develop or clarify an idea, to introduce examples, or to show that the second idea is subordinate to the first for example, to illustrate, on this occasion, this can be seen, in this case, specifically, once, to illustrate, when/where, for instance, such as, to demonstrate, take the case of, in this case

7. Location

Use to show spatial relations next to, above, below, beneath, left, right, behind, in front, on top, within

8. Cause and Effect

Use to show that one idea causes, or results from, the idea that follows or precedes it because, therefore, so that, cause, reason, effect, thus, consequently, since, as a result, if…then, result in

9. Emphasis

Use to suggest that an idea is particularly important to your argument important to note, most of all, a significant factor, a primary concern, a key feature, remember that, pay particular attention to, a central issue, the most substantial issue, the main value, a major event, the chief factor, a distinctive quality, especially valuable, the chief outcome, a vital force, especially relevant, most noteworthy, the principal item, above all, should be noted

10. Summary or Conclusion

Use to signal that what follows is summarizing or concluding the previous ideas; in humanities papers, use these phrases sparingly. to summarize, in short, in brief, in sum, in summary, to sum up, in conclusion, to conclude, finally

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .” 

Writing Effective Sentence Transitions (Advanced)

Transitions are the rhetorical tools that clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. The ability to integrate sentence transitions into your prose, rather than simply throwing in overt transition signals like “in addition,” indicates your mastery of the material. (Note: The visibility of transitions may vary by discipline; consult with your professor to get a better sense of discipline or assignment specific expectations.)

Transition Signals

Transition signals are words or phrases that indicate the logic connecting sets of information or ideas. Signals like therefore, on the other hand, for example, because, then, and afterwards can be good transition tools at the sentence and paragraph level. When using these signals, be conscious of the real meaning of these terms; they should reflect the actual relationship between ideas.

Review Words

Review words are transition tools that link groups of sentences or whole paragraphs. They condense preceding discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just completed a detailed discussion about the greenhouse effect. To transition to the next topic, you could use review words like “this heat-trapping process” to refer back to the green house effect discussion. The relative ability to determine a cogent set of review words might signal your own understanding of your work; think of review words as super-short summaries of key ideas.

Preview words

Preview words condense an upcoming discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just explained how heat is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. Transitioning to the theory that humans are adding to that effect, you could use preview words like “sources of additional CO2 in the atmosphere include” to point forward to that discussion.

Transition Sentences

The strongest and most sophisticated tools, transition sentences indicate the connection between the preceding and upcoming pieces of your argument. They often contain one or more of the above transition tools. For example: You’ve just discussed how much CO2 humans have added to the atmosphere. You need to transition to a discussion of the effects. A strong set of transition sentences between the two sections might sound like this:

“These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere may lead to a number of disastrous consequences for residents of planet earth. The rise in global temperature that accompanies the extra CO2 can yield effects as varied as glacial melting and species extinction.”

In the first sentence, the review words are “These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere”; the preview words are “number of disastrous consequences”; the transition signals are “may lead to.” The topic sentence of the next paragraph indicates the specific “disastrous consequences” you will discuss.

If you don’t see a way to write a logical, effective transition between sentences, ideas or paragraphs, this might indicate organizational problems in your essay; you might consider revising your work.

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program  and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .”

Last revised: 07/2008 | Adapted for web delivery: 05/2021

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Writing Your Paper 2: Drafting

Transitions.

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Transitions are words and/or phrases used to indicate movement or show change throughout a piece of writing. Transitions generally come at the beginning or end of a paragraph and can do the following:

• Alert readers of connections to, or further evidence for, the thesis
• Function as the topic sentence of paragraphs
• Guide readers through an argument
• Help writers stay on task

Transitions sentences often indicate or signal:

• Change to new topic
• Connection/flow from previous topic
• Continuity of overall argument/thesis

Transitions show connections between ideas. You must create these connections for the reader to move them along with your argument. Without transitions, you are building a house without nails. Things do not hold together.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transitions can signal change or relationship in these ways:

Time - order of events

Examples: while, immediately, never, after, later, earlier, always, soon, meanwhile, during, until now, next, following, once, then, simultaneously, so far

Contrast - show difference

Examples: yet, nevertheless, after all, but, however, though, otherwise, on the contrary, in contrast, on the other hand, at the same time

Compare - show similarity

Examples: in the same way, in like manner, similarly, likewise

Position - show spatial relationships

Examples: here, there, nearby, beyond, wherever, opposite to, above, below

Cause and effect

Examples: because, since, for that reason, therefore, consequently, accordingly, thus, as a result

Conclusion - wrap up/summarize the argument

Writing strong transitions often takes more than simply plugging in a transition word or phrase here and there. In a piece of academic writing, writers often need to use signposts, or transition sentences that signal the reader of connections to the thesis. To form a signpost, combine transition words, key terms from the thesis, and a mention of the previous topic and new topic.

Transition/signpost sentence structure: 

[Transition word/phrase] + [previous topic] + [brief restatement of or reference to thesis/argument] + [new topic]  = Signpost

• Do not think of this as a hard and fast template, but a general guide to what is included in a good transition.
• Transitions link the topic of the previous paragraph(s) to the topic of the present paragraph(s) and connect both to the overall goal/argument. You'll most often find signposts at the beginning of a paragraph, where they function as topic sentences .

Sample signpost using complimentary transition phrase:

According to [transition phrase] the same overall plan for first defeating Confederate forces in the field and then capturing major cities and rail hubs [overall thesis restated] that Grant followed by marching the Army of the Potomac into Virginia [previous topic] , Sherman likewise [transition word] advanced into Georgia to drive a dagger into the heart of the Confederacy [new topic] .

Contrasting ideas have the same essential format as complimentary but may use different transition words and phrases:

In contrast to [transition phrase] F.D.R., who maintained an ever-vigilant watchfulness over the Manhattan project [previous topic + reference to overall thesis] , Truman took over the presidency without any knowledge of the atomic bomb or its potential power [new topic] .

The overall structure of an essay with transitions may look something like this:

*Note how transitions may come at beginning or end of paragraphs, but either way they signal movement and change.

You can learn more about essay structure HERE .

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Transition Resources

Here are a couple of good sites with extensive lists of transition words and phrases:

  https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Transitions.html   

 Academic Phrasebank  http://www.phrasebank.manchester.ac.uk

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Effective Transition Words for Research Papers

What are transition words in academic writing?

A transition is a change from one idea to another idea in writing or speaking and can be achieved using transition terms or phrases. These transitions are usually placed at the beginning of sentences, independent clauses, and paragraphs and thus establish a specific relationship between ideas or groups of ideas. Transitions are used to enhance cohesion in your paper and make its logical development clearer to readers.

Types of Transition Words

Transitions accomplish many different objectives. We can divide all transitions into four basic categories:

• Additive transitions  signal to the reader that you are adding or referencing information
• Adversative transitions  indicate conflict or disagreement between pieces of information
• Causal transitions  point to consequences and show cause-and-effect relationships
• Sequential transitions  clarify the order and sequence of information and the overall structure of the paper

Additive Transitions

These terms signal that new information is being added (between both sentences and paragraphs), introduce or highlight information, refer to something that was just mentioned, add a similar situation, or identify certain information as important.

Adversative Transitions

These terms and phrases distinguish facts, arguments, and other information, whether by contrasting and showing differences; by conceding points or making counterarguments; by dismissing the importance of a fact or argument; or replacing and suggesting alternatives.

Causal Transitions

These terms and phrases signal the reasons, conditions, purposes, circumstances, and cause-and-effect relationships. These transitions often come after an important point in the research paper has been established or to explore hypothetical relationships or circumstances.

Sequential Transitions

These transition terms and phrases organize your paper by numerical sequence; by showing continuation in thought or action; by referring to previously-mentioned information; by indicating digressions; and, finally, by concluding and summing up your paper. Sequential transitions are essential to creating structure and helping the reader understand the logical development through your paper’s methods, results, and analysis.

How to Choose Transitions in Academic Writing

Transitions are commonplace elements in writing, but they are also powerful tools that can be abused or misapplied if one isn’t careful. Here are some ways to ensure you are using transitions effectively.

• Check for overused, awkward, or absent transitions during the paper editing process. Don’t spend too much time trying to find the “perfect” transition while writing the paper.
• When you find a suitable place where a transition could connect ideas, establish relationships, and make it easier for the reader to understand your point, use the list to find a suitable transition term or phrase.
• Similarly, if you have repeated some terms again and again, find a substitute transition from the list and use that instead. This will help vary your writing and enhance the communication of ideas.
• Read the beginning of each paragraph. Did you include a transition? If not, look at the information in that paragraph and the preceding paragraph and ask yourself: “How does this information connect?” Then locate the best transition from the list.
• Check the structure of your paper—are your ideas clearly laid out in order? You should be able to locate sequence terms such as “first,” “second,” “following this,” “another,” “in addition,” “finally,” “in conclusion,” etc. These terms will help outline your paper for the reader.

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Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, how to write strong essay transitions.

I'm working on my college essays and I've noticed that my transitions between paragraphs aren't the best. Does anyone have any advice or tips on how to write strong transitions that make my essay flow better? Would really appreciate some help!

Great question! Having strong transitions in your college essays is important to ensure a smooth reading experience and maintain the flow of your ideas. Here are some tips to help you improve your essay transitions:

1. Use transition words and phrases: Such as "however," "on the other hand," "moreover," "in addition," "likewise," "conversely," and "similarly." These words help signal to the reader that you're switching topics or expanding on a point.

2. Repeat key words and phrases: Repeating a word or phrase from the previous paragraph in the opening sentence of the next paragraph connects the two ideas and helps guide the reader through your essay. Just be careful not to overdo it!

3. Parallel structure: Use parallel sentence structures to link two related ideas. For example, you can use a series of phrases or clauses that have the same grammatical structure.

4. Make sure your ideas have a logical order: Ensure that your paragraphs are organized in a way that allows thoughts to flow naturally from one to the next. This might involve rearranging some paragraphs or modifying your points slightly.

5. Start with a topic sentence: Each paragraph should start with a clear topic sentence that summarizes the main idea you'll be discussing in the paragraph. This helps guide the reader and sets the stage for the transition.

6. Focus on themes or ideas: Rather than just moving from one specific example to another, use broader themes or ideas to connect your paragraphs. This can help create a smooth transition between paragraphs that may be discussing different examples.

7. Use questions or statements to introduce new ideas: Sometimes, a rhetorical question or a short statement can be a powerful way to transition between paragraphs and provide a sense of anticipation for the upcoming argument.

8. Revise and edit: Writing is a process, and often our first drafts don't have the strongest transitions. Keep revising and editing your essay to spot areas where you could improve the flow between paragraphs.

9. Read your essay out loud: Sometimes, reading your work aloud can help you pick up on awkward transitions or areas where more clarity is needed. This can help you get a sense of how your arguments connect and how they might be improved.

It's essential to be mindful of the overall flow and cohesion of your essay. Transitions not only improve readability but also help your reader follow your train of thought. Paying close attention to these elements will ultimately strengthen your essay and make it more compelling. Good luck!

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Home  / Blog  / Improve your Writing  / 5 Common Transition Signal Errors & How to Fix Them

Five common transition signal errors and how to fix them

If you ever have the chance, google the band Modest Mouse and listen to their music. Just so that you can never do it again.

I bring this up because reading an essay where transition signals are used incorrectly is like being subjected to a lot of unpleasant noise. To recap, transition signals are words and phrases that, when used correctly, enhance the flow of an essay.  Read our post introducing some key types of transition signals here . In this article, we’ll learn how to tune our instruments and give a stellar performance that doesn’t hurt anyone’s ears, by learning what not to do.

Error #1: Using too many transition signals

As the expression goes, "too much of a good thing" (Christmas pudding, full moon dancing, etc.) can be negative. The same applies to transition signals. Some students get so excited about using them that they use more than necessary and this creates text that is choppy and confusing. Here is an example of this, plus a correction…

Luckily there are ways to avoid overusing transition signals, for instance:

• Don't use two transition signals with similar meanings in the same sentence.
• Don’t use too many short, simple sentences with transition signals; instead, combine simple ideas using fewer transition signals.
• Ask yourself if the transition signal is necessary, or if it creates confusion in which you’re better off without it. For example:

The teacher encouraged students to rate how satisfied they were with the course. Therefore, the average rating was 8.5.

This doesn’t make sense as the second sentence implies that the average student rating was related to the teacher’s encouragement of students to rate the course. So, the transition signal is unnecessary.

The teacher encouraged students to rate how satisfied they were with the course. Therefore, The average rating was 8.5.

Error #2: Mixing up the order

I’ve found that students tend to muddle Cause & Effect transition signals (because, since, thus, due to, etc.), which state that one thing is the result of, or logically leads to, another thing. Perhaps this is because some Cause & Effect sentences can read a bit like the brainteaser: “Which came first? The chicken or the egg?” Most often though, the cause and the effect become clear if you read the sentence carefully. Take a look at this example…

The word “result” seems to resonate more with my students than “effect”, so if it helps to rather call them Cause & Result transition signals, go for it.

Follow these tips to avoid muddling the order when using transition signals:

• Read the sentences carefully to establish the correct order. Ask yourself: which action/decision/belief came first?
• Pay particular attention to transition signals where the two clauses/sentences are closely intertwined (a bit like Laurel and Hardy, or Antony and Cleopatra), including Cause & Effect and Comparison & Contrast transition signals (however, nonetheless, although, whereas, etc.).
• Be careful with transition signal phrases that sound the same but can’t be used in the same way. For instance:

Incorrect: Overeating is a result of obesity. Correct: Obesity is a result of overeating. / Overeating results in obesity.

Incorrect: Respiratory problems can cause air pollution. Correct: Respiratory problems can be caused by air pollution. / Air pollution can cause respiratory problems.

Error # 3: Using incorrect grammar

No man is an island, and neither is a transition signal. Indeed, the purpose of transition signals is to link pieces of text (the clue is in the name – transition signal). Therefore, it’s important to give as much love to the sentences, clauses, and paragraphs that transition signals connect as the transition signals themselves. As an ESL teacher, I’ve found that students can have difficulty with getting this surrounding grammar right, as the below example shows:

It’s important to remember that different transition signals follow different grammatical rules. For example, transition signals like “although”, “though”, “even though”, and “whereas’” are classified as “subordinating conjunctions.” This is a fancy way of describing a word or phrase that adds more information about the big guy (or main clause).

It’s helpful to remember that because a subordinating conjunction’s job is to add information to the main clause, it means that these transition signals can never, ever, ever (just one more “ever” for good measure) stand alone. If they do, we have a grammatically dire situation called a “sentence fragment” (and all the king’s linguists raced frantically to put the broken words back together again).

A main clause can be distinguished from a dependent clause because it can stand independently. Study this example, which shows how our very helpful, neighbourly subordinating conjunction transition signals link main/independent and dependent clauses:

“Okay teacher,” I hear you thinking. “That’s easy because all the transition signals in the same category (Cause & Effect, Emphasis, Addition, etc.) must follow the same grammar, right?” Alas, no. It is better to learn the grammar for transition signals individually, rather than per category, since the category of the transition signal does not always determine its grammar .

Hence, we have Comparison & Contrast transition signals such as “in contrast” starting a new sentence, while others such as “however” that can act as subordinating clauses or start a new sentence. Other transition signal categories are similarly hodgepodge when it comes to grammatical rules. Not confusing at all!

To make things easier for yourself, memorise the two broad grammatical structures that transition signals fall under, namely: clause connectors (which include the subordinating conjunctions just mentioned), and sentence connectors.

As we have seen, clause connectors are used to connect two clauses to make one sentence – these connectors use a comma. Sentence connectors, on the other hand, connect two feistily independent, complete sentences using either a full stop or semi-colon, and are followed by a comma. Here are examples with transition signals that function as sentence connectors:

It is commonly accepted that children acquire languages with more ease than adults. Similarly, studies show that children have more musical talent than adults.

It is commonly accepted that children acquire languages with more ease than adults; nevertheless, adults should not be discouraged and instead embrace learning a new language. (“Nevertheless” can also connect two sentences with a full stop). It is commonly accepted that children acquire languages. Despite this, not all children are given the opportunity to realise their linguistic potential.

Error #5: Using variations of transition signals incorrectly

Some transition signals can change form, which can puzzle students. For example, “in spite of” can be used on its own, or with “whether”. On the other hand, “despite” can be used with “this”, “the fact that”, or with a gerund.

Whichever transition signal variation you choose, be aware that the surrounding grammar must change too, as can be seen here:

In conclusion, it is possible to avoid falling into transition signal manholes if you tread carefully and follow our expert tips.

By Leigh-Anne Hunter

For more ideas, and real life examples, see Master Transition Signals .

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87 Signal Phrases and Transitions

John Lanning and Amanda Lloyd

A signal phrase, also known as an attributive tag, is a device used to smoothly integrate quotations and paraphrases into your essay. It is important to use signal phrases to clearly attribute supporting evidence to an author and to avoid interrupting the flow of an essay. Signal phrases can also be used as meaningful transitions, moving your readers between your ideas and those of your sources.

A basic signal phrase consists of an author’s name and an active verb indicating how the author is presenting the material. A signal phrase may also include information explaining an author’s credentials and/or affiliations as well as the title and/or publisher of the source text.

Referring to the Author within a Signal Phrase

In many instances, a signal phrase should contain only the last name of the author or authors of the source text (as opposed to the author’s first  and  last name). For instance, APA style guidelines require no reference to an author’s first name at any point in an essay and few if any gender specific pronouns.  But in MLA papers, if you are referring to an author for the first time in your essay, you should include that author’s first name (you might also want to include the author’s credentials and the title of the source—see “Types of Signal Phrases” below). Any future signal phrase should refer to the author by last name only or with a pronoun when it’s perfectly clear to whom that pronoun refers. For example:

• Michael Pollan observes that “Americans today are having a national conversation about food and agriculture that would have been impossible to imagine even a few short years ago” (29).
• Pollan continues, “But the national conversation unfolding around the subject of food and farming really began in the 1970s” (29).
• He then specifies, “I would argue that the conversation got under way in earnest in 1971, when [Wendell] Berry published an article in The Last Whole Earth Catalogue” (29).

Notice how each signal phrase verb is followed by a comma (or the word “that”), which is then followed by one space before the opening quotation mark.

In essays written according to MLA and APA guidelines, it is acceptable to refer to the author as “the author” as long as it is perfectly clear to whom you are referring. In APA, it is common to see general references to “researchers.”

Signal Phrase Verb Tense

In the examples above, notice how the signal phrase verbs are written in present tense. When you are asked to write a paper that follows MLA guidelines, signal phrases should always be written in present (not past) tense. When writing a paper using APA style, signal phrase verbs should be written in past tense. For example:

• Pollan (2009) observed that “Americans today are having a national conversation about food and agriculture that would have been impossible to imagine even a few short years ago” (p. 29).

Notice how APA in-text citations also differ from MLA style in that APA citations include the year of publication and the page number is preceded by a “p.”

Varying Your Verbs

You should also vary your signal phrase verbs (rather than simply using “states” throughout your entire essay) in order to maintain your readers’ interest and to indicate the author’s intended use of the excerpted material. See below for examples of strong signal phrase verbs.

Types of Signal Phrases

In most instances, the first time the author is mentioned in an MLA-style essay, as well as including the author’s first  and  last name in a signal phrase, it is also a good idea to include the author’s credentials and the title of the source.

While providing the author’s credentials and title of the source are the most common types of signal phrases, there are others we should be aware of. In the examples below, the information relevant to the type of signal phrase is underlined.

Type:   Author’s credentials are indicated.

Example:  Grace Chapmen, Curator of Human Health & Evolutionary Medicine at the Springfield Natural History Museum, explains…

Purpose:  Presenting an author’s credentials should help build credibility for the passage you are about to present. Including the author’s credentials gives your readers a reason to consider your sources.

Type:   Author’s  lack of  credentials is indicated.

Example:  Matthew Spencer, whose background is in marriage counseling, not foreign policy, claims…

Purpose:  Identifying an author’s lack of credentials in a given area can help illustrate a lack of authority on the subject matter and persuade the audience not to adopt the author’s ideas. Pointing to an author’s lack of credentials can be beneficial when developing your response to counter-arguments.

Type:   Author’s social or political stance, if necessary to the content, is explained.

Example:   Employing nonviolent civil disobedience, Roland Hayes, prominent civil rights activist, preaches…

Ralph Spencer, who has ties to the White Nationalist movement, denies…

Purpose:  Explaining the author’s social or political stance can help a reader to understand why that author expresses a particular view. This understanding can positively or negatively influence an audience. Be careful to avoid engaging in logical fallacies such as loaded language.

Type:   Publisher of the source is identified.

Example:  According to a recent  CNN  poll…

Purpose:  Identifying the publisher of the passage can help reinforce the credibility of the information presented and you can capitalize on the reputation/ credibility of the publisher of the source material.

Type:   Title of the Source is included.

Example : In “Understanding Human Behavior,” Riley argues …

Purpose:  Informs the reader where the cited passage is being pulled from.

Type:   Information that establishes context is presented.

Example:  In a speech presented during a Free Speech rally, Elaine Wallace encourages …

Purpose:  Presenting the context that the original information was presented can help the audience understand the author’s purpose more clearly.

 MLA Signal Phrase Verbs

 apa signal phrase verbs.

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Transitional Words and Phrases for University Writing

by Suzan Last

Transitional words and phrases are a type of signal phrase, too. They help guide a reader from one sentence, idea, or paragraph to the next. In previous English classes, you may have learned the basic transitional words or phrases in Table D.1. These can be effective when writing simple information in a structure where you simply add one idea after another, or want to show the order of events.

TABLE D.1 Basic beginner-level transitions

However, more complex university-level writing requires more sophisticated transitions. It requires you to connect ideas in ways that show the logic of why one idea comes after another in a complex argument or analysis. For example, you might be comparing/contrasting ideas, or showing a cause and effect relationship, providing detailed examples to illustrate an idea, or presenting a conclusion to an argument. When expressing these complex ideas, the simple transitions you’ve learned earlier will not always be effective – indeed, they may even confuse the reader.

Consider the transitions in Table D.2, and how they are categorized. While this is not an exhaustive list, it will gives you a sense of the many transitional words and phrases that you can choose from, and demonstrate the need to choose the one that most effectively conveys your meaning.

TABLE D.2 Sophisticated university-level transitions

Transitional words and phrases show the connection between ideas, and show how one idea relates to and builds upon another. They help create coherence. When transitions are missing or inappropriate, the reader has a hard time following the logic and development of ideas. The most effective transitions are sometimes invisible; they rely on the vocabulary and logic of your sentence to allow the reader to “connect the dots” and see the logical flow of your discussion.

• Repeat a word or phrase from the previous sentence (or use a synonym, related word, or antonym) to show that the same idea is still being discussed, but is being developed further
• Use the pronoun “this + noun” to show continued discussion of the idea
• Use one of the above transitional words or phrases to show HOW you are developing your idea (are you showing contrast? Are you using an example to develop your idea? Are you showing a cause and effect relationship? Are you concluding? Are you conceding a point?).

Transition Exercises:    Place the transitional words below the paragraph into the blanks where they work most logically into the paragraphs.

A vegan can be defined as someone who does not eat meat, fish, or other animal products, such as eggs or cheese; ________, they eat vegetables, fruits, grains, and seeds.  __________ this diet consists of non-meat food sources, a vegan typically consumes less fat and cholesterol than an individual who consumes meat.   __________, raising animals for food uses valuable land, water, and energy.    __________, adopting a vegetarian diet can help conserve the valuable resources that our future depends on.

• consequently
• furthermore
• for example

__________ many educators and parents have praised the  Harry Potter  series, some Christian parents have called for a ban on the books in their schools and libraries.    Some churches have even gone as far as burning the books, citing biblical injunctions against witchcraft, __________ those in  Exodus  and  Leviticus .    __________, some Christians believe the books are compatible with Christianity, __________, that they embody basic Christian beliefs.

• in addition

Signal Phrases and Transitions Copyright © 2020 by Liza Long; Amy Minervini; and Joel Gladd is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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The Use of Transitional Signal in Writing

Writing transitional signals are nonverbal communication in which writers use words to convey sounds or visual cues. Writing signals result from how an author uses punctuation, word choice, and sentence structure to help readers better understand what is being written.

Writing signals can be used with all types of text to add emphasis, clarity, effect, and mood. Writing signals can also include intentional omissions (such as ellipses) that contribute to the tone or surprise factor of a piece of writing.

What are Transitional Signals?

Transitional signals, also known as transition words or phrases, play a crucial role in writing by helping to create coherence and clarity in your text. They guide readers through your ideas, showing the relationships between sentences and paragraphs. These signals make your writing more organized, easy to follow, and logically connected.

Transitions serve many purposes within writing; they may signal time or indicate causation between two ideas. Transitions within writing help to convey tone and mood. Sentences can begin with “Suddenly” or “Reluctantly,” which create a particular manner.

These words may also be used in conjunction with punctuation, such as starting a sentence with an exclamation point or question mark to add emphasis further.

As transitions indicate the relationships between parts of a written work, they either keep readers’ attention by providing suspense or surprise or help guide readers through a piece of text that would otherwise be confusing or unclear.

How are Transitional Signals Used?

Here are some common types of transitional signals and how they can be used:

1. Addition: These transitions show that you’re adding information or ideas to what you’ve already said.

• Additionally, …
• Furthermore, …
• Moreover, …
• In addition, …
• Not only …, but also …

Example: “Climate change is a pressing global issue. Additionally, deforestation exacerbates the problem by releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere.”

2. Contrast: Contrast transitions highlight differences or opposing ideas.

• On the other hand, …
• Although, …
• Even though, …
• Nevertheless, …

Example: “The experiment yielded unexpected results. However, further analysis revealed a flaw in the data collection process.”

3. Comparison: These transitions help to draw parallels between ideas or concepts.

• Similarly, …
• Likewise, …
• In comparison, …
• Just as …, so too …

Example: “The benefits of exercise are widely acknowledged. Similarly, a balanced diet contributes significantly to overall health.”

4. Cause and Effect: These transitions indicate causal relationships between events or ideas.

• Therefore, …
• As a result, …
• Because of this, …
• Consequently, …

Example: “The factory’s emissions have led to severe air pollution. Consequently, local residents are experiencing respiratory health issues.”

5. Time Sequence: These transitions organize ideas chronologically or in a specific order.

• Meanwhile, …

Example: “To bake a cake, first gather the ingredients. Next, mix the batter and then bake it in the oven.”

6. Emphasis: Emphasis transitions help you highlight a particular point.

• Undoubtedly, …
• Of course, …
• Importantly, …

Example: “The importance of proper citation cannot be overstated. Indeed, accurate referencing adds credibility to your research .”

7. Example and Illustration: These transitions provide examples to support your ideas.

• For instance, …
• For example, …
• In particular, …
• To illustrate, …

Example: “Several renewable energy sources are available. For instance, solar panels and wind turbines are becoming increasingly popular.”

8. Summary and Conclusion: These transitions signal the end of an idea or the closing of a discussion.

• In conclusion, …
• To sum up, …
• In summary, …

Example: “In conclusion, technology has revolutionized communication, making global connections more accessible than ever before.”

Remember, the effective use of transitional signals enhances the flow and coherence of your writing. However, avoid overusing them, as excessive transitions can make your writing appear forced or choppy. Choose transitions that fit naturally within the context of your text, and make sure they accurately reflect the relationships between your ideas.

Types and Examples of Transitional Signals

READ ALSO: How to Differentiate Biases from Prejudices?

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