Chapter 5 of Feiler’s Life Is in the Transitions Essay

Introduction.

Change is a necessary part of life that helps people gain a sense of purpose by synthesizing past events and projecting future happenings. In Chapter Five: Shape-Shifting of Bruce Feiler’s book Life is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age , he evaluates how certain life-changing events often drive people to reevaluate the meaning of their lives. The chapter successfully demonstrates the importance of “shape-shifting” when rebuilding oneself by effectively combining different writing styles and integrating reliable sources and life stories without veering off from the overall topic in Feiler’s book.

Feiler lays out well-thought strategies to best navigate life’s most significant transitions with purpose, meaning, and skill in Life is in the Transitions . His study draws from numerous life stories of Americans to identify patterns and key takeaways to help people survive in times of change. He envisions life as a nonlinear process of transitions caused by the various disruptors or life quakes people face at different stages in life. Since Fiedler outlines the A-B-C of significance in this chapter and his study, it fits the book well. In his analogy of the three sources of meaning towards the end of the chapter, Feiler claims that “it often takes a major rift to compel us to reexamine our priorities. And that reexamination takes us in surprising directions” (Feiler 131). A person who cares about taking control of their life through decision-making is said to be autonomous, represented as an A. B, which stands for belonging, symbolizes people who believe that belonging to a unit is very important to them. Finally, C, which stands for cause, shows people who participate in a broader context while being motivated by a cause, making them feel important in life (Feiler 132). The chapter effectively helps the author build on the book’s primary topics of purpose and meaning in life as crucial drivers of life transitions.

Feiler has effectively woven descriptive, expository, and narrative writing styles in this chapter to help readers understand how significant life shifts help them reevaluate the meaning of life. The chapter is well structured into four sections, each using examples from the life stories of Americans and other scholars to demonstrate the importance of life quake events in self-actualization. The first section combines descriptive storytelling and narration to retell the life story of Jamie Levine and how losing a lucrative job forced him to reevaluate his priorities, turning him into a family man and a better leader. He then uses Dante Alighieri’s poem, the biography of Augustine of Hippo, and several other accounts from his conversations with Americans to equate life quake events with death and autobiographical occasions. Feiler uses simple and easy-to-understand language that readers can follow through and comprehend throughout. The last two paragraphs effectively summarize the chapter and persuade readers to proceed to the following chapters for the best skills to navigate life transitions.

Throughout the chapter, Feiler effectively uses both primary and secondary information sources to support his arguments on how significant life changes help us reevaluate the meaning of life. He occasionally retells the stories of different Americans from his countrywide interviews, often quoting their responses. For instance, Feiler quotes the words of Nisha Zenoff, Travis Roy, and Maillard Howell, among others, to build the view of a life quake as death (Feiler 122). Towards the beginning of chapter 5, the author echoes a quote from Dante Alighieri’s poem, The Divine Comedy, where he “compares his state of mind to not just a crooked road, but death itself” (Feiler 122). The chapter also utilizes the memoir of Augustine to term the significant life changes as autobiographical occasions, a term coined by Robert Zussman. Using his storytelling proficiency, Feiler sufficiently integrates his crisis, interviews, and the works of renowned scholars to build compelling arguments.

The chapter offers substantial and transformative insights into how life experiences give meaning to our lives. Towards the end of chapter 5, Feiler introduces shape-shifting as an essential undertaking that “involves rebalancing the relative weight we give to each of our three sources of meaning and the shapes that embody them-agency (line), belonging (circle), and cause (star)” (Feiler 130). The real-life examples used to explain the three pillars of meaning effectively explain the different types of shape shifts and the importance of balancing these pillars. The chapter does well in demonstrating the nonlinear aspect of life, a foundational concept in the book. This chapter has significantly shaped how I respond to significant life shifts learning to perceive them as normal life transitions and approach them as periods of self-reflection and growth.

In general, by skillfully fusing various writing styles, incorporating trustworthy sources, and weaving in real-life examples, the chapter effectively illustrates the significance of shape-shifting when recreating oneself without departing from the central theme of Feiler’s book. The elaborate discussion of shape-shifting demonstrates the nonlinear nature of life, deeming life-quake events as an essential part of growth. The mechanics of life transitions which are often poorly understood raise concerns about how one could successfully handle life changes. Making sense of one’s meaning usually involves re-examining their priorities which may not necessarily imply that they make forthcoming choices. Successfully navigating some of these significant life transitions will often require individuals to make well-informed decisions.

Feiler, Bruce. Life is in the transitions: Mastering change at any age . Penguin, 2021.

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"Chapter 5 of Feiler's Life Is in the Transitions." IvyPanda , 4 Aug. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/chapter-5-of-feilers-life-is-in-the-transitions/.

IvyPanda . (2023) 'Chapter 5 of Feiler's Life Is in the Transitions'. 4 August.

IvyPanda . 2023. "Chapter 5 of Feiler's Life Is in the Transitions." August 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/chapter-5-of-feilers-life-is-in-the-transitions/.

1. IvyPanda . "Chapter 5 of Feiler's Life Is in the Transitions." August 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/chapter-5-of-feilers-life-is-in-the-transitions/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Chapter 5 of Feiler's Life Is in the Transitions." August 4, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/chapter-5-of-feilers-life-is-in-the-transitions/.

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Flourishing in Emerging Adulthood: Positive Development During the Third Decade of Life

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Emerging Adult Essay: Life Moving Forward: A Personal Perspective on Transitioning Into Adulthood

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Throughout life, transitions can create some of the most daunting experiences anyone will encounter. Leaving school, finding a job, moving out on your own, finding someone to share your life with—these all constitute life transitions and events that force everyone to look outside of their comfort zone to formulate a solution. Everyone dreads the change, but we all must face it head-on and accept the challenge of something different. For people with disabilities these changes may be overwhelming and, at times, debilitating. The key to success while transitioning is having attained the proper skill set to help overcome whatever transitional barrier(s) your particular disability mandates.

I am a 25-year-old male who was born and raised in Virginia. I am someone who, I hope and believe, has successfully transitioned to adulthood, though not without both ups and downs. Because I was born with cerebral palsy (CP), I use a power wheelchair to help me get around and accomplish daily tasks. I graduated from college in the fall of 2013. There I created my own disability advocacy degree under the interdisciplinary studies major titled “Advocacy for Social Justice.” I also majored in sociology and have a minor in psychology. Some of my hobbies include hanging out with friends and family, watching sports of all kinds, and working with individuals with disabilities. Until recently, when I opened my consulting business, I never held a full-time job, having only interned at all of my employment experiences. These internships include two federal and one state government entity and a disability resource center. Additionally, I have worked on a congressional campaign. I hope my experiences help to motivate you, whether you’re a student or a teacher reading this essay, to take control of your transition process or to help someone effectively transition to adulthood.

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190 Good Transition Words for Essays

August 23, 2023

Essay writing consists of two primary procedures: coming up with the content we want to include and structuring that content. These procedures might take place in either order or they could occur simultaneously. When writing an essay it is important to think about the ways that content and structure complement one another. The best essays join these two elements in thoughtful ways. Transition words for essays (including for college essays) are some of our most primary tools when it comes to structuring a piece of writing.

When beginning an essay it is often recommended to begin with a messy first draft. The purpose of this draft is to get everything out on the page. You should put down as many ideas and trajectories as you can without worrying too much about phrasing or whether they will make it into the final draft. The key here is to be loose—to get ahead of our self-editors and expel everything we can from our minds.

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (Continued)

While this is a good strategy for beginning an essay it will likely leave you unsure how everything fits together. This is where transition words come in. As you will see in this list (which is necessarily incomplete) the range of transition words for essays is vast. Each transition word implies a different relation, often in subtle ways. After accumulating content, the next step is to figure out how the elements fit together towards an overall goal (this could be but is not necessarily an “argument”). Consulting this list of transition words for essays can provide a shortcut for determining how one piece might lead into another. Along with transition words, rhetorical devices and literary devices are other tools to consider during this stage of essay writing.

Transition Words for College Essays

While this list will be a useful tool for all types of essay writing it will be particularly helpful when it comes to finding the right transition words for college essays . The goal of a college essay is to give a strong overall sense of its author in the tight space of 650 words. As you might imagine, it’s not easy to encompass a life or convey a complex personality in such a space. When writing a college essay you are working with a huge amount of potential content. Students often want to squeeze in as much as they can. To this end, transition words for college essays are essential tools to have at our disposal.

Here is our list of transition words for college essays and other essays. It is organized by the different types of transition words/phrases and their functions. While this organization should be convenient, keep in mind that there’s plenty of overlap. Many of these words can function in multiple ways.

1) Additive Transitions

These words function in an additive manner, accumulating content to build upon what has already been stated. They can be used to construct an argument or establish a scene through the accumulation of details.

  • Additionally
  • In addition to
  • Furthermore
  • Not to mention
  • In all honesty
  • To tell the truth
  • Not only…but also
  • As a matter of fact
  • To say nothing of
  • What’s more
  • Alternatively
  • To go a step further

 2) Comparative Transitions (Similarity)

  These transition words draw a parallel or bring out a similarity between images or ideas. They can be used not only in a straightforward sense but also to establish relations of similarity between objects or ideas that might appear to be dissonant.

  • In the same way
  • In a similar vein
  • Along the lines of
  • In the key of

 3) Comparative Transitions (Difference)

  While also functioning comparatively, the following words demonstrate difference between ideas or images. These transition words are useful when it comes to establishing contrasting points of view, an important component of any argument.

  • On the other hand
  • On the contrary
  • In contrast to
  • In contradiction
  • Nevertheless
  • Nonetheless
  • In any event
  • In any case
  • In either event

4) Sequential Transitions

  The following are particularly effective transition words for college essays. They will allow you to order ideas chronologically or in a sequence, providing a sense of continuity over time. This is particularly useful when an essay leans into something more creative or involves telling a story.

  • Subsequently
  • At the same time
  • Concurrently
  • In the beginning
  • At the start
  • At the outset
  • Off the bat

5) Spatial Transitions

Rather than organizing ideas or images in regards to sequence, these transitions indicate spatial relationships. They are particularly useful when it comes to painting a scene and/or describing objects, but they can also be used metaphorically. Consider, for example, how you might use the transition, “standing in […’s] shadow.”

  • Standing in […’s] shadow
  • In front of
  • In the middle
  • In the center
  • To the left
  • To the right
  • On the side
  • Adjacent to
  • Around the bend
  • On the outskirts
  • In the distance
  • On the horizon
  • In the foreground
  • In the background
  • Underground
  • Through the grapevine

 6) Causal Transitions

These transition words for essays indicate cause and effect relationships between ideas. They will be particularly useful when you are structuring a logical argument, i.e. using logos as a mode of persuasion . Causal transitions are an important element of academic, legal and scientific writing.

  • Accordingly
  • Resultingly
  • As a result
  • Consequently
  • In consequence
  • As a consequence
  • For this reason
  • So much that
  • Granting that
  • That being the case
  • Under those circumstances
  • With this in mind
  • For the purpose of
  • For all intents and purposes
  • In the event that
  • In the event of
  • In light of
  • On the condition that
  • To the extent that

7) Examples/Illustration/Supporting Transition

  These transition words for college essays can be used to introduce supporting evidence, emphasis, examples, and clarification. There is some overlap here with additive transitions and causal transitions. These transitions are also useful when it comes to building an argument. At the same time, they can signal a shift into a different linguistic register.

  • For example
  • For instance
  • In other words
  • As an illustration
  • To illustrate
  • To put it differently
  • To put it another way
  • That is to say
  • As the evidence illustrates
  • It’s important to realize
  • It’s important to understand
  • It must be remembered
  • To demonstrate
  • For clarity’s sake
  • To emphasize
  • To put it plainly
  • To enumerate
  • To speak metaphorically

8) Conclusory Transitions

These transition words for essays serve to bring an idea or story to a close. They offer a clear way of signaling the conclusion of a particular train of thought. They might be followed by a summary or a restatement of an essay’s argument. In this way they also provide emphasis, setting the reader up for what is about to come.

  • In conclusion
  • To summarize
  • To put it succinctly
  • To this end
  • At the end of the day
  • In the final analysis
  • By and large
  • On second thought
  • On first glance
  • That’s all to say
  • On the whole
  • All things considered
  • Generally speaking

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (Final Thoughts)

Even when elements appear to be disparate on first glance, transition words are a great tool for giving your essay a smooth flow. They can also create surprising juxtapositions, relationships, and equivalences. The way a reader will understand a transition word depends on the context in which they encounter it.

Individual words and phrases can be used in a wide variety of ways, ranging from the literal to the figurative to the colloquial or idiomatic. “Through the grapevine” is an example of the colloquial or idiomatic. When we encounter this phrase we don’t interpret it literally (as hearing something “through” a grapevine) but rather as hearing news secondhand. There are, of course, a vast number of idioms that are not included in this list but can also function as transitional phrases.

This list of transition words for college essays (and really any form of writing you might be working on) is a resource that you can return to again and again in your life as a writer. Over years of writing we tend to fall into patterns when it comes to the transition words we use. Mixing things up can be exciting both as a writer and for your readers. Even if you don’t choose to stray from your trusted transitions, considering the alternatives (and why they don’t work for you) can offer a deeper understanding of what you are trying to say.

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (An Exercise)

As an exercise in self-understanding, you may want to try highlighting all of the transition words in a piece of your own writing. You can then compare this to the transition words in a piece of writing that you admire. Are they using similar transitions or others? Are they using them more or less often? What do you like or dislike about them? We all use transition words differently, creating different tonal effects. Keeping an eye out for them, not only as a writer but also as a reader, will help you develop your own aesthetic.

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Emmett holds a BA in Philosophy from Vassar College and is currently completing an MFA in Writing at Columbia University. Previously, he served as a writing instructor within the Columbia Artists/Teachers community as well as a Creative Writing Teaching Fellow at Columbia, where he taught poetry workshops. In addition, Emmett is a member of the Poetry Board at the Columbia Journal , and his work has been published in HAD , Otoliths , and Some Kind of Opening , among others.

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Transitional Words and Phrases

One of your primary goals as a writer is to present ideas in a clear and understandable way. To help readers move through your complex ideas, you want to be intentional about how you structure your paper as a whole as well as how you form the individual paragraphs that comprise it. In order to think through the challenges of presenting your ideas articulately, logically, and in ways that seem natural to your readers, check out some of these resources: Developing a Thesis Statement , Paragraphing , and Developing Strategic Transitions: Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections Between Ideas.

While clear writing is mostly achieved through the deliberate sequencing of your ideas across your entire paper, you can guide readers through the connections you’re making by using transitional words in individual sentences. Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between your ideas and can help your reader understand your paper’s logic.

In what follows, we’ve included a list of frequently used transitional words and phrases that can help you establish how your various ideas relate to each other. We’ve divided these words and phrases into categories based on the common kinds of relationships writers establish between ideas.

Two recommendations: Use these transitions strategically by making sure that the word or phrase you’re choosing matches the logic of the relationship you’re emphasizing or the connection you’re making. All of these words and phrases have different meanings, nuances, and connotations, so before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely, and be sure that it’s the right match for your paper’s logic. Use these transitional words and phrases sparingly because if you use too many of them, your readers might feel like you are overexplaining connections that are already clear.

Categories of Transition Words and Phrases

Causation Chronology Combinations Contrast Example

Importance Location Similarity Clarification Concession

Conclusion Intensification Purpose Summary

Transitions to help establish some of the most common kinds of relationships

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

after all although and yet at the same time but

despite however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

essay on transition in life

Improving Your Writing Style

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Clear, Concise Sentences

Use the active voice

Put the action in the verb

Tidy up wordy phrases

Reduce wordy verbs

Reduce prepositional phrases

Reduce expletive constructions

Avoid using vague nouns

Avoid unneccessarily inflated words

Avoid noun strings

Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Change will not be effected, say some others, unless individual actions raise the necessary awareness.

While a reader can see the connection between the sentences above, it’s not immediately clear that the second sentence is providing a counterargument to the first. In the example below, key “old information” is repeated in the second sentence to help readers quickly see the connection. This makes the sequence of ideas easier to follow.  

Sentence pair #2: Effective Transition

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Other experts argue that individual actions are key to raising the awareness necessary to effect change.

You can use this same technique to create clear transitions between paragraphs. Here’s an example:

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Other experts argue that individual actions are key to raising the awareness necessary to effect change. According to Annie Lowery, individual actions are important to making social change because when individuals take action, they can change values, which can lead to more people becoming invested in fighting climate change. She writes, “Researchers believe that these kinds of household-led trends can help avert climate catastrophe, even if government and corporate actions are far more important” (Lowery).

So, what’s an individual household supposed to do?

The repetition of the word “household” in the new paragraph helps readers see the connection between what has come before (a discussion of whether household actions matter) and what is about to come (a proposal for what types of actions households can take to combat climate change).

Sometimes, transitional words can help readers see how ideas are connected. But it’s not enough to just include a “therefore,” “moreover,” “also,” or “in addition.” You should choose these words carefully to show your readers what kind of connection you are making between your ideas.

To decide which transitional word to use, start by identifying the relationship between your ideas. For example, you might be

  • making a comparison or showing a contrast Transitional words that compare and contrast include also, in the same way, similarly, in contrast, yet, on the one hand, on the other hand. But before you signal comparison, ask these questions: Do your readers need another example of the same thing? Is there a new nuance in this next point that distinguishes it from the previous example? For those relationships between ideas, you might try this type of transition: While x may appear the same, it actually raises a new question in a slightly different way. 
  • expressing agreement or disagreement When you are making an argument, you need to signal to readers where you stand in relation to other scholars and critics. You may agree with another person’s claim, you may want to concede some part of the argument even if you don’t agree with everything, or you may disagree. Transitional words that signal agreement, concession, and disagreement include however, nevertheless, actually, still, despite, admittedly, still, on the contrary, nonetheless .
  • showing cause and effect Transitional phrases that show cause and effect include therefore, hence, consequently, thus, so. Before you choose one of these words, make sure that what you are about to illustrate is really a causal link. Novice writers tend to add therefore and hence when they aren’t sure how to transition; you should reserve these words for when they accurately signal the progression of your ideas.
  • explaining or elaborating Transitions can signal to readers that you are going to expand on a point that you have just made or explain something further. Transitional words that signal explanation or elaboration include in other words, for example, for instance, in particular, that is, to illustrate, moreover .
  • drawing conclusions You can use transitions to signal to readers that you are moving from the body of your argument to your conclusions. Before you use transitional words to signal conclusions, consider whether you can write a stronger conclusion by creating a transition that shows the relationship between your ideas rather than by flagging the paragraph simply as a conclusion. Transitional words that signal a conclusion include in conclusion , as a result, ultimately, overall— but strong conclusions do not necessarily have to include those phrases.

If you’re not sure which transitional words to use—or whether to use one at all—see if you can explain the connection between your paragraphs or sentence either out loud or in the margins of your draft.

For example, if you write a paragraph in which you summarize physician Atul Gawande’s argument about the value of incremental care, and then you move on to a paragraph that challenges those ideas, you might write down something like this next to the first paragraph: “In this paragraph I summarize Gawande’s main claim.” Then, next to the second paragraph, you might write, “In this paragraph I present a challenge to Gawande’s main claim.” Now that you have identified the relationship between those two paragraphs, you can choose the most effective transition between them. Since the second paragraph in this example challenges the ideas in the first, you might begin with something like “but,” or “however,” to signal that shift for your readers.  

  • picture_as_pdf Transitions

Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D.

10 Ways to Make It Through Your Life’s Transitions

Change can be good if you approach it with these 10 research-based tips..

Posted March 14, 2017 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

Laurin Rinder/Shutterstock

You’re happy with the status quo, so change is the last thing you want in your life. However, life doesn’t always comply with our wishes, and now you’re faced with a major transition.

One of the toughest transitions you might ever have to make, for instance, involves moving your place of residence. The longer you’ve lived somewhere, the harder that move can be. You also find that there are times when you have to go with the flow with family, friends, and employers. Your adult child wants to get married, your best friend’s mother died, you abruptly lose your job, or your boss gives you a completely new set of responsibilities. Dealing with these changes can be tough, but the 10 tips below, based on research involving life-span studies of stressful events, can get you through even the toughest of them.

Let’s begin with some background. The basic premise of most stress and coping literature is that there’s no such thing as an inherently difficult life transition. Life events are as stressful, or not, as you make them. It’s all in the mind-set you apply. A second premise, derived primarily from the life course literature, assumes that the factors that sway the events in life reflect the many forces out there that can lead to change. There are no inherent life changes other than the basic alterations that occur due to biology and the programming of our genes . The life changes involved in transitions occur because of social, historical, and other outside influences. Some of these are predictable, such as graduating from high school at about age 18, and some are completely random, such as having a tree fall on your roof during a storm.

It’s good to know about these perspectives on life transitions, because they show us that there’s nothing inherently bad about change. When changes occur, they reflect a variety of factors, and how you interpret them will determine their impact on you. You’ve no doubt seen on the news, or perhaps in your own neighborhood, people who’ve gone through a traumatic change, such as a tornado, hurricane, flood, or fire, and must cope with the damage it’s done to their lives. Somehow, although they’ve suffered incredible loss, they emerge ready to clean up and move on with their lives.

Of all of life’s changes, one that emerges as the most memorable turns out to be moving one’s home. It’s the type of event that, years later, people are prone to remember as having overarching significance. Called the relocation bump by the University of New Hampshire’s Karalyn Enz and colleagues (2016), this distinctive memory stays with people throughout their lives. In the Enz et. al. study, of 149 adults age 65 and older who cited a residential move between the ages of 40 and 60, that move became the centerpiece of their recalled major life events.

The New Hampshire team knew about the so-called reminiscence bump , that peak of memories occurring during the transitional ages from adolescence to young adulthood. Based on this phenomenon, life-span researchers maintained that it was the age people were at the time of this transition that determined the period’s prominence in memory. The study of older adults recalling their memories of relocation suggests that it wasn’t age but the “life changes accompanying transitions” that “may organize autobiographical memories across the entire adult life span” (p. 938). In other words, moving creates a distinctive marking point in your memory that organizes the way you think back on your life.

Let’s look now at how you can translate the “relocation bump” along with the stress and coping and life course perspectives into these 10 ways to manage transitions:

  • Recognize that transitions hold a special place in your life memories. Moving actually is a big thing; it’s something you’ll remember for years, if not decades. Rather than trying to shove it out of your consciousness because it is so inherently arduous, give it the respect it deserves as an organizing principle of your life.
  • View stress not as a threat, but as a challenge . Because stress is in the mind of the beholder, as many researchers like to say, you can take an event that you’re afraid will overwhelm you and turn it into an occasion you can rise above and conquer.
  • Appreciate the benefits of change . In life-span developmental science, getting stuck in life’s grooves has been shown to be detrimental to your cognitive growth. Changes in routine can serve as stimulation to your stagnant nervous systems and allow you to grow new neural pathways.
  • Remember the times you’ve successfully navigated a previous transition . As you face a new challenge, use the knowledge that you’ve managed to cope before to give you strength. Yes, that tree falling on your roof was a traumatic experience and expensive to deal with, but deal with it you did.
  • Turn to your support network. Researchers in the stress and coping field know that social support is one of the most significant keys to successfully managing change. Even an online community of people going through similar experiences can give you an emotional boost, as well as some practical tips.
  • Prepare, prepare, prepare. Speaking of practical tips, getting things in order before a planned major transition is one of the best ways to guarantee that all will work out when the time comes to make your move. It’s known in the retirement literature that planning ahead, preferably for at least 2 years, will allow you to get through that significant life change without being devastated by the loss of your work role. Similarly, getting your literal “house in order” before a move will ease the physical and psychological strain of relocation.
  • Use a transition to reflect on where your life has been, and where it’s going. That relocation bump reflects not just the practical aspects of moving, but the emotional ones as well. Enz and her team found that 40 percent of all moves were rated above the midpoint of the scale on both material and psychological change. Each time you move, you must engage or disengage with items you’ve possessed, many of which have some type of meaning to you. Say you find thrown in a drawer a pencil from a trip you took to a national park with your family: Even if you decide to toss it out, for that moment you’ve jogged a reminiscence of a pleasant time from your past.
  • Focus on the positive aspects . It’s possible you’re moving out because you need to downsize, or because you can’t afford the rent. Sure, you’d rather stay, but now that you have to move, what can you think of that’s beneficial? Downsizing can allow you to declutter, and moving even because of financial issues can perhaps put you in a new community where you can make new friends. Look out for the hopeful signs in every transition, and you’re bound to feel better.
  • Use role models to inspire you through this transition. Find examples of people who inspire you to navigate a challenging period in life. The many instances of trauma survivors interviewed on the news who manage to maintain their faith and optimism can give you the reassurance that it’s possible to adapt to even the most stressful events.
  • Realize that change is inherent to life . Without change, our life courses would be very dull indeed. You may not be seeking change, but when it seeks you, take heart in the fact that no one’s life ever stands completely still. People enter your world and leave it, material possessions come and go, and careers invariably involve turning points. No one ever gets through life without undergoing some type of change, so when it happens, don’t fight it.

Follow me on Twitter @swhitbo for daily updates on psychology, health, and aging.

Copyright Susan Krauss Whitbourne 2017

LinkedIn Image Credit: DewDrops Images/Shutterstock

Enz, K. F., Pillemer, D.B. & Johnson, K.M. (2016) The relocation bump: Memories of middle adulthood are organized around residential moves. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General 145 , 935-940.

Susan Krauss Whitbourne Ph.D.

Susan Krauss Whitbourne, Ph.D. , is a Professor Emerita of Psychological and Brain Sciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Her latest book is The Search for Fulfillment.

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From Old to New: Making the Most of Life’s Transitions

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2013 could easily be known as the Year of Change for me. I got married, became a step-mom, moved to a new town, attended a new church, lost a parent, and began working from home. In other words, transition marked every area of my life.

Our family also experienced all of the normal changes that happen in a year. Each new season brought new activities as others ended. School ended; school began. We planned vacations; we prepared for Christmas. Baseball, basketball, soccer, choir, youth group: each began and ended in its time.

And as we moved from one activity, from one event, from one life-altering moment to the next, it wasn’t just the change itself that was significant, but what the change was accomplishing in us, how we transitioned from old to new.

“Change is the stuff of life. But transitioning well is the art of life,” writes Karen Swallow Prior in her essay for The High Calling called, “ In Life as in Writing: Transitions Bring Cohesion to the Whole .”

Prior’s essay is just one of a collection exploring this theme of transitioning from old to new, a timely topic as we turn the pages of our calendars and anticipate what’s next.

Some changes are ones we seek, like moving to a new town or taking on a new job. The most important element to making a successful transition is connecting the old and new together, Prior says: “The key is putting what has already transpired into proper relationship with the new demands as part of a coherent whole.”

Other changes are ones we make. In an interview with pastor, author, business leader, humanitarian, and filmmaker T.D. Jakes, Nancy Lovell explores his life and work, his recent book, and the idea of pushing for transitions the world needs, the ones only we can make.

“What motivated me to write [ Instinct ],” Jakes says in “ Blurring the Lines: Talking Life and Work with T.D. Jakes , “is that while I reference my own life, I’ve been privileged to be around people who shattered ceilings and broke barriers. Regardless of background, or culture or ideology, they followed their instinct. They didn’t allow the rules to incarcerate them to what could be done.”

But how does a person of faith balance humility with the power needed to be so disruptive? Lovell asked.

“It’s possible to have the power to affect change and still be humble that you’re allowed to have it,” Jakes responded. “My illustration of power and humility cohabitating is Jesus Christ himself. You can’t find anyone with more influence and power than Christ and you find him at the feet of his disciples washing feet. He didn’t have to forsake one to produce the other, and neither do we.”

Finally, in Laura Brown’s essay, “ Unwanted Transitions: Finding Normal after Loss ,” we explore the painful process of accepting difficult change that no one would ever choose. “What I am noticing so far, in this grief that is still new, in this world without Dad,” she writes, “is the loss of what he knew. All the things about which there’s no one to ask.”

We aren’t the only ones thinking about change, either. Outside The High Calling, several other articles address this important idea of thriving in transition.

In the December 24, 2013, Bloomberg Business Week article “ Forget Resolutions: Make Real Changes for You and Your Career in 2014 ,” author Karen Cates says making real change begins with asking the right questions. “Instead of asking, ‘What do I want to be when I grow up?’ try this: ‘Who do I want to be? How do I want to feel when I wake up in the morning?’” she writes. “By shifting the focus onto being instead of getting, you multiply the potential paths you can take to get there.”

When it comes to implementing change that affects others, giving them as much control as possible within the transition will help them thrive. That’s the message of the December 1, 2013, article in the The Washington Post called, “ How to Create Change in the Workplace ” by Joyce E.A. Russell.

“Employees may actually be positive to a change, but if the change is imposed on them, their reaction is often more obstinate,” she writes. “Leaders have to help employees feel a sense of ownership in the change process and outcomes.”

For young professionals attempting to thrive in the transition from school to the workplace, Justin Louie’s June 10, 2013, article on TalentEgg.ca offers some great advice. “The absolute worst thing you can do after graduation is nothing,” he writes in “ 3 Steps to Transition From School To The Workplace .”

Not graduating until Spring? “In order to increase your chances of having a job upon graduation, you should start looking for work at least four months before your graduation date, since it can sometimes take this long to find work and get through the application process,” Louis suggests.

Finally, Mark Roberts’ daily reflection, “ God Don't Never Change ” reminds us that through all the transitions we encounter, there is one certainty. His name is God. Subscribe today to receive the daily reflections in your inbox each day, including Saturday’s wrap-up to our theme. And to read more from our High Calling community about what it means to thrive in transition, visit us on Friday, January 10, 2014, for a summary of the best in community posts.

Charity Singleton Craig is a content editor for The High Calling and a contributing writer for Tweetspeak Poetry. She grew up on an Indiana farm and now lives with her husband and step-sons across the street from another Hoosier corn field.

Image by Jordan Richmond . Used with permission. Sourced via Flickr .

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Transition words for essays - wordscoach.com

70+ Transition words for essays with examples

Transition words for essays.

Ever stared at a blank page, your thoughts swirling like a disorganized storm? Crafting a compelling essay often hinges on smooth transitions between ideas. Fear not, fellow writer! Here’s your guide to essential transition words , those linguistic gems that bridge the gaps in your essay and create a clear, logical flow.

List of Transition words for essays

  • Additionally
  • Furthermore
  • In addition
  • In the same way
  • In other words
  • That is to say
  • For example
  • For instance
  • Specifically
  • To illustrate
  • In particular
  • Without a doubt
  • Essentially
  • In conclusion
  • To conclude
  • On the whole
  • Consequently
  • Accordingly
  • As a result
  • For this reason
  • Because of this
  • Due to this
  • In light of this
  • Considering that
  • Seeing that
  • As a matter of fact
  • Nonetheless
  • Nevertheless
  • Even though
  • In spite of
  • On the contrary

Transition words for essays with examples

Here are examples of sentences using each of the transition words for cause:

  • Additionally : “She enjoys playing the piano. Additionally, she is proficient in playing the guitar.”
  • Furthermore : “The research indicated a positive correlation between exercise and mental health. Furthermore, it suggested that regular physical activity reduces stress levels.”
  • Moreover : “The company reported an increase in sales for the third quarter. Moreover, profits also saw a significant rise.”
  • In addition : “He enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and camping. In addition, he is passionate about photography.”
  • Also : “He enjoys playing tennis. Also, he participates in swimming competitions.”
  • Likewise : “She volunteered at the local shelter. Likewise, her brother also dedicated his time to community service.”
  • Similarly : “The team implemented new strategies to improve productivity. Similarly, other departments adopted similar approaches.”
  • In the same way : “She excels in academics. In the same way, her siblings also achieve high grades.”
  • Equally : “Both candidates possess strong leadership skills. Equally, they demonstrate excellent communication abilities.”
  • Besides : “She enjoys reading novels. Besides, she also enjoys writing short stories.”
  • In other words : “The product received mixed reviews due to its functionality issues. In other words, customers experienced difficulties with its performance.”
  • That is to say : “She loves traveling to exotic destinations. That is to say, she prefers exploring off-the-beaten-path locations.”
  • Namely : “The research focused on several key areas, namely, customer satisfaction, product quality, and market trends.”
  • For example : “Many countries have implemented strict environmental policies. For example, Denmark has achieved significant progress in renewable energy.”
  • For instance : “Some popular social media platforms, for instance, Facebook and Instagram, have millions of active users.”
  • Specifically : “The training program focuses specifically on enhancing leadership skills and fostering teamwork.”
  • To illustrate : “To illustrate the concept further, let’s consider a real-life example.”
  • In particular : “The company aims to expand its operations globally. In particular, it plans to target emerging markets in Asia.”
  • In fact : “Contrary to popular belief, exercise is not only beneficial for physical health but also for mental well-being. In fact, it has been shown to reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.”
  • Indeed : “The company’s efforts to promote diversity have yielded positive results. Indeed, diversity has been linked to increased innovation and creativity.”
  • Actually : “Contrary to what many people believe, the situation is actually quite different.”
  • Truly : “She was truly dedicated to her work and always gave her best effort.”
  • Certainly : “The results of the study certainly support the hypothesis.”
  • Of course : “Of course, you are welcome to join us for dinner.”
  • Without a doubt : “Without a doubt, she is one of the most talented musicians I’ve ever met.”
  • In essence : “The policy change, in essence, aims to improve customer satisfaction.”
  • Essentially : “The project, essentially, involves redesigning the user interface.”
  • In summary : “In summary, the findings suggest a need for further research in this area.”
  • In conclusion : “In conclusion, it is evident that climate change poses significant challenges.”
  • To sum up : “To sum up, the main points of the argument are as follows.”
  • In brief : “In brief, the report highlights key areas for improvement.”
  • To conclude : “To conclude, let’s consider the implications of these findings.”
  • Overall : “Overall, the project was a success.”
  • All in all : “All in all, it was a memorable experience.”
  • On the whole : “On the whole, the feedback has been positive.”
  • Therefore : “The traffic was heavy; therefore, they arrived late to the meeting.”
  • Thus : “The factory implemented new safety measures; thus, the number of accidents decreased.”
  • Hence : “The flight was canceled; hence, they had to make alternative travel arrangements.”
  • Consequently : “He missed the deadline; consequently, he faced disciplinary action.”
  • Accordingly : “The instructions were unclear; accordingly, many participants made mistakes.”
  • As a result : “The market demand increased; as a result, prices rose.”
  • For this reason : “She forgot her umbrella; for this reason, she got wet in the rain.”
  • Because of this : “He missed the train because of this, he couldn’t attend the meeting.”
  • Due to this : “Due to this unforeseen circumstance, the event had to be postponed.”
  • In light of this : “In light of this new information, we need to reconsider our strategy.”
  • Since : “Since it was raining heavily, they decided to stay indoors.”
  • Because : “He didn’t study for the exam because he was feeling unwell.”
  • For : “He received a promotion for his outstanding performance.”
  • As : “As the temperature dropped, people bundled up in warm clothing.”
  • Owing to : “Owing to his persistent efforts, he achieved success.”
  • Given that : “Given that she had prior experience, she was appointed as the team leader.”
  • Considering that : “Considering that it was his first attempt, he performed exceptionally well.”
  • Seeing that : “Seeing that the store was closing soon, they hurried to finish their shopping.”
  • In view of : “In view of the current situation, we need to take immediate action.”
  • As a matter of fact : “As a matter of fact, he was the first to arrive at the party.”
  • Regardless : “He continued with the project regardless of the challenges he faced.”
  • Nonetheless : “The weather was unfavorable; nonetheless, they decided to go ahead with the outdoor event.”
  • Nevertheless : “The plan faced criticism; nevertheless, it was implemented successfully.”
  • However : “She forgot her passport; however, she managed to board the flight with a temporary permit.”
  • Although : “Although it was raining, they decided to go for a walk.”
  • Though : “Though she was tired, she continued working late into the night.”
  • Even though : “Even though he was warned about the risks, he proceeded with the plan.”
  • Despite : “Despite the challenges, they remained committed to their goal.”
  • In spite of : “In spite of the obstacles, they persevered and succeeded.”
  • On the contrary : “The results were contrary to expectations; on the contrary, they were favorable.”
  • Conversely : “He expected to feel relieved; conversely, he felt even more anxious.”
  • But : “The weather was sunny, but they decided to cancel the picnic due to other commitments.”
  • Yet : “He had a busy schedule, yet he managed to find time for his hobbies.”
  • Whereas : “She preferred coffee, whereas her sister preferred tea.”

Transition words for essays - wordscoach.com

By mastering the art of transition words, you’ll transform your essay from a disjointed collection of ideas into a powerful and persuasive piece of writing. So, the next time you sit down to write, remember these transition words and watch your essay flow majestically!

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Life Transition Essays

Life stage integrative paper, popular essay topics.

  • American Dream
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Black Lives Matter
  • Bullying Essay
  • Career Goals Essay
  • Causes of the Civil War
  • Child Abusing
  • Civil Rights Movement
  • Community Service
  • Cultural Identity
  • Cyber Bullying
  • Death Penalty
  • Depression Essay
  • Domestic Violence
  • Freedom of Speech
  • Global Warming
  • Gun Control
  • Human Trafficking
  • I Believe Essay
  • Immigration
  • Importance of Education
  • Israel and Palestine Conflict
  • Leadership Essay
  • Legalizing Marijuanas
  • Mental Health
  • National Honor Society
  • Police Brutality
  • Pollution Essay
  • Racism Essay
  • Romeo and Juliet
  • Same Sex Marriages
  • Social Media
  • The Great Gatsby
  • The Yellow Wallpaper
  • Time Management
  • To Kill a Mockingbird
  • Violent Video Games
  • What Makes You Unique
  • Why I Want to Be a Nurse
  • Send us an e-mail
  • Transcripts
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Transitional Words

Transitional words are like bridges between parts of your essay. They are cues that help the reader interpret your ideas. Transitional words or phrases help carry your thoughts forward from one sentence to another and one paragraph to another. Finally, transitional words link sentences and paragraphs together smoothly so that there are no abrupt jumps or breaks between ideas.

Here is a list of common transitional words and the categories to which they belong.

and, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally, further, furthermore, nor, too, next, lastly, what's more, moreover, in addition, first (second, etc.)

To Compare:

whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, by comparison, where, compared to, up against, balanced against, vis a vis, but, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in contrast, although this may be true

because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, furthermore, moreover, besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case, that is

To Show Exception:

yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, of course, once in a while, sometimes

To Show Time:

immediately, thereafter, soon, after a few hours, finally, then, later, previously, formerly, first (second, etc.), next, and then

in brief, as I have said, as I have noted, as has been noted

To Emphasize:

definitely, extremely, obviously, in fact, indeed, in any case, absolutely, positively, naturally, surprisingly, always, forever, perennially, eternally, never, emphatically, unquestionably, without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, without reservation

To Show Sequence:

first, second, third, and so forth, next, then, following this, at this time, now, at this point, after, afterward, subsequently, finally, consequently, previously, before this, simultaneously, concurrently, thus, therefore, hence, next, and then, soon

To Give an Example:

for example, for instance, in this case, in another case, on this occasion, in this situation, take the case of, to demonstrate, to illustrate, as an illustration

To Summarize or Conclude:

in brief, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, hence, therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently

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33 Transition Words and Phrases

Transitional terms give writers the opportunity to prepare readers for a new idea, connecting the previous sentence to the next one.

Many transitional words are nearly synonymous: words that broadly indicate that “this follows logically from the preceding” include accordingly, therefore, and consequently . Words that mean “in addition to” include moreover, besides, and further . Words that mean “contrary to what was just stated” include however, nevertheless , and nonetheless .

as a result : THEREFORE : CONSEQUENTLY

The executive’s flight was delayed and they accordingly arrived late.

in or by way of addition : FURTHERMORE

The mountain has many marked hiking trails; additionally, there are several unmarked trails that lead to the summit.

at a later or succeeding time : SUBSEQUENTLY, THEREAFTER

Afterward, she got a promotion.

even though : ALTHOUGH

She appeared as a guest star on the show, albeit briefly.

in spite of the fact that : even though —used when making a statement that differs from or contrasts with a statement you have just made

They are good friends, although they don't see each other very often.

in addition to what has been said : MOREOVER, FURTHERMORE

I can't go, and besides, I wouldn't go if I could.

as a result : in view of the foregoing : ACCORDINGLY

The words are often confused and are consequently misused.

in a contrasting or opposite way —used to introduce a statement that contrasts with a previous statement or presents a differing interpretation or possibility

Large objects appear to be closer. Conversely, small objects seem farther away.

used to introduce a statement that is somehow different from what has just been said

These problems are not as bad as they were. Even so, there is much more work to be done.

used as a stronger way to say "though" or "although"

I'm planning to go even though it may rain.

in addition : MOREOVER

I had some money to invest, and, further, I realized that the risk was small.

in addition to what precedes : BESIDES —used to introduce a statement that supports or adds to a previous statement

These findings seem plausible. Furthermore, several studies have confirmed them.

because of a preceding fact or premise : for this reason : THEREFORE

He was a newcomer and hence had no close friends here.

from this point on : starting now

She announced that henceforth she would be running the company.

in spite of that : on the other hand —used when you are saying something that is different from or contrasts with a previous statement

I'd like to go; however, I'd better not.

as something more : BESIDES —used for adding information to a statement

The city has the largest population in the country and in addition is a major shipping port.

all things considered : as a matter of fact —used when making a statement that adds to or strengthens a previous statement

He likes to have things his own way; indeed, he can be very stubborn.

for fear that —often used after an expression denoting fear or apprehension

He was concerned lest anyone think that he was guilty.

in addition : ALSO —often used to introduce a statement that adds to and is related to a previous statement

She is an acclaimed painter who is likewise a sculptor.

at or during the same time : in the meantime

You can set the table. Meanwhile, I'll start making dinner.

BESIDES, FURTHER : in addition to what has been said —used to introduce a statement that supports or adds to a previous statement

It probably wouldn't work. Moreover, it would be very expensive to try it.

in spite of that : HOWEVER

It was a predictable, but nevertheless funny, story.

in spite of what has just been said : NEVERTHELESS

The hike was difficult, but fun nonetheless.

without being prevented by (something) : despite—used to say that something happens or is true even though there is something that might prevent it from happening or being true

Notwithstanding their youth and inexperience, the team won the championship.

if not : or else

Finish your dinner. Otherwise, you won't get any dessert.

more correctly speaking —used to introduce a statement that corrects what you have just said

We can take the car, or rather, the van.

in spite of that —used to say that something happens or is true even though there is something that might prevent it from happening or being true

I tried again and still I failed.

by that : by that means

He signed the contract, thereby forfeiting his right to the property.

for that reason : because of that

This tablet is thin and light and therefore very convenient to carry around.

immediately after that

The committee reviewed the documents and thereupon decided to accept the proposal.

because of this or that : HENCE, CONSEQUENTLY

This detergent is highly concentrated and thus you will need to dilute it.

while on the contrary —used to make a statement that describes how two people, groups, etc., are different

Some of these species have flourished, whereas others have struggled.

NEVERTHELESS, HOWEVER —used to introduce a statement that adds something to a previous statement and usually contrasts with it in some way

It was pouring rain out, yet his clothes didn’t seem very wet.

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A List of Transition Words to Use for Argumentative Essays

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Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

Writing an argumentative essay requires a lot of effort aside from research. Besides grammar and structure, you definitely need to make sure your essay is coherent by using transitions.

Argumentative essay transition words allow you to wrap up a piece of evidence to support your main point and then move on to another. Keep reading for tips and an exhaustive list of transition words I put together for your argumentative essays.

What Is a Transition Word?

essay on transition in life

A transition word is critical to producing quality content. Also known as linking words, transition words make basic connections between sentences and paragraphs to show a relationship between ideas.

A strong transition is crucial when writing an essay. It’s not enough that you provide complete information about your main points and supporting details. You also have to make your argument attractive and logical by using transitions in your academic essay.

The absence of transition words will make your paper less readable and understandable. But too many transitions can also ruin your piece. Use them in moderation to avoid confusion about your document.

Function and Importance of Transitions

The goal of transition words is to convey ideas clearly and concisely to your readers. If you’re writing an argumentative paper, you want to make logical connections in your document to prove your central point.

Transitional phrases and words help you produce a logical flow from one sentence or paragraph to another. In other words, they introduce what the following information will be. Some transitions come in single words, while others come in complete phrases and sentences.

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There are many categories of transitions, including those that present counterarguments and others that build on your arguments. Be careful about using the wrong transition. Otherwise, you won’t achieve your goal of clarity and conciseness. Consider these examples.

  • “ For instance , an anonymous TikTok user reports having a shorter attention span because of its over-swiping feature.” (In this sentence, for instance is used to provide an example).
  • “ Here’s an exception to my previous point. ” (This entire sentence is a transition, showing a logical connection between the previous and following sentences).

Transition can also be a sentence to a paragraph long. I’ll show you an example.

Paragraph A: A point that supports co-sleeping as a parenting method.

Transition: Despite this, there are many reasons that prove co-sleeping leads to sleep-related accidents.

Paragraph B: Points that oppose co-sleeping.

Types of Transition Words

There are several types of transitions you can use for making high-quality essays.

Transition Between Paragraphs

A type of transition required for a well-written essay is one you can find between paragraphs. Once you’ve arranged each paragraph according to your outline, it’s important to start each with an effective transition. This word or phrase is usually present in the topic sentence of the body.

Some examples include however, similarly, and for example. But these transition expressions cannot be a single sentence long. The initial sentence of every paragraph should be clear and substantial instead of simply connecting ideas.

Transition Within Paragraphs

Creating a powerful transition within every paragraph of your academic papers avoids choppy sentences. It provides a sense of connection between complex ideas to help readers anticipate what is coming.

These are usually single words or short phrases like in addition, since, and if.

Transition Between Sections

The last type of transition phrases and sentences are those between sections. You’ll find them all over the entire paper to summarize the information. They can be restatements of arguments or a short closing sentence to ensure the flow of ideas.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

It’s a type of essay that requires you to research a subject matter and establish a position for or against it.

Aside from researching and evaluating evidence, showing a relationship between sentences and sections is essential when writing a paper. This will allow you to wrap up an idea and then start another. You must cite different sources to support your point of view, then show counterarguments.

The entire essay should include an introduction, a conclusion, and at least three body paragraphs.

How Do You Start an Argumentative Essay?

Every type of paper starts with an introduction, which usually includes a hook, background, and thesis statement.

The common essay introduction piques the reader’s interest through a surprising statistic or an interesting question. Provide readers with a background of your entire content piece, then state your main argument in a clear sentence.

Transition expressions are not yet essential in this stage of essay writing. Focus on setting up your point and discussing how you will argue it throughout the paper.

Common Transitions for Argumentative Essay Writing

Take a look at this list of transitional words and phrases commonly used to make strong arguments.

  • Additionally
  • In addition
  • Not only… but also
  • In the same way
  • Comparatively
  • Furthermore
  • Equally important

Counterargument Transition Words

Here’s a transition word list for essays showing different sides of an argument.

  • While it is true that
  • Nevertheless
  • Despite this
  • On the other hand
  • Be that as it may
  • Even though
  • Although this may be true

Transition Words and Phrases for Comparing and Contrasting

Here’s a breakdown of transition words and phrases you can use when comparing and contrasting.

  • In spite of
  • On the contrary
  • Different from
  • In contrast

Transition Words to Include in Your College Essay

Here are some examples of transition words you can use when applying for college admission or scholarship.

  • To put it in another way
  • To demonstrate
  • As an illustration
  • By all means
  • In other words

Transition Words for Cause and Effect

Consider this transition word list when showing cause and effect.

  • As a result
  • For this reason
  • Consequently
  • Accordingly
  • Under those circumstances
  • Because the

Transition Words for Essay Paragraphs

  • At the present time
  • In due time
  • To begin with
  • All of a sudden
  • Immediately
  • In a moment

Transitions to Emphasize a Point

  • Most of all
  • The main problem/issue is
  • Without question
  • More importantly
  • Most important of all

Transition Words for Additional Support or Evidence

Transition words for sequence or order, transition words for space or place.

  • In the middle of
  • In the distance
  • In the background
  • Here and there
  • On the side

To Cite a Source or Paraphrase

  • According to
  • This means that
  • Put it more simply

Transition Words to Begin a Body Paragraph

  • What is more
  • Beyond that

Transition Words to Introduce Details

  • For example
  • As an example
  • For instance
  • A case in point
  • Specifically
  • In particular
  • More specifically

Transition Words for Conclusion

  • As can be seen
  • By and large
  • On the whole
  • To summarize
  • In the final analysis
  • Generally speaking

More Transition Words

  • With this intention
  • In order to
  • In the hope that
  • With this in mind
  • For the purpose of
  • Provided that

Tips for Using Argumentative Essay Transitions

essay on transition in life

Follow these tips to improve your use of transitions in your essay.

Know What the Transitions Mean

Non-native speakers may need help knowing the meaning of every transition expression, so research every term before using it.

There are also many categories of transition words. You can use them to summarize points, show contradictions, express sequence, or begin a paragraph.

Start Your Essay with an Outline

Writing an outline will make it easier to map your ideas and move them around. This strategy will help you transition between paragraphs.

Don’t Overuse Transitions

The last mistake you shouldn’t make is overuse. Instead of making connections between sentences, you’ll make your paper more difficult to read. It creates more incoherence and distraction in your writing, contradicting its intended purpose in your paper.

Use Transition Words Properly

Now you know how to use transition words and phrases for your argumentative essay through this guide and list. These expressions will help you produce a coherent relationship between every idea.

Mastering transitions for your essay may not be a piece of cake, but practice makes perfect. Don’t forget to revise and proofread your argumentative before submitting it to your professor.

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Lynch reveals hilarious truth about transition from player to GM

Lynch reveals hilarious truth about transition from player to GM originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After a 15-season Pro Football Hall of Fame playing career, John Lynch stayed close to the sport he loved and became 49ers general manager in 2017.

From the NFL draft to free agency to training camp and everything in between, Lynch thoroughly enjoys his executive role. But of the 365 days in a year, there might be about 20 days that fall as exceptions to that.

"Game day sucks," Lynch said on ESPN's "The Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday. "It's awful. There's not a damn thing you can do about it. That is really hard, it really is. I remember my first year doing this, I'd be up there and the cameras were on you a lot and I'd be pounding the table or whatnot, and my dad would say, 'Hey, don't let them see you sweat. You're going to have to learn to do that.'

"But I'd become so accustomed to doing something on game day, and I can't do a damn thing. if someone gets hurt, you start calling guys the next week for tryouts or something. But I think what you come to know is that your job is 365 days a year, helping run an organization, helping lead an organization, bringing in the right people."

"Game day sucks. It's awful. Not a damn thing you can do about it." —Hall of Famer John Lynch on his transition from player to GM of the 49ers 😅 (🎥: @PatMcAfeeShow ) pic.twitter.com/cDaeEEFqjh — NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) May 2, 2024

Lynch will enter his eighth season as general manager, and while he has yet to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to the Bay during his tenure with the organization, he has come mighty close.

The top executive confessed that he is a "pacer" during game days, anxiously walking back and forth on Sundays during the season. But there's another area he has turned to in his role where he hopes to further help the team.

"Hay is in the barn come game day, but I can still be passionate and I live and die with these guys," Lynch said. "I've been through what these players have been through, so I respect the heck out of what they're trying to do, I know how hard it is.

"Really more than anything, I just pull for these guys and try to be there to support them and support our coaches. It's fun until that game kicks off and it doesn't get any easier knowing that there's nothing you can do come game day."

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

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Guest Essay

Saying Goodbye to My Brilliant Friend, the Poetry Critic Helen Vendler

Two books, with nothing on their covers, sitting on a plain background. The two books are at close to a right angle with each other and most of their pages are touching.

By Roger Rosenblatt

The author, most recently, of “Cataract Blues: Running the Keyboard.”

One makes so few new friends in older age — I mean, real friends, the ones you bond with and hold dear, as if you’d known one another since childhood.

Old age often prevents, or at least tempers, such discoveries. The joy of suddenly finding someone of compatible tastes, politics, intellectual interests and sense of humor can be shadowed, if tacitly, by the inevitable prospect of loss.

I became friends with Helen Vendler — the legendary poetry critic who died last week — six years ago, after she came to a talk I gave at Harvard about my 1965-66 Fulbright year in Ireland. Our friendship was close at the outset and was fortified and deepened by many letters between us, by our writing.

Some critics gain notice by something new they discover in the literature they examine. Helen became the most important critic of the age by dealing with something old and basic — the fact that great poetry was, well, lovable. Her vast knowledge of it was not like anyone else’s, and she embraced the poets she admired with informed exuberance.

The evening we met, Helen and I huddled together for an hour, maybe two, speaking of the great Celtic scholar John Kelleher, under whom we had both studied; of Irish poetry; and of our families. Helen was born to cruelly restrictive Irish Catholic parents who would not think of her going to anything but a Catholic college. When Helen rebelled against them, she was effectively tossed out and never allowed to return home.

She told me all this at our very first meeting. And I told her the sorrows of my own life — the untimely death of my daughter, Amy, and the seven-plus years my wife, Ginny, and I spent helping to rear her three children. And I told Helen unhappy things about my own upbringing. The loneliness. I think we both sensed that we had found someone we could trust with our lives.

I never asked Helen why she had come to my talk in the first place, though I had recognized her immediately. After spending a life with English and American poetry — especially the poetry of Wallace Stevens — how could I not? The alert tilt of her head, the two parenthetical lines around the mouth that always seemed on the verge of saying something meaningful and the sad-kind-wise eyes of the most significant literary figure since Edmund Wilson.

And unlike Wilson, Helen was never compelled to show off. She knew as much about American writing as Wilson, and, I believe, loved it more.

It was that, even more than the breadth and depth of her learning, that set her apart. She was a poet who didn’t write poetry, but felt it like a poet, and thus knew the art form to the core of her being. Her method of “close reading,” studying a poem intently word by word, was her way of writing it in reverse.

Weeks before Helen’s death and what would have been her 91st birthday, we exchanged letters. I had sent her an essay I’d just written on the beauty of wonder, stemming from the wonder so many people felt upon viewing the total solar eclipse earlier this month. I often sent Helen things I wrote. Some she liked less than others, and she was never shy to say so. She liked the essay on wonder, though she said she was never a wonderer herself, but a “hopeless pragmatist,” not subject to miracles, except upon two occasions. One was the birth of her son, David, whom she mentioned in letters often. She loved David deeply, and both were happy when she moved from epic Cambridge to lyrical Laguna Niguel, Calif., to be near him, as she grew infirm.

Her second miracle, coincidentally, occurred when Seamus Heaney drove her to see a solar eclipse at Tintern Abbey. There, among the Welsh ruins, Helen had an astonishing experience, one that she described to me in a way that seemed almost to evoke Wordsworth:

I had of course read descriptions of the phenomena of a total eclipse, but no words could equal the total-body/total landscape effect; the ceasing of bird song; the inexorability of the dimming to a crescent and then to a corona; the total silence; the gradual salience of the stars; the iciness of the silhouette of the towers; the looming terror of the steely eclipse of all of nature. Now that quelled utterly any purely “scientific” interest. One became pure animal, only animal, no “thought-process” being even conceivable.

One who claims not to know wonders shows herself to be one.

She was so intent on the beauty of the poets she understood so deeply, she never could see why others found her appreciations remarkable. Once, when I sent her a note complimenting her on a wonderfully original observation she’d made in a recent article, she wrote: “So kind of you to encourage me. I always feel that everything I say would be obvious to anyone who can read, so am always amazed when someone praises something.”

Only an innocent of the highest order would say such a beautiful, preposterous thing. When recently the American Academy of Arts and Letters awarded her the Gold Medal for Belle Lettres and Criticism, Helen was shocked.

“You could have floored me when I got the call,” she wrote to me, adding: “Perhaps I was chosen by the committee because of my advanced age; if so, I can’t complain. The quote that came to mind was Lowell’s ‘My head grizzled with the years’ gold garbage.’”

She was always doing that — attaching a quotation from poetry to a thought or experience of her own, as if she occupied the same room as all the great poets, living with them as closely as loved ones in a tenement.

Shelley called poets the “unacknowledged legislators of the world.” I never fully got that famous line. But if the legislators’ laws apply to feeling and conduct, I think he was onto something. If one reads poetry — ancient and modern — as deeply as Helen did, and stays with it, and lets it roll around in one’s head, the effect is transporting. You find yourself in a better realm of feeling and language. And nothing of the noisier outer world — not Donald Trump, not Taylor Swift — can get to you.

In our last exchange of letters, Helen told me about the death she was arranging for herself. I was brokenhearted to realize that I was losing someone who had given me and countless others so much thought and joy. Her last words to me were telling, though, and settled the matter as only practical, spiritual Helen could:

I feel not a whit sad at the fact of death, but massively sad at leaving friends behind, among whom you count dearly. I have always known what my true feelings are by whatever line of poetry rises unbidden to my mind on any occasion; to my genuine happiness, this time was a line from Herbert’s “Evensong,” in which God (always in Herbert, more like Jesus than Jehovah), says to the poet, “Henceforth repose; your work is done.”

She closed her letter as I closed my response. “Love and farewell.”

Roger Rosenblatt is the author, most recently, of “Cataract Blues: Running the Keyboard.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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LIFE Calls for proposals 2024

The LIFE Calls for proposals 2024 have been published on the  Funding & tender opportunities portal  on 18 April 2024. 

A series of virtual information sessions took place from 23 to 26 April 2024 to guide potential applicants through the LIFE Calls for proposals 2024. The event’s recordings, presentation material and other support for applicants, including a platform for virtual networking, can be found  here .  See the  LIFE YouTube channel  for previous  recordings . 

Submission deadlines

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for circular economy and quality of life - Environment Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for circular economy and quality of life - Governance Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for nature and biodiversity - Nature Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for nature and biodiversity - Governance Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for climate change adaptation Deadline date: 17 September 2024   

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for climate change mitigation Deadline date: 17 September 2024   

Standard Action Projects (SAPs) for climate governance and information Deadline date: 17 September 2024   

LIFE Clean Energy Transition – Standard Action Project Deadline date: 19 September 2024   

  • Concept notes:  Deadline date: 5 September 2024 
  • Full proposals:  Deadline date: 6 March 2025  

Technical Assistance preparation for SNAPs Deadline date: 19 September 2024    

Technical Assistance preparation for SIPs - Environment Deadline date: 19 September 2024    

Technical Assistance preparation for SIPs - Climate Deadline date: 19 September 2024    

Technical Assistance Replication Deadline date: 19 September 2024  

Framework Partnership Agreements (FPA OG) Deadline date: 5 September 2024

Specific Operating Grant Agreements (SGA OG) Deadline date: 17 September 2024 

LIFE Preparatory Projects (addressing ad hoc Legislative and Policy Priorities - PLP) Deadline date: 19 September 2024 

Coordination and Support Action Grants (CSA) for clean energy transition sub-programme

Deadline date: 19 September 2024

  • Clean energy transition plans and strategies in municipalities and regions
  • Towards an effective implementation of key legislation in the field of sustainable energy 
  • Real world energy consumption of energy-related products
  • Energy Performance of Buildings - Creating the conditions to make renovation faster, deeper, smarter, service and data-driven
  • Supporting the clean energy transition of the European businesses
  • BUILD UP Skills – Upskilling and reskilling interventions for building decarbonisation
  • Supporting the roll-out of high-quality heat pump installations
  • Supporting district heating and cooling
  • Crowding in private finance
  • Integrated services for clean energy transition in buildings
  • Project Development Assistance for sustainable energy investments
  • Alleviating household energy poverty in Europe
  • Developing support mechanisms for Energy Communities
  • Facilitation structures for the renovation of public buildings

Type of grants

Standard action projects (sap).

Projects, other than strategic integrated projects, strategic nature projects or technical assistance projects, that pursue the specific objectives of the LIFE programme.

Strategic Nature Projects (SNAP)

Projects that support the achievement of Union nature and biodiversity objectives by implementing coherent programmes of action in Member States in order to mainstream those objectives and priorities into other policies and financing instruments, including through coordinated implementation of the prioritised action frameworks adopted pursuant to Directive 92/43/EEC.

Strategic Integrated Projects (SIP)

Projects that implement, on a regional, multi-regional, national or transnational scale, environmental or climate strategies or action plans developed by Member States' authorities and required by specific environmental, climate or relevant energy legislation or policy of the Union, while ensuring that stakeholders are involved and promoting coordination with and mobilisation of at least one other Union, national or private funding source.

Technical Assistance Projects (TA)

Projects that support the development of capacity for participation in standard action projects, the preparation of strategic nature projects and strategic integrated projects, the preparation for accessing other Union financial instruments or other measures necessary for preparing the upscaling or replication of results from other projects funded by the LIFE programme, its predecessor programmes or other Union programmes, with a view to pursuing the LIFE programme objectives set out in Article 3; such projects can also include capacity-building related to the activities of Member States' authorities for effective participation in the LIFE programme.

Other Action Grants (OAG)

Actions needed for the purpose of achieving the general objective of the LIFE programme, including coordination and support actions aimed at capacity-building, at dissemination of information and of knowledge, and at awareness-raising to support the transition to renewable energy and increased energy efficiency.

Operating Grants (OG)

Grants that support the functioning of non-profit making entities which are involved in the development, implementation and enforcement of Union legislation and policy, and which are primarily active in the area of the environment or climate action, including energy transition, in line with the objectives of the LIFE programme.

Project proposals submitted under LIFE calls are evaluated and scored against selection and award criteria.

Support for applicants

Guidance on the application process, evaluation and grant signature, and working as an expert will be available on the Funding & Tender portal .

Please see our dedicated page on Support for Applicants.

Expert evaluators

The LIFE Programme appoints external experts to assist in the evaluation of grant applications, projects and tenders. 

If you have skills and experiences in the sustainable energy field and like to evaluate proposals submitted under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme, please register in the European Commission’s database of independent experts . 

If you have skills and experiences in the fields of nature & biodiversity, circular economy and climate action and like to evaluate in the LIFE sub-programmes Nature and Biodiversity, Circular economy and quality of life, Climate change mitigation and adaptation, please register your interest with the external Framework Contractor .

Potential expert evaluators can register interest for any of the LIFE sub-programmes. 

Previous calls

  • 2023 calls for proposals
  • Clean Energy Transition Call for Proposals 2023
  • 2022 calls for proposals
  • 2021 calls for proposals
  • NGO Call for proposals on European Green Deal
  • 2020 calls for project proposals
  • 2019 calls for project proposals
  • Older 2018 and 2017 calls are available on the archived LIFE website

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  20. A List of Transition Words to Use for Argumentative Essays

    Transition can also be a sentence to a paragraph long. I'll show you an example. Paragraph A: A point that supports co-sleeping as a parenting method. Transition: Despite this, there are many reasons that prove co-sleeping leads to sleep-related accidents. Paragraph B: Points that oppose co-sleeping.

  21. English Essay (Business

    Cheap Business Essay Writing Services. Before being accepted into our company, we underwent extensive background checks. Check their credentials to confirm that they have been writing professionally for some time. If they are members of professional associations, check, for instance. Some students may have difficulty completing their research ...

  22. Lynch reveals hilarious truth about transition from player to GM

    Lynch, Shanahan break down 49ers' picks from Day 3 of NFL draft. Lynch reveals hilarious truth about transition from player to GM originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area. After a 15-season Pro ...

  23. My Late-in-Life Friendship With Helen Vendler

    Weeks before Helen's death and what would have been her 91st birthday, we exchanged letters. I had sent her an essay I'd just written on the beauty of wonder, stemming from the wonder so many ...

  24. Artificial intelligence in human resource management: a challenge for

    In particular, younger workers will need help in "navigating increasingly difficult school-to-work transition" (Cooke, forthcoming). Older workers will need to be able to stay economically active as long as they want. 13 Lifelong learning policies will definitely help to be prepared for these transitions. Interestingly, data science ...

  25. LIFE Calls for proposals 2024

    The LIFE Programme appoints external experts to assist in the evaluation of grant applications, projects and tenders. If you have skills and experiences in the sustainable energy field and like to evaluate proposals submitted under the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme, please register in the European Commission's database of independent experts.

  26. Study of Mechanics and Durability of Non-Spontaneous ...

    The life prediction of NCCG coarse-aggregate high-performance concrete was carried out based on the grey system GM(1,1) prediction model. ... and durability properties were studied, and the changes in the interfacial transition zone (ITZ) of concrete before and after sulfate attack and freeze-thaw cycles were analyzed based on the SEM test ...

  27. Charlotte, NC shooting: 4 law enforcement officers killed as US ...

    Link Copied! CNN —. "Numerous law enforcement officers" have been shot in an "active situation" in Charlotte, North Carolina, police say. "The scene is still active. Avoid the area ...

  28. Germany's Economy Shows Signs of Life But Industry Is Struggling

    April 26, 2024 at 10:00 PM PDT. Listen. 5:36. Germany 's economic prospects are looking up after two grueling years of near-zero growth. The consumer-led revival, though, papers over enduring ...