Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.
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.
- College Essay
Emmett Lewis
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.
- 2-Year Colleges
- ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
- Application Strategies
- Best Colleges by Major
- Best Colleges by State
- Big Picture
- Career & Personality Assessment
- College Search/Knowledge
- College Success
- Costs & Financial Aid
- Data Visualizations
- Dental School Admissions
- Extracurricular Activities
- Graduate School Admissions
- High School Success
- High Schools
- Homeschool Resources
- Law School Admissions
- Medical School Admissions
- Navigating the Admissions Process
- Online Learning
- Outdoor Adventure
- Private High School Spotlight
- Research Programs
- Summer Program Spotlight
- Summer Programs
- Teacher Tools
- Test Prep Provider Spotlight
“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”
— Lynn O'Shaughnessy
Nationally Recognized College Expert
College Planning in Your Inbox
Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.
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
Improving Your Writing Style
This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.
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
Have a language expert improve your writing
Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.
- Knowledge Base
- Academic writing
- Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples
Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples
Published on May 29, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2023.
Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.
The proposed solution to the problem did not work. Therefore , we attempted a second solution. However , this solution was also unsuccessful.
For clear writing, it’s essential to understand the meaning of transition words and use them correctly.
Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text
Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes
Table of contents
When and how to use transition words, types and examples of transition words, common mistakes with transition words, other interesting articles.
Transition words commonly appear at the start of a new sentence or clause (followed by a comma ), serving to express how this clause relates to the previous one.
Transition words can also appear in the middle of a clause. It’s important to place them correctly to convey the meaning you intend.
Example text with and without transition words
The text below describes all the events it needs to, but it does not use any transition words to connect them. Because of this, it’s not clear exactly how these different events are related or what point the author is making by telling us about them.
If we add some transition words at appropriate moments, the text reads more smoothly and the relationship among the events described becomes clearer.
Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Consequently , France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union initially worked with Germany in order to partition Poland. However , Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.
Don’t overuse transition words
While transition words are essential to clear writing, it’s possible to use too many of them. Consider the following example, in which the overuse of linking words slows down the text and makes it feel repetitive.
In this case the best way to fix the problem is to simplify the text so that fewer linking words are needed.
The key to using transition words effectively is striking the right balance. It is difficult to follow the logic of a text with no transition words, but a text where every sentence begins with a transition word can feel over-explained.
Here's why students love Scribbr's proofreading services
Discover proofreading & editing
There are four main types of transition word: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific functions.
Remember that transition words with similar meanings are not necessarily interchangeable. It’s important to understand the meaning of all the transition words you use. If unsure, consult a dictionary to find the precise definition.
Additive transition words
Additive transition words introduce new information or examples. They can be used to expand upon, compare with, or clarify the preceding text.
Function | Example sentence | Transition words and phrases |
---|---|---|
Addition | We found that the mixture was effective. , it appeared to have additional effects we had not predicted. | indeed, furthermore, moreover, additionally, and, also, both and , not only but also , , in fact |
Introduction | Several researchers have previously explored this topic. , Smith (2014) examined the effects of … | such as, like, particularly, including, as an illustration, for example, for instance, in particular, to illustrate, especially, notably |
Reference | The solution showed a high degree of absorption. , it is reasonable to conclude that … | considering , regarding , in regard to , as for , concerning , the fact that , on the subject of |
Similarity | It was not possible to establish a correlation between these variables. , the connection between and remains unclear … | similarly, in the same way, by the same token, in like manner, equally, likewise |
Clarification | The patient suffered several side effects, increased appetite, decreased libido, and disordered sleep. | that is (to say), namely, specifically, more precisely, in other words |
Adversative transition words
Adversative transition words always signal a contrast of some kind. They can be used to introduce information that disagrees or contrasts with the preceding text.
Function | Example sentence | Transition words and phrases |
---|---|---|
Conflict | The novel does deal with the theme of family. , its central theme is more broadly political … | but, however, although, though, equally, by way of contrast, while, on the other hand, (and) yet, whereas, in contrast, (when) in fact, conversely, whereas |
Concession | Jones (2011) argues that the novel reflects Russian politics of the time. this is correct, other aspects of the text must also be considered. | even so, nonetheless, nevertheless, even though, on the other hand, admittedly, despite , notwithstanding , (and) still, although, , regardless (of ), (and) yet, though, granted |
Dismissal | It remains unclear which of these hypotheses is correct. , it can be inferred that … | regardless, either way, whatever the case, in any/either event, in any/either case, at any rate, all the same |
Emphasis | The chemical is generally thought to have corrosive properties. , several studies have supported this hypothesis. | above all, indeed, more/most importantly |
Replacement | The character of Godfrey is often viewed as selfish, self-absorbed. | (or) at least, (or) rather, instead, or (perhaps) even, if not |
Causal transition words
Causal transition words are used to describe cause and effect. They can be used to express purpose, consequence, and condition.
Function | Example sentence | Transition words and phrases |
---|---|---|
Consequence | Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. | therefore, because (of ), as a result (of ), for this reason, in view of , as, owing to x, due to (the fact that), since, consequently, in consequence, as a consequence, hence, thus, so (that), accordingly, so much (so) that, under the/such circumstances, if so |
Condition | We qualified survey responses as positive the participant selected “agree” or “strongly agree.” , results were recorded as negative. | (even/only) if/when, on (the) condition that, in the case that, granted (that), provided/providing that, in case, in the event that, as/so long as, unless, given that, being that, inasmuch/insofar as, in that case, in (all) other cases, if so/not, otherwise |
Purpose | We used accurate recording equipment our results would be as precise as possible. | to, in order to/that, for the purpose of, in the hope that, so that, to the end that, lest, with this in mind, so as to, so that, to ensure (that) |
Sequential transition words
Sequential transition words indicate a sequence, whether it’s the order in which events occurred chronologically or the order you’re presenting them in your text. They can be used for signposting in academic texts.
Function | Example sentence | Transition words and phrases |
---|---|---|
Enumeration | This has historically had several consequences: , the conflict is not given the weight of other conflicts in historical narratives. , its causes are inadequately understood. , … | first, second, third… |
Initiation | , I want to consider the role played by women in this period. | in the first place, initially, first of all, to begin with, at first |
Continuation | , I discuss the way in which the country’s various ethnic minorities were affected by the conflict. | subsequently, previously, eventually, next, before , afterwards, after , then |
Conclusion | , I consider these two themes in combination. | to conclude (with), as a final point, eventually, at last, last but not least, finally, lastly |
Resumption | my main argument, it is clear that … | to return/returning to , to resume, at any rate |
Summation | Patel (2015) comes to a similar conclusion. , the four studies considered here suggest a consensus that the solution is effective. | as previously stated/mentioned, in summary, as I have argued, overall, as has been mentioned, to summarize, briefly, given these points, in view of , as has been noted, in conclusion, in sum, altogether, in short |
Transition words are often used incorrectly. Make sure you understand the proper usage of transition words and phrases, and remember that words with similar meanings don’t necessarily work the same way grammatically.
Misused transition words can make your writing unclear or illogical. Your audience will be easily lost if you misrepresent the connections between your sentences and ideas.
Confused use of therefore
“Therefore” and similar cause-and-effect words are used to state that something is the result of, or follows logically from, the previous. Make sure not to use these words in a way that implies illogical connections.
- We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. Therefore , the average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.
The use of “therefore” in this example is illogical: it suggests that the result of 7.5 follows logically from the question being asked, when in fact many other results were possible. To fix this, we simply remove the word “therefore.”
- We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. The average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.
Starting a sentence with also , and , or so
While the words “also,” “and,” and “so” are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence.
- Also , a second round of testing was carried out.
To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.
- A second round of testing was also carried out.
- Additionally , a second round of testing was carried out.
Transition words creating sentence fragments
Words like “although” and “because” are called subordinating conjunctions . This means that they introduce clauses which cannot stand on their own. A clause introduced by one of these words should always follow or be followed by another clause in the same sentence.
The second sentence in this example is a fragment, because it consists only of the “although” clause.
- Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. Although other researchers disagree.
We can fix this in two different ways. One option is to combine the two sentences into one using a comma. The other option is to use a different transition word that does not create this problem, like “however.”
- Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed, although other researchers disagree.
- Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. However , other researchers disagree.
And vs. as well as
Students often use the phrase “ as well as ” in place of “and,” but its usage is slightly different. Using “and” suggests that the things you’re listing are of equal importance, while “as well as” introduces additional information that is less important.
- Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf, as well as presenting my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
In this example, the analysis is more important than the background information. To fix this mistake, we can use “and,” or we can change the order of the sentence so that the most important information comes first. Note that we add a comma before “as well as” but not before “and.”
- Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf and presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
- Chapter 1 presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse , as well as discussing some background information on Woolf.
Note that in fixed phrases like “both x and y ,” you must use “and,” not “as well as.”
- Both my results as well as my interpretations are presented below.
- Both my results and my interpretations are presented below.
Use of and/or
The combination of transition words “and/or” should generally be avoided in academic writing. It makes your text look messy and is usually unnecessary to your meaning.
First consider whether you really do mean “and/or” and not just “and” or “or.” If you are certain that you need both, it’s best to separate them to make your meaning as clear as possible.
- Participants were asked whether they used the bus and/or the train.
- Participants were asked whether they used the bus, the train, or both.
Archaic transition words
Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning.
- Poverty is best understood as a disease. Hereby , we not only see that it is hereditary, but acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.
These words should usually be replaced with a more explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement relates to the preceding one.
- Poverty is best understood as a disease. Understanding it as such , we not only see that it is hereditary, but also acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.
Using a paraphrasing tool for clear writing
With the use of certain tools, you can make your writing clear. One of these tools is a paraphrasing tool . One thing the tool does is help your sentences make more sense. It has different modes where it checks how your text can be improved. For example, automatically adding transition words where needed.
If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
Academic Writing
- Avoiding repetition
- Effective headings
- Passive voice
- Taboo words
- Deep learning
- Generative AI
- Machine learning
- Reinforcement learning
- Supervised vs. unsupervised learning
(AI) Tools
- Grammar Checker
- Paraphrasing Tool
- Text Summarizer
- AI Detector
- Plagiarism Checker
- Citation Generator
Cite this Scribbr article
If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.
Caulfield, J. (2023, August 23). Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved August 29, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-writing/transition-words/
Is this article helpful?
Jack Caulfield
Other students also liked, using conjunctions | definition, rules & examples, transition sentences | tips & examples for clear writing, how to write topic sentences | 4 steps, examples & purpose, get unlimited documents corrected.
✔ Free APA citation check included ✔ Unlimited document corrections ✔ Specialized in correcting academic texts
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
In order to access certain content on this page, you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader or an equivalent PDF viewer software.
54 Best Transition Words for Paragraphs
Chris Drew (PhD)
Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]
Learn about our Editorial Process
Good transition words for starting a paragraph include addition phrases like ‘furthermore’, cause and effect words like ‘consequently’, and contradiction words like ‘however’. Scroll down for a full table of transition words.
Using transition words in your writing can help you improve the readability and flow of your paragraph to the next.
These words help your text flow seamlessly into the next idea, which shows your readers the relationship between paragraphs and phrases.
List of Transition Words for Starting a Paragraph
Transition words can fall into more than one category based on what type of transition in your paragraph you’re planning to make.
For example, you’d want a different transition word if your second paragraph contradicts your first than if it supports it. Take the following examples:
Second body paragraph statement in the first body paragraph | Furthermore, What’s more, Similarly, Supporting evidence finds, Likewise. |
Second body paragraph statement in the first body paragraph | However, Nevertheless, Contradictory evidence finds, Despite the above points. |
Here is a list of transition words and what category they fall under.
- Addition – A transition that combines two or more ideas and shows their relationship. Examples include, what’s more, equally important, again, also, and, furthermore, moreover, besides .
- Cause and Effect – When one idea triggers another. This lets the reader know that they are directly connected. Examples include, consequently, hence, therefore, thus, next, as a result .
- Clarification – This is to rephrase what was said to clarify a statement and provide emphasis. Examples include, in other words, that is to say, to clarify.
- Compare and Contrast – This shows a relationship between two ideas that are compared based on differences or similarities. Examples are, after all, although this may be true, in contrast, likewise, on the contrary, similarly, whereas, yet.
- Emphasis (Boosting) – This shows certainty. Examples include, emphatically, in fact, surprisingly, undeniably, in any case, indeed, never, without a doubt.
- Providing examples : For example, for instance, as illustrated by, take the following case in point.
- Exception or Contradiction – This happens when an action with a pre-conceived notion ends with a different action. Examples are, however, nevertheless, in spite of, of course, once in a while, despite.
- Summarize or conclude – This signals the reader that they are at the end of the paragraph. Examples are, as this essay has shown, as a result, In conclusion, therefore, thus, hence, in short, in brief.
- Sequential – This expresses a numerical sequence, conclusion, continuation, resumption, or summation. Examples are to change the topic, to conclude with, afterward, incidentally, by the way, initially.
List of Transition Words for New Paragraphs
Emphatically, In fact, Surprisingly, Undeniably, Without a doubt, Indeed, Of course, Surely, Undoubtedly, Without a doubt. | |
Furthermore, Moreover, Supporting the above points, Similar research has found, In fact ( ). | |
To demonstrate, Evidence of this fact can be seen in, Proof of this point is found in, For instance, Compelling evidence shows, For a case in point, In fact, Notably, One study found, Supporting evidence shows. ( ). | |
Consequently, Hence, Therefore, Thus, As a result, accordingly, The consequence is. | |
In other words, That is to say, To clarify, For example, More evidence can be found, Furthermore. | |
However, However, Conversely, Despite this, In spite of the above statements, Nonetheless, Nevertheless, A contradictory argument, Regardless. | |
As this essay has shown, In conclusion, To summarize, The balance of evidence finds, The research compellingly indicates | |
Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, Subsequently, Next, Afterwards, Later, Consequently. |
Transition Words to Avoid
I recommend avoiding the following transition words:
Your teacher may write: “If you mentioned this before, why are you saying it again?” | |
This is a cliché transition word for beginning conclusion paragraphs. Instead, try using the callback method discussed in my . | |
Too colloquial. Try using more formal language such as: “The weight of evidence finds…” | |
Many teachers don’t like first person language in essays. Use third person language and back claims up with academic research rather than personal opinion (except if it’s a reflective piece). | |
Teachers like to pick at you if you talk in generalizations. Instead, hedge your statements by saying “Sometimes”, “Often”, or “The majority of” and back this up with references. |
Examples in Sentences
The best way to understand transition words is to provide examples. Let’s look at this sentence:
“Amy did not study for her test. Therefore, she did not get a good result.”
When you see the word ‘therefore,’ the reader knows that this is a cause and effect. What happened in the first sentence caused a resulting action.
The transition word provided a seamless flow into the next sentence that describes this effect.
Using the transitional word, ‘therefore,’ shows that the two sentences are part of one idea/process. Even with skimming, the reader can guess what’s the resulting action. This is how transition words hold your ideas together. Without them, it’s like your piece is just a jumble of coherent words.
Transition words don’t have to be placed at the start of a sentence. Let’s look at this sentence:
“Many people came to the event. Cristine, Emily, and David, for instance.”
In this sentence, ‘for instance’ is at the end of the sentence. However, it still gives the reader the necessary information to see how the two sentences are linked.
What are Transition Words?
Transition words for beginning paragraphs help writers to introduce a shift, opposition, contrast, agreement, emphasis, purpose, result, or conclusion from what was previously written. They are essential in argumentative essays.
Transition words are like bridges between the different paragraphs in your pieces. They serve as the cues that help your reader understand your ideas. They carry your ideas from one sentence to the next and one paragraph to the next.
Transitional words and phrases link an idea from a sentence to the following paragraph, so your work is read smoothly without abrupt jumps or sudden breaks between concepts.
Why use Transition Words
Proper communication of your ideas through paragraphs is important in writing. In order for your reader to read your piece with a thorough understanding of each idea and point conveyed in the piece, you have to use transition words and phrases.
With the examples provided, you would see that transitions string together your ideas by establishing a clear connection between the sentences and paragraphs.
Without transition words, your work may seem daunting and stressful to read, and the reader will not understand the idea you’re trying to convey.
Transitional phrases are especially important when writing an essay or thesis statement , as each paragraph has to connect ideas effortlessly.
Therefore, when a paragraph ends, the next idea must have some link to the previous one, which is why transition words play an important role.
Where Else to use Transition Words in an Essay
Transition words are important English devices for essays and papers. They enhance the transitions and connections between the sentences and paragraphs, giving your essay a flowing structure and logical thought.
Transition terms may seem easy to remember; however, placing them in the incorrect manner can cause your essay to fall flat.
Here are some places where essays transition words may fit:
- To show a connection between evidence and the ending
- To flow into the next paragraph, use your closing statement at the conclusion of each one
- At the start of the first body paragraph
- At the start of the second body paragraph
- In some of the starting sections of your summary or introductory paragraphs
- In an overview of your opinions/solutions in the conclusion
When adding your transition words and phrases in your essay, make sure not to accidentally form an incomplete or fragmented sentence. This is common with transitions, such as, if, although, and since .
While transition words are important in any writing piece, you have to make sure that the word or phrase you choose matches the logic of the paragraph or point you’re making. Use these words and phrases in moderation, as too much of them can also heavily bring the quality of your work down.
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Green Flags in a Relationship
- Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 15 Signs you're Burnt Out, Not Lazy
Leave a Comment Cancel Reply
Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *
Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts
Writing Transitions
Welcome to the Purdue OWL
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue University. When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice.
Copyright ©1995-2018 by The Writing Lab & The OWL at Purdue and Purdue University. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, reproduced, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without permission. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our terms and conditions of fair use.
Good transitions can connect paragraphs and turn disconnected writing into a unified whole. Instead of treating paragraphs as separate ideas, transitions can help readers understand how paragraphs work together, reference one another, and build to a larger point. The key to producing good transitions is highlighting connections between corresponding paragraphs. By referencing in one paragraph the relevant material from previous paragraphs, writers can develop important points for their readers.
It is a good idea to continue one paragraph where another leaves off. (Instances where this is especially challenging may suggest that the paragraphs don't belong together at all.) Picking up key phrases from the previous paragraph and highlighting them in the next can create an obvious progression for readers. Many times, it only takes a few words to draw these connections. Instead of writing transitions that could connect any paragraph to any other paragraph, write a transition that could only connect one specific paragraph to another specific paragraph.
Welcome to the new OASIS website! We have academic skills, library skills, math and statistics support, and writing resources all together in one new home.
- Walden University
- Faculty Portal
Paragraphs: Transitions
Transitions.
The strength of any argument largely hinges on the writer's ability to make clear connections between his or her assessments, assertions, and research. This means that every sentence needs to rely on the previous sentence and contribute to the next. After all, this sort of logic-based linking is what ultimately guides your reader from one idea to the next and explains the relationships between your research and assessments.
In the links below, you will find a list of possible connections or relationships writers frequently make in their papers. By clicking on these links, you can read a list of transitional terms that highlight these specific kinds of relationships between the research a writer has drawn upon and the assessments, or assertions he or she is making. In addition, each link includes a list of examples indicating the use of a successful transitional word or phrase.
Transitions Video Playlist
Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.
- Academic Paragraphs: Introduction to Paragraphs and the MEAL Plan (video transcript)
- Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 1: Transitions Between Paragraphs (video transcript)
- Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 2: Transitions Within Paragraphs (video transcript)
- Academic Paragraphs: Appropriate Use of Explicit Transitions (video transcript)
- Engaging Writing: Incorporating Transitions (video transcript)
- Engaging Writing: Examples of Incorporating Transitions (video transcript)
Related Resources
- Previous Page: Organization (MEAL Plan)
- Next Page: Additional Information
- Office of Student Disability Services
Walden Resources
Departments.
- Academic Residencies
- Academic Skills
- Career Planning and Development
- Customer Care Team
- Field Experience
- Military Services
- Student Success Advising
- Writing Skills
Centers and Offices
- Center for Social Change
- Office of Academic Support and Instructional Services
- Office of Degree Acceleration
- Office of Research and Doctoral Services
- Office of Student Affairs
Student Resources
- Doctoral Writing Assessment
- Form & Style Review
- Quick Answers
- ScholarWorks
- SKIL Courses and Workshops
- Walden Bookstore
- Walden Catalog & Student Handbook
- Student Safety/Title IX
- Legal & Consumer Information
- Website Terms and Conditions
- Cookie Policy
- Accessibility
- Accreditation
- State Authorization
- Net Price Calculator
- Cost of Attendance
- Contact Walden
Walden University is a member of Adtalem Global Education, Inc. www.adtalem.com Walden University is certified to operate by SCHEV © 2024 Walden University LLC. All rights reserved.
Transitions
Transitions between paragraphs.
While within-paragraph transitions serve the purpose of alerting readers of upcoming shifts in perspective or voice , between-paragraph transitions serve the unique purpose of alerting readers of upcoming shifts in argument or idea . Because one of the core rules of effective paragraph-writing is limiting each paragraph to only one controlling idea (see the Basic Paragraph Resource Center lesson), shifts in argument or idea only tend to happen between paragraphs within the academic essay.
There are literally dozens of transition words to choose from when shifting focus from one idea to another. There are transition words that show cause and effect, contrast, similarity, emphasis, and even sequence. To give you a general idea of the options available to you, below are examples of just a few of those categories and word combinations:
With so many available options, you may be wondering how you will ever be able to figure out which word or set of words would work best where.
Guiding Questions
While there are many approaches you could take, let’s take a look at a few basic guiding questions you should be asking yourself as you look over your own essay and create your own between-paragraph transitions:
- What is the purpose of this paragraph? Is it to introduce, inform, persuade, address an opposing viewpoint, revisit or add emphasis to already discussed ideas?
- Does the idea I’m sharing in this paragraph relate to or support any other idea or argument shared within the essay up to this point?
- Does the idea I’m sharing in this paragraph present a different viewpoint or idea?
- Is the idea I’m sharing separate from or dependent upon other ideas being shared within the essay?
Your answer to these four basic questions should help you more easily identify which categories of transition words might work best at the beginning of each of your paragraphs.
A Couple Tips to Get Started
Selecting proper transitions takes time and practice. To get you started on the right foot though, here are a couple tips to point you in the right direction:
- Your body paragraphs would likely benefit most from the Addition and Order transition word categories as they tend to string together related or culminating ideas or arguments
- Your concluding paragraph would likely benefit most from the Emphasis word category as one of its primary objectives is to revisit and re-emphasize major ideas presented in the essay
To see the power of an appropriately-used transition in action, let’s consider the following prompt question example. Imagine you were asked to write an essay based on the following prompt:
- Do you believe that people have a specific “calling” in life? Why or why not?
A possible thesis statement (or answer to that prompt question) might be::
- My spiritual study, secular study, and my own life experience has taught me that life callings tend to emerge not just once, but perhaps even multiple times, at crossway of spiritual gifts and need in the world.
Ponder and Record
- Based on the thesis statement above, how many body paragraphs do you think this essay will need to have?
- What controlling ideas (or arguments) might each body paragraph be engaging?
- Are these arguments in any way related to each other or building on each other?
- How might these body paragraphs benefit from transition words in the Addition or Order categories?
Body Paragraph Transitions
In answering the questions above, you likely realized that three body paragraphs will be required in this essay based on its current thesis statement. One body paragraph will focus on “spiritual” findings, another on “secular,” and then finally one supported by “personal experience.”
You also likely realized that the Addition transition word category cannot be applied to the first body paragraph as no arguments have been made yet that can be added to. This means that the first body paragraph would likely benefit most from a transition word selected from the Order category. An example of this in application might look like the following:
Body Paragraph #1 Topic Sentence
Above all, my spiritual study of the scriptures as well as the words of latter-day prophets have supported my belief that life callings emerge at the intersection of spiritual gifts and need in the world.
- What does the selection of the transitional phrase “above all” suggest about the controlling idea that will be discussed in this paragraph?
- What does it suggest about the ideas that will follow in subsequent paragraphs?
To see more “between-paragraph” transition words in action, let’s look at what the next body paragraph topic sentence might look like with the added benefit of transition words:
Body Paragraph #2 Topic Sentence
In addition to my spiritual study, my secular study of the “life calling” also supports this idea that life callings emerge again and again at the intersection of spiritual gifts and need in the world.
- What is the transitional phrase used in the topic sentence above?
- Which list is the transitional phrase “in addition” drawn from?
- What purpose does it serve in this paragraph? How does it add value?
To really emphasize the value-add of between-paragraph transitions, let’s look at one final body paragraph example:
Body Paragraph #3 Topic Sentence
Finally, my own life experience has taught me that the concept of the “life calling” truly does lie at the intersection of gifts and need in the world.
- Which list is the transitional phrase “finally” drawn from?
Concluding Paragraph
As mentioned above, the category of transition words that would most benefit your concluding paragraph is Emphasis . Since one of the main purposes of the concluding paragraph is to revisit ideas shared within the essay, transition words that express emphasis would be a natural fit and value-add. To see the power of this addition, feel free to examine the example below:
Concluding Paragraph Example
Without a doubt, I have come to realize over the years that a life calling is so much more than simply acting on a single moment in time— it is developing gifts and talents and constantly reassessing what value-add those gifts and talents can bring to the world at that particular moment.
- What transitional phrase is used in the above concluding paragraph topic sentence?
- How does the addition of “without a doubt” add emphasis to the conclusion? How does its addition help fulfill one of the concluding paragraph’s primary purposes?
Within-paragraph and between-paragraph transitions are truly the best ways to alert readers to upcoming changes in perspective and voice as well as argument or idea. As you write and then review your own writing, really try to consider which transition words would best help you create the most powerful and organized experience for your readers.
Essay Writing: Paragraphs and Transitions
- Essay Writing Basics
- Purdue OWL Page on Writing Your Thesis This link opens in a new window
- Paragraphs and Transitions
- How to Tell if a Website is Legitimate This link opens in a new window
- Formatting Your References Page
- Cite a Website
- Common Grammatical and Mechanical Errors
- Additional Resources
- Proofread Before You Submit Your Paper
- Structuring the 5-Paragraph Essay
Paragraph Structure
I. INTRODUCTION
A. Begins with a sentence that captures the reader’s attention
1) You may want to use an interesting example, a surprising statistic, or a challenging question.
B. Gives background information on the topic.
C. Includes the THESIS STATEMENT which:
1) States the main ideas of the essay and includes:
b. Viewpoint (what you plan to say about the topic)
2) Is more general than supporting data
3) May mention the main point of each of the body paragraphs
II. BODY PARAGRAPH #1
A. Begins with a topic sentence that:
1) States the main point of the paragraph
2) Relates to the THESIS STATEMENT
B. After the topic sentence, you must fill the paragraph with organized details, facts, and examples.
C. Paragraph may end with a transition.
III. BODY PARAGRAPH #2
B. After the topic sentence, you must fill the paragraph with organized details, facts, and examples.
IV. BODY PARAGRAPH #3
3) States the main point of the paragraph
4) Relates to the THESIS STATEMENT
V. CONCLUSION
A. Echoes the THESIS STATEMENT but does not repeat it.
B. Poses a question for the future, suggests some action to be taken, or warns of a consequence.
C. Includes a detail or example from the INTRODUCTION to “tie up” the essay.
D. Ends with a strong image – or a humorous or surprising statement.
Transition Words and Phrases
introduce first / main point : at the outset from the inception from the beginning first first of all in the first place initially one . . . the other one . . . another originally primarily to begin (with)
| accordingly also another besides consistent with this in addition in succession next in the second (third) place in turn to continue | as a result at last finally in conclusion to sum up ultimately in brief in other words it is apparent it is evident in summation therefore thus to conclude to recapitulate to review |
More Transitions and Linking Expressions
accordingly | earlier | in the second place, | presently |
after | even if | etc. | previously |
after all | even so | in the meantime | similarly |
after that | eventually | in the future | subsequently |
after which | finally | in summation | simultaneously |
afterward | first (second, third, | later | soon |
also | etc.) | likewise | that is |
and | for example | meanwhile | then |
another | for instance | moreover | therefore |
an additional | for this reason | nevertheless | to begin with |
as a result | from that moment | next | to illustrate this |
as soon as | furthermore | one . . . the other | to support this |
at first | hence | one . . . and another | thus |
at last | hereafter | once . . . now | ultimately |
at the same moment | however | on the contrary | when |
before long | in addition | on this occasion | while |
besides | in comparison | or | whenever |
but | in fact | other | yet |
conclusively | indeed | otherwise |
|
conversely | initially | preceding this |
|
consequently | in the first place | prior to this |
|
A Monroe College Research Guide
THIS RESEARCH OR "LIBGUIDE" WAS PRODUCED BY THE LIBRARIANS OF MONROE COLLEGE
- << Previous: Purdue OWL Page on Writing Your Thesis
- Next: Sources >>
- Last Updated: Jul 18, 2024 3:06 PM
- URL: https://monroecollege.libguides.com/essaywriting
- Research Guides |
- Databases |
- Essay Editor
How to Use Transition Words for Essays + Examples
Transition words play a key role in essay writing. They connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs, helping readers follow your text easily. These words do many jobs, from comparing things to showing cause and effect. They turn scattered thoughts into a clear story.
Learning to use transition words for essays isn't just about making your writing sound better. It's about making your ideas clearer and easier for readers to understand. Let's look at transition words and how to use them well in your essays.
Understanding Transition Words for Essays
Transition words for essays are like road signs. They guide readers through your ideas. They help show how your thoughts connect, making your writing easier to follow.
The Purpose and Placement of Transition Sentences
Transition sentences do several important things:
- They make your ideas flow better
- They help readers grasp your main point
- They link sentences and paragraphs
- They show how ideas relate to each other
- They make your writing easier to read
Where you put transitions matters. They're often used:
- Between parts of an essay to sum up or introduce new ideas
- Between paragraphs to show connections or changes in focus
- Within paragraphs to link related thoughts
Here's an example:
"The Industrial Revolution brought many new technologies. On the other hand, it also caused social problems."
In this case, "On the other hand" shows a contrast between the good and bad effects of the Industrial Revolution.
Putting transitions in the right places helps your ideas flow smoothly. For instance, transition words to start a paragraph in an essay can signal a new point or a shift in focus, preparing the reader for what's next.
Types of Transitions Words
There are different types of transition words for essays, each with its own job. Knowing these types can help you pick the right words for different parts of your writing.
- Adding information: "Also," "In addition," "Furthermore"
- Showing contrast: "But," "However," "On the other hand"
- Showing cause and effect: "So," "As a result," "Therefore"
- Showing order: "First," "Second," "Finally"
- Giving examples: "For example," "Such as," "To illustrate"
Using different transition words can make your essay flow better and be more coherent. Aithor can suggest good transition words based on what your essay is about, helping you improve your writing.
Creating Smooth Transitions in Your Writing
To make your transitions smooth:
- Use your essay's structure to find logical connections between sections.
- Put transitions where they best show how ideas relate.
- Don't use too many transition words, or your writing might sound forced.
- Try not to use the same few transitions over and over.
Remember, sometimes less is better. Using too many transition words can make your writing sound unnatural. Writing tools like Aithor can help you find places where transitions might make your essay flow better, suggesting good transition words based on your essay's content.
List of Transitions
Let's look at different types of transition words and phrases you can use in your essays:
1. Addition
Transition words to start a paragraph in an essay that add information include:
- Furthermore
- Additionally
- In addition
Example: "The new policy aims to cut down on carbon emissions. Also, it encourages the use of energy from renewable sources."
2. Contradiction
To show contrast, you can use:
- Nevertheless
- On the other hand
- In contrast
- Despite this
Example: "Many people thought the project would fail. On the other hand, it did better than anyone expected."
3. Condition
Conditional transitions include:
- Provided that
- In the event that
Example: "The company will grow bigger if the market stays good."
4. Emphasis
To highlight important points, use:
- Undoubtedly
Example: "The experiment gave surprising results. In fact, it made people question many old theories in the field."
5. Similarity
Transition words for the second body paragraph showing similarity include:
- In the same way
Example: "The novel explores themes of love and loss. In the same way, the author's previous work dealt with complex human emotions."
To show outcomes or consequences, use:
- As a result
- Consequently
Example: "The team worked very hard on the project. As a result, they finished it early."
7. Conclusion Transitions
Transition words for the conclusion paragraph include:
- In conclusion
- To summarize
Example: "In conclusion, the study shows that social media greatly affects how consumers behave."
8. Sequence
To show order or progression, use:
- First, Second, and Third
- Subsequently
Example: "First, we'll look at the data. Then, we'll explain what it means. Finally, we'll make conclusions based on what we found."
9. Location
Spatial transitions include:
- Adjacent to
- In the vicinity of
Example: "The rare plant was found growing nearby the river bank."
As you start writing, remember this important tip: use transition words carefully. While these words help make your writing easy to read, using too many can confuse your reader. Think of transition words like spices in food — they make it taste better, but too much can ruin the dish.
Your goal is to help your reader easily follow your ideas, not to create a maze of connecting words. So, when you write your next essay, remember: when it comes to transitions, often using fewer is better. Use them thoughtfully to make your argument clear, and your writing will be easy to understand and follow.
If you want to get even better at writing essays, Aithor has special features that can help you choose the best transitions for what you're writing about, making sure your essays flow smoothly from start to finish.
Happy writing!
Related articles
Top 10 use cases for ai writers.
Writing is changing a lot because of AI. But don't worry — AI won't take human writers' jobs. It's a tool that can make our work easier and help us write better. When we use AI along with our own skills, we can create good content faster and better. AI can help with many parts of writing, from coming up with ideas to fixing the final version. Let's look at the top 10 ways how to use AI for content creation and how it can make your writing better. What Is AI Content Writing? AI content writin ...
How to Write a Dialogue in an Essay: Useful Tips
A correct usage of dialogues in essays may seem quite difficult at first sight. Still there are special issues, for instance, narrative or descriptive papers, where this literary technique will be a good helper in depicting anyone's character. How to add dialogues to the work? How to format them correctly? Let's discuss all relevant matters to master putting conversation episodes into academic essays. Essay Dialogue: Definition & Purpose A dialogue is a literary technique for presenting a con ...
Plagiarism: 7 Types in Detail
Your professor says that it is necessary to avoid plagiarism when writing a research paper, essay, or any project based on the works of other people, so to say, any reference source. But what does plagiarism mean? What types of it exist? And how to formulate the material to get rid of potential bad consequences while rendering original texts? Today we try to answer these very questions. Plagiarism: Aspect in Brief Plagiarism is considered to be a serious breach, able to spoil your successful ...
Paraphrasing vs Plagiarism: Do They Really Differ?
Academic assignments require much knowledge and skill. One of the most important points is rendering and interpreting material one has ever studied. A person should avoid presenting word-for-word plagiarism but express his or her thoughts and ideas as much as possible. However, every fine research is certain to be based on the previous issues, data given, or concepts suggested. And here it's high time to differentiate plagiarism and paraphrasing, to realize its peculiarities and cases of usage. ...
What is Citation and Why Should You Cite the Sources When Writing Content
When we write something for school, work, or just for fun, we often use ideas and facts from other places. This makes us ask: what is a citation in writing? Let's find out what this means and why it's really important when we write. What is Citation? Citation in research refers to the practice of telling your readers where you got your information, ideas, or exact words from. It's like showing them the path to the original information you used in your writing. When you cite something, you us ...
Can Plagiarism Be Detected on PDF?
Plagiarism has been a challenge for a long time in writing. It's easy to find information online, which might make some people use it without saying where it came from. But plagiarism isn't just taking someone else's words. Sometimes, we might do it by accident or even use our own old work without mentioning it. When people plagiarize, they can get into serious trouble. They might lose others' trust or even face legal problems. Luckily, we now have tools to detect plagiarism. But what about PDF ...
What Is Self-Plagiarism & How To Avoid It
Have you ever thought about whether using your own work again could be seen as copying? It might seem strange, but self-plagiarism is a real issue in school and work writing. Let's look at what this means and learn how to avoid self-plagiarism so your work stays original and ethical. What is self-plagiarism? Self-plagiarism, also called auto-plagiarism or duplicate plagiarism, happens when a writer uses parts of their old work without saying where it came from. This isn't just about copying w ...
How To Write Essays Faster Using AI?
Creating various topical texts is an obligatory assignment during studies. For a majority of students, it seems like a real headache. It is quite difficult to write a smooth and complex work, meeting all the professors' requirements. However, thanks to modern technologies there appeared a good way of getting a decent project – using AI to write essays. We'd like to acquaint you with Aithor, an effective tool of this kind, able to perform fine and elaborated texts, and, of course, inspiration, i ...
Transition Words
As a "part of speech" transition words are used to link words, phrases or sentences. They help the reader to progress from one idea (expressed by the author) to the next idea. Thus, they help to build up coherent relationships within the text.
Transitional Words
This structured list of commonly used English transition words — approximately 200, can be considered as quasi complete. It can be used (by students and teachers alike) to find the right expression. English transition words are essential, since they not only connect ideas, but also can introduce a certain shift, contrast or opposition, emphasis or agreement, purpose, result or conclusion, etc. in the line of argument. The transition words and phrases have been assigned only once to somewhat artificial categories, although some words belong to more than one category.
There is some overlapping with prepositions and postpositions, but for the purpose of usage and completeness of this concise guide, I did not differentiate.
Linking & Connecting Words — Part 1/2
Agreement / Addition / Similarity
Opposition / limitation / contradiction, examples / support / emphasis, cause / condition / purpose, effect / consequence / result, conclusion / summary / restatement, time / chronology / sequence, space / location / place.
The transition words like also, in addition, and, likewise , add information , reinforce ideas , and express agreement with preceding material.
in the first place
not only ... but also
as a matter of fact
in like manner
in addition
coupled with
in the same fashion / way
first, second, third
in the light of
not to mention
to say nothing of
equally important
by the same token
identically
together with
comparatively
correspondingly
furthermore
additionally
Transition phrases like but , rather and or , express that there is evidence to the contrary or point out alternatives , and thus introduce a change the line of reasoning ( contrast ).
although this may be true
in contrast
different from
of course ..., but
on the other hand
on the contrary
at the same time
in spite of
even so / though
be that as it may
(and) still
even though
nevertheless
nonetheless
notwithstanding
These transitional phrases present specific conditions or intentions .
in the event that
granted (that)
as / so long as
on (the) condition (that)
for the purpose of
with this intention
with this in mind
in the hope that
to the end that
for fear that
in order to
seeing / being that
provided that
only / even if
inasmuch as
These transitional devices (like especially ) are used to introduce examples as support , to indicate importance or as an illustration so that an idea is cued to the reader.
in other words
to put it differently
for one thing
as an illustration
in this case
for this reason
to put it another way
that is to say
with attention to
by all means
important to realize
another key point
first thing to remember
most compelling evidence
must be remembered
point often overlooked
to point out
on the positive side
on the negative side
specifically
surprisingly
significantly
particularly
in particular
for example
for instance
to demonstrate
to emphasize
to enumerate
Some of these transition words ( thus, then, accordingly, consequently, therefore, henceforth ) are time words that are used to show that after a particular time there was a consequence or an effect .
Note that for and because are placed before the cause/reason. The other devices are placed before the consequences or effects.
as a result
under those circumstances
in that case
because the
consequently
accordingly
These transition words and phrases conclude , summarize and / or restate ideas, or indicate a final general statement . Also some words (like therefore ) from the Effect / Consequence category can be used to summarize.
as can be seen
generally speaking
in the final analysis
all things considered
as shown above
in the long run
given these points
as has been noted
for the most part
in conclusion
to summarize
by and large
on the whole
in any event
in either case
These transitional words (like finally ) have the function of limiting, restricting, and defining time . They can be used either alone or as part of adverbial expressions .
at the present time
from time to time
sooner or later
up to the present time
to begin with
in due time
in the meantime
in a moment
without delay
all of a sudden
at this instant
first, second
immediately
straightaway
by the time
occasionally
Many transition words in the time category ( consequently; first, second, third; further; hence; henceforth; since; then, when; and whenever ) have other uses.
Except for the numbers ( first, second, third ) and further they add a meaning of time in expressing conditions, qualifications, or reasons. The numbers are also used to add information or list examples . Further is also used to indicate added space as well as added time.
These transition words are often used as part of adverbial expressions and have the function to restrict, limit or qualify space . Quite a few of these are also found in the Time category and can be used to describe spatial order or spatial reference.
in the middle
to the left/right
in front of
on this side
in the distance
here and there
in the foreground
in the background
in the center of
adjacent to
opposite to
List of Transition Words
Transition Words are also sometimes called (or put in the category of) Connecting Words. Please feel free to download them via this link to the category page: Linking Words & Connecting Words as a PDF. It contains all the transition words listed on this site. The image to the left gives you an impression how it looks like.
Usage of Transition Words in Essays
Transition words and phrases are vital devices for essays , papers or other literary compositions. They improve the connections and transitions between sentences and paragraphs. They thus give the text a logical organization and structure (see also: a List of Synonyms ).
All English transition words and phrases (sometimes also called 'conjunctive adverbs') do the same work as coordinating conjunctions : they connect two words, phrases or clauses together and thus the text is easier to read and the coherence is improved.
Usage: transition words are used with a special rule for punctuation : a semicolon or a period is used after the first 'sentence', and a comma is almost always used to set off the transition word from the second 'sentence'.
Example 1: People use 43 muscles when they frown; however, they use only 28 muscles when they smile.
Example 2: however, transition words can also be placed at the beginning of a new paragraph or sentence - not only to indicate a step forward in the reasoning, but also to relate the new material to the preceding thoughts..
Use a semicolon to connect sentences, only if the group of words on either side of the semicolon is a complete sentence each (both must have a subject and a verb, and could thus stand alone as a complete thought).
Further helpful readings about expressions, writing and grammar: Compilation of Writing Tips How to write good ¦ Correct Spelling Study by an English University
Are you using WORD for writing professional texts and essays? There are many easy Windows Shortcuts available which work (almost) system-wide (e.g. in every programm you use).
Complete List of Transition Words
100 Words and Phrases to Use Between Paragraphs
Viorika Prikhodko / E+ / Getty Images
- Writing Essays
- Writing Research Papers
- English Grammar
- M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
- B.A., History, Armstrong State University
Transition words and phrases can help your paper move along, smoothly gliding from one topic to the next. As a result, they come in very handy as you're writing.
Transitions, which connect one idea to the next, may seem challenging at first, but they get easier once you consider the many possible methods for linking paragraphs together—even if they seem to be unrelated.
If you have trouble thinking of a way to connect your paragraphs, consider a few of these 100 top transitions as inspiration. The type of transition words or phrases you use depends on the category of transition you need, as explained below.
Additive Transitions
Probably the most common type, additive transitions are those you use when you want to show that the current point is an addition to the previous one, according to Edusson, a website that provides students with essay-writing tips and advice . Put another way, additive transitions signal to the reader that you are adding to an idea or that your ideas are similar. Follow each transition word or phrase with a comma:
- In the first place
- Furthermore
- Alternatively
- As well (as this)
- What is more
- In addition (to this)
- On the other hand
- Either (neither)
- As a matter of fact
- Besides (this)
- To say nothing of
- Additionally
- Not to mention (this)
- Not only (this) but also (that) as well
- In all honesty
- To tell the truth
Example Additive Transition
An example of additive transitions used in a sentence would be:
" In the first place , no 'burning' in the sense of combustion, as in the burning of wood, occurs in a volcano; moreover , volcanoes are not necessarily mountains; furthermore , the activity takes place not always at the summit but more commonly on the sides or flanks..." – Fred Bullard, "Volcanoes in History, in Theory, in Eruption"
In this example and others in this piece, the transition words or phrases are printed in italics to make them easier to find as you peruse the passages.
Adversative Transitions
Adversative transitions are used to signal conflict, contradiction, concession, and dismissal, according to Michigan State University. Examples include:
- In contrast
- But even so
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
- (And) still
- In either case
- (Or) at least
- Whichever happens
- Whatever happens
- In either event
Example Adversative Transition
An example of an adversative transition phrase used in a sentence would be:
" On the other hand, professor Smith completely disagreed with the author's argument."
Causal Transitions
Causal transitions—also called cause-and-effect transitions—show how certain circumstances or events were caused by other factors. Using them helps readers follow the logic of arguments and clauses in your paper. Examples include:
- Accordingly
- As a result
- Consequently
- For this reason
- Granting (that)
- On the condition (that)
- In the event that
- As a result (of this)
- Because (of this)
- As a consequence
- In consequence
- So much (so) that
- For the purpose of
- With this intention
- With this in mind
- Under those circumstances
- That being the case
Example Causal Transition
An example of a causal transition used in a sentence would be:
"The study of human chromosomes is in its infancy, and so it has only recently become possible to study the effect of environmental factors upon them." –Rachel Carson, "Silent Spring"
Sequential Transitions
Sequential transitions express a numerical sequence, continuation, conclusion , digression , resumption, or summation. Here are some examples:
- In the (first, second, third, etc.) place
- To begin with
- To start with
- Subsequently
- To conclude with
- As a final point
- Last but not least
- To change the topic
- Incidentally
- To get back to the point
- As was previously stated
Example Sequential Transition
An example of a sequential transition would be:
"We should teach that words are not the things to which they refer. We should teach that words are best understood as convenient tools for handling reality... Finally , we should teach widely that new words can and should be invented if the need arises." –Karol Janicki, "Language Misconceived"
How to Practice Using Transition Words
In sum , use transition words and phrases judiciously to keep your paper moving, hold your readers' attention, and retain your audience until the final word. In practice, it's a good idea to rewrite some of the introductory sentences at the beginning and the transition statements at the end of every paragraph once you have completed the first draft of your paper. Practice with some of the words on this list and decide which flows best.
Edusson. " Common Transitions to Use in Cause and Effect Essay ."
Academic Help. " Common Transitions Words and Phrases ."
- 100 Persuasive Essay Topics
- Examples of Great Introductory Paragraphs
- List of Topics for How-to Essays
- 50 Argumentative Essay Topics
- Personal Essay Topics
- Writing a Descriptive Essay
- The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay
- Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing
- Write a Compare and Contrast Essay
- 67 Causal Essay Topics to Consider
- Overused and Tired Words
- What Is Expository Writing?
- Structure of a Descriptive Essay
- Practice in Making a Simple Outline for a Cause & Effect Paragraph
- APA In-Text Citations
- Writing an Opinion Essay
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.
Word of the Day
Mise-en-scène.
See Definitions and Examples »
Get Word of the Day daily email!
Games & Quizzes
Usage Notes
Prepositions, ending a sentence with, is 'irregardless' a real word, 8 more grammar terms you used to know: special verb edition, point of view: it's personal, fun funner funnest, grammar & usage, every letter is silent, sometimes: a-z list of examples, how to use em dashes (—), en dashes (–) , and hyphens (-), the difference between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.', plural and possessive names: a guide, 31 useful rhetorical devices, pilfer: how to play and win, 8 words with fascinating histories, flower etymologies for your spring garden, 8 words for lesser-known musical instruments, it's a scorcher words for the summer heat.
OFFER! Save 50% on Assignment Crafted by Human Writers
Body Paragraph for an Essay: Purpose, Components, Steps & Tips
Table of Contents
What Is a Body Paragraph? Its Purpose!
Components of strong body paragraphs, how to write the body of an essay 9 tips, need help for your essay we can help.
Body paragraphs are a common thread that runs through many forms of writing, from journals to academic essays. By learning more about how to write engaging body paragraphs, you can feel more connected to the larger writing community, all while supporting your project's central idea. But many of you find it difficult or get stuck with writing the body of an essay. Not anymore! We, Global Assignment Help, are all set to help you with it in the best way.
Moreover, this blog will help you learn about the meaning and purpose and tips on writing and components. Our experts know what information is crucial for you to write a fantastic body essay. So, go through this till the end and excel in your academic grades. So, let's get started with the definition and purpose.
The body paragraph, a crucial element of a part of the essay, follows the introduction and precedes the conclusion. Here, you illuminate and discuss the main topics, supporting them with logical and proper evidence, strengthening their importance. Furthermore, the body paragraphs in an essay outnumber the other two parts, necessitating a clear and concise explanation. Now, after learning its meaning, let's discuss its purpose.
Purpose of Body Paragraph
- Go through the points below and understand the purpose of writing a solid body in an essay. Let's begin
- It elaborates on a specific idea that supports the central essay's main thesis.
- Here, the body paragraph comes to life with The inclusion of examples, evidence, and counterarguments.
- These elements deepen the discussion and provide a comprehensive view of the topic.
- The body paragraph organizes and logically organizes the content of the essay and ensures clarity and coherence.
- The body paragraph seamlessly connects every thought in the essay by adding transitions. This ensures a smooth and uninterrupted reading experience for the reader.
So, hope you understand what the is body in an essay and its purpose. But is it enough? No! By continuing reading further, you can enhance your understanding of the tips and components of the body paragraph for your essay. Also, if you do not have a deadline, you can use our essay writing services .
Knowing the components of a solid body of an essay is crucial so that you can write a fantastic essay. Thus, this is the query of many of you as they do not know about it in detail. Moreover, when writing the middle part, you need to know the proper way to write it to make it the best one. Keeping that in mind, our experts are all set to help you with it. Also, for more clarification, you can also read our essay format blog. Now, let's get started!
Transitions
To connect your body section with a new paragraph, you must add a few words at the beginning or end of the paragraphs. This is not just a technique but a necessity that creates a coherent flow through the writing, making it more readable and understandable.
Topic Sentence
It is essential to be specific in the topic sentence of each paragraph that states the focus of the paragraph, where you discuss the main idea about your topic. This specificity helps the reader understand the exact point you're discussing, contributing to a clear and focused discussion in your writing.
Reliable Evidences
As the body paragraph is the longest part of an essay, you need to have support for your arguments. There are various types you can use, such as evidence, logic, opinion, or testimonials. These can be further diversified with details, reasons, examples, pools, facts, percentages, and data from reliable sources.
Concluding Statement
As the writer, it is crucial for you to guide your reader in connecting the main idea and the thesis you have discussed above. Therefore, the concluding statement, the last sentence of the body paragraph, is a tool you can use to ensure your reader is actively engaged in understanding your essay's structure.
Follow this component in your writing to excel it as this can help to improve and know how to write the body of an essay. But still, there is a lot more to tell you! Now, moving further you will read about the best tips to write the body of an essay. So, let's delve into the next part.
Do you also face difficulties with writing or knowing how to start the body of an essay? Worry not, as this problem will soon come to an end! Here, you will read and get insightful knowledge about the tips that can help you write a fantastic body. Thus, to avoid all the hassle, you can use our essay typer and get an instant solution. Now, without any further delay, it is the right time to begin reading the tips for the body part of the essay.
Begin with the Topic Sentence
Kicking off your body paragraph with a strong topic sentence is crucial. This sentence should guide the entire paragraph's content by focusing entirely on specific issues. Also, it must leave room for support and analysis by avoiding the use of direct quotations.
Discuss One Idea at Point
When writing your body essay, it's best to focus on a single aspect at a time. Why? Because if you try to juggle multiple thoughts, you and your reader may become confused. To avoid this, create a clear outline before you start writing. This will help you stay organized to write a body paragraph for an essay.
Break Paragraphs Evenly
Divide your body in the essay evenly to provide clarity to both you and your reader. However, don't forget to use transitions. These are like bridges that connect your paragraphs, making it easier for your reader to follow your train of thought. They also help your writing flow, keeping your reader engaged and interested.
Add Supporting Evidence
It is crucial to include evidence in your body paragraphs to support your thesis. After introducing the main arguments in the introduction, it's important to provide examples that can prove your point in the rest of the paragraph. However, it's equally important that these examples come from reliable sources, as this will give your writing credibility and your reader confidence in your argument.
Use Relevant Details Only
Many of you might get distracted by discussing small information in detail while writing the body of an essay. In addition, this will make you get away from the main topic or arguments and will also make it a difficult task for your reader to understand your point. Thus, it is good to give relevant ideas in your writing but keep it cut short and go back to your primary discussion.
Don't Repeat Information
When choosing the topics, many of you select the one that finds you captivating. Also, some of you don't have enough data to add, and in such cases, they end up repeating the same idea or information. This affects your body part of the essay and makes it waste as this will not be fascinating to read. Thus, try to bring new and unique thoughts into your writing.
Keep it Clear and Concise
Keeping the body of an essay clear and concise will help you stay on track with your writing. If you mix up your thoughts or do not clarify what you need to write, you will end up making a blunder. Moreover, this will have a massive effect on you because you will be unable to score A+ grades.
Ensure Proper Formatting
To understand the role of formatting is crucial in an essay. Thus, if you understand it, half of your stress will go away. However, how to structure it is the big question that revolves around many of your heads.
So, for this, you must read our how-to structure an essay blog and clarify all your doubts in no time. In addition, this will provide you with new ideas for your paper.
Polish and Revise
After writing the body in essay, you might forget or procrastinate to revise and polish your writing. Therefore, this leads to many mistakes in your paper, which can be easily visible to your professor. Moreover, in this case, it is best to proofread it and rectify all the errors before moving forward. This will create the best impression of yours.
Following the tips given above will help you write the body of an essay. Thus, if you follow this, you will never get stuck with how to write the body of an essay, and you can submit an A+ document. Moreover, you might be having more queries related to it or might be having a deadline to meet. So, to get out of it, you can read the next section and learn how our experts can help you out.
After absorbing all the information, you may feel equipped to tack the start of each paragraph. The tips and components we've covered are invaluable when you embark on the writing journey. However, mastering these skills can be overwhelming, especially if you're still learning the basics. The good news is you don't have to navigate this alone. Our experts, with their refined clarity, tone, and conciseness, can guide you. With our assignment help , your writing will be apparent, engaging, and polished, no matter the context.
Our assistance extends beyond essays to all types of papers, all at a competitive price. And rest assured, we don't rely on plagiarism or AI. Each document is crafted from scratch and delivered on time. So, don't miss out on this exceptional opportunity.
Choose a writer for your task among hundreds of professionals
Facing Issues with Assignments? Talk to Our Experts Now! Download Our App Now!
Have Questions About Our Services? Call Us or Download Our App!
+44 7862127770 (Toll Free)
Get the App Today!
This Website Uses Cookies We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. We have updated our privacy policy in compliance with GDPR. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it
Please rotate your device
We don't support landscape mode yet. Please go back to portrait mode for the best experience
Limited Time Offer
Exclusive Library Membership + FREE Wallet Balance
1 Month Access !
5000 Student Samples
10,000 Answers by Experts
Get $300 Now
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Abruptly switching topics in essays can be jarring; however, transition words can smooth the change for the convenience of the reader.Moreover, you can use essay transition words to start a paragraph, sentence, or clause more naturally.Additionally, essay transition words can connect new information to the previous statement so you don't have to say everything at once.
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 ...
Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between ideas in your paper and can help your reader understand the logic of your paper. However, these words all have different meanings, nuances, and connotations. Before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely and be sure…
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 ...
Transitions. Transitions help your readers move between ideas within a paragraph, between paragraphs, or between sections of your argument. When you are deciding how to transition from one idea to the next, your goal should be to help readers see how your ideas are connected—and how those ideas connect to the big picture.
Clear transitions are crucial to clear writing: They show the reader how different parts of your essay, paper, or thesis are connected. Transition sentences can be used to structure your text and link together paragraphs or sections. Example of a transition sentence for a new paragraph. In this case, the researchers concluded that the method ...
Transition words like "because" and "however" communicate the logic and structure of your arguments to the reader. ... Transition sentences are used to start a new paragraph or section in an essay. They help the reader understand connections between ideas. ... Use topic sentences to structure your ideas and keep your paragraphs focused. 1144 ...
The topic sentence of the next paragraph indicates the specific "disastrous consequences" you will discuss. REMEMBER. 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.
List of Transition Words for New Paragraphs. Emphatically, In fact, Surprisingly, Undeniably, Without a doubt, Indeed, Of course, Surely, Undoubtedly, Without a doubt. Furthermore, Moreover, Supporting the above points, Similar research has found, In fact (See more transition words for addition here).
Writing Transitions. Good transitions can connect paragraphs and turn disconnected writing into a unified whole. Instead of treating paragraphs as separate ideas, transitions can help readers understand how paragraphs work together, reference one another, and build to a larger point. The key to producing good transitions is highlighting ...
Clear transitions are crucial to clear writing: they connect different parts of your essay and structure your text. This video will walk you through the use ...
between the two sentences.Writing Transitions between P. ragraphs:Use transitions to show relationships between paragraphs. No matter how well-constructed each paragraph may be on its own, your paragra. hs must be logically connected to make your essay a coherent whole. Connect your paragraphs with sentences that include key ideas f. Poor ...
Academic Paragraphs: Introduction to Paragraphs and the MEAL Plan (video transcript) Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 1: Transitions Between Paragraphs (video transcript) Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 2: Transitions Within Paragraphs (video transcript) Academic Paragraphs: Appropriate Use of Explicit Transitions ...
Body Paragraph Transitions. In answering the questions above, you likely realized that three body paragraphs will be required in this essay based on its current thesis statement. One body paragraph will focus on "spiritual" findings, another on "secular," and then finally one supported by "personal experience."
3. The "Connecting Back to Your Topic" Transition. With this approach, you establish your central topic, then connect back to it in your transition sentences. Notice in the " Translating " essay, for example, how each transition sentence connects back to the central theme:
BODY PARAGRAPH #2. A. Begins with a topic sentence that: 1) States the main point of the paragraph. 2) Relates to the THESIS STATEMENT. B. After the topic sentence, you must fill the paragraph with organized details, facts, and examples. C. Paragraph may end with a transition. IV. BODY PARAGRAPH #3.
Transitions Strong writers organize their ideas in ways that align with the type of writing they are doing. For example, a narrative essay usually follows chronological (time) order, a set of instructions ... between and within sentences and paragraphs. To help your readers follow your ideas, try some
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. 2. Transitions between paragraphs—If you have done a good job of arranging ...
Transition words play a key role in essay writing. They connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs, helping readers follow your text easily. These words do many jobs, from comparing things to showing cause and effect. They turn scattered thoughts into a clear story. Learning to use transition words for essays isn't just about making your writing sound better. It's about making your ideas clearer ...
Usage of Transition Words in Essays. Transition words and phrases are vital devices for essays, papers or other literary compositions. They improve the connections and transitions between sentences and paragraphs. They thus give the text a logical organization and structure (see also: a List of Synonyms).
The last thing you want is your transition words to feel trite and uninspired. Discover what these words are and a variety of examples for your writing here.
Additive Transitions . Probably the most common type, additive transitions are those you use when you want to show that the current point is an addition to the previous one, according to Edusson, a website that provides students with essay-writing tips and advice. Put another way, additive transitions signal to the reader that you are adding to an idea or that your ideas are similar.
Transitions Transitions help your readers move between ideas within a paragraph, between paragraphs, or between sections of your argument. When you are deciding how to transition from one idea to the next, your goal should be to help readers see how your ideas are connected—and how those ideas connect to the big picture.
An important part of essay writing is learning how to effectively employ paragraph transitions—shifting from one paragraph or idea to the next. Learning to effectively use the different types of transitions will help you write more cohesive pieces and improve the clarity of your writing.
33 Transition Words and Phrases. 'Besides,' 'furthermore,' 'although,' and other words to help you jump from one idea to the next. 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 ...
The body paragraph organizes and logically organizes the content of the essay and ensures clarity and coherence. The body paragraph seamlessly connects every thought in the essay by adding transitions. This ensures a smooth and uninterrupted reading experience for the reader. So, hope you understand what the is body in an essay and its purpose.
Login. JOIN FOR FREE