Complete List of Transition Words
100 Words and Phrases to Use Between Paragraphs
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Updated on February 03, 2020
Once you have completed the first draft of your paper, you will need to rewrite some of the introductory sentences at the beginning and the transition statements at the end of every paragraph. 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.
Transition words and phrases can help your paper move along, smoothly gliding from one topic to the next. 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, notes 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 and/or your ideas are similar, says Quizlet, an online teacher and student learning community. Some examples of additive transition words and phrases were compiled by Michigan State University writing lab. Follow each transition word or phrase with a comma:
- Indeed
- In the first place
- And
- Or
- Too
- Nor
- Further
- Moreover
- Furthermore
- In fact
- Let alone
- Alternatively
- As well (as this)
- What is more
- In addition (to this)
- Actually
- Much less
- 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
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 and the examples of transitions in subsequent sections, 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, says Michigan State University. Examples include:
- But
- However
- On the other hand
- In contrast
- While
- Whereas
- Conversely
- Even more
- Above all
- But even so
- Nevertheless
- Nonetheless
- Although
- Though
- However
- (And) still
- (And) yet
- Either way
- In either case
- (Or) at least
- Whichever happens
- Whatever happens
- In either event
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, says Academic Help. The website that offers assistance with academic writing adds: «They [causal transitions] make it easier for the reader to follow the logic of the arguments and clauses represented in paper.» Examples include:
- Accordingly
- And so
- As a result
- Consequently
- For this reason
- Hence
- So
- Then
- Therefore
- Thus
- 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
- Then
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, says Michigan State, which gives these examples:
- In the (first, second, third, etc.) place
- To begin with
- To start with
- Initially
- Secondly
- Next
- Subsequently
- Before
- Afterward
- After this
- To conclude with
- As a final point
- Last but not least
- To change the topic
- Incidentally
- By the way
- To get back to the point
- To resume
- Anyhow
- As was previously stated
- So
- In short
- Thus
- In sum
- Finally
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»
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.
Using transition words in your writing can help you enhance the readability of your content. These words help your text flow and show readers the relationship between phrases and paragraphs. That’s why the readability checks in Yoast SEO provide feedback on your use of transition words. But what are they exactly? Why are they so important? And how should you use them?
Table of contents
- What are transition words?
- Exploring transition words with an example
- Types of transition words
- Why are they important for SEO?
- What does the transition words check in Yoast SEO do?
- How to improve your use of transition words
- 1. Know the words
- 2. Be aware of how your thoughts and ideas relate to each other
- Conclusion
What are transition words?
Transition words are words like ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘so’ and ‘because’. They show your reader the relationship between phrases, sentences, or even paragraphs. When you use them, you make it easier for your readers to understand how your thoughts and ideas are connected. What is more, they prepare your reader for what’s coming.
Let’s consider an example.
I pushed the domino. As a result, it fell over.
When you start a sentence with ‘as a result’, your reader will immediately know two things:
- What happened in the first sentence caused something;
- The second sentence is going to describe the effect.
By using the phrase ‘as a result’ here, you show that the two separate sentences are part of one process. Without having even read the rest of the sentence, your reader can already guess what’s coming. In a way, transition words are the glue that holds your text together. Without them, your text is a collection of sentences. With them, the individual parts come together to form one whole.
Transition words don’t always have to be placed at the beginning of a sentence. Consider the following examples.
He’s a very nice guy. He took us out to dinner yesterday, for instance.
In this example, ‘for instance’ is placed at the end of the sentence. Nonetheless, it still provides the reader with information as to how the two sentences are related.
I enjoy his company because he always tells interesting stories.
In this example, ‘because’ doesn’t connect two sentences, but two clauses. Transition words can connect anything from short phrases to entire paragraphs.
Did you get a red or orange bullet for your use of transition words? Jump to the section about the Yoast SEO transition words check. Or go straight to learning how you can improve your use of transition words.
Exploring transition words with an example
Let’s use a more concrete example. Below, you see Text A and Text B. Text A contains no transition words. On the surface, Text B is the exact same, only we’ve added transition words to make it easier to read.
Text A
I’m going to discuss a few reasons why practice is important to learning skills. The only way to truly master a skill is by actually doing what you’ll have to do in the real world. I think practice can be a fun way of putting in the necessary hours. There are some people who will disagree. It is said that people tend to remember only 10-20% of what they’ve heard or read. That number rises to as much as 90% when you put theory to practice. Following up explanation with practice is key to mastering a skill.Text B
In this paragraph, I’m going to discuss a few reasons why practice is important to mastering skills. Firstly, the only way to truly learn a skill is by actually doing what you’ll have to do in the real world. Secondly, I think practice can be a fun way of putting in the necessary hours. There are, however, some people who will disagree. Thirdly, and most importantly, it is said that people tend to remember only 10-20% of what they read or hear. Moreover, that number rises to as much as 90% when you put theory to practice. In conclusion, following up explanation with practice is key to mastering a skill.
Text A is not a terrible paragraph. However, the differences are clear as day. Text B does a better job of showing there are three separate arguments to support the statement with a definite conclusion. The reader never has to wonder whether a sentence still belongs to the previous argument or a new one. Moreover, it even shows the relationship between sentences within one argument. Therefore, people are going to find it easier to read this text and will stay on the page longer. And this is just one short, conveniently arranged paragraph!
Types of transition words
Transition words can be divided into several categories, based on the type of transition you want to make. There are often several words available for one transition. Sometimes they mean exactly the same, sometimes there are slight differences. If you’re not a native speaker or struggle with language in general, you’ll have to study and practice their use so that you can make better choices.
Transition | Example word/phrase | Example sentence |
---|---|---|
Cause and effect | Therefore, as a result, so, consequently | I’m tired. Therefore, I’m going to bed. |
Clarification | That is to say, in other words, to clarify | We’re letting you go. In other words, you’re fired. |
Contrast | But, however, on the other hand | I am not fond of fruit. However, I do like bananas. |
Example | For example, for instance | In the evening, I like to relax. For instance, I enjoy watching TV. |
Emphasis | Above all, most importantly, certainly | There are many reasons to exercise regularly. Above all, it keeps you healthy. |
Enumeration | Firstly/secondly, further, and, moreover, in addition | Today, I’m going to write a post. In addition, I’m recording some video lessons. |
Time | Meanwhile, during, subsequently, after that | I’ll start by telling you what transition words are. After that, I’ll tell you why you should always use them. |
Similarity | Likewise, similarly, in the same vein | She tried really hard to entertain her guests. Similarly, he put all his heart and soul in cooking a great dinner. |
Summarize/conclude | In conclusion, to sum up, in short | In conclusion, transition words are an important aspect of SEO copywriting. |
Check out this article for transition words in other languages.
Why are they important for SEO?
Transition words make it easier to read and understand a text. And readability is very important for SEO. Although they don’t influence your SEO directly, they are one of the key factors to readability.
Transition words also play a crucial role in structuring your text. This leads to a better understanding of your text by your readers. A well-structured text helps to attract readers to your blog and contributes to SEO!
What does the transition words check in Yoast SEO do?
The transition words check in Yoast SEO assesses whether or not you use enough transition words. If at least 30% of the sentences in your text contain a transition word, the bullet will be green. You get an orange bullet if you use them in more than 20%, or in less than 30% of your sentences. The bullet will be red if less than 20% of the sentences of your text contain a transition word. That’s less than 1 in 5 sentences.
Want to read more on how we came to the exact measurements of the transition words check and of the other readability checks? Check out our article about the methodological choices of the readability analysis.
Want to find out which transition words Yoast SEO recognizes? Check out our article on transition words in your language.
How to improve your use of transition words
There are several potential problem areas when it comes to transition words. Let’s start with the good news: everyone uses them in some way. There are very few authors who never use the words ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘or’, and the like. Using them correctly or frequently enough, however, doesn’t come naturally to everyone. Using transition words successfully requires a couple of things. You have to:
- Know the transition words;
- Have a clear idea of the relationships between separate thoughts and ideas within your text;
- Know how to apply transition words properly and in context;
1. Know the words
Actually knowing the transition words is most commonly a problem for non-native speakers. However, many native speakers could also benefit from studying the less frequent ones. In any case, it is easy to do. You simply look up a list of transition words and study their definitions. Don’t underestimate it either, though! They are often quite nuanced and really depend on context.
2. Be aware of how your thoughts and ideas relate to each other
In the blog post assignments people hand in for feedback in our SEO training courses, we see a clear pattern. People who have a better idea of the structure of their text also use more transition words and do it more effectively. Too often, people just start writing and then basically just see what happens. So what can you do?
Break your text down into an introduction, body, and conclusion, and make sure you know what goal every paragraph serves. Then, survey your text on a sentence level. Find opportunities to make transitions that make sense. If you struggle with this, try reading texts by other authors and see how they use transition words.
Want to learn more about transition words and how to write great content? Our SEO Copywriting course can help you with that. You can get access to this course and all of our other SEO courses with Yoast SEO Premium, which also gives you access to extra features in the Yoast SEO plugin.
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Conclusion
Transition words are very important for the readability of your text. However, many people struggle with them. If you do, study them and make sure you practice a lot. Our SEO Copywriting training can help you with that. In addition, make sure you’re aware of the structure of your text. In this way, it will be easier to pick the best transition words available.
Read more: How to use the readability analysis in Yoast SEO »
Marieke is the head of strategy at Yoast and founder of Yoast SEO academy. She loves coming up with new ideas and products to make SEO attainable for everyone, and ensure a healthy growth for Yoast!
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Do you know the Brooklyn Bridge? Now, imagine the time before it was built—like before 1883.
Obviously I wasn’t there, but I can imagine that it was a struggle for someone to move across the East River between Brooklyn and Manhattan.
Well… you could still get across but not as conveniently as using the bridge—well, maybe they used boats or built small rafts. Not convenient, right?
Bottom line? They needed that bridge.
Likewise, if you want your writing to flow coherently and have the lucidity that makes it easily readable, you NEED transition words.
It’s that STRAIGHTFORWARD.
So what are these bridges? Transition words are words or phrases that connect sentences and paragraphs seamlessly and smoothen out any abrupt jumps or breaks between the sentences.
These words include ‘since to demonstrate’, ‘specifically’, ‘for instance’, ‘and’, ‘but’, ‘so’, and many others. These words are deliberately inserted into the text to show the relationship between phrases, sentences, or paragraphs. They are like soft-footed tour guides for your readers, helping them grasp your thoughts and where your ideas lead to.
On a basic level, we usually use conjunctions (“and,” “but” and “or”) as transition words, for example:
- They wanted to learn fast, and they completed the course with a quarter of the semester to spare.
- They wanted to learn fast, but they barely finished one module after the first month.
You can see that in the examples I gave above, the coordinating conjunctions were employed to indicate two different transitions.
- In the first case, “and” has been used to indicate a transition that connects two occurrences which were harmonized.
- The second sentence employed the conjunction “but” to introduce a contrast.
Just as illustrated in these examples, there are different categories of transition words that we use to get a point across.
Adverb as Transition Words
Apart from the conjunctions, adverbs are also transition words. Adverbs are words that describe the manner in which an action is performed or how two actions relate to each other.
These are examples of how we use them as transition words:
- He did quite an excellent job. Nonetheless, the client seemed a bit dissatisfied with the work.
- We don’t want another costly overseas trip; besides, we can’t afford it.
Can A Transition Be a Question?
Yes, but not necessarily.
Such a simple but somewhat confusing answer. It’s not a grammar rule but an observation that I have made.
As a rule of thumb (which I picked from a very good English tutor), I don’t put a comma after “but” when I use it instead of a conjunctive adverb (e.g., however, nevertheless).
So, if I start a sentence with a “but” and proceed with a question without “pausing”, it means that I have a transition that’s also a question.
For example:
Paragraph 1: The Corporation suddenly sold their stock in the rising company.
Paragraph 2: But how do you sell stock when the expectations are that the company is about to become more valuable?
Obviously my transition word, “but,” is not a question on its own, but the whole sentence is. Therefore, the sentence as a transition from paragraph “1” to “2” is a question.
But as I said, I’m yet to come across a general rule for this type of scenario.
What Are Some Examples of Transition Words?
There are just numerous examples of transition words. However, these words are used to perform different tasks—some are used to show turns and twists, others are employed to indicate similarity, etc.
Basically, we have categories of transition words (based on the type of transition the words represent when they launch a sentence).
These are categories:
Cause/Effect
- We lost. Therefore, we couldn’t proceed to the next round.
- He left Because he was worried about the health of his mother.
Others:
since, on account of, for that reason, consequently, accordingly, thus, hence, as a result.
Comparison/Contrast
- I’d have loved to go, but I have some urgent business here.
- On the contrary, they believed that he was a fool.
- Likewise, the driver of the white van left the boxes on his door.
Others:
Yet, and yet, nonetheless, at the same time, after all, In the same way, by the same token, in like manner, likewise, in similar, but, however, though, otherwise, on the contrary, in contrast, notwithstanding, nevertheless, similarly, on the other hand,
Examples
- Specifically, Jane likes blue shoes.
- To demonstrate its might, the empire wants to impose sanctions on its tiny neighbor.
Others:
for example, to illustrate, for instance, as an illustration, e.g. (for example).
Clarification
- In other words, he wants you to go.
- To put it another way, your company doesn’t need any more liabilities.
Others:
to clarify, to explain, that is to say, i.e. (that is), to rephrase it.
Qualification
- This is possibly the best score in ten years.
- With this in mind, the board declared him the best investment banker of that year.
Others:
Probably, always, nearly, never, maybe, frequently, perhaps, although.
Addition
- Moreover, I wanted to go hiking with her friends.
- Furthermore, the higher you go, the harder it becomes to climb down.
Others:
in addition, even more, too, also, last, lastly, finally, in the second place, again, next, further, besides, and, or, nor, first, second, secondly.
Summary/Conclusion
- Given these points, it is very apparent that she is knowledgeable about what is going on.
- In the long run, everyone will earn huge dividends from their investment.
Others:
In conclusion, to sum up, to summarize, in sum, in brief, in short, in summary, to conclude, finally.
Chronology/Time
- He wrote her a note Before left for Italy.
- During the event, you could hear them chant war cries.
- Later that evening, he arrived with a big entourage.
Others:
While, now, immediately, following, never, after, earlier, always, when, whenever, meanwhile, soon, sometimes, afterwards, until now, next, once, then, at length, simultaneously, so far, this time, subsequently, in the meantime.
Emphasis
You have to have a hard-working attitude and self-belief. Above all, you have to put all your trust in God.
Others:
Above all, most importantly, certainly.
When to Use a Transition Word
To Glue a Single Sentence
Transition words are used to link parts of the same sentence.
Here are some examples:
- The boss acts as if the employees are just little kids under his supervision.
- He prefers to go by himself rather than send someone else in his place.
- The company did not adopt his proposed marketing strategy, yet if they had savvy executives, they would have realized how innovative and profitable his plans were.
To Start a Paragraph
Before choosing a transition word or phrase, always think about the cohesiveness—between the current paragraph and the one that precedes it—the transition will bring. Are the two paragraphs carrying comparing and contrasting ideas? Are you trying to describe events in chronological order?
When we use transitions to introduce a new paragraph, they are usually phrases or clauses which refer to the preceding paragraph while launching a new idea.
The transitions that we often used at the beginning of new paragraphs may be phrases like these:
- It follows logically that entity A and B cannot be clearly distinguished by dead reckoning.
- Furthermore, the gentleman has confessed his crime and has named his accomplices.
- In conclusion, the theory does hold in reality.
- Lastly, an investigation needs to be launched to find out what really happened here.
Coherence is what your transitions are there to help you with. Therefore, you ought to place a great emphasis on the gluiness of your transitions.
Gluing Paragraphs
Inside your paragraph, transitions have to help you explain the relationships between your ideas. You have to think about what the previous sentence before this one says and how that sentence or phrase relates to the one the transition is trying to introduce.
Do you want to add more information to the preceding sentence? Or, do you want to emphasize the subject succeeding the transition?
When we use transitional words to stitch a paragraph, we often try to make it flow smoothly. In the next example, I have used transition words to stitch together a short paragraph.
A Paragraph Without Transitions: He left his job in Louisiana. His mother was ill. She recovered, he went back to Louisiana.
A Paragraph with Transitions: He left his job in Louisiana because his mother was ill. After she’d recovered, he went back to Louisiana. But, he no longer had a job and had to start from scratch again.
Do Transitions Help in Writing a Story?
Not only do transitions help in writing a story, but they also help you quickly and easily improve your writing. There are plenty of benefits of using transitions.
Firstly, using transitions is a good way of programming yourself to transcend the subaltern practice of using a basic subject-verb sentence structure. With transitions, you have sentences which are more complex but still coherent.
Besides adding to the complexity of your sentences, the stitching factor that transitions bring to your text makes it readable and helps you create passages with a bit more refinement.
Finally, perfectly employed transitions can make your writing sound more professional. Professional writers know that there should be a noticeable difference between written and spoken language (unless it’s dialogue). Transitions give your writing a tinge of that much-needed professionalism, just enough to make it sound better than spoken English.
Signs That You Need to Work On Your Transitions
There are a couple of red flags that pop up whilst writing or when you’re provided with feedback. Here are some of the scenarios that require you to work on your transitions:
- When you submit a manuscript or an academic assignment and you’re bombarded with comments like “this is choppy,” “it’s jumpy,” “the passages aren’t flowing smoothly,” “your writing desperately needs signposts,” or “how are paragraph X and Y related?”
- When you get feedback from your readers, saying they are having a tough time following the structure and flow of your content.
- When you take separate, disjointed chunks of texts and stitch them together without adding adhesive words or phrases.
- When you are working on a group assignment and the draft includes parts written individually by several group members.
How Can I Improve My Use of Transition Words
The fact that everyone uses transition words is quite apparent. But, using them correctly or efficiently isn’t something which every writer does naturally. Using transition words effectively is a result of a couple of things. To successfully use transitions, you have to:
1. Arrange Your Thoughts and Ideas
Remember what I said about transition words acting like bridges linking your paragraphs and sentences together? Well, they are more than that.
They’re also signposts. Before writing a blog post, news article, or a book, one usually has a bunch of incoherent but lucid ideas to work with. Usually, you—the writer—know where your story is going but you need to give the reader some directions.
They have to understand and follow your arguments and you have to clearly define the relationships between different sentences or parts of writing.
Your writing needs to have a firm structure and it’s the effective use of transition words that will help you give the text that structure.
But first, you need to know how your ideas relate to each other. It needs to be clear to you which idea introduces the other, which breaks away from the original points, and so on and so forth. This means that you have an introduction, body, and conclusion.
Afterwards, you can start adding meat to the skeleton, sew the sentences together. Find jumps and breaks that present perfect slots for transitions and make sure the transitions employed make sense.
2. Know the Transition Words
This is usually a problem for non-native speakers. But, many native speakers tend to “underutilize” transition words; they simply don’t pay attention to some less frequently used transitions.
So, whether you’re a native speaker or not, it’s prudent to look up a list of transition words and study their employment. It’s not only a matter of having used the transition word before, sometimes, their usage may depend on context like the “i.e.” vs “e.g.” case which is a grammatical evil that has preyed on a lot of unsuspecting native speakers.
Knowing the words helps you contextualize the transitions.
My Final Words On Transitions
Transition words are essential for the readability of your writing. Unfortunately, a lot of people fail to utilize them effectively. If you are one of these people, don’t worry about it too much. Study them and practice a lot.
Like a lot, A LOT. Always be aware of the way you structure your text. In this way, it will be less of a task trying to choose the best transitions to use.
Main Transition Words Takeaways:
- Transitional words are important because they help improve the flow between words, phrases, sentences, and paragraphs.
- They are important for SEO because they help make text easier to read and understand. Search engines and readers love content that is readable.
- Transition words help link ideas and statements.
- Using transitional words at the beginning or end of a paragraph can help the reader understand when you introduce a new topic.
- The four types of transition words are additive, adversative, causal, and sequential.
- Transition words and phrases don’t affect the grammatical structure of sentences and paragraphs.
What Are Transition Words?
As a writer, your primary goal is to present information and ideas to your target audience in a clear and understandable manner. The best way to do that is to use transition words. Transition words or transitional words are terms and phrases that help connect words, phrases, and even sentences together. They build connections between ideas in your content.
Transition words and phrases ensure that your written work will not look choppy and disjointed. They help your audience progress from one idea to the next. Think of them as a way to tell your readers how they should process and understand the information you are giving them. Transition words function like GPS, guiding your readers where they are going and how to get there.
What Are Some Examples Of Transition Words and Phrases?
Here are some of the most common examples of transition words and phrases:
Not to mention
Equally important
As a matter of fact
Not only/But Also
In addition
In fact
For example
What is more
In particular
On the other hand
When in fact
But even so
Whatever happens
In any case
Because of
Due to
In the event that
With this in mind
To conclude
By the way
To return to the subject
As has been mentioned
Given these points
Transition words are categorized based on their purpose. For instance, transition phrases like as a result of, due to, and as long as are used to emphasize cause and effect. Below are more examples of transition expressions that have been categorized based on their functions:
Cause and Effect
granted that
as long as
for the purpose of
in order to
in view of
as a result of
due to
because
therefore
consequently
so
accordingly
thus
hence
Since
for
owing to
as a consequence of
leads to
contributes of
stems from
comes from
results from
Evidence
as well as
and
too
also
in addition to
or
not only… but also
further
furthermore
besides
in addition
moreover
then
again
finally
by the same token
identically
uniquely
certainly
truly
including
to be sure
namely
chiefly
Contrast
however
on the other hand
otherwise
but
unlike
conversely
in spite of
at the same time
nevertheless
alternatively
on the contrary
yet
whereas
apart from
even so
although
while
Comparison
as
as if
similarly
equally
like
in the same way
comparable
as with
of contrast
despite this
in comparison
in contrast
even though
likewise
in like manner
Opinion
I feel
I believe
in my opinion
as fast as I know
in my experience
as for me, I think
if I’m not mistaken
I think
in my view
it seems likely
it seems to me
what I mean is
i’d say that
Similarity
moreover
as well as
together
of course
likewise
comparatively
correspondingly
similarly
furthermore
additionally
Clarification
that is to say
in other words
to clarify
that is
to explain
to put it another way
to rephrase it
in this case
I mean
up to a point
under certain circumstance
Sequence/ Order
first
second
next
finally
at this time
following
previously
before
prior to
before
Time
later
after
before
soon
meanwhile
during
subsequently
after that
at the present time
sooner or later
in due time
as long as
in the meantime
in a moment
at this instant
from time to time
Condition / Purpose
provided that
given that
in case
even if
only if
so as to
in as much as
when
whenever
if… then
unless
because of
as
while
lest
since
Emphasis
also
especially
furthermore
indeed
in addition
in particular
certainly
of course
significantly
notably
in fact
actually
in reality
as it happens
Conclusion
in conclusion
to conclude
finally
summarizing
overall
on the whole
to sum up
evidently
briefly
in short
altogether
in summary
to summarize
Place
here
there
over there
under
beyond
to the left
opposite
in the distance
Illustration
such as
in this case
for one thing
for example
in the case of
illustrated by
as an example
for instance
in other words
as revealed by
an instance
to show that
Reservation
admittedly
even so
as a matter of fact
indeed
nevertheless
even though
despite this
notwithstanding
regardless
What Are Some Examples of Transition Sentences?
The best way to understand how transitional words work is to see them in action. Remember, as important as these grammatical tools are, it’s not a good idea to overuse them. Too many transitional phrases can make your text seem complicated and wordy. It could also make you seem like a chronic overexplainer, and nobody wins when that happens.
You can use transitions to go from sentence to sentence:
You can also use transition words and phrases to go from paragraph to paragraph:
What Are the Four Types of Transition Words?
There are a lot of different ways to categorize transition words. In this post, we will discuss the four main types of transition words: Additive, Adversative, Causal, and Sequential.
1. What are Additive Transitions?
These transition words add or introduce another idea. They may also reference a previously mentioned concept, identify a similarity, or clarify an idea. Additive transitional words include:
2. What are Adversative Transitions?
Adversative transitions may be used to signal opposing ideas or dismiss a previously discussed idea altogether. Some adversative transition words include:
3. What are Causal Transitions?
As for causal transitions, they’re most commonly used to denote cause and effect. They may also indicate the reason an idea or action is happening or has happened. Causal transition words include:
4. What are Sequential Transitions?
As the name suggests, sequential transitions are used to put a sequence of ideas in order (usually chronological). This helps the reader understand where ideas fall in a list or when you’re wrapping up your text. Sequential transitions include:
Are Conjunctions Considered Transition Words?
While conjunctions and transitions share the same purpose — to connect ideas between or within sentences — they are not used the same way. You must not confuse conjunctions with transitional words or expressions. Conjunctions connect phrases and clauses, whereas transitions indicate the relationship between sentences and paragraphs. Check the following examples:
Subordinating conjunctions connecting dependent clauses with independent clauses:
Read More: The Easiest Way To Get Subordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions connecting two independent clauses:
Transition words connecting sentences and paragraphs:
Another significant difference between transitions and conjunctions is their grammatical functions. Since conjunctions join clauses, they become part of the sentence and affect it grammatically. On the other hand, transition words have no impact on the grammatical structure of a sentence or paragraph. In short, you can remove a transition word, and it won’t have any impact on the sentence at all. Check the examples below:
Do Commas Go Before Or After Transition Words?
The placement of commas when using transition words will depend on where the latter appears in your text.
If your transition phrase appears at the beginning of the sentence, it is always set off with a comma.
If the transition word or phrase appears within an independent clause, it should be preceded by and set off with a comma.
If the transitional word appears between two independent clauses in a compound sentence, it should be preceded by a semicolon and set off with a comma.
How Are Transition Words Used in SEO?
SEO, or search engine optimization, is a process that involves optimizing your content for search engines to help improve ranking. The higher you are in search results, the more visibility your content will have. The more visible your content, the more people will see and learn about your brand.
Unlike keywords or meta tags, transitions between sentences or paragraphs don’t directly help boost your search ranking. Instead, it’s all about readability and structure.
See, Google runs on algorithms and those algorithms are big fans of order and ease of use. In other words, clarity is everything.
In the olden days (you know, like the 2010s), Google was like a heat-seeking missile for keywords. Basically, the more keywords you could stuff in your copy, the better you’d rank. That led to a lot of web pages that said something like, “buckets buckets buy some buckets buckets for sale the best buckets.”
What are they selling? You guessed it: buckets!
Google (and the rest of the world) soon realized the keyword stuffing wasn’t really good for anyone. Instead, search engines began focusing on how web pages could best serve the reader. Now, algorithms analyze web content for readability, and transition words play a huge role in that determination.
Transition Words Give Direction
Transition words also help you structure your content. Remember our road map? Transitional words can act as street signs, pointing readers left or right, directing them to take a U-turn, or propelling them onward.
Bottom line: Transition words make your content easier to read and understand. For this reason, it’s vital to rely not only on helpful tools but also on your own mind. If it reads well to you, it’ll likely read well to your audience.
Transition To a Closing
Finally, you can use transitions to introduce a new section or conclude your previous one—or wrap up the entire text. You may even use a transition to reinforce the general idea of your content before ending your piece:
Quick Transition Words Grammar Quiz
Transition Words Question #1
A. Causal
B. Additive
C. Adversative
D. Sequential
Correct!
Wrong!
The correct answer is letter C. Adversative transition words may be used to signal opposing ideas or dismiss a previously discussed idea altogether.
(E.g., but, however, conversely, still, and besides)
Causal Transition Question #2
A. Additionally
B. Consequently
C. Either way
D. To illustrate
Correct!
Wrong!
The correct answer is letter B. Consequently along with words like for, since, unless, as a result, and hence are all causal transition words.
(E.g., «Flexible workers often find themselves in great demand, and consequently, earn high wages.»)
Transition Words in SEO Question #3
A. They make content more interesting.
B. They make content easier to read.
C. They help increase word count.
D. Trick question! They’re not important for SEO at all.
Correct!
Wrong!
The correct answer is letter B. Transition words help improve the flow of ideas within a piece of content, making it more readable and easy to understand. Content with a high readability score can boost your SEO.
Transition Words Quiz Result
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Read More: How to use a question mark (?)
Ever put together a sandwich without any sauce?
Even if you haven’t, you can tell there’s nothing to hold together your sandwich’s ingredients, which makes eating it a messy affair. Transition words are the same.
They’re English language’s garlic mayo (or whatever flavor you prefer) that glue ideas, sentences, and paragraphs so they stick together in a sensible whole.
See the ‘and’ and ‘so’ in the sentence you just read? They’re transition words examples that help make the sentence flow in logical sense.
Want to learn how to use them like a pro? Read on. We’ll cover everything from transition words to start a new paragraph to their types and how you can use them.
Let’s get on with it:
What are transition words?
Transition words are words and even phrases that connect ideas. ‘Because,’ ‘consequently,’ ‘and,’ ‘what’s more,’ ‘resultantly,’ ‘in sum,’ and ‘briefly’ are a few common transition words examples.
Owing to their job as words that bridge ideas, transition words are also called connecting or linking words.
Here’s a look at transition sentences examples that I’ve pulled from Rework by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried:
Now let’s imagine these sentences without good transition words gluing all the thoughts together:
What we get here is a mishmash of ideas that make zero sense about how they’re linked to each other. To top that up, the flow’s toast.
The takeaway? Whether it’s transition words between paragraphs, transition words at the start of a sentence, or those that stitch sentences together in a cohesive paragraph, you can’t take these words for granted.
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Why do you need transition words?
Although we’ve briefly touched on the why already, it’s time we take a microscope to the role that a transitional word plays:
Transition words are link builders
They link ideas to one another, so that they form a whole when put together. With connecting words, you can see the link between actions and arguments – say something happens as a consequence of another thing as in the sentence below:
They put your thoughts in order
Organized thoughts breathe sense into your writing. Whether it’s academic writing that you’re doing or a blog post you’re working on, you’ll find this particularly valuable.
Why? Because the previous argument you make will flow in order as each idea builds upon another like a pyramid of cards.
Of course, the better your thoughts are organized, the smoother your piece will flow, which, in turn, gives your work a logical structure.
They’re proponents of brevity and clarity
Try as you might, you can’t create links between ideas without transition words acting as succinct bridges between them.
With these magic connectors, you can keep your writing clear, to the point, and sharp as a pencil.
Here’s an example:
Let’s omit the transition words here and try rewriting this sentence: Lightning struck all night. There were broken poles. A town without electricity for two days.
Something sounds off, doesn’t it?
For one, there’s no flow to these short phrases and the ideas feel foreign to each other without connecting words. And, two, you’ve to rely on multiple sentences that are better off as one.
Transition words make writing easy to read
All this talk about organization, logical structure, and good flow and clarity pool together to deliver the champion writing characteristic – good readability.
That’s when your content is easy to read, gently pushing the reader from one sentence to another until they get through to the end. Bingo!
When and how to use transition words
Now that you know what transition words can help you with, you’re in a better position to use them.
Want to add up points together? Transition words can help. Want to agree with something or stress on a message? Again, use transition words. Want to introduce a shift or bring things to a close? You know what to do.
Besides if you ever feel there’s a lack of coherence or logical connections between your thoughts, you’ll want to revisit the transition words you’re using. Same goes for a lack of order in your writing.
For a stronger hold on when and how to use transition words, get to grips on the different types of transition words such as conclusion transition words, introduction transition words, and more.
For instance, if there’s a consequence to an action, you’ll want to lean on cause and effect transition words such as ‘consequently,’ ‘subsequently,’ ‘next,’ and so on.
Here’s an example:
Similarly, if you’re sharing steps, you’ll need sequence or enumeration transition words like ‘firstly,’ ‘secondly,’ ‘thirdly,’ ‘lastly,’ and others. This example shows such transition words in action:
We’ll look at the types of transition words in just a bit. For now, here’s a look at the punctuation that goes hand in glove with the use of transition words. This way, you’ll get everything related to the use of transition words correct down to the bone.
Two rules to keep in mind here are:
Use a period (.) or semicolon (;) after the first sentence. Use the latter only when you’re connecting two independent sentences that’ll do just fine as standalone sentences as well.
Sarah was going through a rough patch in her personal life. Naturally, her performance at work started suffering.
Use a comma before the transition word in a sentence to separate it from the rest of the sentence
I’ve been very careful about going out alone, but I can’t help it if an emergency crops up.
Positioning transition words
Frankly, transition words can occupy every nook and cranny in your writing. Hard to believe?
Briefly, here are the different places transition words do their job as an adhesive:
• At the start of a sentence
• At the end of a sentence
• Smack dab in the middle of a sentence
• Transition words that start a new paragraph
Types and examples of transition words
For each type of transition word, we’ve a list below. We’ve also compiled a list of transition words into a cheat sheet of 100 transition words that you can fetch here (no sign in required).
1. Addition/agreement transition words
As their name indicates, these transition words help build up points like putting Legos together.
In addition, another key point, indeed
2. Comparison/contrast words
These magic words make it easy for you to sketch differences.
But, (and) still, (and) yet, on the contrast, on the flip side, on the contrary, in contrast, in comparison, regardless, nevertheless, nonetheless, irrespective, regardless, above all, after all.
3. Clarity transition words
If you plan on explaining an idea further, clarity transition words can be of help.
To clarify, to put it differently, by all means, in other words, to put it differently, that is to say, to emphasize, to repeat, to explain, to go in detail, especially, to rephrase,
4. Cause and effect/results transition words
Did something occur as a reaction to an action? Explain them using cause and effect transition words.
Accordingly, resultantly, consequently, as a result, subsequently, thereupon, forthwith, accordingly, henceforth, under the circumstances, Consequently, subsequently, with this mind, with this intention, in the event that, in terms of, to this end, in as much as, owing to, lest, because of, in case, in view of, in order to,
5. Concession transition words
If there’s a compromise to be made, this type of transition words can help. You’ll typically find these at the start and end of a sentence.
Granted, of course, naturally,
6. Emphasis transition words
As is obvious, emphasis transition words play a useful role accentuating a point or stressing on something’s importance.
In fact, above all, to top it all, Importance: of less importance, chiefly, foundationally, primarily, secondarily, critically, of less importance.
7. Enumeration/sequence transition words
These words define time.
What’s more, furthermore, eventually, gradually, earlier, meanwhile, finally, in due time, from time to time, sooner or later, as long as, in the meantime, immediately, instantly, quickly, overtime, by the time, prior to, during, since, till, afterward,
8. Example/support transition words
If you’re backing things with examples, you’ll want to alert readers of an example coming through. How? Use example transition words.
to illustrate, to demonstrate, that is, For instance, for example that you’ll find in abundance in this post.
9. Location/place transition words
Next up, place transition words show location or explain when something happens, making them a helpful device for descriptive writing in particular.
in front of, in the middle of, in the distance, to the left/right, here and there, amid, amongst, beyond, further, alongside, in the background, adjacent, nearer,
10. Similarity transition words
Another batch of good transition words are similarity words that pull similarities – much the opposite of contrast words.
Likewise, similarly, in the same vein, by the same token, in like manner, in similar fashion, in the same way
12. Conclusion transition words
These words work in the summation department. They’re a huge help for writing conclusions or summing up different ideas under discussion.
Therefore, thus, in summary, to summarize, in sum, to sum it up, In other words, in brief, briefly, in conclusion, for the most part, in a word, overall, on the whole, all in all, in essence, ultimately, by and large, in short, generally speaking.