TRANSITONAL WORDS AND PHRASES

Transitional words and phrases help connect ideas together in your writing; they act as “little bridges” between one idea and the next. Transitions can make your writing perfectly clear; they can signal to your reader that you are in a particular time and place, that you are giving an example, showing a contrast, “shifting gears,” beginning a new point or section of your paper, or concluding a paragraph or entire composition. They are tough little words that can protect you from inaccurate and unspecific writing.

Here are some commonly used transitions and their relationships:

Adding Ideas: I am majoring in naval architecture; furthermore, I spent three years rowing with the crew team.

furthermore likewise too moreover

besides as well as finally equally important

lastly in addition again in the same way

first secondly next following this further

Explaining Location: Here is the switch that turns out the stage lights. To the right is the switch that dims them.

beyond inside/outside over/under

nearby to the left/right adjacent to

next to beneath/on top opposite of

Stressing Results: Jack never did his homework; consequently, he failed for the year.

consequently therefore hence

accordingly thereupon thus

Offering Examples: Opportunities for part-time jobs are everywhere; for instance, Weis Markets has had three check-out openings for a month.

for example for instance namely

to illustrate specifically to wit

to demonstrate

Offering Further Explanation: She had a fantastic semester; that is, she aced four courses!

in other words in fact put another way

simply stated that is or, one might say

Explaining Time: The crew will mow the field in the morning. Immediately afterward, we will clean out the dugouts.

first the next day before after

second in the meantime now later

third subsequently soon previously

then meanwhile at length afterwards

next in turn immediately finally

Summarizing or Concluding: Our credit is destroyed, our bank account is overdrawn, and our debts are piling up. In short, we are broke.

to conclude in closing to sum up to summarize

in brief all in all in summation in all

overall on the whole in short in conclusion

in retrospect indeed in any event to close

in sum consequently therefore as a result

as had been noted

Comparing Ideas: Our reservoir is drying up because of the drought; similarly, water supplies in neighboring towns are dangerously low.

likewise in the same way in comparison

in like manner similarly in a similar fashion

at the same time on the other hand

Contrasting Ideas: Felix worked hard. However, he received poor grades. Although Cheryl worked hard, she was never promoted.

however on the contrary on the other hand

in contrast notwithstanding yet

otherwise despite the above still

nevertheless although this may be true

at the same time on the contrary conversely

Emphasizing: I knew the test would be a hard one. For this reason, I studied extra hard.

again indeed for this reason truly

to repeat with this in mind in fact to emphasize

Transitional Chains: Use in separate paragraphs arranged in order.

first…second...third in the first place…just in the same way…finally

in the first place…also…lastly to be sure…additionally…lastly

generally…furthermore…finally to begin…also…lastly