When writing an essay, it is essential to use transition words so that your ideas flow smoothly. A transition word can also be called a linking word. They help create coherence by indicating relationships between paragraphs and sections of your essay and linking them together.
Why are transition words important and what is their purpose?
Transitional words provide a powerful tool for organizing the flow of your paper. They help to create a connection between ideas, give meaning to shifts in order and focus, and enable readers to contextualize and understand your argument in a more effective manner.
Good transition words can turn choppy sentences into smooth-flowing prose which improves comprehension. In contrast, bad or nonexistent transition words will make the flow of thoughts sound stilted and difficult to parse.
Are transition words and conjunctions the same?
No, a conjunction and a transition word are not the same. Conjunctions are primarily used to combine two separate sentences or clauses into one thought. Transition words, on the other hand, are used to link certain ideas within a single sentence or across multiple sentences.
While conjunctions may be applied as transitions under certain circumstances (e.g., “however,” “and,” etc.), they are not interchangeable with transition words when it comes to building seamless bridges between thoughts and improving the cohesion of a text.
To learn more about word choice in essays in general, we suggest reading our separate article: Words to Use in Academic Writing
How Transition Words Work
To really understand the power of transition words to enhance an essay and move it from one idea to another, it’s vital that you know what they are and how they work. Transitional words and phrases provide a critical link between ideas, blending them together into an orderly flow that is easy for your reader to comprehend. Used correctly, transitions can be a powerful tool for improving your paper’s structure and boosting its readability.
A transition is a word, phrase, or sentence that connects two paragraphs or sections of your essay. Transition words help readers understand the logical connection between the ideas in your essay.
For example, if you are discussing the use of color in a work of art, you might use the following transition: “However, when used excessively, color can be overwhelming.” This transition signals to the reader that you are changing the focus of your discussion from the use of color to its effects.
How and Where to Use Transition Words?
Now that you know the basic principles, let’s look at three main transition types based on where and how you use them in writing.
1. Between sections: These transitions are usually used in longer pieces. In such cases, an entire paragraph might be used as a transition to summarize the previous part before moving on to the next section.
2. Between paragraphs: If you have arranged your paragraphs effectively, the transition emphasizes the logical connections between them. This can take the form of a word or two (e.g., however, for example, similarly, by the same token) or a phrase or sentence at the beginning and/or end of each paragraph. By summarizing the preceding paragraph and hinting at what is to come in the next one, transitions create a smooth flow between ideas.
3. Between sentences: These transition words and phrases are usually used to connect two main ideas in different sentences. In such cases, it is typically one word or a short phrase, such as “however,” “in addition,” or “as a result.”
Remember that these transitions do not always have to be used at the beginning or end of a paragraph. In fact, they can be used anywhere in your essay to move from one idea to another.
Examples of Transitional Words and Phrases
The list of words below is far from exhaustive, but it will give you some transition words and phrases to help you get started. Also, remember that words can have different shades of meaning, so make sure to consult a dictionary if you are unsure.
Transition words by their overall purpose
- Addition: and, in addition to, moreover, first, second, finally, also, too, as well, in fact, equally important.
- Cause-Effect: therefore, thus, as a result, consequently, due to, then, accordingly, resulting in, because of, hence.
- Chronology: at first, to begin with, presently, in the meantime, afterward, finally, meanwhile, during, earlier, later.
- Clarification: in other words, that is to say, namely, to put it differently, that is, in simple terms, to rephrase it.
- Comparison: similarly, likewise, in the same way, just as, in a similar way\manner\fashion.
- Concession: even though, despite, in spite of, notwithstanding, yet, still, however, nevertheless, regardless.
- Condition: if, provided that, on condition that, unless, in case, granted that, given that.
- Contrast: but, on the other hand, however, alternatively, while, whereas, though, in contrast, on the contrary.
- Emphasis: above all, indeed, most important, primarily, certainly, surely, in fact, still, by all means.
- Example: for instance, to illustrate, in other words, specifically, such as, that is to say, take the case of.
- Limitation: except for, unless, up to, not exceeding, save for, although this may be true, then again, in reality.
- Location: nearby, beyond, adjacent to, opposite of, upstairs/downstairs, in the front/back, here, there
- Opinion: in my opinion, to my way of thinking, it seems to me that, from where I stand, I am. convinced that, it is my belief that.
- Order: firstly, secondly, last but not least, in conclusion, for one thing… for another, finally.
- Possibility: possibly, probably, most likely, it is conceivable that, it is doubtful that, it is unlikely that, with any luck.
- Restatement: in other words, as has been noted, as shown above, to put it differently, that is to say.
- Summary: to sum up, in conclusion, all in all, in brief, in sum, in essence, in summary, to summarize, all things considered, given all the above, overall, ultimately.
- Time: at present, these days, presently, now, currently, lately, recently, at the same time, all at once, sooner or later, in due time, in the meantime, in a moment, after a while.
Transition words for argumentative essays
When writing an argumentative essay, you might use the following transition words and phrases:
- However – introduces a contrasting idea
- Nonetheless – emphasizes a point despite something else
- Moreover – adds another relevant point
- In addition – also introduces another key point
- Furthermore – adds yet another relevant point
- On the other hand – presents an opposing view
- All in all – summarizes everything that has been said
- As can be seen – points to compelling evidence that supports the key point
- As a result – states the conclusion of the argument being made
- In other words – presents the same idea in different words
- To put it another way – also presents the same idea in different words
- In the final analysis – states the overall conclusion of the argument being made
- Another key concept is – introduce a new idea
Transition words for persuasive essays
Persuasive essays are written to convince the reader of an author’s point of view. To make a persuasive essay flow, it is important to use transition words or phrases to move from one idea to another in a smooth and logical way. Here are some highly effective transition words for persuasive writing:
- Firstly – This word can be used at the beginning of your sentence when you introduce the first reason for your argument.
- Furthermore – It is used to emphasize an additional point that supports your argument.
- Moreover – This transition adds emphasis again, boosting the strength of your argument.
- In addition – Use this when introducing additional evidence that strengthens your argument further.
- Similarly – Use this word when discussing two similar points and help support your opinion.
- On the other hand – This phrase can be used in conjunction with its opposite point of view before presenting yours in contrast to it.
- Nevertheless – This transition confirms the importance of a particular point even if it differs from others previously made as part of the same argumentation chain.
- Therefore – Use this word when drawing conclusions from previously discussed points and evidence you have provided in the persuasive essay.
- Consequently – This transition shows that the results described are logical consequences derived from stated facts, ideas, happenings, or situations.
- Finally – This phrase should be used at the end of a persuasive essay as a concluding statement that summarizes all main arguments made throughout the paper.
Transition words by their purpose within essays
Transition words are essential components of a well-written essay. They connect ideas, show relationships between them, and help the reader understand how each concept relates to another. Below are transitional words divided by purpose so that you can easily incorporate them into your essays.
- Start a body paragraph: first, second, third, not only… but also, in addition to, moreover, furthermore, additionally, besides, apart from, aside from this.
- First: to begin with, in the first place, first
- Second: another reason why, pursuing this further, next
- Third: lastly, finally, thirdly
- Introduce evidence: for example, in other words, namely, specifically, to illustrate, in addition, in fact, as an illustration, more specifically, such as.
- End a body paragraph: finally, in conclusion, in brief, on the whole, in any case, all things considered, given these points, to sum up.
- Explain a quote: for example, in other words, namely, that is to say.
- Enhance your argument: admittedly, granted, of course, naturally, absolutely, undoubtedly, unquestionably, equally important.
- Introduce an opposite point: despite this, notwithstanding that, even so, in spite of, in defiance of
- Conclude your essay: therefore, thus, as a result, consequently, due to this, hence, in other words, in summary.
Final Tips on Using Transition Words for Essays
Here are a few final tips to keep in mind when using transition words in your essay:
1. Don’t overuse transition words: Overusing them can make your writing seem choppy or unclear. So, be sure to use each transition word only when necessary and in key places.
2. Be consistent: Once you’ve decided which transition words to use, use them the same way throughout your essay. Consistency will make your writing flow better and make it more easily understandable for your reader.
3. Make sure they’re relevant: As with all writing, transition words should only be used if they are relevant to the topic at hand. You shouldn’t use them if they don’t add anything to your essay.
4. Plan ahead: Before you start writing, take a few minutes to plan out where you would transition and why. This will help your essay flow more smoothly and make it easier for your reader to follow your argument.
5. Practice: The best way to get better at using transition words is to practice using them. So, try writing a few essays with different transitions to get a feel for how they work. You can also ask a friend or family member to read your essay and point out any places where you could use transitional words.
6. Avoid sentence fragments: Using a transition word at the start of a sentence can lead to sentence fragments when misused. Try rewriting the sentence or adding more information to ensure the sentence is grammatically correct. For instance, “And thus the result.” is a fragment as it does not contain both a subject and a verb.
We hope this list of transition words for essays was helpful to you. If you have any questions or comments, please let us know.