{"id":195,"date":"2015-02-11T22:49:42","date_gmt":"2015-02-12T03:49:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/longleaf.net\/wp\/?page_id=195"},"modified":"2017-03-27T10:16:40","modified_gmt":"2017-03-27T14:16:40","slug":"transitions-connective-words","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/longleaf.net\/wp\/articles-teaching\/transitions-connective-words\/","title":{"rendered":"Transitions and Connective Words"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Transitions and Connective Words<\/h1>\n

Examples illustrating their use<\/h3>\n
\n
Dr. Gerald Grow<\/dd>\n
Division of Journalism
\nFlorida A&M University<\/dd>\n
Tallahassee, FL 32307<\/dd>\n
Contact.<\/a><\/dd>\n
\u00a0<\/dd>\n
Available from:<\/dd>\n
http:\/\/www.longleaf.net\/ggrow<\/dd>\n
Transitions carry your reader from phrase to phrase, sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, and through the major divisions of your article. Although you may be able to write perfectly clearly without using transition words, they help readers know what they are reading about, how they got there, and where the thought is leading them.In early drafts, it is better to overuse transitions; you can always cut them later. Be over-specific at first.Use transitional words to guide your reader through each step of the article<\/span>:<\/p>\n

First…, next…, then…, finally….<\/p>\n

Apparently…, for example…, but actually…, in conclusion….<\/p>\n

Sometimes…, but not always….<\/p>\n

On the one hand…, on the other hand…, in summary….<\/p>\n

Because…, therefore….<\/p>\n

Use transitional words to point out how the current thought is related to the previous one<\/span>:<\/p>\n

on the other hand
\nearlier in the day
\nsimilarly
\nfurthermore
\nin other words
\nbecause
\nconsequently
\nin order to
\nundoubtedly
\nto sum up.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Use transitional words to spell out the connections<\/span> among the different elements of your writing. For example, consider how many ways the following two simple statements can be combined and related:<\/p>\n

He stayed home. He was shot.<\/p>\n

He stayed home, and<\/span> he was shot.
\nFirst<\/span> he stayed home, then<\/span> he was shot.
\nFirst<\/span> he was shot, then<\/span> he stayed home.<\/p>\n

Because<\/span> he stayed home, he was shot.
\nHe stayed home, because<\/span> he was shot.<\/p>\n

Although<\/span> he stayed home, he was shot.
\nHe stayed home although<\/span> he was shot.<\/p>\n

He was shot while<\/span> he stayed home.
\nHe was shot shortly after<\/span> he stayed home.<\/p>\n

If you do not spell out the connections among your ideas, readers will insert them. And they may get them wrong.<\/p>\n

\n

Junior and\u00a0the Chase<\/h1>\n

A Little Story Illustrating the Major types of Transitional Terms<\/h3>\n

See the Chart of Transition Words<\/a> for other examples.<\/p>\n

Addition:<\/b><\/p>\n

I felt a cold shiver, then<\/span> I saw them sneaking up on me.
\nJunior ate all the turkey; furthermore<\/span>, he ate all the pie.<\/p>\n

\"\"Time:<\/b><\/p>\n

As soon as<\/span> I saw them, I started running.
\nJunior ate the turkey after<\/span> he ate the pie.<\/p>\n

Place:<\/b><\/p>\n

I ran for my life; nearby<\/span>, children played at recess.
\nJunior stood by the sweet potatoes; opposite him<\/span>, Cousin George stood by the ham.<\/p>\n

Example:<\/b><\/p>\n

Junior loves weird combinations of foods; for instance<\/span>, yesterday he poured gravy on his cake.<\/p>\n

Every object seemed determined to drown out my cries as I ran; one motorcycle, in particular<\/span>, met me at every intersection for the sole purpose of making my call for help inaudible.<\/p>\n

Comparison:<\/b><\/p>\n

Junior still felt hungry; likewise<\/span>, George sized up the leftovers.
\nI slowed from fatigue; similarly<\/span>, my pursuers fell behind.<\/p>\n

\"\"Contrast:<\/b><\/p>\n

I should have felt glad; on the contrary<\/span>, I was terrified.
\nThe turkey was gone; on the other hand<\/span>, there was plenty of ham left.<\/p>\n

Clarification:<\/b><\/p>\n

Junior turned next to the bountiful harvest of the fjords of Norway, that is to say<\/span>, a can of sardines.
\nThe pavement rose suddenly and hit my arms; in other words<\/span>, I fell.<\/p>\n

Cause:<\/b><\/p>\n

Because<\/span> he expected the movie to make him hungry, Junior slipped a few sardines into his coat pocket for a snack.<\/p>\n

I saw the outline of a familiar building; for that reason<\/span>, I felt renewed hope.<\/p>\n

Effect:<\/b><\/p>\n

Junior bought popcorn and forgot about the sardines; consequently<\/span>, his cleaning bill was even larger than usual that month.
\nI wore hiking boots; therefore<\/span> my feet grew tired from the extra weight, but I had better traction on the icy sidewalks.<\/p>\n

Purpose:<\/b><\/p>\n

In order to<\/span> confuse my pursuers, I darted into the theater.
\nJunior was standing in the aisle, so that<\/span> a man could get past to his seat.<\/p>\n

Qualification:<\/b><\/p>\n

Although<\/span> I staggered down the aisle, I kept my balance.
\nJunior didn’t hear me coming; perhaps<\/span> he was absorbed in the plot.<\/p>\n

Intensification:<\/b><\/p>\n

As we collided, I recognized Junior by the smell of sardines; undoubtedly<\/span>, he, too, was surprised to meet this way.
\nIn the darkness, my pursuers cried out as they fell over our prostrate forms; surely<\/span> they had lost at last.<\/p>\n

Summary:<\/b><\/p>\n

One villain broke an arm. Another was knocked cold. A third rose to stab me when Junior threw up all over him. In short<\/span>, confusion reigned.<\/p>\n

Conclusion:<\/b><\/p>\n

Finally<\/span>, overcome with relief and nearly overwhelmed by the smell, I dragged Junior into the sunlight. Leaning close to his trembling lips, I could just make out his gutteral whisper: “I’m starving.”<\/p>\n

Concession:<\/b><\/p>\n

Admittedly<\/span>, I was taken aback; nonetheless<\/span>, I bought him the biggest hamburger in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n

\n

Using Transitions<\/h2>\n

In practice, you will not use as many transitions as these examples do. [That is because] overuse of transitions makes your style sound old-fashioned. [Because of this,] contemporary writers organize their writing carefully so that the transitions are implied, instead of spelled out explicitly.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless [he transitioned], beginning writers need to master transitional terms and the concepts behind them, whether they use transitions explicitly or implicitly.<\/p>\n

If you don’t indicate how the elements of your thinking relate to one another, your readers will make up their own links, and may interpret your writing differently than you intended.<\/p>\n

\n

Table 1.<\/p>\n

Transitions and Connectives<\/h1>\n<\/dd>\n
\n

1. Addition<\/h2>\n

and
\nor<\/p>\n

nor
\nmoreover
\nagain
\nfirst
\nsecondly
\nthirdly
\nnext
\nlast
\nlastly
\nfinally
\neven more important
\nfurthermore
\nalso
\nin addition
\nfurther
\nbesides<\/p>\n

2. Time<\/h2>\n

while
\nafter
\nwhen
\nmeanwhile
\nduring
\nnext
\nthen
\nin the past
\nimmediately
\nlater
\nsoon
\nin the meantime
\nafterwards
\nfollowing
\nat length
\nafter a few days
\nnever
\nalways
\nwhenever
\nsometimes
\nnow
\nonce
\nsimultaneously<\/p>\n

3. Place<\/h2>\n

here
\nthere
\nnearby
\nbeyond
\nwherever
\nopposite to
\nadjacent to
\nneighboring on
\nbordering<\/p>\n

4. Examples<\/h2>\n

while
\nafter
\nwhen
\nmeanwhile
\nduring
\nnext
\nthen
\nin the past
\nimmediately
\nlater
\nsoon
\nin the meantime
\nafterwards
\nfollowing
\nat length
\nafter a few days
\nnever
\nalways
\nwhenever
\nsometimes
\nnow
\nonce
\nsimultaneously<\/p>\n

5. Similarity<\/h2>\n

in the same way
\nby the same token
\nsimilarly
\nin like manner
\nlikewise
\nin similar fashion<\/p>\n

6. Contrast<\/h2>\n

on the contrary
\nin contrast
\nnevertheless
\nbut
\nat the same time
\nalthough that may be true
\nnonetheless
\non the other hand
\nyet
\nand yet
\nnotwithstanding
\notherwise
\nhowever
\nafter all
\nthough
\ndespite this fact<\/p>\n

7. Clarification<\/h2>\n

that is to say
\nin other words
\nto put it another way
\nto explain
\nto clarify
\nto rephrase it
\ni.e. (means “in other words”)
\nstill
\nconversely
\ninstead
\neven so
\nfor all that
\nnamely<\/p>\n

8. Cause<\/h2>\n

because
\non account of
\n‘for that reason
\ndue to the fact that<\/p>\n

9. Effect<\/h2>\n

t<\/b>herefore
\nconsequently
\nas a result<\/p>\n

10. Purpose<\/h2>\n

thus
\nhence
\naccordingly
\nin order to
\nfor this purpose<\/p>\n

11. Qualification<\/h2>\n

to summarize
\nin sum
\nin short
\nto sum up
\nin brief
\nin summary<\/p>\n

14. Conclusion<\/h2>\n

to conclude
\nin conclusion
\nfinally
\ntherefore
\nthus
\nit is now obvious that
\nwith this object
\nwith that in mind
\nthereupon
\nthen
\nso
\non the whole
\nas I have said<\/p>\n

15. Concession<\/h2>\n

admittedly
\ngranted
\nit is true
\nto be sure
\nalmost
\nnearly
\nprobably
\nperhaps
\nmaybe
\nalthough
\nin fact
\nwithout doubt
\ndoubtlessly
\nobviously
\nunquestionably
\ninescapably
\ncertainly
\nsurely
\nof course
\nnobody denies
\nclearly
\neven though
\nin a manner of speaking
\nto be more precise
\nof course
\nneedless to say<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n

\n
\n

Compiled from many sources.<\/p>\n<\/dd>\n<\/dl>\n

Gerald Grow
\nwww.longleaf.net<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\u00a0Transitions and Connective Words Examples illustrating their use Dr. Gerald Grow Division of Journalism Florida A&M University Tallahassee, FL 32307 Contact. \u00a0 Available from: http:\/\/www.longleaf.net\/ggrow Transitions carry your reader from phrase to phrase, sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, and through the major divisions of your article. Although you may be able to write perfectly … Continue reading Transitions and Connective Words<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":13,"menu_order":15,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-195","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nTransitions and Connective Words - Gerald Grow's Home Page<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/longleaf.net\/wp\/articles-teaching\/transitions-connective-words\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Transitions and Connective Words - Gerald Grow's Home Page\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"\u00a0Transitions and Connective Words Examples illustrating their use Dr. Gerald Grow Division of Journalism Florida A&M University Tallahassee, FL 32307 Contact. \u00a0 Available from: http:\/\/www.longleaf.net\/ggrow Transitions carry your reader from phrase to phrase, sentence to sentence, paragraph to paragraph, and through the major divisions of your article. 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