Flavio's home response notes

Transition Words and Phrases

Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. The Bedford Handbook. 8 th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Print.

“Transitional Devices.” The Purdue Owl Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2 Feb.

2011. Web. 15 March 2011.

Transitions – MCTC Writing Center 2011

Transitions are words or phrases that signal movement from one sentence or paragraph to another. They help the reader anticipate what is coming next and understand the relationship between sentences, paragraphs, or sections of a paper. Transitions between paragraphs demonstrate how ideas work together to support the main idea or thesis of the paper.

Proper Punctuation

If the transition is between independent clauses in a compound sentence, it is preceded by a semicolon and is generally followed by a comma.

 John left work without his wallet; what’s more, he forgot his keys and was not able to get back into the building.

If the transition is at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of an independent clause, it is generally set off by commas.

 Without a doubt, MCTC is the best two-year college in the state of Minnesota.

 MCTC, without a doubt, is the best two-year college in the state of Minnesota.

Note: If the transition flows well in the sentence and the reader makes no pause, then it does not need to be set off with commas. On the other hand, the word however, when used as a transition, is always set off by commas.

Examples

Add:

and, again, and then, besides, equally important, finally, further, furthermore, nor, too, next, lastly, what's more, moreover, in addition, first (second, etc.)

Compare:

in the same manner, similarly, likewise

Contrast:

whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however, nevertheless, on the contrary, by comparison, where, compared to, up against, balanced against, vis a vis, but, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in contrast, although this may be true

Prove:

because, for, since, for the same reason, obviously, evidently, furthermore, moreover, besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any case, that is

Transition Words and Phrases

Hacker, Diana and Nancy Sommers. The Bedford Handbook. 8 th ed. Boston: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Print.

“Transitional Devices.” The Purdue Owl Family of Sites. The Writing Lab and OWL at Purdue and Purdue U, 2 Feb.

2011. Web. 15 March 2011.

Transitions – MCTC Writing Center 2011

Show Exception:

yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of, despite, of course, once in a while, sometimes

Show Time:

immediately, thereafter, soon, after a few hours, finally, then, later, previously, formerly, first (second, etc.), next, and then

Repeat:

in brief, as I have said, as I have noted, as has been noted

Emphasize:

definitely, extremely, obviously, in fact, indeed, in any case, absolutely, positively, naturally, surprisingly, always, forever, perennially, eternally, never, emphatically, unquestionably, without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, without reservation

Give an Example:

for example, for instance, in this case, in another case, on this occasion, in this situation, take the case of, to demonstrate, to illustrate, as an illustration, to illustrate

Show Sequence:

first, second, third, and so forth, next, then, following this, at this time, now, at this point, after, afterward, subsequently, finally, consequently, previously, before this, simultaneously, concurrently, thus, therefore, hence, next, and then, soon

Summarize or Conclude:

in short, on the whole, summing up, to conclude, in conclusion, as I have shown, as I have said, hence, therefore, accordingly, thus, as a result, consequently