Transition Words/Phrases for Narrative Writing

After subsequently at first

As soon as first it began
Before second it started
Next once after that
Initially in the meantime during
Now later on at the end
When in the beginning at last
Immediately after a while pretty soon
Meanwhile when we finished soon after
Last the last thing lastly
Later just then
ince before long
uddenly after !!! minutes
As when we were don
"owe#er right after
Whene#er in an instant
oon then
Writing Transition Words and Phrases
Descriptive
Above
Under
Nearby
Opposite to
Adjacent to
Near
Across
Beyond
To the right
To the left
In the Bacgro!nd
In the foregro!nd
Also
"i#ilarly
A#ong
Belo$
%!rther












Narrative
After
After$ard
As soon
Before
%inally
&ater
No$
Not &ong After
Until
When
While
One day
"!bse'!ently
%irst
"econd
(ean$hile
I##ediately
"oon
)esterday
To#orro$
Once
In the #eanti#e
*+pository
In addition
%!rther#ore
(oreover
Also
Besides
By the $ay
"i#ilarly
*'!ally i#portant
%or e+a#ple
%or instance
In fact
&ie
As an ill!stration
In other $ords
In s!##ary
In concl!sion
Therefore
%inally
As a res!lt
,onse'!ently
Accordingly
%irst
"econd
&ast
%or this reason
To begin $ith
-o$ever
Altho!gh
Transitional $ords and phrases describe the shift using references to time passing$ location
shifting$ etc% &ommon transition phrases include'
A month later
After the confrontation
After dinner
Afterwards
As the moon came out
As the rain stopped
At the same time
At one o(cloc)
At school the next day
At the appointment
At the same time
At the summer solstice
By noon
By the time that
*or three days
In the morning
In the second year
It too) two wee)s to
Later that afternoon
Meanwhile
+n the way to
+n the first day of school
,hat night
,he next meeting
,he next morning
,he next wee)
,wo wee)s later
Wee)s passed
When dinner was o#er
When it was time for the date
When the moon came up
When the police arri#ed
When the rain stopped
When they got bac)
When they saw the place
When we reached the location
Transition Words and Phrases
,his structured list of commonly used -nglish transition words . approximately /00$ can be
considered as quasi complete% It can be used 1by students and teachers ali)e2 to find the right
expression% -nglish transition words are essential$ since they not only connect ideas$ but also can
introduce a certain shift$ contrast or opposition$ emphasis or agreement$ purpose$ result or
conclusion$ etc% in the line of argument%
,he transition words and phrases ha#e been assigned only once to somewhat artificial categories$
although some words belong to more than one category%
,here is some o#erlapping with preposition and postposition$ but for the purpose of clarity and
completeness of this concise guide$ I did not differentiate%
Agree#ent / Addition / "i#ilarity
,he transition words li)e also, in addition, and, likewise$ add infor#ation$ reinforce ideas$ and
e+press agree#ent with preceding material%
in the first place
not only %%% but also
as a matter of fact
in li)e manner
in addition
coupled with
in the same fashion 3 way
first$ second$ third
in the light of
not to mention
to say nothing of
equally important
by the same to)en
again
to
and
also
then
equally
identically
uniquely
li)e
as
too
moreo#er
as well as
together with
of course
li)ewise
comparati#ely
correspondingly
similarly
furthermore
additionally

Opposition / &i#itation / ,ontradiction
,ransition phrases li)e but$ rather and or$ express that there is e#idence to the contrary or point out
alternatives$ and thus introduce a change the line of reasoning 1contrast2%

although this may be true
in contrast
different from
of course %%%$ but
on the other hand
on the contrary
at the same time
in spite of
e#en so 3 though
be that as it may
then again
abo#e all
in reality
after all
but
1and2 still
unli)e
or
1and2 yet
while
albeit
besides
as much as
e#en though
although
instead
whereas
despite
con#ersely
otherwise
howe#er
rather
ne#ertheless
nonetheless
regardless
notwithstanding


,a!se / ,ondition / P!rpose
,hese transitional phrases present specific conditions or intentions%
in the e#ent that
granted 1that2
as 3 so long as
on 1the2 condition 1that2
for the purpose of
with this intention
with this in mind
in the hope that
to the end that
for fear that
in order to
seeing 3 being that
in #iew of
If
%%% then
unless

when
whene#er
while

because of
as
since
while
lest
in case
pro#ided that
gi#en that
only 3 e#en if
so that
so as to
owing to
inasmuch as
due to

*+a#ples / "!pport / *#phasis
,hese transitional de#ices 1li)e especially2 are used to introduce examples as s!pport$ to indicate
i#portance or as an ill!stration so that an idea is cued to the reader%
in other words
to put it differently
for one thing
as an illustration
in this case
for this reason
to put it another way
that is to say
with attention to
by all means


important to reali4e
another )ey point
first thing to remember
most compelling e#idence
must be remembered
point often o#erloo)ed
to point out
on the positi#e 3 negati#e
side
with this in mind
notably
including
li)e
to be sure
namely
chiefly
truly
indeed
certainly
surely
mar)edly

especially
specifically
expressi#ely
surprisingly
frequently
significantly
in fact
in general
in particular
in detail
for example
for instance
to demonstrate
to emphasi4e
to repeat
to clarify
to explain
to enumerate
such as


*ffect / ,onse'!ence / .es!lt
ome of these transition words 1thus, then, accordingly, consequently, therefore, henceforth2 are time
words that are used to show that after a particular time there was a conse'!ence or an effect%
Note that for and because are placed before the cause3reason% ,he other de#ices are placed before the
consequences or effects%
as a result
under those circumstances
in that case
for this reason
in effect
for
thus
because the
then
hence
consequently
therefore
thereupon
forthwith
accordingly
henceforth


,oncl!sion / "!##ary / .estate#ent
,hese transition words and phrases concl!de$ s!##ari/e and 3 or restate ideas$ or indicate a final
general state#ent% Also some words 1li)e therefore2 from the *ffect / ,onse'!ence category can be
used to summari4e%
as can be seen
generally spea)ing
in the final analysis
all things considered
as shown abo#e
in the long run
gi#en these points
as has been noted
in a word
for the most part
after all
in fact
in summary
in conclusion
in short
in brief
in essence
to summari4e
on balance
altogether
o#erall
ordinarily
usually
by and large
to sum up
on the whole
in any e#ent
in either case
all in all

+b#iously
5ltimately
6efinitely

Ti#e / ,hronology / "e'!ence
,hese transitional words 1li)e finally2 ha#e the function of limiting$ restricting$ and defining ti#e%
,hey can be used either alone or as part of adverbial expressions%
at the present time
from time to time
sooner or later
at the same time
up to the present time
to begin with
in due time
as soon as
as long as
in the meantime
in a moment
without delay
in the first place
all of a sudden
at this instant
first$ second

immediately
quic)ly
finally
after
later
last
until
till
since
then
before
hence
since
when
once
about
next
now


formerly
suddenly
shortly
henceforth
whene#er
e#entually
meanwhile
further
during
in time
prior to
forthwith
straightaway

by the time
whene#er

until now
now that

instantly
presently
occasionally


Many transition words in the time category 1consequently; first, second, third; further; hence;
henceforth; since; then, when; and whenever2 ha#e other uses%
-xcept for the numbers 1first, second, third2 and further they add a meaning of ti#e in expressing
conditions$ qualifications$ or reasons% ,he numbers are also used to add infor#ation or list
e+a#ples% Further is also used to indicate added space as well as added time%
"pace / &ocation / Place
,hese transition words are often used as part of adverbial expressions and ha#e the function to
restrict$ limit or qualify space% 7uite a few of these are also found in the Ti#e category and can be
used to describe spatial order or spatial reference%
in the middle
to the left3right
in front of
on this side
in the distance
here and there
in the foreground
in the bac)ground
in the center of

adjacent to
opposite to
here
there
next
where
from
o#er
near
abo#e
below
down
up
under
further
beyond
nearby
where#er
around
between
before
alongside
amid
among
beneath
beside
behind
across