When to use transition words

Transition words illustrate relationships between other words and phrases. Although
students are generally taught to use transition words at the beginning of sentences, this
isn’t the only place they’re used.

Generally, a transition word is the crux of its sentence. This is the decisive point where
the sentence’s core message is communicated. Not every sentence contains a
transition word, but when one does, the transition word is usually critical to its question
or statement.

Types of transition words

Transition words present the writer’s thoughts in an orderly fashion, express nuance,
clarify vagueness, forge connections, and demonstrate comparisons. Because they do
so many different jobs, transition words are divided into eight distinct categories.

Transition words that introduce, agree, and add on

One of the most common ways transition words are used is to introduce new ideas and
add onto topics that have already been explored in the piece.

Transition words and phrases in this category include:

 coupled with

 in addition (to)

 further

 furthermore

 moreover
  likewise

 equally important

 too

 first

 second

 third

 uniquely

Take a look at a few ways you can use these kinds of transition words in a sentence:

 We have to consider the students’ needs, but the staff’s needs are equally
important.

 First, preheat the oven. Second, sift together all your dry ingredients.

 The weather, coupled with the fast and loose itinerary, is the reason why I’m
skipping the trip.

Transition words that oppose and limit

Transition words can also communicate opposition or limits to ideas and phrases.
These words’ role is largely the opposite of the role played by the category above.
Transition words that create opposition and limits include:

 unlike

 or

 but

 while

 as much as
  conversely

 on the contrary

 on the other hand

 above all

 notwithstanding

 despite

Here are a few examples:

 We managed to have a decent harvest despite the drought.

 I went to the seminar expecting a long, boring presentation but on the contrary,
it was engaging and a lot of fun!

 While Shekani is a stickler for tradition, Mei gives every holiday party a new twist.

Cause and conditional transition words

These transition words show how one action led to a specific effect or how one
circumstance is conditional on another. This category also includes words and
transition phrases that illustrate the relationship between an intention and an action.

Cause and conditional transition words include:

 since

 while

 due to

 in the event of

 for fear of

 because of
  as long as

 I hope that

 unless

 in case

 whenever

 so that

A few examples of these words in sentences include:

 As long as there are pets that need homes, I’ll keep volunteering at the shelter.

 I brought extra socks in case we have to walk through puddles.

Effect and result transition words

Similar to the category above, these transition words demonstrate the result of a
specific action. Here’s the difference between the two: When your sentence is focused
on the cause of the effect, you’d use one of the transition words from the “Cause and
conditional” category above. When the emphasis is on the effect itself, you would use a
word from this “Effect and result” category that fits with the rest of your sentence.

For example, you might announce that you’ve postponed your barbecue by sending a
group message that says “because of the weather, I postponed the barbecue.” But you
can communicate the same message with a slightly different focus by phrasing it as “it’s
raining, so consequently I’ve rescheduled the barbecue.”

Words and phrases in this category include:

 in effect

 as a result

 then
  because the

 hence

 under those circumstances

 henceforth

 consequently

 therefore

A few more examples of sentences that include these transition words are:

 It’s very humid outside, hence the condensation on the window.

 We stayed to see the whole show and consequently missed our train home.

 Miguel forgot to add the yeast to his dough and as a result, the bread didn’t rise.

Transition words that describe examples and support

Other transition words make it clear that one concept supports another, either by
providing evidence, emphasizing it, or simply being an example. These words include:

 explicitly

 for this reason

 indeed

 markedly

 in general

 to clarify

 in fact

 especially
  by all means

 in other words

 notably

 particularly

 significantly

Here are a few examples of these transition words at work:

 They had to slow down production, particularly of items with a low profit margin.

 I love all kinds of pizza, especially stuffed-crust pizza.

 The sequel’s tone was markedly different from the first movie’s.

Conclusion and summary transition words

These are the transition words that bring paragraphs, arguments, and pieces of writing
to a close. They can also be used to summarize and restate ideas. These transition
phrases and words include:

 in summary

 in conclusion

 to conclude

 in any event

 in either case

 overall

 altogether

 in essence
  to summarize

 to sum up

Take a look at a few ways these words work in sentences:

 There were some surprises, but overall we had a great time.

 In conclusion, an upgraded security system isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity.

Transition words for describing time

Another category of transition words deals with time, specifically when something
happened or will happen in relation to another event. These words include:

 presently

 now

 occasionally

 once

 after

 in the meantime

 in a moment

 momentarily

 after

 at the present time

 all of a sudden

 every so often

Take a look at these transition phrases and words in action:

  I was walking through the mall when all of a sudden, I recognized my long-lost
sister standing in line to buy a pretzel.

 I’d love to hang out at the coffee shop after work.

 Don’t leave the lobby—we’ll be with you momentarily.

Transition words for locations

Transition words can also draw a reader’s attention to where something is located, or
the physical or spatial relationship between two things. This can mean where someone
or something is literally located, or they can be used figuratively, like “Dan’s auto body
shop is above Rick’s when it comes to quality and attention to detail.”

These words and phrases include:

 beside

 over

 where

 in front of

 behind

 next to

 under

 beyond

 amid

 among

 opposite

 adjacent to
  above

 below

You’ll notice that many of these words can also function as prepositions in a sentence.
They can also function as transition words that are part of adverbial clauses. Here are a
few examples of this kind of transition word at work:

 In the back, my cousin was grilling hamburgers.

 Among the students surveyed, more than half were excited to return to campus
full-time.

 Next to the garage, they found a parking spot.