Recognizing Transitions
What are transitions? Transitions are words or phrases that help lead the reader from one idea to
another. They act as signals that connect ideas and ensure that sentences and paragraphs flow together
smoothly. Transitional words and phrases introduce examples, give directions, tell where the paragraph
is going, and hold sentences together.
Why are transitions important? Transitions support the comprehension (meaning-making) process.
Good writers place transitions at specific points to assist their readers; likewise, good readers recognize
that transitional words are important for understanding the author’s message.
Recognizing Transitions
1. Transitions separate supporting details. Authors often use transitions to introduce
major details and examples.
2. Transitions occur within paragraphs. Transitions within paragraphs act as cues by
helping readers to anticipate what is coming before they read it. Within paragraphs,
transitions tend to be single words or short phrases.
3. Transitions occur between paragraphs. If the author has done a good job of
arranging paragraphs so the content of one leads to the next, a transition will point
out a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and
suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows. A transition
between paragraphs can be a word or two (however, for example, similarly), a
phrase, or a sentence. Transitions can be at the end of the first paragraph, at the
beginning of the second paragraph, or in both places.
4. Transitions are used between sections. In longer works, the author may include
transitional paragraphs that summarize for the reader the information just covered
and specify the relevance of this information to the discussion in the following section.
Sample Transition Words and Phrases
Add information to an idea:
As well as improving air quality by removing pollutants, plants also beautify.
Also
As well as
Along with
Besides
Equally important,
Furthermore
In addition
Indeed
In fact
In the same way,
Moreover
Not only
Second...Third...
Specific times or dates:
Over the last decade, there has been a peak in the number of students enrolling in community colleges over
four-year institutions.
A year later... For the past six months... In 1901...
