Show
200 Transition Words For Essays That Will Help Your Writing Flow BetterNeed some transition words for essays that will really help your paper flow? We’ve got you covered. You always hear professors and educators talk about including transition words within your paragraphs, but it can be tricky to figure out which words to use and where to put them. It’s also difficult to come up with new ones off the top of your head instead of using “however,” “but,” or “and” over and over again. Fortunately, we’re always here to help you out with the right tools and resources. We know all about transitional words and phrases, how to use them in every part of your essay, and how to make sure you make the right impression in your writing. This master list of 200 transition words for essays will give you some great ideas for your next writing assignment, and we’ve got some great tips and tricks you can use along the way. What Are Transition Words?Let’s start with the basics. What are transition words, anyway? Transitional words and phrases are used to link sentences together. They are similar to conjunctions in that they make connections and help your writing flow smoothly. You don’t talk to people in choppy sentences, so why would you write that way? A transition word is almost always followed by a comma. You can also use a semicolon to join the two sentences instead of separating them with a period if they are both complete sentences. This adds a little more connection between your thoughts. Here is an example: “Michael didn’t go to school on Wednesday; therefore, he missed the pop quiz.” If you’re not sure whether your sentences are complete and should be joined with a semicolon, check out our blog on the types of sentences in English. This will help you get a sense of how to structure your writing properly so you don’t lose marks on technical things. When using transition words for essays, you should also include them at the beginning of each of your body paragraphs. This not only helps you transition into the next thought, but introduces the next point you’re going to make. Why Should I Use Transition Words?Even though it seems like your sentences would be fine without including transition words, they make a really big difference in your writing. Transitional words and phrases make sentences flow together more effectively, adding that sense of connection between two thoughts or ideas. This makes essays easier to read, and more cohesive for your professor. For example, take a look at these sentences: “Leanna did not do any homework during the entire semester. She failed her history class.” When you use transition words for essays, you make your writing flow a lot better and can easily connect one point to another. This is especially important at the end of your body paragraphs, where you need to go from one point to the next in a way that sounds natural. Think of your sentences like a stack of bricks. Without the mortar to glue the bricks together, you just have a pile of bricks. But with mortar, you have something holding those bricks together to build something more solid – a house or a structure. Transition words are just like that mortar. Sure, your sentences can hold up on their own, but transition words hold your sentences together to create a more cohesive text as a whole. Types of Transition WordsThere are actually a few different categories that transitional words and phrases fall into. These categories are determined by the purpose and use of the word. For example, if you are using a transition word to add on to a point you’ve already made, you would use something from the “agreement, addition, or similarity” category. Here are the main categories of transition words for essays: ● Agreement, Addition, or Similarity ● Sequence or Order ● Contradiction or Opposition ● Cause and Effect ● Examples, Support, or Emphasis ● Location, Space/Place, or Time ● Conclusion, Clarification, or Summary Of course, you can use transitional words and phrases however you see fit and don’t have to stick to just these categories and lists. However, these lists are meant to be a guideline to help you choose the right word to complete your thought and idea. Using the wrong transition word in the wrong context can cause your paper to take a complete turn in a different direction. It’s All About RelationshipsUltimately, what you need to remember about transition words is that they are based on the relationship between two sentences or ideas. Just like there are different types of relationships between people, there are different types of relationships between words. This is where those different categories come in. When you use transition words at the end of one body paragraph before the next one, you are using them to show how one idea can lead into another. Further, this could be a cause and effect situation, where one point is the result of the previous point, or an agreement relationship where one factor adds on to another. Here is an example of a cause and effect relationship between sentences: “My grandmother smoked cigarettes for over 50 years. As a result, she developed lung cancer when she was in her 60s.” “As a result” is used as a transitional phrase here to indicate that the grandmother’s lung cancer was the result of her smoking cigarettes for a long time. When it comes to using transition words for essays, it’s important to make sure you’re using the right ones in the right place. Penn State recommends using them in “pivotal positions” where the meaning of the sentence shifts. Your professor is going to be grading your essays based on your ability to present your points, ideas, and arguments in a logical or cohesive way. No matter what type of paper you’re writing, from argumentative essays to personal reflections, you always need to be able to articulate your thoughts in a way that makes it easy for your reader to follow. If you’re out of ideas or need some new inspiration, you’re in the right place. Follow this list of 200 transition words for essays to find the right words to use in your own papers, assignments, and speeches. Agreement, Addition, or Similarity1. In addition to Sequence or Order1. Firstly… secondly… thirdly Contradiction or Opposition1. In spite of Cause and Effect1. As a result Examples, Support, or Emphasis1. For example Location, Space/Place, or Time1. After Conclusion, Clarification, or Summary1. In conclusion Where to Use Transition Words in Your EssaysNow that you understand which words you should use to transition between points and ideas, you may still have a few questions. For starters, you’re probably wondering where to use transition words in your writing and how they fit in with your overall message. There are a few different spots where you can use transition words within your essays or writing assignments: ● In your topic sentences at the start of each paragraph. ● To create connections between the evidence presented and the result or argument. ● In your closing sentence at the end of each paragraph to segway into the next one. ● At the beginning of your introduction or summary paragraphs. ● Within your conclusion to make summarized points. For more help with this, take a look at our blog on essay format. In this article, we show you exactly what should be included in each section of your essay so you can make sure you’re on the right track for success. Important Things to RememberIf you have even more questions, here are some important things to remember when using transition words that will help you as you write your essay. ● Don’t overuse transition words in your essay. You need them in key places, but you don’t need them in every single sentence. If you use too many transitions, your reader might feel like you’re not giving them enough credit to make obvious connections. ● Make sure you understand the word you’re using. The point of a transition word is to make a logical connection, so when you use the wrong word, the logic becomes lost entirely. ● Understand how to start your sentences. Many transition words are used at the beginning of sentences, but some are too casual and should be avoided in an academic essay. For example, never start a sentence with “and,” “but,” or “because.” Find a better and more formal word to replace these. ● Watch your sentence fragments. It’s easy to write sentence fragments with transition words and not realize they aren’t complete sentences because we are so accustomed to saying them in casual language. Make sure all of your sentences can stand on their own. ● Use an essay outline to help organize your writing. This way, you get a clear idea of exactly where you should be including transition words, and can avoid overusing them wherever they aren’t necessary. For more help with your essay outline, check out Episode 47 of The Homework Help Show. Still Not Sure How to Use Transition Words for Essays? Let us Help.If you’ve gone through this list of transition words for essays and still aren’t really sure how to use them, it’s time to turn to the experts. At Homework Help Global, we can take care of your essays and papers for you so you don’t have to spend so much time thinking about the right words to use. From argumentative essays to research papers, PhD dissertations, and more, we can handle any assignment you need completed. We’ll find all the words to get the point across, and you won’t have to write a single one of them yourself! Order now through our easy and quick form, or get a free custom quote now for your next assignment. Share: How do you start a body paragraph transition?Paragraph Transitions. elaborate on the idea presented in the preceding paragraph.. introduce a related idea.. continue a chronological narrative.. describe a problem with the idea presented in the preceding paragraph.. describe an exception to the idea presented in the preceding paragraph.. What are good body paragraph transitions?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.
How do you write a transition sentence in a body paragraph?Your transition sentence should do two things: introduce its paragraph's topic and give it context within your piece as a whole. Take a look at this example of a strong transition sentence between paragraphs: We hiked all day.
How do you start a body paragraph example?Topic Sentence (always the first sentence in your body paragraph) – It introduces your readers to your first example. In body paragraph #1, state the first point in support of the thesis. For example, your topic sentence for body #1 could read, “Music really helps students think better.”
|