1. Getting from Point A to
Point B: Creating Good
Transitions
Al Kammerer
and
Bobbi Olson
11 October 2006

2. What is a transition?
 Bridges parts of your paper together
 Helps you (writer) carry over a thought from one
sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from
one paragraph to another with words or phrases
 Guides the reader to interpret ideas the way you (as a
writer) want them to
Point A
Point B

3. What is a transition?
 Transitions link sentences and paragraphs
together smoothly….
so there are no abrupt jumps
or breaks between ideas

4. Types of Transitions
 Some lead the reader
forward to “build”
on an idea or thought
 Others make your
reader compare
or draw conclusions
from preceding
thoughts
There are several types of transitional devices; each leads
your reader to make certain connections or assumptions
about the areas you’re connecting

5. Types of Transitions
 A transition can be
 A single word
 A phrase
 A sentence
 An entire paragraph
 All function the same way  a transition either
directly summarizes the content of a preceding
sentence, section, etc., or it helps the reader
anticipate or comprehend NEW information that
you’re going to present.

6. Transition Placement
 Between Sections
 In longer works, it may be necessary to include
transitional paragraphs that summarize for the reader
what was just covered and specify how it connects to
what is going to be covered next.
 Between Paragraphs
 If you have done a good job of arranging paragraphs so
that the content of one leads logically to the next, the
transition will highlight 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.

7. Example of Paragraph Transitions

8. Transition Placement
 Within Paragraphs:
 As with transitions between sections and
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.

9. Transitions – To Add
 These words signify that you’re elaborating
on an idea in your writing:
 And, again, and then, besides, equally
important, finally, further, furthermore, nor,
too, next, lastly, what’s more, moreover, in
addition, first (second, etc.)
 Example: Friends is a television show about six
friends. It shows how relationships are often
complicated.
 Friends is a television show about six friends.
Furthermore, it shows how relationships are often
complicated.

10. Transitions – To Compare
 These words signify you’re comparing a previous
idea to a new one in your paper, or describing
two different things:
 Whereas, but, yet, on the other hand, however,
nevertheless, on the other hand, on the contrary, by
comparison, where, compared to, up against, balanced
against, although, conversely, meanwhile, after all, in
contrast, although this may be true…
 Example: Ross and Rachel are dating. Ross and
Monica are siblings.
 Ross and Rachel are dating. However, Ross and
Monica are siblings.

11. Transitions – To Prove
 Use these words to indicate support for
your argument:
 Because, for, since, for the same reason,
obviously, evidently, furthermore, moreover,
besides, indeed, in fact, in addition, in any
case, that is…
 Example: Monica loves food. She is a chef.
 Monica loves food. In fact, she is a chef.

12. Transitions – To Show Exception
 These words help you move to an idea
that counters an earlier idea
 Yet, still, however, nevertheless, in spite of,
despite, of course, once in a while,
sometimes…
 Example: Phoebe acts unintelligently. She
has some of the smartest observations.
 Phoebe acts unintelligently. Yet, she has
some of the smartest observations.

13. Transitions – To Show Time
 When telling events in a chronological sequence,
these words help make the order clear:
 Immediately, thereafter, soon, after a few hours, finally,
then, later, previously, formerly, first (second, etc.),
next, and then…
 Example: Ross and Rachel get married. They get
a divorce. They have a baby.
 First, Ross and Rachel get married. Soon after,
they get a divorce. Then, they have a baby.

14. Transitions – To Repeat
 These types of transitional devices help
remind the reader what you have
mentioned before:
 In brief, as I have said, as I have noted, as has
been noted…
 Example: Ross and Rachel have a crazy
relationship.
 As has been shown, Ross and Rachel have
a crazy relationship.

15. Transitions – To Emphasize
 Emphasis words do just that – serve to
emphasize points that you want the reader to
really be aware of and understand:
 Definitely, extremely, obviously, in fact, indeed, in any
case, absolutely, positively, naturally, surprisingly,
always, forever, never, emphatically, unquestionably,
without a doubt, certainly, undeniably, without
reservation…
 Example: Ross has been married three times.
Ross likes to get married.
 Ross has been married three times. Obviously,
Ross likes to get married.

16. Transitions – To Show Sequence or
“Results”
 If there is no clear order or you’re writing that
one idea causes another, use the following
words:
 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…
 Example: Joey went to film a movie in Las Vegas.
Ross and Rachel got married.
 Joey went to film a movie in Las Vegas. At this
time, Ross and Rachel got married.

17. Transitions – To Give an Example
 Words such as these clearly indicate when you’re
giving an example to support yourself:
 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…
 Example: Joey does not share food. He will not
even share with Emma, Rachel’s baby.
 Joey does not share food. For example, he will
not even share with Emma, Rachel’s baby.

18. Transitions – To Summarize or
Conclude
 When trying to summarize your points, using
these words clearly signals your intent:
 In brief, 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,
on the whole…
 Example: Friends shows the lives of six friends. It
shows how they interact with each other.
 Friends shows the lives of six friends.
Consequently, it shows how they interact with
each other.

19. Transitions: Repeating Key Words
 Transitions don’t always have to be one of
these “signal” words; they can also be
words that you have used before to
remind the reader of what you are talking
about
 Example: Friends is about six friends who
remain loyal to each other despite all of the
issues that come up in their lives.
 Because of the loyalty Friends portrays, many
people are attracted to the show.

20. Sources
 Information courtesy of:
 Purdue OWL: Transitional Devices (Connecting Words)–
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/general/gl
_transition.html
 Standout Essays Writing Tutorial: Creating Smooth
Transitions –
http://www.standoutessay.com/tutorial/transitions.html
 The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill: Transitions –
http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/transitions.
html

21. Transition Exercises
 George Bernard Shaw wrote a series of maxims
beginning with four that define one of the most
ancient of these forms of advice—the Golden
Rule.
 Do not do unto others as you would that they should do
unto you. Their tastes may not be the same.
 Never resist temptation. Prove all things. Hold fast
that which is good.
 Do not love your neighbor as yourself. If you are on
good terms with yourself it is an impertinence; If on
bad, an injury.
 The golden rule is that there are no golden rules

22. As maxims, these sentences work because we add transitions Shaw
leaves out. Let's make an essay out of them by adding transitional words and
phrases.
 Two forms of the Golden Rule have surfaced
through the years—the negative and the positive.
The negative form advises that we should not
treat others in ways we would not want to be
treated. If something is a pain to you, this negative
Golden Rule advises us not to inflict that
treatment on others. The positive form advises
that we should treat others the way we like to be
treated. If something is pleasurable to you, you
should treat others to its pleasure. In his first
maxim, Shaw advised against the latter, but he
would probably also disagree with the former
negative phrasing statement. He advised that we
resist the temptation to do unto others as we
would that they do unto us because our tastes
might differ.

23.  Shaw further advised that we need to use
temptation rather than resist it. He said:
"Never resist temptation. Prove all things. Hold
fast that which is good." By testing our impulses
scientifically, we might better learn which of our
whims might actually lead to self improvement.
In other words, by experimenting, we can
discover the truth. Only then, can we learn to
follow the better of our angels rather than those
that make us worse. In this way, we can learn
about our real rather than our imagined strengths
and weaknesses.

24.  Due to this constant learning process, Shaw did not
think we automatically know what is best for ourselves.
Writing during the earliest phase of modern psychology,
Shaw knew that some of us are uncomfortable being the
way we are. He gave two reasons for advising that we
should not love our neighbor as ourselves. The first was
that if we love ourselves, we might act impertinently or
overly familiar to those not ready with such familiarity.
The second, was that if we do not love ourselves, we
might injure others by treating them as badly as we
treat ourselves. For instance, we may like smoking, but
our neighbor may not enjoy us blowing smoke in his face.
Shaw said: "Do not love your neighbor as yourself. If you
are on good terms with yourself, it is an impertinence. If
on bad, an injury." Shaw shows how an innocent ideal rule
can lead to trouble.

25.  Rather than injure each other with
such an easily misunderstood ideal, he
advised that we forget the Golden Rule,
saying that "the Golden Rule is that there
are no golden rules." The dangers of
misapplying similar ideals in the shape
of rules were clear to Shaw, and the logic
of his conclusions is clear and compelling.
We should test our ideals and rules
rather than accept them naively.