How to Write And Use Transition Sentences

Transition Words

As a "part of speech" transition words are used to link words, phrases or sentences. They help the reader to progress from one idea (expressed by the author) to the next idea. Thus, they help to build up coherent relationships within the text. Clear transitions are crucial to clear writing: They show the reader how different parts of your essay, paper, or thesis are connected.

What are transition sentences?

Transition sentences are the sentences that show the relationship between two or more ideas. Think of them as bridges, tunnels, and merges that connect different sections of your work, with specific words and phrases acting as road signs.

Take a look at this example:

• That company routinely touts efficiency as one of its core brand values. However, the current workday structure is inefficient and slows down employee productivity. Changing to a primarily remote structure with flexible working hours would increase productivity by improving efficiency.
• In this example, the middle sentence is the transition sentence. Try reading the first and third sentences in direct succession, skipping over the transition sentence. They make sense, but without that middle sentence, the statement, as a whole, is significantly less impactful.

What makes a good transition sentence?

A good transition sentence is one that makes the relationship between the ideas it's linking absolutely clear. It’s one of the most important tools in your writing toolkit because no matter what you’re writing—or whether you’re working on a short story, a blog post, a news article, or a lengthy academic work—being able to express your ideas in a clear way that your reader understands is key.

Placement of transition sentences

The beginning of a new paragraph is generally the right place for a transition sentence. Each paragraph should focus on one topic, so avoid spending time at the end of a paragraph explaining the theme of the next one.

• Incorrect: Transition at the end of a paragraph … The consensus view is clear from these quotations. The following paragraph discusses some scholars who dissent from this consensus. The first dissenter to consider is …
• Correct: Transition at the start of a paragraph … The consensus view is clear from these quotations. However, several scholars dissent from this consensus. The first one to consider is …

Useful words and phrases for transition sentences

The transitions word you choose for a sentence is critical to your reader’s ability to understand your writing because in many cases, otherwise identical sentences can have very different meanings if they have different transition words.

Here are quick examples of how word choice can transform one idea:

• We love to try different local restaurants and explore new cuisines. Recently, we tried two new restaurants downtown.
• We love to try different local restaurants and explore new cuisines. Hence, we tried two new restaurants downtown.
• We love to try different local restaurants and explore new cuisines. On the whole, we tried two new restaurants downtown.

Transitioning to a new section or Transitions between Paragraphs

While transitions between paragraphs are generally a single sentence, when you start a new section in a longer text, you may need an entire transition paragraph. Transitioning to a new section involves summarizing the content of the previous section and expressing how the new one will build upon or depart from it.

Take a look at this example of a strong transition sentence between paragraphs:

After we reached the peak, it was time to decide the best way to go back down the mountain. Somehow, it felt anticlimactic—months and months planning this hike, visualizing ourselves standing atop the tallest mountain we’d hiked to date and now, standing in that position, all I felt was the exhaustion I knew would come with maneuvering our way back down and out of the woods as the sunset.

In the example above, the use of “after” to initiate the transition creates a contextual contrast between the general ideas in each paragraph. Keep in mind, the kinds of transition words and phrases that work within paragraphs aren’t always the ones that work best to transition between paragraphs. For example, starting off a new paragraph with a word like “therefore” or “similarly” usually can’t introduce the following information sufficiently.

Transitions within a paragraph

It’s also important to use effective transitions within each paragraph you write, leading the reader through your arguments efficiently and avoiding ambiguity.

The known-new contract

The known-new contract, a useful writing concept, states that a new sentence should generally begin with some reference to information from the previous sentence, and then go on to connect it to new information.

In the following example, the second sentence doesn’t follow very clearly from the first. The connection only becomes clear when we reach the end.

• The industrial revolution had various effects on the population. Urbanization, involving the concentration of formerly rural populations in the new industrial towns, was one major effect of industrialization.

By reordering the information in the second sentence so that it begins with a reference to the first, we can help the reader follow our argument more smoothly.

• The industrial revolution had various effects on the population. One major effect was urbanization, which involved the concentration of formerly rural populations in the new industrial towns.

Transition words and phrases

Using appropriate transition words helps show your reader connections within and between sentences. Transition words and phrases come in four main types:

1-Additive transitions, which introduce new information or examples. furthermore, moreover, for example, in regard to x, similarly, in other words

2-Adversative transitions, which signal a contrast or departure from the previous text. however, although, nevertheless, regardless, above all, (or) at least

3-Causal transitions, which are used to describe cause and effect. because, therefore, consequently, if, provided that, so that, to

4-Sequential transitions, which indicate a sequence.first, second, third, initially, subsequently, finally, lastly, to return/returning to x, as previously mentioned, in conclusion

Grouping similar information

While transitioning words and phrases are essential, and every essay will contain at least some of them, it’s also important to avoid overusing them.

For example, the following text uses three transition words and jumps back and forth between ideas.

Example of overused transition words

Smith (2019) argues for the former hypothesis. However, Jones (2017) argues for the latter, while Davies (2015) agrees with Smith. Moreover, Baldwin (2018) also argues for the former hypothesis.

Smith (2019), Davies (2015), and Baldwin (2018) all argue for the former hypothesis, whereas Jones (2017) argues for the latter.