TRANSITIONS
COORDINATORS: SUBORDINATORS: CONTRAST:
For After Lest However
And Although No matter how Otherwise
Nor As far as Now that Instead of
But As soon as Once but
Or As if Provided that yet
Yet As though Since On the other hand
So Because So that Although
Before Than Even though (wordy)
CONNECTORS: Even if Though in contrast with (to)
Therefore Even though Till on the contrary
Similarly How Unless Still
Hence If Until
Then Inasmuch as When(ever)
Consequently In case that Where(ever)
Also Insofar as Whether
Thus In that While
Why
SUBORDINATORS:
Subordinate clauses are linked and related to main clauses by subordinating conjunctions and relative pronouns
which signal whether a clause is related to the sentence base by:
TIME: after, before, since, until, when, while
PLACE: where, wherever
REASON: as, because, how, so that, since
CONDITION: although, if, unless, whether
ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION: that, which, who, whose
TIME: ADDITION:
first... First (of all)
second... step... Another reason is
The... next... phase... is In addition
last... stage... Also
final... Moreover
The most important reason is
Then Finally
Next
Afterwards
After this step EMPHASIS TRANSITIONS:
Finally keep in mind
remember
most of all
TIME: (the) most important
When I was five years old the best thing
As a little girl the basic reason
As a child the chief reason
As I grew older the chief factor
As an adult special attention should be paid to
Transitions and Connectors
Transitions and connectors are used within essays to help guide the reader through ideas much like road
signs help travellers between cities and within cities. Transitions and road signs tell where the
reader/traveller is in relation to the beginning, middle, and end, for example. Transitions and road signs
also tell what the reader/traveller should anticipate next or when to pause (or even stop) and take notice.
Specifically, the following system of classification may be helpful.
Connectors Contrast Addition
Therefore However First of all
Similarly Otherwise Another reason is
Hence Instead of In addition
Then But Also
Consequently Yet Moreover
Also On the other hand The most important reason is
Thus Although Finally
Even though For example
In contrast to (with) This means that
On the contrary Equally important
Still
Time Time Emphasis
first... When I was five years old Keep in mind
second... step... As a little girl Remember
The... third... phase... is As a child Most of all
next... stage... As I grew older (The) most important
final... As an adult The best thing
The basic reason
Then
The chief reason
Next
The chief factor
Afterwards
Special attention should be paid
After this step
to
Finally
Like coordinators and subordinators in compound and complex sentences, writers can develop the skill to
use transitions and connectors consciously within their essays. First, writers should at least find the
dictionary definitions to the words they do not know. Second, writers should notice how and where
transitions and connectors are used within essays and even within paragraphs. Then, writers should
practice using transitions and connectors within their own writing.
Have you ever tried to drive to a distant destination on strange roads in the dark with only infrequent or
poorly designed road signs? I have! It can be both frightening and frustrating, but a traveller half way
through a 1000 mile journey doesn't have much choice but to continue on the journey. The reader of an
essay, on the other hand, does have an option, which is to toss the essay aside "for another day," a day that
never comes.
In your essays, remember to clearly state your main point first. Then, follow with supporting details
always remembering to use clear transitions and connectors. They're like "roadsigns" to help your reader
find his/her way. Your reader will thank you for it!
