COMMON TRANSITION WORDS

Discuss both views and give your

opinion.

Listing

Points

to

Show

Ideas:

New Showing an Example:

These days, more and more people are
making the choice to go to university.
example,
While some people are of the opinion
For
instance,
that the only purpose of a university
all, To
illustrate,
education is to improve job prospects,
begin, A case in point,
others think that society and the
For

Firstly,
First

of

To
Secondly,

individual benefit in much broader ways.

Finally,
Furthermore,
In

It is certainly true that one of the main

addition,

aims of university is to secure a better

Also,

job. To begin, the majority of people

Moreover,

want to improve their future career

prospects. Attending university is one
the best ways to do this as it
Showingof
a Result:

Showing Contrast:

increases your marketable skills and

Therefore,your
attractiveness
to
potential
hand, As
a
result,
employers. For example, in Europe,

However,
On

the

other

In contrast,

Consequently,
further education is very expensive for
Thus,
many people, so most would not
consider it if it would not provide them

with a more
secure future and a higher
introduce
concluding
standard of living. Also, universities
comments:

Showing time: (commonly in essay To

introductions)

Nowadays,

In

have their reputation to consider. They

conclude,
definitely want
to ensure that their
conclusion,
students are going to get the best jobs

At present,

In

brief,
as this will affect
future funding and

These

days, To

All in all, university applications.

However, there are other benefits for
individuals

and

society. Firstly,

the

Here is an example of them in use in an

independence of living away from home

essay:

is

benefit

because

it

helps

the

students develop better social skills and

Some people believe the aim of

improve

university

help

students, for instance, will have to leave

Others

their families, live in halls of residence

wider

and meet new friends. As a result, their

education

is

to

graduates get better jobs.

believe

there

are

much

as

person.

Many

benefits of university education for

maturity

both individuals and society.

enabling them to live more fulfilling

and

confidence

will

grow

lives. Secondly, society will gain from

the contribution that the graduates can

go on to look further at how some of

make to the economy. We are living in

them are used.

a very competitive world, so countries,

especially developing countries, need
educated people in order to compete
and prosper.

Most of these transition words are used

in the same way in sentences and are
followed by a subject and verb.

To conclude, I believe that although a

main aim of university education is to
get the best job, there are clearly
further benefits.
promote

and

1) Full-stop, capital letter, comma

If we continue to
encourage

There are many ways to improve

university

congestion. For

attendance, it will lead to a better future

example, some

for everyone.

Netherlands
Many

As you now know, transition words are

used to guide a reader through your
writing and to make it more coherent.
The better your writing coherence, the
easier it will be to follow your
arguments in your essay.

go on. If you over use transitionsthey

can

make

your

slightly mechanical as

writing

look

very

good

writers will need to use them less as

they will have the ability to cleverly
guide someone through their writing
without them.
It is quite a high level skill though. So it
really depends on your ability. If you are
at a lower level of writing, you should
make more use of them as they will
make it easy for the examiner to follow
your ideas.

have

in

The

pedestrian

only city centres.

How to use the words in sentences

One important point though before we

cities

countries

have

now

reduced their CO2 emissions. As

a

result, there

is

now

less

pollution.

OR
2) Semi-colon, small letter, comma
There are many ways to improve
congestion; for example, some
cities in The Netherlands have
pedestrian only city centres.
Many

countries

have

now

reduced their CO2 emissions;as

a

result, there

is

now

less

pollution.
Varying
Position
Transition Words

and

Use

of

However, you do not want to use these

If you have more sophistication in your

words

writing, you may not want to use them

should vary their position, and dont

too much or it could affect your style.

repeat the same word too often. You

If you are unsure, it probably means

you need to be using them! We'll now

too

mechanically

so

you

can vary the position with the following

transitions:

1) Giving Examples
You can vary your use of for example
and for instance by moving them to
after the first phrase of the sentence or
to after the subject or verb.

3) Listing Points
These can also be varied. For example:
Firstly, an advantage of a new
public transport system is that it

There are many ways to improve

will reduce traffic congestion.

congestion. Some cities in The

Netherlands, for instance, have

Again, to improve your writing, you

pedestrian only city centres.

should vary the way you use these.

There are many ways to improve

They can be changed so they are no

congestion. Some cities in The

longer a transition but become part of

Netherlands

have, for

the subject:

instance, pedestrian

only

city

The first advantage of a new

centres.

public transport system is that it

2) Giving a Contrast or Result

Similarly,

will reduce traffic congestion.

you

can

place contrast or result transitions

further down the sentence:
Tokyo now has a Sky Train.
Traffic

problems, as

result/therefore/as
consequence, have

a
decreased

significantly.
These can also be joined to the previous
sentence with the conjunction 'and:
Tokyo

now

has

Train, and,

Sky

as

result/therefore/as

consequence, traffic problems

have decreased significantly.
Note: you cannot join it to another
sentence without and:
Tokyo now has a Sky Train, as a
result,

traffic

problems

have

decreased significantly. - this is

incorrect.

20 Sets of Transition
Phrases To Know

Words

Transition words make your writing

easier to understand and create
relationship between two sentences and
ideas. To know these 20 words /
phrases sets, just brows the list once a
week or better yet - memorize it. In
addition, also be certain that you
understand their meanings before you
use them. Often, there exists a slight,
but significant, difference between two
apparently
similar
words.
Also
remember
that
while
transitions
describe relationships between ideas,
they do not automatically create
relationships between ideas for your
reader. Use transitions with enough
context in a sentence or paragraph to
make the relationships clear.
Example of unclear transition:
The characters in Book A face a
moral dilemma. In the same way,
the characters in Book B face a
similar problem.
Improved transition:

The characters in Book A face a moral

dilemma, a contested inheritance.
Although the inheritance in Book B
consists of an old house and not a pile
of money, the nature of the problem is
quite similar.
Set 1 To State the Reasons

There are different reasons why

There are several explanations for

There are many positive/negative

reasons for

There
are
some/more/fewer
benefits/disadvantages to

Set 2 To Give an Opinion

. . .may/might

. . .can be
Set 4 To Further the Argument

First (of all) . . . Second . . .Third

In addition

There are three reasons why

Similarly

Furthermore

Moreover

Further

As an example

(Why) I believe

For instance

Id like to explain why

Whats more

Personally

Not only . . . but also

Id enjoy

. . . including

I would prefer

More than

I think

Also

In my opinion

. . . coupled with

As far as Im concerned

Both . . . and

It seems to me

I suggest
Set 3 To Set Up a Condition

Set 5 To Summarize/Conclude

In conclusion

Finally

If

As a result (of)

Even if

In summary

If I could

Therefore

Whether (or not)

To sum up

In other words

To summarize

Immediately

Then

Then

In brief

Later

On the whole

Afterwards

To conclude

After

As we have seen

Before

As has been said

While

During

As soon as

As

Sometimes

Last

Frequently

When

Once

Set 6 To Restate or Repeat an

Argument

To put it differently

To repeat

Namely

That is

In other words
Set 7 To Show Cause / Reason
and Effect / Result

Set 8 To Show Time Relationships

Consequently

Often

Because (of)

Oftentimes

Due to

Since

Thanks to

If this occurs, then

Overall

To this end

For the most part

Since

In general

For this reason

Generally speaking

As a result

By and large

Caused by

Set 9 To Generalize

Set 10 To Show Contrast / Make

an Exception

Some may argue that

Although

Even though

Whereas

Instead

In contrast

On the one hand

On the other hand

However

In spite of

Despite

Unlike

On the contrary

But

Yet

Rather than

Either

Or

Nor

Neither

Either . . . or

Neither . . . nor

Nevertheless

Nonetheless

Sometimes

Once in a while

Occasionally

Someother(s)

Other(s)

Often

None
Set 11 To Emphasize

Above all

Obviously

Clearly

Evidently

Actually

In fact

Certainly

Definitely

Extremely

Indeed

Absolutely

Positively

Surprisingly

Unquestionably

Without a doubt

Objectively

In fact
Set 12 To Show Space

at the left

at the right

nearer

in the center

adjacent

on the side

in the background

along the edge

on top, below

beneath

under

around

above

over

straight ahead

at the top

at the bottom

surrounding

opposite

Set 13
To
Suggestion

at the rear - at the front - in

front of

Argue/Make

. . . seems to warrant

. . . contend/s

. . . argue/s

. . . justify/ies

This observation is supported by

To plead

. . . suggest/s

The suggestion is valid

. . . propose/s

. . . claim/s

. . .state/s

. . . clearly proof enough

beside - behind

If I had the choice

next to

. . . examine/s

nearby

. . . assert/s

in the distance

beyond

in the
foreground

forefront

Set 14 To Show Disagreement

in

the

. . . object/s (to)

. . . disagree/s with

within sight - out of sight

. . . contradict/s

across

. . . doesnt/dont support

under

. . . is/are invalid

These arguments, one by one,

can be challenged

.
.
.
absurd/ridiculous/unfounded/illogical

is

Set 17 To Show Purpose

In order to

For

. . . not to be taken seriously

So that

. . . has/have no scientific basis

So as to

. . . dispute/s
Set 15 To
over Another

Choose

One

Set 18 To Show Evidence/Give an

Example

Option

As evidence of

. . . might be the better option

The legitimacy of

. . . make/s it a better policy

Such as

Its beneficial/better/positive

For example

Its detrimental/worse/negative

A few of these are

. . . is true/false

In the case of

The assertion that

In addition

For one thing . . . for another

. . . seem/s to offer strong

arguments for/against

. . . is/are better/worse than

Set 16 To Show Similarity

Just as

As . . . as

In the same way

Similarly

Likewise

As in/as with/as was/etc.

Set 19 To State the Problem

The problem is (how)

The question is

What is being asked/challenged

Set 20 To State the Options

One option is

The other option is