UNIT 10

Transferring Information
Transitional Markers
Objectives:
to transfer text into diagrams,
charts, or tables
to recognize each transitional
marker and its function
to choose the right transitional
markers to complete a text

A. TRANSFERRING INFORMATION
Reading Skills needed for Transferring
Text into other Forms
Identifying topic, main idea, controlling
idea, topic sentence in a text.
Understanding sentence relationship
by transitional markers
Understanding text organization

B. WHAT ARE TRANSITIONAL

MARKERS?
Transitional markers are words or phrases
that indicate the flow or direction of the
writers idea. The transitional markers help
readers understand the organization of a
text as well. In turn, understanding of the
text organization will help readers transfer
the text into tables or charts etc., or make it
into an outline.

Function Common words and phrases

Addition First of all, for one thing, second, the
third reason, also, next, another, and, in
addition, moreover, furthermore, finally,
last of all.
Time

First, then, next, after, as, before, when,

while, meanwhile, now, during, finally

Space/
position

Next to, across, on the opposite side, to

the left, to the right, in front, in back,
above, behind, nearby

Contrast But, however, yet, in contrast,

otherwise, still, on the contrary, on the
other hand

Contrast

But, however, yet, in contrast,

otherwise, still, on the contrary,
on the other hand

Illustration

For example, for instance,

specifically, as an illustration,
such as

Conclusion/
cause-effect

Therefore, consequently, thus,

then, as a result, in summary, to
conclude, last of all, finally

Read the following passage and study how the

transitional markers are used. Then arrange the
phrases below according to the steps of
processing green coffee shown in the passage
Mechanical removal of dry skin
Decomposition of remaining pulp by 1-3 day
fermentation in tanks
Skin/pulp removal by machine
Drying by sunlight or hot-air driers
Washing traces of pulp from coffee seeds

 Processing green coffee (wet process). First, the skin

and pulp of the fresh fruit is removed by a pulping
machine, which consists of a rotating drum or disk
that presses the fruit against a sharp-edged or slotted
plate, disengaging the pulp from the seed. Pulp still
clings to the coffee, however, as a thin, mucilaginous
layer. This is then eliminated by fermentation, actually
a form of digestion in which naturally occurring pectic
enzymes decompose the pulp while the wetted seeds
are held in tanks for one to three days. Washing clears
all remaining traces of pulp from the coffee seeds,
which are then dried either by exposure to sunlight on
concrete terraces or by passing through hot-air driers.
The dry skin around the seed, called the parchment, is
then mechanically removed, sometimes with polishing.