READING – Transitional Words and Phrases: Showing Relationships Within
and Between Sentences
rev. July 2005
TRANSITIONAL WORDS AND PHRASES
SHOWING RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN AND BETWEEN SENTENCES
Transitional words and phrases connect and relate ideas, sentences, and paragraphs. They assist in the
logical flow of ideas as they signal the relationship between sentences and paragraphs.
In prose, the material
is supported and conditioned not only by the ordering of the material (its position) but by connectives which
signal order, relationship and movement.
Some of the more commonly used connectives are listed below. Note especially how these
connections
function to develop, relate, connect and move ideas
.
1. To signal addition of ideas
and, also, besides, further, furthermore, too, moreover, in addition,
then, of equal importance, equally
important, another
2. To signal time
next, afterward, finally, later, last, lastly, at last, now, subsequently,
then, when, soon, thereafter,
after a short time, the next week (month,
day, etc.), a minute later, in the meantime, meanwhile, on the
following day, at length, ultimately,
presently
3. To signal order or sequence
first, second, (etc.), finally, hence, next, then, from here on, to begin
with, last of all, after, before, as soon as,
in the end, gradually
4. To signify space and place
above, behind, below, beyond, here, there, to the right (left), nearby,
opposite, on the other side, in the background, directly ahead, along
the wall,
as you turn right, at the tip, across the hall, at this point,
adjacent to
5. To signal an example
for example, to illustrate,
for instance, to be specific, such as,
moreover, furthermore, just as important, similarly, in the same way
