how to transition between paragraphs in an essay

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Writing Transitions

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Good transitions can connect paragraphs and turn disconnected writing into a unified whole. Instead of treating paragraphs as separate ideas, transitions can help readers understand how paragraphs work together, reference one another, and build to a larger point. The key to producing good transitions is highlighting connections between corresponding paragraphs. By referencing in one paragraph the relevant material from previous paragraphs, writers can develop important points for their readers.

It is a good idea to continue one paragraph where another leaves off. (Instances where this is especially challenging may suggest that the paragraphs don't belong together at all.) Picking up key phrases from the previous paragraph and highlighting them in the next can create an obvious progression for readers. Many times, it only takes a few words to draw these connections. Instead of writing transitions that could connect any paragraph to any other paragraph, write a transition that could only connect one specific paragraph to another specific paragraph.

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How to Use Paragraph Transitions to Strengthen Your Writing

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Last updated: Sep 22, 2021 • 4 min read

An important part of essay writing is learning how to effectively employ paragraph transitions—shifting from one paragraph or idea to the next. Learning to effectively use the different types of transitions will help you write more cohesive pieces and improve the clarity of your writing.

how to transition between paragraphs in an essay

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Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Transition Words & Phrases | List & Examples

Published on May 29, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on August 23, 2023.

Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.

The proposed solution to the problem did not work. Therefore , we attempted a second solution. However , this solution was also unsuccessful.

For clear writing, it’s essential to understand the meaning of transition words and use them correctly.

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When and how to use transition words, types and examples of transition words, common mistakes with transition words, other interesting articles.

Transition words commonly appear at the start of a new sentence or clause (followed by a comma ), serving to express how this clause relates to the previous one.

Transition words can also appear in the middle of a clause. It’s important to place them correctly to convey the meaning you intend.

Example text with and without transition words

The text below describes all the events it needs to, but it does not use any transition words to connect them. Because of this, it’s not clear exactly how these different events are related or what point the author is making by telling us about them.

If we add some transition words at appropriate moments, the text reads more smoothly and the relationship among the events described becomes clearer.

Germany invaded Poland on September 1, 1939. Consequently , France and the United Kingdom declared war on Germany. The Soviet Union initially worked with Germany in order to partition Poland. However , Germany invaded the Soviet Union in 1941.

Don’t overuse transition words

While transition words are essential to clear writing, it’s possible to use too many of them. Consider the following example, in which the overuse of linking words slows down the text and makes it feel repetitive.

In this case the best way to fix the problem is to simplify the text so that fewer linking words are needed.

The key to using transition words effectively is striking the right balance. It is difficult to follow the logic of a text with no transition words, but a text where every sentence begins with a transition word can feel over-explained.

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There are four main types of transition word: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific functions.

Remember that transition words with similar meanings are not necessarily interchangeable. It’s important to understand the meaning of all the transition words you use. If unsure, consult a dictionary to find the precise definition.

Additive transition words

Additive transition words introduce new information or examples. They can be used to expand upon, compare with, or clarify the preceding text.

Function	Example sentence	Transition words and phrases
Addition	We found that the mixture was effective. , it appeared to have additional effects we had not predicted.	indeed, furthermore, moreover, additionally, and, also, both and , not only but also , , in fact
Introduction	Several researchers have previously explored this topic. , Smith (2014) examined the effects of …	such as, like, particularly, including, as an illustration, for example, for instance, in particular, to illustrate, especially, notably
Reference	The solution showed a high degree of absorption. , it is reasonable to conclude that …	considering , regarding , in regard to , as for , concerning , the fact that , on the subject of
Similarity	It was not possible to establish a correlation between these variables. , the connection between and remains unclear …	similarly, in the same way, by the same token, in like manner, equally, likewise
Clarification	The patient suffered several side effects, increased appetite, decreased libido, and disordered sleep.	that is (to say), namely, specifically, more precisely, in other words

Adversative transition words

Adversative transition words always signal a contrast of some kind. They can be used to introduce information that disagrees or contrasts with the preceding text.

Function	Example sentence	Transition words and phrases
Conflict	The novel does deal with the theme of family. , its central theme is more broadly political …	but, however, although, though, equally, by way of contrast, while, on the other hand, (and) yet, whereas, in contrast, (when) in fact, conversely, whereas
Concession	Jones (2011) argues that the novel reflects Russian politics of the time. this is correct, other aspects of the text must also be considered.	even so, nonetheless, nevertheless, even though, on the other hand, admittedly, despite , notwithstanding , (and) still, although, , regardless (of ), (and) yet, though, granted
Dismissal	It remains unclear which of these hypotheses is correct. , it can be inferred that …	regardless, either way, whatever the case, in any/either event, in any/either case, at any rate, all the same
Emphasis	The chemical is generally thought to have corrosive properties. , several studies have supported this hypothesis.	above all, indeed, more/most importantly
Replacement	The character of Godfrey is often viewed as selfish, self-absorbed.	(or) at least, (or) rather, instead, or (perhaps) even, if not

Causal transition words

Causal transition words are used to describe cause and effect. They can be used to express purpose, consequence, and condition.

Function	Example sentence	Transition words and phrases
Consequence	Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany.	therefore, because (of ), as a result (of ), for this reason, in view of , as, owing to x, due to (the fact that), since, consequently, in consequence, as a consequence, hence, thus, so (that), accordingly, so much (so) that, under the/such circumstances, if so
Condition	We qualified survey responses as positive the participant selected “agree” or “strongly agree.” , results were recorded as negative.	(even/only) if/when, on (the) condition that, in the case that, granted (that), provided/providing that, in case, in the event that, as/so long as, unless, given that, being that, inasmuch/insofar as, in that case, in (all) other cases, if so/not, otherwise
Purpose	We used accurate recording equipment our results would be as precise as possible.	to, in order to/that, for the purpose of, in the hope that, so that, to the end that, lest, with this in mind, so as to, so that, to ensure (that)

Sequential transition words

Sequential transition words indicate a sequence, whether it’s the order in which events occurred chronologically or the order you’re presenting them in your text. They can be used for signposting in academic texts.

Function	Example sentence	Transition words and phrases
Enumeration	This has historically had several consequences: , the conflict is not given the weight of other conflicts in historical narratives. , its causes are inadequately understood. , …	first, second, third…
Initiation	, I want to consider the role played by women in this period.	in the first place, initially, first of all, to begin with, at first
Continuation	, I discuss the way in which the country’s various ethnic minorities were affected by the conflict.	subsequently, previously, eventually, next, before , afterwards, after , then
Conclusion	, I consider these two themes in combination.	to conclude (with), as a final point, eventually, at last, last but not least, finally, lastly
Resumption	my main argument, it is clear that …	to return/returning to , to resume, at any rate
Summation	Patel (2015) comes to a similar conclusion. , the four studies considered here suggest a consensus that the solution is effective.	as previously stated/mentioned, in summary, as I have argued, overall, as has been mentioned, to summarize, briefly, given these points, in view of , as has been noted, in conclusion, in sum, altogether, in short

Transition words are often used incorrectly. Make sure you understand the proper usage of transition words and phrases, and remember that words with similar meanings don’t necessarily work the same way grammatically.

Misused transition words can make your writing unclear or illogical. Your audience will be easily lost if you misrepresent the connections between your sentences and ideas.

Confused use of therefore

“Therefore” and similar cause-and-effect words are used to state that something is the result of, or follows logically from, the previous. Make sure not to use these words in a way that implies illogical connections.

We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. Therefore , the average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

The use of “therefore” in this example is illogical: it suggests that the result of 7.5 follows logically from the question being asked, when in fact many other results were possible. To fix this, we simply remove the word “therefore.”

We asked participants to rate their satisfaction with their work from 1 to 10. The average satisfaction among participants was 7.5.

Starting a sentence with also , and , or so

While the words “also,” “and,” and “so” are used in academic writing, they are considered too informal when used at the start of a sentence.

Also , a second round of testing was carried out.

To fix this issue, we can either move the transition word to a different point in the sentence or use a more formal alternative.

A second round of testing was also carried out.
Additionally , a second round of testing was carried out.

Transition words creating sentence fragments

Words like “although” and “because” are called subordinating conjunctions . This means that they introduce clauses which cannot stand on their own. A clause introduced by one of these words should always follow or be followed by another clause in the same sentence.

The second sentence in this example is a fragment, because it consists only of the “although” clause.

Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. Although other researchers disagree.

We can fix this in two different ways. One option is to combine the two sentences into one using a comma. The other option is to use a different transition word that does not create this problem, like “however.”

Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed, although other researchers disagree.
Smith (2015) argues that the period should be reassessed. However , other researchers disagree.

And vs. as well as

Students often use the phrase “ as well as ” in place of “and,” but its usage is slightly different. Using “and” suggests that the things you’re listing are of equal importance, while “as well as” introduces additional information that is less important.

Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf, as well as presenting my analysis of To the Lighthouse .

In this example, the analysis is more important than the background information. To fix this mistake, we can use “and,” or we can change the order of the sentence so that the most important information comes first. Note that we add a comma before “as well as” but not before “and.”

Chapter 1 discusses some background information on Woolf and presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse .
Chapter 1 presents my analysis of To the Lighthouse , as well as discussing some background information on Woolf.

Note that in fixed phrases like “both x and y ,” you must use “and,” not “as well as.”

Both my results as well as my interpretations are presented below.
Both my results and my interpretations are presented below.

Use of and/or

The combination of transition words “and/or” should generally be avoided in academic writing. It makes your text look messy and is usually unnecessary to your meaning.

First consider whether you really do mean “and/or” and not just “and” or “or.” If you are certain that you need both, it’s best to separate them to make your meaning as clear as possible.

Participants were asked whether they used the bus and/or the train.
Participants were asked whether they used the bus, the train, or both.

Archaic transition words

Words like “hereby,” “therewith,” and most others formed by the combination of “here,” “there,” or “where” with a preposition are typically avoided in modern academic writing. Using them makes your writing feel old-fashioned and strained and can sometimes obscure your meaning.

Poverty is best understood as a disease. Hereby , we not only see that it is hereditary, but acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

These words should usually be replaced with a more explicit phrasing expressing how the current statement relates to the preceding one.

Poverty is best understood as a disease. Understanding it as such , we not only see that it is hereditary, but also acknowledge its devastating effects on a person’s health.

Using a paraphrasing tool for clear writing

With the use of certain tools, you can make your writing clear. One of these tools is a paraphrasing tool . One thing the tool does is help your sentences make more sense. It has different modes where it checks how your text can be improved. For example, automatically adding transition words where needed.

If you want to know more about AI for academic writing, AI tools, or writing rules make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Writing Tips

Making Writing Flow with Transitional Words and Phrases

3-minute read
10th January 2020

One challenge of academic writing is making sure your essay flows from one section, paragraph, or sentence to the next. Without doing this, your writing may seem choppy, making it difficult for readers to follow your argument.

To ensure your writing flows, it’s important to use transitional words and paragraphs. These are phrases and passages of text that link different parts of your essay , usually by specifying how one sentence or paragraph relates to the next. Let’s look at a few examples of how this works.

How to Use Transitional Paragraphs

A transitional paragraph is a short passage explaining the connection between two parts of an essay, often by summarizing the previous section to prepare for the following one. This helps the reader follow your argument.

For example, if we were discussing the causes of a marketing trend, we might use a transitional paragraph to move from one point of focus to the next:

In the previous section we considered environmental factors behind the observed changes, whereas now we will examine psychological motivations. These are connected insofar as…

Generally, transitional paragraphs are useful in longer essays or dissertations, especially those comprising several independent chapters. Your reader may need reminders of what you’ve discussed so they can see how each section contributes to your overall argument.

How to Use Transitions within Paragraphs

Equally important are transitions within paragraphs. A long passage with short, unconnected sentences will be very confusing. This is where transitional words and phrases come in handy. They can help you specify the relationship between sentences.

Take, for example, these sentences, where there are no obvious transitions:

Bill and Ben (1952) achieved their results using non-standard language. Other studies have used conventional forms of speech. It is not clear whether the language used effects findings.

This isn’t hard to follow, but over an entire essay it can become difficult. The reader may have to guess how each sentence relates to the other. Therefore, it’s helpful to include a few words or phrases to bridge the statements:

Bill and Ben (1952) achieved their results using non-standard language, but other studies have used conventional forms of speech. Consequently, it is not clear whether the language used effects findings.

Here, connecting the first two sentences with “but” shows that a contrast is being introduced, while the phrase “consequently” signals that the third sentence is a conclusion based on the preceding statements.

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List of Transitional Words and Phrases

Let’s end with a short list of some handy transitional words and phrases. Just make sure you know what they all mean before using them!

With the simple addition of transition words like these, we remove any doubt about how two sentences may be related.

Another way to ensure your writing is clear, though, is to have it proofread by the specialists. Get in touch today if you’d like our expert help!

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Paragraphs: Transitions

Transitions.

The strength of any argument largely hinges on the writer's ability to make clear connections between his or her assessments, assertions, and research. This means that every sentence needs to rely on the previous sentence and contribute to the next. After all, this sort of logic-based linking is what ultimately guides your reader from one idea to the next and explains the relationships between your research and assessments.

In the links below, you will find a list of possible connections or relationships writers frequently make in their papers. By clicking on these links, you can read a list of transitional terms that highlight these specific kinds of relationships between the research a writer has drawn upon and the assessments, or assertions he or she is making. In addition, each link includes a list of examples indicating the use of a successful transitional word or phrase.

Transitions Video Playlist

Note that these videos were created while APA 6 was the style guide edition in use. There may be some examples of writing that have not been updated to APA 7 guidelines.

Academic Paragraphs: Introduction to Paragraphs and the MEAL Plan (video transcript)
Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 1: Transitions Between Paragraphs (video transcript)
Academic Paragraphs: Types of Transitions Part 2: Transitions Within Paragraphs (video transcript)
Academic Paragraphs: Appropriate Use of Explicit Transitions (video transcript)
Engaging Writing: Incorporating Transitions (video transcript)
Engaging Writing: Examples of Incorporating Transitions (video transcript)

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Paragraph transitions

Paragraph transition is the movement between paragraphs, specifically how effectively logical order and transitions/transitional devices are used.

Arranging paragraphs so that the content of one leads logically to the next, will highlight a relationship that already exists by summarizing the previous paragraph and suggesting something of the content of the paragraph that follows. A transition between paragraphs can be a word or two, a phrase, or a sentence.

Organization

Transitions can help reinforce your paper’s organization by providing the reader with essential information regarding the relationship between your ideas.

In the example below, the author uses the topic of reading strategies to both introduce the topic and conclude the first paragraph. Then, the author refers back to those reading strategies to introduce the second paragraph and expand the discussion on the topic.

One of the larger impacts on our writing as students is how we go about reading the texts we’re assigned in classes. It is simple to suggest that actually doing our assigned reading is critical; however, effective, careful reading is a bit more involved than that, and it is this reading that is crucial to our writing process. For instance, I have a problem reading while lying down because I risk dozing off when I do. My solution has been to avoid this behavior, but in recognizing and remedying that problem, I have only taken one step in the long process of developing useful reading strategies .
Successful reading strategies can help us understand complicated or confusing writing. They can improve our memory for what we have read. They can even help us with synthesis, or drawing connections across many texts. These strategies can involve how we read, when and how we make annotations, and what questions we ask ourselves as we read.

Miller, Logan. "Reading Strategies: 24 Questions to Improve Understanding." Web log post. UNR Writing Center Blog . University of Nevada, Reno, University Writing Center, Apr. 2014. Web.

First, the writer introduces the idea of reading strategies while concluding this paragraph. The writer describes their personal experience in recognizing and developing useful reading strategies.

My solution has been to avoid this behavior, but in recognizing and remedying that problem, I have only taken one step in the long process of developing useful reading strategies .

The writer then provides a sentence to introduce the reader to this paragraph on reading strategies. This allows the writer to expand the scope of the discussion on reading strategies by introducing the function of reading strategies, rather than focusing on the writer’s own reading choices. This lets the writer move from a narrow discussion (their own personal reading strategies) to a broad one (why reading strategies are important).

Successful reading strategies can help us understand complicated or confusing

These two sentences work together to create a clear and smooth transition between different parts of the same topic. The author is able to move between explaining their personal experience with reading strategies into a broader discussion of reading strategies as a whole through their use of paragraph able to move from one topic to the next without confusion.

Connections

Paragraph transitions can also be used to spark interest in the connections made between ideas.

In this example, the author uses the first paragraph to set up and contextualize a comparison that they are making between theses and roadmaps. Then, they use the first sentence of the second paragraph to tell the reader what that comparison is.

More often than I’d like to admit, I see theses that look something like this: “In society today, a lot has changed.” The student then turns to me and asks if their thesis is okay, and I have to look them in the eye and tell them I honestly didn’t know they had a thesis. This is a tough conversation to have—after all, a thesis is an extremely important part of any scholarly essay, but it is an easy issue to solve, and I find myself drawing upon a specific comparison to describe a thesis in essay writing.
Your thesis is like a roadmap. It needs proper signposts and markings to let people know how to get to their destination, and in the event that it is unable to provide these signposts, people can get lost. Your thesis is exactly the same way. If your thesis can’t guide me through your argument, the nuance and logic of your essay can be lost, just like a person who doesn’t have a roadmap or directions. We need these signposts, as readers, to get through the paper without a hitch.

Matzek, Stewart. "The Roadmap to Your Paper: Specificity in Your Thesis Statement." Web blog post. UNR Writing Center Blog . University of Nevada, Reno, University Writing Center, Apr. 2014. Web.

The writer concludes this paragraph with a discussion of the problem with thesis statements and suggests there is an easy comparison to make to solve this issue.

This is a tough conversation to have—after all, a thesis is an extremely important part of any scholarly essay, but it is an easy issue to solve, and I find myself drawing upon a specific comparison to describe a thesis in essay

The next paragraph starts with the comparison and then continues on to expand on the comparison.

Your thesis is like a roadmap.

These transitions work to guide the reader between paragraphs while also concluding or introducing their respective paragraphs. The ending of the first paragraph is almost like a cliffhanger: the reader is pushed into the next paragraph by their desire to find out what that comparison is. This helps drive interest throughout the paper and helps link ideas together by establishing relationships between paragraphs.

Transitional Words and Phrases

One of your primary goals as a writer is to present ideas in a clear and understandable way. To help readers move through your complex ideas, you want to be intentional about how you structure your paper as a whole as well as how you form the individual paragraphs that comprise it. In order to think through the challenges of presenting your ideas articulately, logically, and in ways that seem natural to your readers, check out some of these resources: Developing a Thesis Statement , Paragraphing , and Developing Strategic Transitions: Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections Between Ideas.

While clear writing is mostly achieved through the deliberate sequencing of your ideas across your entire paper, you can guide readers through the connections you’re making by using transitional words in individual sentences. Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between your ideas and can help your reader understand your paper’s logic.

In what follows, we’ve included a list of frequently used transitional words and phrases that can help you establish how your various ideas relate to each other. We’ve divided these words and phrases into categories based on the common kinds of relationships writers establish between ideas.

Two recommendations: Use these transitions strategically by making sure that the word or phrase you’re choosing matches the logic of the relationship you’re emphasizing or the connection you’re making. All of these words and phrases have different meanings, nuances, and connotations, so before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely, and be sure that it’s the right match for your paper’s logic. Use these transitional words and phrases sparingly because if you use too many of them, your readers might feel like you are overexplaining connections that are already clear.

Categories of Transition Words and Phrases

Causation Chronology Combinations Contrast Example

Importance Location Similarity Clarification Concession

Conclusion Intensification Purpose Summary

Transitions to help establish some of the most common kinds of relationships

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

after all although and yet at the same time but

despite however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

Improving Your Writing Style

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Clear, Concise Sentences

Use the active voice

Put the action in the verb

Tidy up wordy phrases

Reduce wordy verbs

Reduce prepositional phrases

Reduce expletive constructions

Avoid using vague nouns

Avoid unneccessarily inflated words

Avoid noun strings

Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

Writing Studio

Common transition words and phrases.

In an effort to make our handouts more accessible, we have begun converting our PDF handouts to web pages. Download this page as a PDF: Transitions Return to Writing Studio Handouts

Transitions clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. These tools should alert readers to shifts in your argument while and also maintain the smoothness and clarity of your prose. Below, you’ll find some of the most commonly used transition categories and examples of each. Depending on the example, these suggestions may be within sentences or at the beginning of sentences.

Transitions by Category

1. addition.

Use when presenting multiple ideas that flow in the same direction, under the same heading/ idea also, another, finally, first, first of all, for one thing, furthermore, in addition, last of all, likewise, moreover, next, and, second, the third reason

2. Sequence/ Order

Use to suggest a temporal relationship between ideas; places evidence in sequence first, second (etc.), next, last, finally, first of all, concurrently, immediately, prior to, then, at that time, at this point, previously, subsequently, and then, at this time, thereafter, previously, soon, before, after, followed by, after that, next, before, after, meanwhile, formerly, finally, during

3. Contrast

Use to demonstrate differences between ideas or change in argument direction but, however, in contrast, on the other hand, on the contrary, yet, differ, difference, balanced against, differing from, variation, still, on the contrary, unlike, conversely, otherwise, on the other hand, however

4. Exception

Use to introduce an opposing idea however, whereas, on the other hand, while, instead, in spite of, yet, despite, still, nevertheless, even though, in contrast, but, but one could also say…

5. Comparison

Use to demonstrate similarities between ideas that may not be under the same subject heading or within the same paragraph like, likewise, just, in a different way / sense, whereas, like, equally, in like manner, by comparison, similar to, in the same way, alike, similarity, similarly, just as, as in a similar fashion, conversely

6. Illustration

Use to develop or clarify an idea, to introduce examples, or to show that the second idea is subordinate to the first for example, to illustrate, on this occasion, this can be seen, in this case, specifically, once, to illustrate, when/where, for instance, such as, to demonstrate, take the case of, in this case

7. Location

Use to show spatial relations next to, above, below, beneath, left, right, behind, in front, on top, within

8. Cause and Effect

Use to show that one idea causes, or results from, the idea that follows or precedes it because, therefore, so that, cause, reason, effect, thus, consequently, since, as a result, if…then, result in

9. Emphasis

Use to suggest that an idea is particularly important to your argument important to note, most of all, a significant factor, a primary concern, a key feature, remember that, pay particular attention to, a central issue, the most substantial issue, the main value, a major event, the chief factor, a distinctive quality, especially valuable, the chief outcome, a vital force, especially relevant, most noteworthy, the principal item, above all, should be noted

10. Summary or Conclusion

Use to signal that what follows is summarizing or concluding the previous ideas; in humanities papers, use these phrases sparingly. to summarize, in short, in brief, in sum, in summary, to sum up, in conclusion, to conclude, finally

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .”

Writing Effective Sentence Transitions (Advanced)

Transitions are the rhetorical tools that clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. The ability to integrate sentence transitions into your prose, rather than simply throwing in overt transition signals like “in addition,” indicates your mastery of the material. (Note: The visibility of transitions may vary by discipline; consult with your professor to get a better sense of discipline or assignment specific expectations.)

Transition Signals

Transition signals are words or phrases that indicate the logic connecting sets of information or ideas. Signals like therefore, on the other hand, for example, because, then, and afterwards can be good transition tools at the sentence and paragraph level. When using these signals, be conscious of the real meaning of these terms; they should reflect the actual relationship between ideas.

Review Words

Review words are transition tools that link groups of sentences or whole paragraphs. They condense preceding discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just completed a detailed discussion about the greenhouse effect. To transition to the next topic, you could use review words like “this heat-trapping process” to refer back to the green house effect discussion. The relative ability to determine a cogent set of review words might signal your own understanding of your work; think of review words as super-short summaries of key ideas.

Preview words

Preview words condense an upcoming discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just explained how heat is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. Transitioning to the theory that humans are adding to that effect, you could use preview words like “sources of additional CO2 in the atmosphere include” to point forward to that discussion.

Transition Sentences

The strongest and most sophisticated tools, transition sentences indicate the connection between the preceding and upcoming pieces of your argument. They often contain one or more of the above transition tools. For example: You’ve just discussed how much CO2 humans have added to the atmosphere. You need to transition to a discussion of the effects. A strong set of transition sentences between the two sections might sound like this:

“These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere may lead to a number of disastrous consequences for residents of planet earth. The rise in global temperature that accompanies the extra CO2 can yield effects as varied as glacial melting and species extinction.”

In the first sentence, the review words are “These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere”; the preview words are “number of disastrous consequences”; the transition signals are “may lead to.” The topic sentence of the next paragraph indicates the specific “disastrous consequences” you will discuss.

If you don’t see a way to write a logical, effective transition between sentences, ideas or paragraphs, this might indicate organizational problems in your essay; you might consider revising your work.

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .”

Last revised: 07/2008 | Adapted for web delivery: 05/2021

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Make Transitions Between Paragraphs

Transitions are words and phrases that connect words, sentences and paragraphs. Transitions help to make an essay flow better and logically.

Some examples of transition words are:

above all, actually, arguably, at the same time, by, consequently, currently, even so, finally, first, second, third, for this reason, for instance, for example, furthermore, however, incidently, in addition, in conclusion, in fact, in my opinion, ironically, meanwhile, moreover, next, of course, on the other hand, otherwise, presently, presumably, regrettably, similarly, still, then, therefore, too, also, ultimately

In the following passage, one or more words at the beginning of the second paragraph have been deleted. Use a transitional word or phrase to clarify the shift between the two paragraphs.

As the children growing up in a small town, my brother and I were the only ones whose father was “different.” He couldn’t sing the national anthem or remember the words of the Pledge of Allegiance. He found it difficult to comprehend the intricacies of football and baseball.

….he was a very special parent. On rainy days he was always waiting for us at the school door, boots in hand; if we were ill he was there to take us home. He worked in town and was available to take us to music and dancing lessons or on little drives. When I was a small child, he planted beside my window a beautiful oak tree that grew to be taller than our house.

Janet Heller, “About Morris Heller”

2. In the following passage, the first sentence of the second paragraph and the first two sentences of the third paragraph have been deleted. For each of those paragraphs, write one or two opening sentences to clarify the transition from one paragraph to the next.

Outside, in our childhood summers—the war. It was the summers of 1939 to 1945. I was six and finally twelve; and the war was three thousand miles to the right where London, Warsaw, Cologne crouched huge, immortal under nights of bombs or, farther, to the left where our men (among them three cousins of mine) crawled over dead friends from foxhole to foxhole toward Tokyo or, terribly, where there were children (our age, our size) starving, fleeing, trapped, abandoned.

………………..A shot would ring in the midst of our play, freezing us in the knowledge that here at last were the first Storm Troopers till we thought and looked—Mrs. Hightower’s Ford. And, any plane passing overhead after dark seemed pregnant with black chutes ready to blossom. There were hints that war was nearer than it seemed—swastikaed subs off Hatteras or the German sailor’s body washed up at Virginia Beach with a Norfolk movie ticket in his pocket.

…………………Our deadly threats were polio, being hit by a car, drowning in pure chlorine if we swam after eating. No shot was fired for a hundred miles. (Fort Bragg—a hundred miles.) We had excess food to shame us at every meal, excess clothes to fling about us in the heat of play.

Reynolds Price, Permanent Errors

Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing

M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
B.A., History, Armstrong State University

Your written report, whether it is a creative, three-paragraph essay, or an extensive research paper , must be organized in a way that presents a satisfying experience for the reader. Sometimes it just seems impossible to make a paper flow—but that generally happens because your paragraphs aren’t arranged in the best possible order.

Two essential ingredients for a great-reading paper are logical order and smart transitions .

Create Flow With Better Paragraph Order

The first step toward creating flow is making sure your paragraphs are put together in a logical order. Many times, the first draft of a report or essay is a little choppy and out of sequence.

The good news about writing an essay of any length is that you can use "cut and paste" to rearrange your paragraphs. At first, this might sound terrifying: when you finish a draft of an essay it feels much like you have given birth—and cutting and pasting sounds scary. Don’t worry. You can simply use a practice version of your paper to experiment with.

Once you have finished a draft of your paper, save it and name it. Then make a second version by copying the entire first draft and pasting it into a new document.

Now that you have a draft to experiment with, print it out and read it over. Do the paragraphs and topics flow in a logical order? If not, assign each paragraph a number and write the number in the margin. Don’t be at all surprised if you find that a paragraph on page three looks like it could work better on page one.
Once you’ve numbered all the paragraphs, start cutting and pasting them in your document until they match your numbering system.
Now, re-read your essay. If the order works better, you can go back and insert transition sentences between paragraphs.
Finally, re-read both versions of your paper and confirm that your new version sounds better than the original.

Create Flow With Transition Words

Transition sentences (and words) are necessary for making connections between the claims, views, and statements you make in your writing. Transitions can involve a few words or a few sentences. If you can imagine your report as a quilt made up of many squares, you could think of your transition statements as the stitches that connect the squares. Red stitches might make your quilt ugly, while white stitching would give it flow.

For some types of writing, transitions can contain just a few simple words. Words like also, furthermore, and yet, can be used to connect one idea to another.

I had to walk two miles each morning to get to school. Yet , the distance was not something I considered a burden. I enjoyed walking to school when my friend Rhonda walked with me and talked about her travels.

For more sophisticated essays, you’ll need a few sentences to make your paragraphs flow.

While the research was conducted at a university in Colorado, there is no evidence that altitude was considered to be a factor ... A similar exercise was carried out in the mountain state of West Virginia, where similar extremes of altitude exist.

You will find that it's easy to come up with effective transitions once your paragraphs are arranged in the most logical order.

An Essay Revision Checklist
Complete List of Transition Words
Overused and Tired Words
Write an Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence for an Essay
The Ultimate Guide to the 5-Paragraph Essay
Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay
Practice in Making a Simple Outline for a Cause & Effect Paragraph
100 Persuasive Essay Topics
What Is Expository Writing?
Examples of Great Introductory Paragraphs
50 Argumentative Essay Topics
Venn Diagrams to Plan Essays and More
Structure of a Descriptive Essay
How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech (With Topic Ideas)
How to Write a Good Thesis Statement
How to Start an Essay: 13 Engaging Strategies

Essay Writing: Paragraphs and Transitions

Essay Writing Basics
Purdue OWL Page on Writing Your Thesis This link opens in a new window
Paragraphs and Transitions
How to Tell if a Website is Legitimate This link opens in a new window
Formatting Your References Page
Cite a Website
Common Grammatical and Mechanical Errors
Additional Resources
Proofread Before You Submit Your Paper
Structuring the 5-Paragraph Essay

Paragraph Structure

I. INTRODUCTION

A. Begins with a sentence that captures the reader’s attention

1) You may want to use an interesting example, a surprising statistic, or a challenging question.

B. Gives background information on the topic.

C. Includes the THESIS STATEMENT which:

1) States the main ideas of the essay and includes:

b. Viewpoint (what you plan to say about the topic)

2) Is more general than supporting data

3) May mention the main point of each of the body paragraphs

II. BODY PARAGRAPH #1

A. Begins with a topic sentence that:

1) States the main point of the paragraph

2) Relates to the THESIS STATEMENT

B. After the topic sentence, you must fill the paragraph with organized details, facts, and examples.

C. Paragraph may end with a transition.

III. BODY PARAGRAPH #2

B. After the topic sentence, you must fill the paragraph with organized details, facts, and examples.

IV. BODY PARAGRAPH #3

3) States the main point of the paragraph

4) Relates to the THESIS STATEMENT

V. CONCLUSION

A. Echoes the THESIS STATEMENT but does not repeat it.

B. Poses a question for the future, suggests some action to be taken, or warns of a consequence.

C. Includes a detail or example from the INTRODUCTION to “tie up” the essay.

D. Ends with a strong image – or a humorous or surprising statement.

Transition Words and Phrases

introduce first / main point :

at the outset

from the inception

from the beginning

first

first of all

in the first place

initially

one . . . the other one . . . another

originally

primarily

to begin (with)

accordingly

also

another

besides

consistent with this

in addition

in succession

in the second (third) place

in turn

to continue

as a result

at last

finally

in conclusion

to sum up

ultimately

in brief

in other words

it is apparent

it is evident

in summation

therefore

thus

to conclude

to recapitulate

to review

A Monroe University Research Guide

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The Barker Underground

Writing advice from the harvard college writing center tutors, building bridges between your paragraphs.

by Kenneth Mai

Your essay doesn’t flow. Add some transitions.

Those words – along with comments such as “Needs better transitions,” “Where’s the transition?,” or simply “TRANSITION!!!” – plague many a paper that may perhaps otherwise be brilliant.

See, it’s like this. Pretend that the many ideas you’re churning out within a paper are islands in the ocean. (That’s a metaphor! Sometimes metaphors work nicely in papers! ) Some islands are bigger than others. Some are closer to each other, whilst some may seem to be drifting off far away from all the others. Similarly, some ideas are smaller bits a cohesive whole, while others require a bit more effort to reel in. Your task is to gather these islands into a sort of kingdom that you rule. But in order to make sure that you have full control over everything, you need to connect the islands to each other. Now, it’s fine that each island isn’t directly connected to every other island, especially when they’re far enough away from each other to not really be related at all. But ultimately you want all the islands connected to make up a unified whole. So what do you do?

You build bridges!

In the context of writing a paper, these bridges are your transitions. You have two ideas that are related— islands that are close enough that you can build a bridge between them—but ultimately distinct. In order to help your readers across that gulf, then, you need to put in a transition.

But what exactly is a transition? Is it one of the sequential words – “first,” “second,” “finally,” etc. – that were the gold standard of midde school writing? Well…perhaps. But you have many more options now. The kind of transition you use depends on the relationship that you’re trying to build between two ideas, and those relationships can be quite complex. Transitions can be as short as a word or a couple of words to something as long as a sentence or even an entire paragraph. What’s important isn’t so much the shape of the transition as the underlying connection that is being made.

Here are a few useful types of transitions to keep in mind.

Sequential Transitions: Here, we’re not talking so much about “first, second, third.” Rather, this kind of transition points more towards the ideas that logically follow each other. Words such as “therefore” or “then,” or phrases like “This indicates that…”, show a relationship between the ideas. These transitions are used when one idea is the premise on which the next idea depends or when the second idea comes as a deduction from the first. Examples: Thus, Therefore, Then; It follows that, This indicates that, This implies that; From this we can see that, What this means is that…
Comparative Transitions : Sometimes, it’s not so much that one idea is derivative of another, but rather that they share some sort of property. This is especially useful when the relationship between the two ideas isn’t obvious. This type of transition is useful in comparative essays (for obvious reasons) but also instrumental when you are using analogies to make a point about some sort of topic (such as talking about islands to make a point about transitions!) Examples: Like, Also, Similarly; Just as, In the same vein; This idea can also be seen in…, A similar phenomenon is found in …
Contrastive Transitions: There are times when you’re neither describing premise-conclusion relationships nor looking at similarities, but instead focusing on contrasts: “This author says this, but that author says that.” “This appears to be the case, but in reality, it’s something else.” These transitions are useful not only in compare-and-contrast essays, but also whenever you’re trying to debunk a claim or to show another side of an issue. These words can also help you to move on to an entirely different issue. Examples: But, Though, However, Nevertheless/Nonetheless; Then again, On the other hand, At the same time; This ignores, It’s not…but rather, The difference between…and…is that…
Summing Up Transitions : You’ve established an idea and thrown lots of brilliant evidence our way. Now what? In order to make sure your readers won’t miss important information, it’s a good idea provide the quick and dirty version of the ideas you just laid out before introducing your big, final insight. Examples: Essentially, Basically, Ultimately; In short, In other words, That is to say; This boils down to, The main point is…

Ultimately, the goal of these tools is to bring a sense of cohesion to your paper by showing the logical progression of your thoughts; they’re signposts telling your reader which bridge to cross and what the two islands linked by that bridge have to do with each other. These signposts ought to be everywhere within your paper, moving your reader between phrases and sentences in addition to paragraphs or larger chunks. Sometimes multiple signposts are needed to guide a reader across the bridge, because of the complex relationship of those two ideas. The primary goal to keep in mind, though, is to make sure your reader has a smooth trip. That’s how you make your paper flow.

In my next post, I’ll offer some examples of transitional sentences and paragraphs.

how to transition between paragraphs in an essay

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Additive transition words

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Use of and/or

Archaic transition words

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Making Writing Flow with Transitional Words and Phrases

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Paragraphs: Transitions

Transitions Video Playlist

Related Resources

Walden Resources

Centers and Offices

Student Resources

Paragraph transitions

Organization

Connections

Transitional Words and Phrases

Improving Your Writing Style

Clear, Concise Sentences

Writing Studio

Transitions by Category

2. Sequence/ Order

3. Contrast

4. Exception

5. Comparison

6. Illustration

7. Location

8. Cause and Effect

9. Emphasis

10. Summary or Conclusion

Writing Effective Sentence Transitions (Advanced)

Transition Signals

Review Words

Preview words

Transition Sentences

Make Transitions Between Paragraphs

Make Your Paragraphs Flow to Improve Writing

Create Flow With Better Paragraph Order

Create Flow With Transition Words

Essay Writing: Paragraphs and Transitions

Paragraph Structure

Transition Words and Phrases

More Transitions and Linking Expressions

A Monroe University Research Guide

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