The Essay Strategy: 20 Sets of Transition Words / Phrases To Know.

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Essay Strategy: 20 Sets of Transition Words / Phrases To Know

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

(Why) I believe
I’d like to explain why
Personally
I’d enjoy
I would prefer
I think
In my opinion
As far as I’m concerned
It seems to me
I suggest
Set 3 — To Set Up a Condition

If
Even if
If I could
Whether (or not)
. . .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
For instance
What’s more
Not only . . . but also
. . . including
More than
Also
. . . coupled with
Both . . . and
Set 5 — To Summarize/Conclude

In conclusion
Finally
As a result (of)
In summary
Therefore
To sum up
In other words
To summarize
Then
In brief
On the whole
To conclude
As we have seen
As has been said
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

Consequently
Because (of)
Due to
Thanks to
If this occurs, then
To this end
Since
For this reason
As a result
Caused by
Set 8 — To Show Time Relationships

Immediately
Then
Later
Afterwards
After
Before
While
During
As soon as
As
Sometimes
Last
Frequently
When
Once
Often
Oftentimes
Since
Set 9 — To Generalize

Overall
For the most part
In general
Generally speaking
By and large
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
Some…other(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
in the center
on the side
along the edge
on top, below
beneath
under
around
above
over
straight ahead
at the top
at the bottom
surrounding
opposite
at the rear – at the front – in front of
beside – behind
next to
nearby
in the distance
beyond
in the forefront – in the foreground
within sight – out of sight
across
under
nearer
adjacent
in the background
Set 13 — To Argue/Make a Suggestion

. . . 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
If I had the choice
. . . examine/s
. . . assert/s
Set 14 — To Show Disagreement

. . . object/s (to)
. . . disagree/s with
. . . contradict/s
. . . doesn’t/don’t support
. . . is/are invalid
These arguments, one by one, can be challenged
. . . is absurd/ridiculous/unfounded/illogical
. . . not to be taken seriously
. . . has/have no scientific basis
. . . dispute/s
Set 15 — To Choose One Option over Another

. . . might be the better option
. . . make/s it a better policy
It’s beneficial/better/positive
It’s detrimental/worse/negative
. . . is true/false
The assertion that…
. . . 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 17 — To Show Purpose

In order to
For
So that
So as to
Set 18 — To Show Evidence/Give an Example

As evidence of
The legitimacy of
Such as
For example
A few of these are
In the case of
In addition
For one thing . . . for another
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
 
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