Transitions in Essays ENG 102 Writing Project #2 Sarah Dye

What are transitions? Transitions are words that help the audience follow your train of thought. Transitions help the reader connect new information to what he or she has just read.

Transitions which show location: Above Across Near Between Inside Below Throughout

Transitions which show time: After As soon as Finally During Then When Next

Transitions which compare: Also Likewise As Similarly

Transitions which contrast: Although However But Even though Yet

Transitions which emphasize: This reason Especially In fact In particular

Transitions which draw conclusions: As a result Finally Therefore In conclusion Thus

Transitions which add information: Additionally For example Besides Moreover Also

Transitions which clarify: That is In other words For instance

Special transitions: lead-ins Lead-ins are special transitions that provide context for the reader when introducing evidence or concrete detail. A lead-in should include the essential information needed to make sense of the example that follows it.

Information in a lead-in may include: Speaker’s name, title, or qualifications Location, time, or setting of the quotation Situation or occasion when the quotation was made

Examples of lead-ins Notice in the following examples on the next two slides how the lead-ins provide context for each quotation, but also include some of the writer’s own interpretation to help the audience understand the purpose of the quotations:

Example 1 Later, however, when the confident Sidney Carton returns alone to his home, his alienation and unhappiness become apparent: “Climbing into a high chamber in a well of houses, he threw himself down in his clothes on a neglected bed, and its pillow was wet with wasted tears” (Dickens 211).

Example 2 Desdemona truly loves Othello. She tells her father in front of the Duke, “I saw Othello’s visage in his mind / And to his honors and his valiant parts / Did I my soul and fortunes consecrate” ( ).

Information in this PowerPoint presentation is from Writing with Style: Writing and Style Manual from Poway Unified School District ojects/edtechcentral/writingwStyle/ structure.htm