What is Transitional Word and Phrase? Transitional Words and Phrases List and Example Sentences

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Transitional Words and Phrases

Sometimes we need a full sentence to make a smooth transition in your writing. So we can’t just use transition words. These expressions are transitional sentences.

Types of Transition Words

Transition words present the author’s thoughts in an orderly manner, clarifying ambiguity, expressing nuances, making connections, and showing comparisons. The transition words mentioned are divided into eight different categories.

Transition words that introduce, agree and add on

One of the most common ways transition words are used is to introduce new ideas and add to topics already explored in the work.

Transition words and phrases in this category include:

Coupled with	In addition (to)	Further
Furthermore	Moreover	Likewise
Equally important	Too	First
Second	Third	Uniquely

We must consider the needs of employees, but the needs of customers are equally important.

First, rinse the plates. Second, throw them in the dishwasher.

Albert fell ill, and his wife also fell ill.

Transition words that oppose and limit

Transition words can create contrast or limit to ideas and expressions. Contrasting or bordering transition words include:

Unlike	Or	But
While	As much as	Conversely
On the contrary	On the other hand	Above all
Notwithstanding	despite

Despite the cold, she can dress thinly.

I went to this romantic movie expecting a fun and interesting movie, but on the contrary, it was long and boring.

Anastasia is a hardworking student, while her sister Julia is very lazy.

Cause and conditional transition words

This category includes words and transition words that indicate the relationship between an intention and an action. It also shows us how action produces a certain effect.

Cause and conditional transition words are:

Since	While	Due to
İn the event of	For fear of	Because of
As long as	I hope that	Unless
In case	Whenever	So that

As long as my mother lives, I will continue to stay with her.

I brought a book with me in case I need to study.

Effect and result transition words

Similar to the category described above, these transition words indicate the result of a particular action. The difference between the two is that when the sentence focuses on the cause of the result, you use one of the transition words from the category “Cause and conditional transition words” described above. However, when the emphasis is on the effect itself, you use a word from the “Effect and result transition words” category that fits the rest of your sentence.

For example, you can inform that you postponed going to the cinema by saying “I postponed it due to my illness” in your message. However, he got the same message “I got sick, so I rescheduled going to the movies.” You can convey it to your partner with a slightly different focus.

Words and phrases in this category:

İn effect	As a result	Then
Because the	Hence	Under those circumstances
Henceforth	Consequently	Therefore

It’s snowing outside, so the floors are slippery.

I waited for the end of my conversation with you and therefore missed the bus.

He forgot the chicken in the oven and the chicken was burnt as a result.

Transition words that describe examples and support

Transition words in this category make it clear that one concept supports another, either by providing evidence, emphasizing, or simply by way of example.

Words and phrases in this category:

Explicitly	For this reason	İndeed	Markedly	in general
To clarify	İn fact	Especially	By all means	İn other words
Notably	Particularly	Significantly

I like all kinds of hamburgers, especially the big ones.

The pattern of her dress was distinctly different from mine.

Conclusion and summary transition words

Transitions and phrases in this category are transition words that end paragraphs, arguments, or pieces of writing. They can be used to restate or summarize ideas. Mentioned transition phrases and words:

in summary	In conclusion	To conclude	In any event	Overall
In either case	Altogether	In essence	To summarize	To sum up

Although we had some sweet memories, overall we had a boring time.

In the end, I only did what was asked of me.

Transition words for describing the time

Another category of transition words deals with the time when something related to another event occurs. These words are:

Presently	Now	Occasionally	Once
After	In the meantime	In a moment	Momentarily
At the present time	All of a sudden	Every so often

As I was just walking in the middle of the street, I suddenly saw my childhood friend whom I hadn’t seen in a long time.

I would love to go to the movies with you after school.

Transition words for locations

Transition words can draw a reader’s attention to the location of something or the physical or spatial relationship between two things. These words are: