Library Guides: Writing Skills: Transitions

Transitions

Transitions are visual cues that inform your reader where you are in your paper. Your thesis has already established the topics you will be covers in your compare/contrast paper so these cues help your reader know when you are moving on to a new topic.

Transition Words

Compare or Agreement

additionally	again	also
as well as	besides	by the same token
coupled with	equally	equally important
even more	finally	first, second, third, etc.
further	furthermore	identically
in addition	in like manner	in similar fashion
in the same way	last, lastly	like
likewise	moreover	not only ... but also
not to mention	of course	second, secondly, etc.
similarly	together with	uniquely

Contrast or Opposition

(and) still	(and) yet	above all
after all	albeit	although
although this/it may be true	and yet	as much as
at the same time	besides	but
conversely	despite	different from
even so	even though	however
in contrast	in spite of	instead
nevertheless	nonetheless	notwithstanding
of course ..., but	on the contrary	on the other hand
otherwise	rather	regardless
then again	though	unlike
whereas	while	yet

Cause or Condition

... then	as	as long as
because	because of	due to
for that reason	given that	granted
in order to	in the event that	in view of
inasmuch as	on the condition that	on account of
only / even if	provided that	seeing that
since	unless	when
whenever	while	with this in mind
with this intention

Examples and Support

as an illustration	certainly	chiefly
e.g., (for example)	especially	for example
for instance	for this reason	frequently
i.e., (that is)	important to realize	in fact
in general	in other words	in particular
in this case	including	indeed
like	markedly	most compelling evidence
namely	notably	particularly
significantly	specifically	such as
surely	surprisingly	that is to say
to be sure	to clarify	to demonstrate
to emphasize	to enumerate	to explain
to explain	to illustrate	to point out
to put it another way	to put it differently	to repeat
to rephrase it	truly	with attention to
with this in mind

Effect or Consequence

accordingly	as a result	because the
consequently	for this reason	in effect
in that case	then	therefore
thus	under those circumstances

Conclusion

after all	all things considered	altogether
as can be seen	as has been noted	as shown above
by and large	for the most part	given these points
in any event	in brief	in conclusion
in either case	in essence	in fact
in short	in sum	in summary
in the final analysis	in the long run	obviously
on balance	on the whole	overall
to conclude	to summarize	ultimately
usually

Time or Sequence

about	after	afterwards
always	as long as	as soon as
at length	at the present time	at the same time
at this instant	before	by the time
during	earlier	eventually
finally	first, second, third, etc.	following
formerly	from time to time	further
hence	henceforth	immediately
in due time	in the meantime	in time
instantly	last	later
meanwhile	never	next
now	now that	occasionally
once	presently	prior to
quickly	shortly	simultaneously
since	so far	sometimes
soon	straightaway	subsequently
suddenly	then	this time
till	to begin with	until
until now	up to the present time	when
whenever	while	without delay

Space or Location

above	across	adjacent to
alongside	amid	among
around	before	behind
below	beneath	beside
between	beyond	down
from	further	here
in the background	in the distance	near
nearby	next	on this side
opposite to	over	there
under	up	where
wherever

Purpose

for this purpose	in order that
so that	to this end

Qualification

almost	although	always
frequently	maybe	nearly
never	perhaps	probably

Intensification

by all means	certainly	in fact
indeed	no	of course
surely	to repeat	undoubtedly
without doubt	yes

Concession

granted	it is true
of course	to be sure