Transitional Devices
Transitional Devices
When summarizing, students often simply select and write down the ideas in a
passage without paying attention to coherence. Knowledge and use of transitional
devices will help their summaries to “flow” and be less “choppy”, allowing them
to effectively link ideas and achieve coherence. Transitional devices connect or
link sentences and paragraphs in a piece of writing. They are used for introducing
ideas and supporting details or for showing the relationship between different
ideas. while adding coherence to the piece. Using different types of transitional
words and/ or phrases in this passage will improve the quality of the piece by
helping to connect the ideas.
The transition words like also, in addition, and, likewise, add information, reinforce ideas, and express
agreement with preceding material.
as a matter of fact
in like manner
in addition
coupled with
in the light of
not to mention
to say nothing of
equally important
again
to
and
also
then
equally
identically
uniquely
like
as
too
moreover
as well as
together with
of course
likewise
comparatively
correspondingly
similarly
furthermore
additionally
Opposition / Limitation / Contradiction
Transition phrases like but, rather and or, express that there is evidence to the contrary or point out
alternatives, and thus introduce a change the line of reasoning (contrast).
in contrast
different from
on the contrary
in spite of
even so / though
be that as it may
then again
above all
in reality
after all
but
(and) still
unlike
or
(and) yet
while
albeit
besides
as much as
even though
although
instead
whereas
despite
conversely
otherwise
however
rather
nevertheless
nonetheless
regardless
notwithstanding
granted (that)
as / so long as
in order to
in view of
If
... then
unless
when
whenever
while
because of
as
since
while
lest
in case
provided that
given that
only / even if
so that
so as to
owing to
inasmuch as
due to
Note that for and because are placed before the cause/reason. The other devices are placed before the
consequences or effects.
as a result
in that case
in effect
for
thus
because the
then
hence
consequently
therefore
thereupon
forthwith
accordingly
henceforth
as can be seen
generally speaking
as shown above
in a word
after all
in fact
in summary
in conclusion
in short
in brief
in essence
to summarize
on balance
altogether
overall
ordinarily
usually
by and large
to sum up
on the whole
in any event
in either case
all in all
Obviously
Ultimately
Definitely