Home Writing Guides Effective Transitions

Effective Transitions

Transitions alert readers of changes within your writing. By using transitions, your readers are prepared for the flow of your ideas. Effective transitions logically connect paragraphs with one another.

Transitions are used to:

• Introduce an idea:
  First, readers will know this is the first idea.

• Introduce examples:
  For example, this is a transition.

• Indicate a contrast:
  However, be sure your transitions accurately show how ideas relate to one another.

• Prepare readers for more information about the same idea:
  In addition, transitions connect sentences to one another. Words such as "and," "or," "nor," "but," "so," "for," "yet" link sentences together.

• Indicate a conclusion:
  Finally, readers will know this is the last idea.