Home
>
Writing
>
Go With The Flow: Write With Transition Words and Phrases

Go With The Flow: Write With Transition Words and Phrases

One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day writing is poor logical flow from one idea or point to the next. This usually takes the form of a bunch of seemingly unrelated phrases thrown together with little or no sense of sequence, continuity, or relativity.

Although the overall subject may be obvious, the words to describe it seem to be scattered on the page like an almost random set of unconnected thoughts. On a regular basis, I see letters and reports in which each phrase seems to be independent of the one before and the one after, when in reality, there is an actual sequential and/or logical flow.

Consider the following three sentence example:

1. The entire building had to be searched.

2. They started the search on the third floor.

3. It took three hours to complete the search.

Notice that the three separate statements are all valid sentences. They convey the bare essential facts of the situation, but nothing more. In fact, they raise almost more questions than they answer. For example:

- Was it a serious incident?

- Had it ever happened before?

- Why did they start on the third floor?

- What about the first two floors?

- How big/high was the building?

- Is three hours a long time for that?

- How long does it usually take?

These are all logical (and obvious) questions that the average person might ask when reading a paragraph made up of the three sentences above.

Let's transform these now, using transition phrases:

"UNLIKE the previous minor incident, this time the entire building had to be searched. BECAUSE the fire was still smoking on the first two floors, they had to start on the third, working upwards to the tenth, covering the first two floors last. CONSEQUENTLY, it took them a full three hours before they finally completed the typical two-hour job."

Notice the use of the transition words: UNLIKE, BECAUSE, and CONSEQUENTLY. Using these three words has allowed us to easily connect the three independent sentences and give them a sense of chronological order and logical flow. They also allow us to answer ALL of the obvious questions, either with the transition word itself, or by adding a couple more words.

In short, transition words/phrases have turned three dry independent phrases into a little story that makes sense to the reader.

These types of words/phrases are ideal for allowing one to easily connect thoughts, and create logical sequences between sentences and paragraphs. They are usually inserted at the beginning of a sentence and normally refer directly back to the previous sentence and/or paragraph without repeating the specific subject.

The following paragraphs list some of the more common transition words and phrases that will help make your text more understandable and interesting to the reader. For each one, I have included a typical example of how the word/phrase might be used in a typical sentence.

Note that I have capitalized the transition words/phrases for emphasis and easy identification.

CAUSE AND EFFECT...

THEN, he moved on to the next work station.

AS A RESULT, the team lost the game.

FOR THIS REASON, she always went home for the weekend.

THE RESULT WAS always predictable.

WHAT FOLLOWED was as painful as it was inevitable.

IN RESPONSE, he quickly upped the ante.

THEREFORE, the aircraft overshot the runway.

THUS, it was just a matter of time.

BECAUSE OF THIS, the results were always the same.

CONSEQUENTLY, he was no longer friends with Frank.

THE REACTION to this event was swift and decisive.

IN CONTRAST TO...

UNLIKE last year, this one was highly profitable.

DIFFERENT from this, was our approach to manufacturing.

IN SPITE OF the dot com bust, the company prospered.

ON THE OTHER HAND, earnings per share have increased.

ON THE CONTRARY, the impact was less than expected.

OPPOSING that idea was the move to new technologies.

HOWEVER, that approach may actually prove better.

CONTRARY to his findings, the revenue picture is good.

NEVERTHELESS, something still appears to be missing.

SEQUENCE AND RELATIVITY...

THEN, each one followed in numerical sequence.

IN ADDITION, a fourth material was added to the mix.

TO ENUMERATE, first there was the car, second the boat,...

NEXT in the series was the "outrigger" brand line.

BESIDES THAT, there were two other possible sources.

SIMILARITY AND COMPARISON...

LIKE always, he took the company on a dangerous course.

SAME as before, he managed to meet all of the requirements.

SIMILAR things were known to happen at certain times.

CLOSE to that was the result of the second round of voting.

LIKEWISE, they made similar changes in the factory.

ALSO, there were the worker's families to consider.

NEAR that one, was where we found the faulty component.

EXPLANATION AND EXAMPLE...

FOR EXAMPLE, last year's model was underpowered.

ONE SUCH occurrence was last week's power outage.

FOR INSTANCE, earnings this year are higher than last.

TO ILLUSTRATE, he went to Chicago just to make his point.

ALSO, there is a new approach to sheet-metal moulding.

TO DEMONSTRATE, I will use the new model throughout.

The above are just examples, and there many other such transition words and phrases that are used in everyday conversation and writing. In my opinion, appropriate use of these words/phrases is the number one technique for making any type of writing flow logically and clearly.

Bottom line: Smooth, orderly and logical transitions from one thought to the other, one sentence to the next, and one paragraph to another -- are key to creating clear meaning and flow in any document. Transition words and phrases will achieve this for you.

? 2005 by Shaun Fawcett

Shaun Fawcett, is webmaster of the popular writing help site WritingHelp-Central.com. He is also the author of several best selling "writing toolkit" eBooks. All of his eBooks and his internationally acclaimed f-r-e-e course, "Tips and Tricks For Writing Success" are available at his writing tools site: http://www.writinghelptools.com

limo prices to midway Harrods Creek .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says DNA tests pose privacy risks like shared genetic information, inaccuracies and hard data deletion.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says this enormous airship revolutionizes cargo transport by flying to remote areas.

Understanding the language of the internet can help you protect your personal information from bad actors. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson explains.

Woven City is Toyota's experimental city that is a fully functional environment for people to live, work and play while doing research.

The line between spam and scams is thin. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson details his tips for identifying and avoiding phone scams, robocalls and unwanted solicitations.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Kurt the CyberGuy takes you through the steps to easily set your preferred web browser whether you're using a Mac, Windows PC, iPhone or Android.

Google, Instagram, Facebook and weather apps can track your location and use that data to serve you ads; here's what you can do to protect your privacy.

A new debate has emerged about whether airlines should charge passengers based on their weight to help reduce fuel consumption and lower emissions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Hipshipper, which is used by eBay, Shopify and Amazon sellers, exposed millions of shipping labels.

Boxabl’s Baby Box is a 120-square-foot foldable home that can be set up in 60 minutes and has off-grid features. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says it's designed to maximize functionality.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Major IoT data breach: Mars Hydro database with 2.7 billion records exposed. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says the breach is a reminder of the risks that come with using IoT devices.

Unitree H1 robots dance at gala, blending AI and tradition. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson examines the convergence of cutting-edge technology and traditional culture.

For the first time ever, SpaceX launched a rocket into space from Florida and landed the booster the Bahamas, allowing for future polar-orbit spaceflight missions.

Attackers use caller ID spoofing and AI voices to steal money. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides seven ways to protect yourself.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about the Genesis GV60 MIV, an electric rescue EV with snow tracks for extreme missions.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you ensure a smooth online experience with a reliable, secure home network setup.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about Vollebak’s Shielding Suit, which blocks EM radiation, infrared and tracking for privacy.

Even Apple products are vulnerable to cybercriminals, and a new report suggests the owners of Mac products will have to be more vigilant this year.

An inflatable six-person tiny house from a firm called 2001 looks like a space station with its inflatable dome that is transportable and eco-friendly.

Scams cost Americans an estimated $159 billion every year and average about $3,500 in losses per victim. The CyberGuy has advice to protect yourself.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents

Zeekr and Waymo are joining forces for the world's first mass-produced autonomous vehicle, combining an electric vehicle with self-driving technology.

A humanoid robot training center has opened in Shanghai, a big step in China's efforts to become a global leader in robotics and artificial intelligence.