Making Transitions and Connections A WRITING CENTER
TUTORIAL
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What is a transition? A transition is a word or phrase that
helps to link one idea to another one logically. Often, these
transitions help to link one sentence to the next sentence or one
paragraph to the next paragraph. Transitions are common words and
phrases that link ideas in particular ways to make specific
points.
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What is a connection? A connection is a repeated element (often
a noun, a pronoun, or a verb) that helps to link ideas in your
writing. Writers make connections when they reuse words (or
synonyms/antonyms for those words) in order to link sentences and
paragraphs logically.
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Example 1 The Governor made a speech in which he said that we
would all have to make some sacrifices in order to help the state
through the current financial crisis. In other words, he was
warning that we are facing some tax increases and budget cuts in
the near future. Transition: In other words (clarification,
example) Connection 1Connection 2 The Governorhe sacrificestax
increases and budge cuts
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Example 2 Parents and teachers often fear that playing video
games will damage childrens intellectual abilities. However, a
number of recent studies have shown that these types of games can
actually improve spatial reasoning and other mental skills in young
people. Transition: However (contrast) Connection 1Connection 2
video gamesgames damageimprove childrenyoung people intellectual
abilitiesspatial reasoning and other mental skills
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Common Transitional Words and Phrases Addition: additionally,
furthermore, also, and Comparison: likewise, similarly, in the same
way Contrast: however, on the one hand/on the other hand,
nevertheless, but Time/Sequence: when, after, first/second,
finally, then Cause: because, due to, for this reason Effect:
therefore, thus, as a result, consequently Example: for example,
for instance, specifically, in fact Clarification/Repetition: in
other words, that is, in effect Summary: to summarize, all in all,
in short
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Adding helpful transitions and connections Cell phones became
widely available to the American public in the 1990s with the
emergence of second-generation mobile technology. This is why the
1990s are often considered the beginning of a new era. Mobile phone
technology existed before then. They were available as long ago as
the 1950s. Most were installed in cars. Only wealthy people had
them. The first modern cellular system was built in Tokyo in the
late 1970s. The ones we use today are based on that. Cell phones
became widely available to the American public in the 1990s with
the emergence of second-generation mobile technology. The
development of these systems marked the beginning of a new era of
mobile phone service. However, mobile phone technology existed
before the 1990s. In fact, this kind of technology was available as
long ago as the 1950s. Although mobile phones did exist before the
1990s, the vast majority of them were installed in cars, and only
the wealthy had access to them. After the first modern cellular
system was built in Tokyo in the late 1970s, the mobile phone
systems we use today were based on that model.
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Review Transitions=Words and phrases that link ideas. Full
lists are available in most writing handbooks.
Connections=Repeated, reworded, or replaced words and phrases that
link ideas.