How to understand and use transition words in English

What are transition words in English and why do they matter? As a former English teacher, I can confirm that they matter a whole lot! Plus, using them correctly is a clear indication of a higher level of English. So to give you a bit of help on how transition words work, take a look below!

The purpose of transition words in English
Types of English transition words and when to use them

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The purpose of transition words in English

Transition words are commonly used when speaking and writing in English for transitioning from one point to another. They help break up longer texts when writing, and help clarify the flow of a story when speaking. During the process of learning English, getting familiar with using both written and spoken transition words brings you closer to becoming fluent.

One a quick note about grammar, when we use transition words there is always a comma after them at the beginning of the sentence, or both before and afterwards when used in the middle of a sentence as in:

Therefore, I decided not to buy that dress.

I decided, therefore, not to buy that dress.

Types of English transition words and when to use them

There are different types of transitions words you can use in various contexts. Here is an overview of some of the most common transition words and phrases, as well as examples for how to use them.

1. Additions and similarities

Transition word or phrase	Example
in addition	I love many types of vegetables. In addition, I also like bananas and strawberries.
furthermore	You can use scissors for cutting and snipping. Furthermore, scissors are a common arts and crafts object.
moreover	Texting while driving is illegal. Moreover, it’s quite dangerous.
correspondingly	It was raining today. Correspondingly, I decided not to go for a picnic.
additionally	He needs to vacuum, do the dishes, and do his laundry. Additionally, he has a lot of homework to finish.
as a matter of fact	As a matter of fact, I do like apples, even though I didn’t like that apple pie.
in light of + noun	In light of the previous results, we decided to cancel the experiment.
of course	Of course, going outside in winter means you need a good coat.
similarly to + noun	All my siblings love to read. Similarly, we are writers.
comparatively	Comparatively, I used to love reading much more when I was a child.

2. Oppositions and contradictions

Transition word or phrase	Example
in contrast to + noun	In contrast to my mother, I love animals.
on the one hand/on the other hand	On the one hand, I love animals. On the other hand, I don’t like snakes.
be that as it may	It’s not that cold outside. Be that as it may, I won’t go outside in the winter without a coat.
even so	I love dogs. Even so, sometimes I am afraid of them.
however	They need to do their homework. However, they need to wash the dishes first.
at the same time	I love my cat. At the same time, sometimes he annoys me, because he chews on my shoes.
although	We should go home. Although, we could stay another hour.
conversely	He needed to go home. Conversely, he stayed and missed his curfew.
nevertheless	You love the summer. Nevertheless, you still get too hot without air conditioning.

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3. Causes and purposes

Transition word or phrase	Example
with this in mind	The ocean is full of sharks. With this in mind, I will never go diving.
unless + cause	Unless you wear a coat, you shouldn’t go outside.
provided that + cause	Provided that you wear a coat, you can go outside.
in view of + noun	In view of the cold weather, I decided to stay inside.
in the event that + noun	In the event that something bad happens, please call me.
to that end	He had a bad experience with swimming. To that end, he never went swimming again.
if (conditional tenses)	If you don’t go shopping, you can’t cook dinner.
whenever + cause	Whenever I eat too much chocolate, I feel sick.

4. Examples and support

Transition word or phrase	Example
for example	I love to cook. For example, my favorite thing to make is soup.
for this reason	It was too hot outside. For this reason, I decided to sit by the fan instead.
indeed	Indeed, wearing a coat when you go outside in the winter is a good idea.
certainly	Certainly, those who learn to cook will eat better food.
to emphasise	To emphasise, I love cooking more than anyone!
in fact	He went to school from 1994-2000. In fact, he even graduated at the top of his class.
in general	In general, going to bed early is a good idea if you also need to wake up early.
to clarify	To clarify, what I meant by my statement earlier is that I actually have the opposite opinion.

5. Consequences and results

Transition word or phrase	Example
as a result + noun	As a result of the volcano eruption, Pompeii was destroyed.
in that case	It’s a sunny day today. In that case, I’ll go to the park.
therefore	I have already mentioned that before. Therefore, I won’t repeat myself.
thus	The money conversion rate was good today. Thus, she exchanged a lot of money.
in effect	In effect, that was a good idea, even though my friend had warned me otherwise.
due to + noun	Due to the rain, the event was cancelled.

6. Conclusions and summaries

Transition word or phrase	Example
generally speaking	Generally speaking, it’s good to rest when you have a cold.
in conclusion	In conclusion, my essay discusses the different viewpoints on the current political situation.
given these points	Given these points, I will need to reconsider my opinion.
in brief	Today, she went shopping, worked, and prepared dinner. In brief, it was a very busy day.
as can be seen from + place	As can be seen from the presentation, my opinion on the election is clear.
all things considered	It rained a lot today. All things considered, it was still a good day.

Once you start using some of these English transition words and phrases, you’ll take your speaking level to advanced in no time!

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Adriana Stein

Adriana Stein is an Online Marketing Consultant based in Hamburg, Germany. Originally from a small town in Oregon, USA, she decided to move to Hamburg in early 2016 after falling in love with the city during a study abroad.