Transitional Expressions

Transitional expressions

Transitions (conjunctive adverbs) are words that connect an independent clause to another independent clause. Transitions expression help make your writing more coherent.

Ø  Transitions do not connect individual words OR individual phrases. 

Ø  Transitions do not connect any word groups that are the same. 

Ø  Transitions only connect independent clauses, and they show a specific meaning between the ideas.

Use transitional expressions to :

a)    Add, emphasize, or illustrate ideas

b)   Compare/contrast ideas

c)    Show cause and effect

d)   Place ideas in time

e)    Summarize ideas

There are three punctuation patterns for these transition words:

1.  Indep. Clause  ,  TW  ,  indep. Clause   .

2. Indep. Clause  ;  TW  ,   indep. Clause    .

3. Indep. Clause  .  Beginning of indep. Clause ,  TW  ,    end of indep. Clause.

Pay attention to the details of punctuation and capitalization here.

Note : "Also" does NOT need commas around it if it is in the middle of the    sentence.