Transition signals are words and phrases that act like bridges between parts of your writing. They link sentences, paragraphs, ideas and entire thoughts together, making sure each section flows smoothly from one to the other.

Notice how most people use transitions during a regular conversation. A conversation won’t be an interesting one if there are no transition signals that will direct the listener to the next related topic. Without it, you will surely feel bored and the one that is talking won’t sound convincing at all.

Same goes to writing. When you state an idea in your content or a sentence which contains a very interesting idea, in order to direct it to the next related idea, you have to use transitions. It signals your readers how the next sentences are related to the previous one.

This way, they will stay on track with what the message in your writing is all about. It hooks your readers by making them feel interested with the topic and for them to know what goes next from the previous statements that your had written.

Every writer should know how to use transitions. Even if you follow lots of writing rules to make your content look good, it is still important that you know how to maintain that juicy flow of your ideas within your content and to keep your readers hook up with the topic.

There are various words or phrases that serve as a transition signal and they also have their own purposes in writing. It all depends on how and when you will use them. Therefore, they are very important in driving your content up.

Think of them as signposts – ones that tell the reader when there is a jump or break in your discussion. It prepares them for changes, preventing abrupt shifts that can both lead the reader astray and make reading your piece as hard as it will be if you refused to use a thorough proofreading software. Simply put, transition signals aid continuity, strengthening the internal cohesion of your work.

Different transition signals do different things.

1. Some are used to indicate sequence or order, such are “before that,” “along with it” and “in the meantime.”
2. Some are used to introduce an example, such as “for instance,” “to illustrate” and “take the case of.”
3. Some are used to indicate time, such as “immediately,” “prior to” and “at that time.”
4. Some are used to logically divide an idea, such as “initially” and “lastly.”
5. Some are used to compare and contrast ideas, such as “in contrast,” “on the other hand” and “by comparison.”
6. Some introduce additional ideas and information, such as “in addition,” “furthermore” and “more than that.”
7. Some introduce an opposing idea, such as “on the other hand,” “in spite of” and “even though.”
8. Some are used to give an example, such as “to illustrate,” “for example” and “in this case.”
9. Some are used to summarize, such as “on the whole,” “in summary” and “to sum things up.”

Author Bio: See how innovative Thorough Proofreading Software instantly can boost your English writing and watch how NLP technology can help you to write perfect emails, essays, reports and letters. More Info.

Category: Writing
Keywords: Transitions signals, transitions