Paragraph Connectors:

If you have trouble thinking of a way to connect your paragraphs, consider a few of these 100 words as inspiration.

• Above all
• Accordingly
• Additionally
• After all
• Again
• All in all
• All things considered
• Also
• As a consequence
• As a result
• As a rule
• As an example of
• As well as
• Aside from
• At first glance
• At the same time
• Beginning with
• Being similar in many ways
• Besides
• Beyond
• Briefly
• But
• By and large
• Certainly
• Chiefly
• Coincidentally
• Consequently
• Contrary to
• Contrasting
• Conversely
• Comparable
• Corresponding to
• Coupled with
• Depending upon
• Decidedly
• Despite
• Doubly important
• Effectively
• Especially
• Excluding
• Except
• Excepting
• Exclusive of
• First of all
• For example
• For instance
• For now
• For one thing
• For the most part
• For the time being
• For this reason
• Fortunately
• Frequently
• Furthermore
• Generally
• Gradually
• However
• In addition
• In any case
• In any event
• In brief
• In conclusion
• In contrast
• In essence
• In other words
• In particular
• In short
• In summary
• In the end
• In the final analysis
• In the first place
• In the long run
• In this case
• In turn
• Including
• Independent of
• Instead
• Just as interesting
• Later
• Likewise
• Meanwhile
• Moreover
• Next to
• Normally
• On one hand
• On the bright side
• On the whole
• Ordinarily
• Other than
• Otherwise
• Overall
• Particularly
• Previously
• Rather
• Restating the obvious
• Soon
• Similarly
• Simultaneously
• Specifically
• Subsequent to
• Such as
• To summarize
• To begin with
• That is
• The next step
• There is no doubt
• Therefore
• Thereupon
• Thus
• Usually
• Wherefore
• While
• Whereas
• With attention to
• With this in mind
• Yet

Transition Words:

Transitional words and phrases guide readers from one sentence to the next. Although they most often appear at the beginning of a sentence, they may also show up after the subject.

Here are some of the most common transitional expressions in English, grouped according to the type of relationship shown by each.

1. Addition Transitions
2. And
3. Also
4. Besides
5. first, second, third
6. in addition
7. in the first place, in the second place, in the third place
8. furthermore
9. moreover
10. to begin with, next, finally

Example
“In the first place, no ‘burning’ in the sense of combustion, as in the burning of wood, occurs in a volcano; moreover, volcanoes are not necessarily mountains; furthermore, the activity takes place not always at the summit but more commonly on the sides or flanks; and finally, the ‘smoke’ is not smoke but condensed steam.”
(Fred Bullard, Volcanoes in History, in Theory, in Eruption)

• Cause-Effect Transitions
• Accordingly
• and so
• as a result
• consequently
• for this reason
• hence
• so
• then
• therefore
• thus

Example
“The study of human chromosomes is in its infancy, and so it has only recently become possible to study the effect of environmental factors upon them.”
(Rachel Carson, Silent Spring)

• Comparison Transitions
• by the same token
• in like manner
• in the same way
• in similar fashion
• likewise
• similarly
  
  Example
  “The heaping together of paintings by Old Masters in museums is a catastrophe; likewise, a collection of a hundred Great Brains makes one big fathead.”
  (Carl Jung, “Civilization in Transition”)
• Contrast Transitions
• But
• However
• in contrast
• instead
• nevertheless
• on the contrary
• on the other hand
• still
• yet

Example
“Every American, to the last man, lays claim to a ‘sense’ of humor and guards it as his most significant spiritual trait, yet rejects humor as a contaminating element wherever found. America is a nation of comics and comedians; nevertheless, humor has no stature and is accepted only after the death of the perpetrator.”
(E. B. White, “The Humor Paradox”)

• Conclusion and Summary Transitions
• and so
• after all
• at last
• finally
• in brief
• in closing
• in conclusion
• on the whole
• to conclude
• to summarize

Example
“We should teach that words are not the things to which they refer. We should teach that words are best understood as convenient tools for handling reality. . . . Finally, we should teach widely that new words can and should be invented if the need arises.”
(Karol Janicki, Language Misconceived)

• Example Transitions
• as an example
• for example
• for instance
• specifically
• thus
• to illustrate

Example
“With all the ingenuity involved in hiding delicacies on the body, this process automatically excludes certain foods. For example, a turkey sandwich is welcome, but the cumbersome cantaloupe is not.”
(Steve Martin, “How to Fold Soup”)

• Insistence Transitions
• in fact
• indeed
• no
• yes

Example
“The ideas of economists and political philosophers, both when they are right and when they are wrong, are more powerful than is commonly understood. Indeed the world is ruled by little else.”
(John Maynard Keynes, The General Theory of Employment, Interest, and Money)

• Place Transitions
• Above
• Alongside
• Beneath
• Beyond
• farther along
• in back
• in front
• nearby
• on top of
• to the left
• to the right
• under
• upon

Example
“Where the wall turns up to the right you can continue by the beck but a better path is to be found by turning with the wall and then going to the left through the bracken.”
(Jim Grindle, One Hundred Hill Walks in the Lake District)

• Restatement Transitions
• in other words
• in short
• in simpler terms
• that is
• to put it differently
• to repeat

Example
“Anthropologist Geoffrey Gorer studied the few peaceful human tribes and discovered one common characteristic: sex roles were not polarized. Differences of dress and occupation were at a minimum. Society, in other words, was not using sexual blackmail as a way of getting women to do cheap labor, or men to be aggressive.”
(Gloria Steinem, “What It Would Be Like If Women Win”)

1. Time Transitions
2. Afterward
3. at the same time
4. currently
5. earlier
6. formerly
7. immediately
8. in the future
9. in the meantime
10. in the past
11. later
12. meanwhile
13. previously
14. simultaneously
15. subsequently
16. then
17. until now

Example
At first a toy, then a mode of transportation for the rich, the automobile was designed as man’s mechanical servant. Later it became part of the pattern of living.

By Richard Nordquist, Grammar & Composition Expert© 2016 About.com — All rights reserved.

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