Transitions: 128

 

“Transitions are words or phrases that lead your reader from one idea to the next” (McWhorter):

 

·       Smooth progression from one idea to the next

·       Clear connections between ideas:

v “For example” links an example to a point

v “Next” links a new event to a previous one

v “Moreover” indicates additional support

v “Therefore” links a cause and an effect

v “However” indicates an opposing view

 

*The best transitions are so well-integrated that the reader doesn’t even notice they are there.

 

Example ¶ from an Iron Chef essay:

 

In addition, I realized that their attentiveness to their customers needs to be improved because they didn’t have enough customer care, even though there were only six people in the restaurant at the time.  For example, after delivering our food, our waitress never came back to ask if we needed anything else.  Furthermore, when we had to ask for our drinks, they didn’t apologize but brought them in their own sweet time.  Drinking was necessary because they didn’t have sufficient air conditioning and the soup was very hot.  However, they “forgot” to refill our water glasses, which we had drained shortly after they were brought.  Obviously, the restaurant staff was lacking in attentiveness to their customers.