|
Home / Writing
Go With the Flow: Write With Transition Words and Phrases
By:Shaun Fawcett
Copyright © Shaun R. Fawcett
One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day writing is poor logical flow from one idea or point to the next. This usually takes the form of a bunch of seemingly unrelated phrases thrown together with little or no sense of sequence, continuity, or relativity.
Although the overall subject may be obvious, the words to describe it seem to be scattered on the page like an almost random set of unconnected thoughts. On a regular basis, I see letters and reports in which each phrase seems to be independent of the one before and the one after, when in reality there is an actual sequential and/or logical flow.
Consider the following three sentence example:
1. The entire building had to be searched.
2. They started the search on the third floor.
3. It took three hours to complete the search.
Notice that the three separate statements are all valid sentences. They convey the bare essential facts of the situation, but nothing more. In fact, they raise almost more questions than they answer. For example:
- Was it a serious incident?
- Had it ever happened before?
- Why did they start on the third floor?
- What about the first two floors?
- Is three hours a long time for that?
- How long does it usually take?
These are all logical (and obvious) questions that the average person might ask when reading a paragraph made up of the three sentences above.
Now, let's transform these three statements, using transition phrases, as follows:
“UNLIKE the previous minor incident, this time the entire building had to be searched. BECAUSE the fire was still smoking on the first two floors, they started on the third, working upwards, covering the first two last. CONSEQUENTLY, it took them a full three hours before they finally completed the typical two-hour job.”
Notice the use of the transition words: UNLIKE, BECAUSE, and CONSEQUENTLY. Using these three words has allowed us to easily connect the three independent sentences and give them a sense of chronological order and logical flow. They also allow us to answer ALL of the obvious questions, either with the transition word itself, or by adding a couple more words.
In short, transition words/phrases have turned three dry independent phrases into a little story that makes sense to the reader.
These types of words/phrases are ideal for allowing one to easily connect thoughts, and create logical sequences between sentences and paragraphs. They are usually inserted at the beginning of a sentence and normally refer directly back to the previous sentence and/or paragraph without repeating the specific subject.
The following paragraphs list some of the more common transition words and phrases that will help make your text more understandable and interesting to the reader. For each one, I have included a typical example of how the word/phrase might be used in a typical sentence.
Note that I have capitalized the transition words/phrases for emphasis and easy identification.
CAUSE AND EFFECT...
THEN, he moved on to the next work station.
AS A RESULT, the team lost the game.
FOR THIS REASON, she always went home for the weekend.
THE RESULT WAS always predictable.
WHAT FOLLOWED was as painful as it was inevitable.
IN RESPONSE, he quickly upped the ante.
THEREFORE, the aircraft overshot the runway.
THUS, it was just a matter of time.
BECAUSE OF THIS, the results were always the same.
CONSEQUENTLY, he was no longer friends with Frank.
THE REACTION to this event was swift and decisive.
IN CONTRAST TO...
UNLIKE last year, this one was highly profitable.
DIFFERENT from this, was our approach to manufacturing.
IN SPITE OF the dot com bust, the company prospered.
ON THE OTHER HAND, earnings per share have increased.
ON THE CONTRARY, the impact was less than expected.
OPPOSING that idea was the move to new technologies.
HOWEVER, that approach may actually prove better.
CONTRARY to his findings, the revenue picture is good.
NEVERTHELESS, something still appears to be missing.
SEQUENCE AND RELATIVITY...
THEN, each one followed in numerical sequence.
IN ADDITION, a fourth material was added to the mix.
TO ENUMERATE, first there was the car, second the boat,...
NEXT in the series was the “outrigger” brand line.
BESIDES THAT, there were two other possible sources.
SIMILARITY AND COMPARISON...
LIKE always, he took the company on a dangerous course.
SAME as before, he managed to meet all of the requirements.
SIMILAR things were known to happen at certain times.
CLOSE to that was the result of the second round of voting.
LIKEWISE, they made similar changes in the factory.
ALSO, there were the worker’s families to consider.
NEAR that one, was where we found the faulty component.
EXPLANATION AND EXAMPLE...
FOR EXAMPLE, last year’s model was underpowered.
ONE SUCH occurrence was last week’s power outage.
FOR INSTANCE, earnings this year are higher than last.
TO ILLUSTRATE, he went to Chicago just to make his point.
ALSO, there is a new approach to sheet-metal molding.
THAT TOO, just goes to make my point even stronger.
TO DEMONSTRATE, I will use the new model throughout.
The above are just examples, and there many other such transition words and phrases that are used in everyday conversation and writing. In my opinion, appropriate use of these words/phrases is the number one technique for making any type of writing flow more logically and clearly.
Bottom line: Smooth, orderly and logical transitions from one thought to the other, one sentence to the next, and one paragraph to another, are key to creating clear meaning and flow in any document. Transition words and phrases will achieve this for you.
Digg
del.icio.us
Blink
Stumble
Spurl
Reddit
Netscape
Furl
Article keywords: how to write, writing help, letter writing, write a letter, how to write letter, how to write report, how to write essay, letter templates, sample letters, business writing
Article Source: http://www.articles2k.com
Shaun Fawcett is Webmaster of two of the most visited writing-help Web sites on the Net. He is the author of numerous “how-to” books on everyday practical writing help. He also writes about how to create and publish books and ebooks. His main “writing tools” site is:
WritingHelpTools.com
|
|
| Top Writing Articles |
|
|
- 2). It’s Good To Be A New Writer: Breaking The Myth That Experience Is Everything By : Shelley Wake
There’s a rumor out there in the publishing world that an editor won’t even look at the work of a new writer. It might be true for certain types of writing, but after interviewing hundreds of editors, I’ve found that most are more open to new writers than you might think.
And there are a few major benefits to being a new writer too. So before you spend too much time trying to work out how you can appear to be a published professional writer when you’re not, consider taking advantage of your current position as a newcomer.
|
- 3). Penguin Publisher Reveals What It Really Takes To Get Published. By : Sharif Khan
Mr. David Davidar began his career in journalism and is founder of Penguin Books India. Currently, he is Publisher of Penguin Canada and also is author of the novel, The House of Blue Mangoes.
How did you first get started in the publishing business?
Twenty years ago I was working in Bombay and there was a colleague I knew who had done a publishing course at Harvard.
|
- 4). A Few Magazine Publishing Terms By : Scott Lindsay
The business of writing for magazines is often speculative in nature. It can often seem fruitless to conduct research on available paying magazines, attempt to understand their style and unique requirements, write the article, send the article, and then wait for what can seem a never ending response.
It can be even more daunting when you have invested significant time and energy and have received multiple rejection slips.
|
- 5). The Psychology Of Effortless Writing By : Saleem Rana
Through writing I can convey my entire experience so that someone else can benefit from it and learn from that experience without having had to be there. So, by writing I can give others much more than I can in person. In addition, writing bends time and I can convey my experience to someone centuries away.
|
- 6). Tricky Decisions By : Kael
Some people know exactly what to look for at the bookstore – others spend hours without finding what they have in mind…
Did you ever mistake the body lotion tube for the toothpaste a sleepy morning? No? Good, it’s not the best way to start the day.
This might be an awkward approach if you're aiming at the problem of choosing literature, but frankly, haven’t you too picked the ‘wrong’ book by a random grab at the bookshop or at the library? The book you put away with a sigh after three chapters.
|
|
|
- 8). Ebook Design (HTML) By : Shelley Lowery
When designing an HTML compiled ebook, you must create an HTML document (web page) for each page within your ebook. These pages should include
|
|
|
- 10). A Blank Paper By : William Ramos
A BLANK PAPER…is what I came up with after racking my brain to sweet talk you, sweep you off your feet; but as I crown myse
|
| New Writing Articles |
|
|
- 2). Seven Ways To Sabotage Your Self Publishing Success By : Sanyika Calloway-Boyce
Are you sabotaging your success as an author? Would you like to know how not to waste time and money? Seven Ways To Sabotage Your Self Publishing Success reveals the secrets that you need to know and avoid so you can write, publish and promote your book to self publishing success!
|
|
|
- 4). How to Proofread Like a Professional By : Jaya Schillinger
Copyright 2006 Jaya Schillinger
Even as I wrote the title for this article, I got confused. Is "proofread" one word or two? I thought it was two, and my spell checker didn't have a problem with that, but when I double-checked myself with a popular on- line dictionary, I was able to catch my mistake. Proofread is in fact one word, "proof·read v. tr.
|
- 5). Benefit We Gain from Problem Solving By : Carol Miller
The real fact on this Earth is that no human being has ever lived without problems a single day. This is impossible. People deal wit problems every day and problems do not fade away by themselves, they stay until the person resolves them. When a person gets strong enough to overcome stress and get to the core of things, then the amount of problems lessens.
|
- 6). Self Publishing, A Miracle Of The 21st Century. By : Josephine Stungger
Are you a writer with lots of talent but no one will give you the time of day let alone a contract? Would you pay a professional publisher to make your book but can't afford it? Do you need a better tool than your plain old word processor to make your work look more professional and desirable? Do you possess special knowledge that if packaged in a book.
|
- 7). Storylines Crop Up at the Oddest Moments By : chicho
There I was on a restful weekend by the sea; enjoying coffee and croissant in a quaint little café at the end of the North Shore pier.
Looking outside through a musty rain smattered window my gaze was attracted to the contours of the magnificent edifice that is Blackpool Tower; drinking in the lines of the intricate steel framework that leads to the observation deck, to the twin platforms one above the other, and all the way up to the crow’s nest.
|
- 8). Choose Great Research Topics By : Denton Krypps
Doing research and writing research papers does not actually have to be as horrible as everyone makes it out to be. I have learned to enjoy the process of research from start to finish. Call me crazy if you will, but I guarentee that the future of your educational career can be much more enjoyable if you learn now to enjoy research. For me, enjoying it started with choosing the right research topics.
|
- 9). The Perils And Pitfalls Of Publishing: Who Can An Author Trust? By : Dee Power And Brian Hill
One out of every eight people call themselves a writer, which means there are roughly 24 million people in the United States who carry that banner. Unfortunately there are charlatans and scam artists just waiting to ambush the unsuspecting author. How can a novice writer protect themselves?
Anyone can call themselves a publisher. Always remember money flows towards the author from the publisher, not the other way round.
|
- 10). Jokes and Riddles - How To Write Them By : Steve Gillman
Just listening to or reading jokes and riddles may "wake up" your brain, but it is creating them that really exercises your brainpower. The process requires you to use both logical and lateral thinking skills. How do you do it, then?
Jokes and riddle don't come to mind randomly. In fact, after watching how many comedians create their routines, I am convinced that they use what I call "humor algorithms," even if they do so unconsciously.
|
|
|
