You are on page 1of 3

Page 2 of 4

COMMON TRANSITIONAL WORDS & PHRASES


To Indicate To Indicate To Indicate To Indicate
TIME ORDER CONTRAST COMPARISON CAUSE & EFFECT

 earlier  a clear difference  after all  accordingly


 former  a distinct  along the same  as a consequence
 formerly difference lines  as a result
 heretofore  a striking  also  as a result of
 in retrospect distance  analogous to  because
 in the past  a strong  as compared with  because of this
 not long ago distinction  as well as  by reason of
 of late  against  balanced against  caused by
 preceding  although  by comparison  consequently
 previously  although this  comparable  due to
 prior to may be true  comparatively  following that
 recently  an opposing view  compared to  for
 yesterday  and yet  consistent with  for this purpose
-----------------------  another  conversely  for this reason
 at present distinction  correlate  furthermore
 at the same time  balanced against  correspondingly  hence
 at this moment  but  equal  henceforth
 by now  by contrast  equally important  in conclusion
 concurrently  contrarily  equivalent  in effect
 currently  contrary to  however  in view of
 immediately  conversely  identical  it follows that
 now  counter to  in a similar  on account of
 presently  despite fashion  otherwise
 right away  despite the fact  in comparison  owing to
 simultaneously that  in contrast  so
 until now  different from  in like manner  subsequently
-----------------------  even though  in the same  the end result
 henceforth  for manner  the outcome
 hereafter  however  in the same way  the ramifications
 in the future  in contrast  like of
-----------------------  in opposition to  likewise  then
 after a long time  nevertheless  matching  thereafter
 after a short  nonetheless  meanwhile  therefore
while  on the contrary  nevertheless  thus
 afterward  on the other  of little difference  to this end
 later on hand  parallel to  accordingly
 not long after  opposing  relative to  as a result
 right after  otherwise  relatively  consequently
 soon after  regardless  resemble  hence
 thereafter  the antithesis of  resembling  it follows, then
 the reverse of  similarly  since
 to differ from  synonymous  so
 to differentiate  the next likeness  then
 to oppose  to the same  therefore
 up against extent  thus
 whereas  too
 while  uniformly
 yet  where
 whereas
Courtesy the Odegaard Writing & Research Center
http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
Adapted from UW Expository Writing Program and Edmonds Community College Writing Center handouts
Page 3 of 4

To Indicate To Indicate To Provide An To EMPHASIZE or


SEQUENCE ADDITION EXAMPLE INTENSIFY

 at first  after  a case in point  above all


 at the beginning  afterward  after all  actually
 at the onset  again  an analogy  after all
 commencing with  also  analogous to  as a matter of
 earlier  and  another way fact
 embark  and then  as an example  certainly
 first  besides  as an illustration  decidedly
 from this point  concurrently  consider  definitely
 in the first place  consequently  consider as an  equally important
 initially  equally important illustration  especially
 once  finally  for example  furthermore
 once upon a time  following this  for instance  in fact
 starting with  further  for instance  increasingly
 to begin with  furthermore  for one thing important
-----------------------  hence  in another case  indeed
 after that  in addition  in fact  more
 following that  in fact  in one example emphatically
 immediately  indeed  in order to clarify  more important
following  lastly  in other words  moreover
 in the second  moreover  in particular  most important of
place  next  in the following all
 in turn  nor manner  most of all
 later on  now  in the same  of great concern
 next  previously manner  of major concern
 on the next  simultaneously  in this case  primarily
occasion  so too  in this situation  significantly
 second /secondly  subsequently  in this specific  surely
 so far  therefore instance  the crux of the
 subsequently  thus  more exactly matter
 the following  too  namely  the main issue
week  what's more  on this occasion  the main problem
 the next day  specifically  the major reason
 the next time  such as  there is no
 the second stage  suppose that question that
 twice  take the case of  to be sure
-----------------------  that is  to emphasize
 in the third place  to be exact  to recapitulate
 last  to bring to light  very likely
 last of all  to clarify  without a doubt
 third  to demonstrate  without doubt
 at last  to exemplify  without question
 lastly  to explain
 in the last place  to illuminate
 the latter  to illustrate
 at the end  to put another
 in the end way
 final  to show
 finally  to take a case in
 the final point point
 to conclude  to take a case in
 in conclusion point

Courtesy the Odegaard Writing & Research Center


http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
Adapted from UW Expository Writing Program and Edmonds Community College Writing Center handouts
Page 4 of 4

To Indicate To SUMMARIZE or To Connect To Connect


EXCEPTION CONCLUDE CLAUSES* CLAUSES cont.*

 despite  accordingly COORDINATION SUBORDINATING


 however  as a result CONJUNCTIONS CONJUNCTIONS
 in spite of  as has been noted  and  after
 nevertheless  as I have said  but  although
 of course  as I have shown  for  as
 once in a while  consequently  nor  as if
 sometimes  hence  or  as though
 still  in brief  so  because
 yet  in conclusion  yet  before
 on the whole  even
 on the whole  even if
 summing up  even though
 therefore  if
 thus  in order that
 to conclude  once
To ELABORORATE  as a result  rather than
 consequently  since
 actually  hence  so that
 by extension  in conclusion,  than
 in short then  that
 in other words  in short  though
 to put it another  in sum, then  unless
way  it follows, then  until
 to put it bluntly  so  when
 to put it  the upshot of all  whenever
succinctly this is that  while
 ultimately  therefore
 thus * NOTE:
 to sum up Conjunctions do
 to summarize more than simply
link and connect
ideas. Conjunctions
combine clauses
To CONCEDE which transitional
words cannot do.
 admittedly This is a significant
 although it is true difference between
that conjunctions and
 granted transitional words
 I concede that
 of course
 naturally
 to be sure

Courtesy the Odegaard Writing & Research Center


http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
Adapted from UW Expository Writing Program and Edmonds Community College Writing Center handouts

You might also like