Transition — English definition

Defined in 4 courses:

Where it is taught

In use

A transition is a word or phrase — 'for example,' 'as a result,' 'in contrast,' 'next' — that names the relationship between two ideas so the reader never has to guess how they connect.

The Informative Essay

Questions using transition

Problem 1

What job do transition words like 'for example' and 'as a result' do in informative writing?
  1. They make the piece longer
  2. They guide the reader from one idea to the next so the writing feels connected
  3. They prove the writer's opinion is correct
  4. They replace the need for a topic sentence
Answer and explanation

They guide the reader from one idea to the next so the writing feels connected

Transitions act like road signs, connecting ideas so a piece reads as one explanation instead of a pile of separate facts.

Problem 2

Explain transition in your own words and give an example from the assigned reading or a fresh sentence.
Answer and explanation

Wording that expresses a real relationship between ideas. The unit case offers this example to examine: Leila increasingly treats a flaw as a reason to revise rather than hide her work. In paragraph 7 she wants to put away the unreadable card but moves it nearer the door instead. The contrast between her impulse and action shows a changed response to embarrassment. The table detail can be omitted unless the paragraph explains its relationship to that claim. Identify the wording or choice that fits the term. A different accurate example is acceptable.

Use the model to discuss reasoning after an independent attempt. A different accurate supported response can be correct; written work needs human marking.

Problem 3

Which sentence uses a transition to connect ideas clearly?
  1. As a result, the water level rose sharply after the storm.
  2. The water level rose sharply after the storm.
  3. The storm happened on a Tuesday.
  4. Storms can be measured in several ways.
Answer and explanation

As a result, the water level rose sharply after the storm.

'As a result' is a transition that explicitly signals a cause/effect relationship between two ideas.

Problem 4

Which transition word would best introduce a counterargument?
  1. Additionally
  2. Similarly
  3. However
  4. For example
Answer and explanation

However

'However' signals a shift toward a contrasting or opposing idea, which fits introducing a counterargument.

Taught alongside

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