Transition Words and Phrases

Transition words and phrases

Transitions are phrases or words used to connect one idea to another in a sentence or paragraph. These are used by the author to help the reader progress from one significant idea to the next. Transitions also show the relationship within a paragraph (or within a sentence), between the main idea and the support the author gives for those ideas. Different transitions have different purposes. These are useful in Sentence completion or Para completion question. They are also useful in Reading comprehension to understand the flow of author’s ideas. Given below are some of the commonly used transitions:

Additive Transitions:

This kind of transitions are used to show addition, introduction, similarity to other ideas etc. They intend to clarify the idea given in the sentence/paragraph.

Addition
indeed	further	as well (as this)	either (neither)
also	not only (this) but also (that) as well	in all honesty	to tell the truth
moreover	what is more	as a matter of fact	and
furthermore	in addition (to this)	besides (this)	or
in fact	actually	to say nothing of	too
let alone	much less	additionally	nor
alternatively	on the other hand	not to mention (this)

Introduction
such as	as	particularly	including
for example	as an illustration	like	in particular
for one thing	to illustrate	for instance	especially
notably	by way of example

Reference
speaking about (this)	considering (this)	regarding (this)	with regards to (this)
as for (this)	concerning (this)	the fact that
on the subject of (this)

Similarity
similarly	in the same way	by the same token	in a like manner
equally	likewise

Identification
that is (to say)	namely	specifically	thus

Clarification
that is (to say)	I mean	(to) put (it) another way	in other words

Suggested Action:

Get CAT-MBA Free 20+ Tests & 100+ Videos, eBooks & more to boost your prep.
Sign Up Now

Adversative Transitions:

These transitions are used to show conflict, contradiction concession, dismissal etc. They are used to present contrasting ideas.

Conflict
but	by way of contrast	while	on the other hand
however	(and) yet	whereas	though (final position)
in contrast	when in fact	conversely	still

Emphasis
even more	above all	indeed	more importantly	besides

Concession
but even so	nevertheless	even though	on the other hand
admittedly	however	nonetheless	despite (this)
notwithstanding (this)	albeit	(and) still	although
in spite of (this),	regardless (of this)	(and) yet	though
granted (this)	be that as it may

Dismissal
either way	whichever happens	in either event	in any case
at any rate	in either case	whatever happens	all the same
in any event

Replacement
(or) at	(or)	instead
least	rather

Causal Transitions:

These transitions signal cause/effect and reason/result, etc. They intend to connect the action to its outcome.

Cause/Reason
for the (simple) reason that,	being that, for	in view of (the fact)	inasmuch as
because (of the fact)	seeing that	as	owing to (the fact)
due to (the fact that)	in that	since	forasmuch as

Condition
on (the) condition (that)	granted (that)	if	provided that	in case
in the event that	as/so long as	unless	given that
granting (that)	providing that	even if	only if

Effect/Result
as a result (of this)	consequently	hence	for this reason
thus	because (of this)	in consequence	so that
accordingly	as a consequence	so much (so) that	so
therefore

Purpose
for the purpose of	in the hope that	for fear that	so that
with this intention,	to the end that	in order to	lest
with this in mind	in order that	so as to	so

Consequence
under those circumstances	then	in that case	if not
that being the case	if so	otherwise

Sequential Transitions:

These transitions are used to show a chronological or logical sequence within a sentence/paragraph. They may represent the starting, continuation or ending phase in a paragraph/passage.

Numerical
in the (first, second, etc.) place	initially	to start with,	first of all
thirdly	to begin with,	at first	for a start
secondly

Continuation
subsequently	previously	eventually	next
before (this)	afterwards	after (this)	then

Conclusion
to conclude (with)	as a final point	eventually	at last
last but not least	in the end	finally	lastly

Digression
to change the topic	incidentally	by the way

Resumption
to get back to the point,	to resume	anyhow, anyway,	at any rate
to return to the subject,

Suggested Action:

Kickstart Your CAT-MBA Journey with FREE Live Masterclasses from the Test Prep Experts!
Register Now

Resumption
as was previously stated	so	consequently	in summary
all in all	to make a long story short	thus	as I have said
to sum up	overall	as has been mentioned	then
to summarize	to be brief	briefly	given these points
in all	on the whole	therefore	as has been noted
hence	in conclusion	in a word	to put it briefly
in sum	altogether	in short