Removing a transition from a sentence does not hold any grammatical consequences to your writing. Transitions can either be words or phrases. They connect two ideas and establish the relationship between these ideas. Transitions direct readers to the logical progression of your argument. They create a shift in perspective. That is to say, transitions can signal an upcoming comparison, opposition, or result.

Unlike conjunctions, transitions connect more than the idea of one sentence together. They instead showcase the relationship between two sentences or a paragraph. Transitions are usually set apart from a sentence with a comma. This is not always the case with conjunctions. For example, subordinating conjunctions do not need commas.

You can categorize transitions by their specific functions. Listed here are transition examples sorted by their use.

Examples

Transitions work to connect sentences or paragraphs. Below find examples of how transitions operate in writing.

• Marcy cut class with her boyfriend. As a result, her parents sent her to boarding school.
• In general, politicians want to help their constituents. However, some are only out for themselves.
• School finished at 3 pm. Despite that, Mary did not get home until 11 pm.

Transitions vs. Conjunctions Chart