This document discusses the use of transitions in writing. It explains that transitions signal relationships between ideas and guide readers from one part of a document to another. Various transition words and phrases are presented that can link sentences and paragraphs together. Major transitions between sections should summarize the previous section, refer back to the thesis, and preview the next section. The document also discusses using an "old/new contract" where the beginning of sentences reference old information from earlier in the text and the end of sentences introduce new information.

1. Transitions
ENG 101

2. Transition Words
 Readers expect linkage between words,
sentences, paragraphs and parts.
 Look for signposts
 transition words
 Phrases
 Sentences

3. Transitions to Signal Relationships
 Govern relationships between ideas
 While on vacation, Suzie caught the Chicken
Pox. Therefore,_____________
 While on vacation, Suzie caught the Chicken
Pox. Nevertheless, ___________

4. Exercise
1. Writing is difficult; therefore ________
2. Writing is difficult; however, ________
3. Writing is difficult because _________
4. Writing is difficult. For example, _______
5. Writing is difficult. To put it another way ______
6. Writing is difficult. Likewise, _______
7. Although writing is difficult, ________
8. ________. In sum, writing is difficult.

5. Major Transitions Between Parts
 Pause
 Shifts a reader’s attention from a sense of
where they’ve been to where they are
going.
 Sums up preceding major section, refers
back to the essay’s thesis statement, and
then previews the next major section.

6. Major Transitions: Examples
So far I have looked at a number of techniques that can help
people identify debilitating assumptions that block self-
growth. In the next section, I examine ways to question and
overcome these assumptions.
Now that the difficulty of the problem is fully apparent, our next
step is to examine some of the solutions that have been
proposed.
Obviously, Tucker’s style, in terms of his attitude and word
choice, is different from Goldblatt’s; however, the two authors
do have some similarities.

7. Binding Sentences Together
 Old/New contract
 Old (topic position)-beginning of sentences
 New (stress position) -toward the end

8. Backward Links
 Old– refers to everything in the text that the
reader has read thus far. New refers to new
information.
1. Can link to a key word or concept in the
preceding sentence (sentence coherence)
Example: Another principle for writing clear closed-
form prose is the old/new contract. The old/new
contract asks writers to begin sentences with
something old—something that links to what has
come before—then to end sentences with new
information.

9. Links
2. They can link to a key word or concept in
a preceding point sentence (support
point), creating unity.
Example: Another example that supports this
premise is Goldblatt’s comment that “blah,
blah, blah,”

10. Links
3. They can link to a preceding forecasting
statement about structure (helping
readers map their location).
Example: Now that we’ve gone over the cons
of letting your kids watch TV, we’ll spend
some time on the pros.

11. Strategies
 Repeat a key word
 Use a pronoun as a substitute for a key
word
 Summarize, rephrase, or restate earlier
concepts
 Use a transition word (first, second, for
example . . .)