Reading & Writing Center

Paragraph Transitions

Paragraph transitions help the reader understand the connections between the paragraphs' ideas. They also help to clarify for the reader how ideas relate to the thesis.

Paragraph Transition Dos and Don'ts

DON'T put the transition at the end of the previous paragraph. This sounds like you're bringing up a new point and then dropping it, which can confuse your reader. Paragraphs should almost always end with the main point of that paragraph, not some new point. Learn more about body paragraph structure.

Transition at end of body paragraph

...This is why it is so important that the government fund public schools well. Studies have shown that teachers who are paid better wages are more effective at teaching students, probably because they are less likely to work second jobs to make ends meet. Also, well-funded schools can afford teaching supplies and materials to help increase student learning. School funding is a crucial aspect of student success. While school funding is important, ongoing teacher training is another key component to strengthening our schools.

DO put the transition at the beginning of the new paragraph that it introduces. This will show readers how your new topic connects to what came before it.

TRANSITION AT Beginning OF BODY PARAGRAPH

While school funding is important, ongoing teacher training is another key component to strengthening our schools. Teachers often teach for many years, so they may not be up to date on the latest teaching methods. Schools should bring in experts to train the teachers on a regular basis....

DON'T rely on single transition words to make the connections between paragraphs. For example, while the sample paragraph opening below does have a transitional word, "additionally," it doesn't really tell readers how this information relates to what came before it.

single-Word Transition

Additionally, African Americans fought for their civil rights.

DO show how the new paragraph relates to what came before it. The transition below sums up what came before it (that African-American churches created community bonds), and connects it to the new topic (that these bonds helped African Americans fight for their civil rights).

Transition That sums up earlier ideas

The community bonds created in African-American churches gave African Americans the strength to fight for their civil rights.

DO use subordinators to create transitions between paragraphs. Subordinators such as although, since, when, while, because, and as are all useful in transitioning between paragraphs.

Transition with a subordinator

Although medical studies do not usually confirm the effectiveness of acupuncture, many patients claim it has helped them with pain management and recovery from injuries.

Essay Example

Notice the differences in the following example with and without the transitions:

Without Transitions

Traveling is my life. I work every day to fund my next trip. When I was 22, I went on my first trip by myself. I went to the Netherlands, Scotland, and Ireland. After that trip, I knew that I would spend the rest of my life traveling. I am so addicted to traveling that if I am not traveling, I am planning my next trip.

I receive many emails a day from different traveling web sites. Sherman’s Travel and Travel Zoo are two of my favorites. When I open my email, the first thing I see is “Sale. $500 all inclusive 5 nights in Hawaii.” In my mind, I am already there. I am imagining myself lying on the beach, far away from my daily responsibilities.

I recently paid to receive a monthly magazine called Budget Travel. I knew that this would help feed my addiction while I am saving for my next trip. This is one of the best traveling magazines I have ever found. It gives random tips about traveling like, “keep a $100 bill folded up inside my luggage tag for emergencies” (14). The pictures entice me even further. My current issue showed the views of Sicily, and now I must travel there.

I decided to get a job that paid me to travel because I just couldn’t afford my habit. I worked for a company called Offroad where I lead bicycle trips. It was a really hard job, but I got to spend two months living and working in France’s wine country. I also went to the south and stood on the red carpet where they hold the Cannes Film Festival. Riding bikes all summer was great, and traveling around France was incredible, but the job was too much work and not enough play, so although it fed my traveling addiction, I knew that job wasn’t for me.

I have still managed to travel on my limited budget; I am currently planning a trip to Vancouver, BC next month. I love to travel so much that I subscribe to both magazine and online sources to feed my addiction. Every time I take a trip, it makes me want to see more of the world and enjoy all it has to offer.

This short essay feels choppy. All of the sentences start with "I", and the
reader is not often clear about how the paragraphs relate to each other nor
how they relate to the thesis. These have been left to the reader's interpretation.

With Transitions

Since I am addicted to traveling, I make sure to stay on top of the latest deals. I receive many emails a day from different traveling web sites. Sherman’s Travel and Travel Zoo are two of my favorites. When I open my email, the first thing I see is “Sale. $500 all inclusive 5 nights in Hawaii.” In my mind, I am already there. I am imagining myself lying on the beach, far away from my daily responsibilities.

As if receiving constant emails about deals wasn’t enough, I recently paid to receive a monthly magazine called Budget Travel. I knew that this would help feed my addiction while I am saving for my next trip. This is one of the best traveling magazines I have ever found. It gives random tips about traveling like, “keep a $100 bill folded up inside my luggage tag for emergencies” (14). This is something that I have never thought of, but I know that even if I don’t use it, I will definitely start checking luggage tags at the airport! Not only do I appreciate the traveling tips, but the pictures entice me even further. My current issue showed the views of Sicily, and now I must travel there.

Although looking at magazines and web sites is exciting, it doesn’t compare to actually traveling, so I decided to get a job that paid me to travel because I just couldn’t afford my habit. I worked for a company called Offroad where I lead bicycle trips. It was a really hard job, but I got to spend two months living and working in France’s wine country. I also went to the south and stood on the red carpet where they hold the Cannes Film Festival. Riding bikes all summer was great, and traveling around France was incredible, but the job was too much work and not enough play, so although it fed my traveling addiction, I knew that job wasn’t for me.

Although I am no longer working for the traveling company, I have still managed to travel on my limited budget; I am currently planning a trip to Vancouver, BC next month. I love to travel so much that I subscribe to both magazine and online sources to feed my addiction. Every time I take a trip, it makes me want to see more of the world and enjoy all it has to offer.

Notice that without the transitions, the essay is understandable, but the author's ideas seem disconnected from one another. However, with the transitions, the author has taken more control over the reader's interpretation of the writer's work. The author's voice is much stronger and clearer in the second example. In addition to the transitions at the beginning of the sentences, the second example has a transition after a quote. Instead of just leaving the quote alone, the author has now told us why he/she used that particular quote, again taking control over the reader's interpretations.