Transition Words & Phrases
Master transition words and linking phrases for academic English. Learn how to express addition, contrast, cause, result, concession and comparison. Essential for PTE Write Essay and IELTS Writing coherence.
Overview
Transition words and phrases (also called discourse markers or linking language) connect ideas within sentences and between paragraphs. They signal the logical relationship between ideas — addition, contrast, cause, result, concession, exemplification — and are directly assessed in IELTS Writing Coherence & Cohesion and PTE Essay grammar and organisation.
Key Points
- Addition: furthermore, moreover, in addition, additionally, not only...but also, as well as, what is more.
- Contrast: however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other hand, conversely, by contrast, in contrast, that said.
- Cause: because, since, as, due to, owing to, as a result of, given that, in view of the fact that.
- Result/Consequence: therefore, consequently, as a result, hence, thus, for this reason, it follows that.
- Concession: although, even though, while, despite, in spite of, granted that, admittedly.
- Exemplification: for example, for instance, such as, including, notably, to illustrate, as evidenced by, in particular.
- Summary/Conclusion: in conclusion, in summary, overall, to conclude, in short, to sum up.
Examples
"Technology has transformed education. Furthermore, it has made learning more accessible to remote communities." (addition)
"The policy aimed to reduce inequality; however, it had limited success in practice." (contrast)
"Due to inadequate funding, many schools struggle to provide essential resources." (cause)
"As a result, student outcomes have declined significantly in underserved areas." (consequence)
"Although the evidence is compelling, further research is required before firm conclusions can be drawn." (concession)
"For instance, Singapore's education system demonstrates that high investment yields measurable results." (exemplification)
💡 PTE & IELTS Exam Tip
IELTS Writing Band 7 requires "a range of cohesive devices used flexibly". This means: do NOT only use "Furthermore", "However" and "Therefore". Vary your linking language by function. For contrast: alternate between "however", "nevertheless", "on the other hand", "conversely", "that said". For cause: use "due to" + noun, "because" + clause, "since" + clause, "given that" + clause interchangeably. In PTE Write Essay, opening sentences with varied discourse markers improves your essay structure score.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between "however" and "although"?
"However" is a conjunctive adverb — it connects two SEPARATE independent clauses. Use with a semicolon or a new sentence: "The policy was expensive; however, it was effective." OR "The policy was expensive. However, it was effective." "Although" is a subordinating conjunction — it JOINS a dependent clause to an independent clause within ONE sentence: "Although the policy was expensive, it proved effective." They express the same contrast but with different grammatical structures.
Can I start an essay paragraph with "Furthermore" or "Moreover"?
Yes, but use them wisely. "Furthermore" and "Moreover" signal that you are adding to a previous point — so they are appropriate at the START of a body paragraph that builds on the previous paragraph's argument, or at the start of a sentence that adds to the previous sentence's point. Do not use them to introduce a completely unrelated new idea. Over-relying on "Furthermore" and "Moreover" for every paragraph transition signals formulaic writing and limits your Coherence & Cohesion score.