Reading & Writing

Transitions

2 min readEasy5-question drill

Transitions questions are some of the most predictable points on the test — once you learn to spot the logical relationship between two sentences, the right word almost picks itself.

Where this lesson fits

Transitions

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A transition is a word or phrase that connects two ideas and signals the relationship between them. Words like however, therefore, for example, and in addition all tell the reader what kind of turn the sentence is taking.

On the test, you'll see a short passage with a blank, and four transition choices. Your job is not to pick the word that 'sounds good' — it's to figure out the logical relationship between the idea before the blank and the idea after it, then choose the transition that matches.

Here's the key move: ignore the answer choices at first. Cover them up. Read the sentence before the blank and the sentence after it, and ask: what is the second idea doing to the first? There are only a handful of relationships the test uses:

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Transition relationships

Relationship	Signal words	What it means
Contrast	however, but, nevertheless	Second idea pushes against the first
Cause/Effect	therefore, as a result	Second idea is a result of the first
Addition	moreover, in addition, also	Second idea adds more to the first
Example	for example, specifically	Second idea is a specific instance
Sequence	first, then, finally	Ideas ordered in time

The handful of relationships the test tests over and over.

Contrast — the second idea pushes against the first. Signal words: however, but, nevertheless, on the other hand, in contrast, still.
Cause/Effect — the second idea is a result of the first. Signal words: therefore, thus, as a result, consequently, so.
Addition — the second idea piles more onto the first. Signal words: moreover, furthermore, in addition, also.
Example — the second idea is a specific instance of the first. Signal words: for example, for instance, specifically.
Sequence/Time — the ideas are ordered in time. Signal words: first, then, meanwhile, finally, afterward.

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Many migratory birds navigate using Earth's magnetic field. For example, the Arctic tern travels over 44,000 miles each year, relying in part on magnetoreception.

general claimexample signalspecific case

A general claim followed by one specific instance signals an example transition.

Here's the most common pattern you'll see: a general statement followed by a specific case. That's an example relationship, and the answer is almost always for example or specifically.

A reliable strategy:

Read both sides of the blank and predict the relationship in your own words ('these contrast' / 'this is an example').
Then look at the choices and pick the one that matches your prediction.
Double-check by reading the full sentence with your choice plugged in.

Don't get distracted by transitions that are real words but point in the wrong direction — the test loves to offer a perfectly grammatical however when the logic actually calls for therefore.

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Quick check

Check your understanding with a question from this topic:

The novelist's early works were praised for their lyrical prose. Her later novels, _______, adopted a more minimalist style that some critics found less engaging.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

moreover

in contrast

for instance

in addition

Worked examples

Example 1

The new bridge was designed to ease traffic congestion downtown. _______, commute times during rush hour have dropped by nearly twenty minutes since it opened.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Example 2

Honeybees communicate the location of food through movement. _______, a bee performs a 'waggle dance' whose angle and duration tell other bees the direction and distance of a flower patch.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Example 3

Critics initially dismissed the painter's bold use of color as chaotic and undisciplined. Over the following decade, _______, the same vivid palette came to be celebrated as visionary, inspiring a generation of imitators.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Common pitfalls

Picking by sound, not by logic

Moreover and furthermore feel sophisticated, so students grab them. But a fancy transition is wrong if it points the wrong direction. Always identify the relationship first, then match.

Confusing cause/effect with example

Both follow a general statement, so they're easy to mix up. Ask: is the second sentence an outcome (use therefore/as a result) or an illustration (use for example)? An illustration restates the same idea more specifically; an outcome introduces a new consequence.

Falling for a tempting but wrong contrast word

The test often plants a grammatical however when the two ideas actually agree. If you can't point to a real opposition between the sentences, don't use a contrast transition.

Ignoring the sentences and only reading the blank

Transitions only make sense in context. You must read the full sentence before and after the blank — the relationship lives between them, not in the blank itself.

Key takeaways

Predict the relationship between the two ideas in your own words BEFORE looking at the choices.
The test uses a small set of relationships: contrast, cause/effect, addition, example, and sequence.
A general statement followed by a specific case = example ('for example,' 'specifically').
An outcome or consequence = cause/effect ('therefore,' 'as a result').
A flip or opposition between ideas = contrast ('however,' 'nevertheless').

Watch & learn

Curated Khan Academy walkthroughs on Transitions. They're complementary to this lesson — watch one if a written explanation isn't clicking, or after to reinforce.

Tracks your progress across lessons.

Try it yourself

5 practice questions on Transitions, drawn from the question bank. The tutor is one click away if you get stuck.

Where this lesson fits

Transitions

You are here

→Rhetorical Synthesis →Text Structure and Purpose →Boundaries