How to Write Creative Transition Sentences
Creative writers and journalists sometimes have a problem with transitioning smoothly from one paragraph to the other, especially when they are changing the subject. Learning transition sentences is not really that hard.
When we hop from topic to topic w/o a transition sentence, we “jar” the reader. While sentence transitions may be the last line in a paragraph, they are more commonly used as the first line in a new paragraph. They are like a bridge, connecting dissimilar things.
Here is an example of a camping article. We are going to pick up near the end of the article. The subject is how to prepare for a vacation by using a credit card to purchase gas. It will blend into the after-vacation reality of never paying interest. See if you can pick out the transition words…
“And thus you will receive a $10 coupon for every $1,000 you charge on a Flying J credit card (per month), and you can use it to purchase your groceries at Flying J.
By combining the above-suggested methods with this plan, you will seldom, if ever, run out of vacation money or forced to use an ATM machine.
Furthermore, you will never build up interest, never make a physical payment, and never carry a balance either.”
What were the transition words?
“By combining…” and also “furthermore.”
Those three words take the reader out of a financial camping program and steer the train of thought to the after-vacation situation.
Some words make great transitions.
Some of them are: besides, further, in addition to, although, for instance, specifically, to sum up, again, beyond, close, accordingly, moreover, as a result, during, consequently, finally, as a result, to compare, on the contrary, but, meanwhile, nevertheless, if, then, otherwise, therefore, therefore, so, otherwise, formerly.
Now you are equipped to go read a magazine and find all the transition words. They will always be in the first sentence of the next paragraph. After you have done this a few times, you will understand how to improve your own transitions.
Also, here is an eBook on 12 different types of transitions.
