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Transitional Words and Phrases in English
Writing
Transitional Words
and Phrases
Using
transitional
words
and
phrases
helps
papers
read
more
smoothly.
They
provide
logical
organization and understandability and
improve the connections and transitions between
thoughts
A coherent paper allows the
reader to flow from the first supporting point to
the last. Transitions
indicate
relations,
whether
within
a
sentence,
paragraph,
or
paper.
This
list
illustrates
Listing
the first
step, the second step, the next step
first, second,
third
；
firstly, secondly, thirdly
in the first place, in the second
place, finally
first, furthermore,
finally
last but not least
first and most important
for
one thing,…
for another thing;
to begin with, next, then, finally
(
首先……其次……
)
the former…the latter
Paralleling
并列
or
both…and
either…or
not
only…but
（
also
that is,
and
as well as
that's to say
in other words
neither…no
r
Addition:
also,
too,
again,
besides,
similarly,
then,
coupled
with
外加
,
furthermore,
further,
what
is
more,
moreover, in addition,
likewise
同样地
, as well as,
Consequence:
Accordingly
因此
,
Hence
因此
,subsequently,
consequently,
therefore,
thus, thereupon
于是
/
因此
,
wherefore
因此<
/p>
/
为什么
, as a result,
for this reason, for this purpose, otherwise, so t
hen
那么
/
所以
,
Generalizing:
generally, generally speaking,
ordinarily, usually, as a
rule
通常
, as usual, for the
most part
在极大
程度上
Exemplifying:
chiefly,
especially,
for
instance,
in
particular,
markedly,
namely,
particularly,
including,
specifically,
such as
Illustration:
for
example, for instance, as an illustration,
illustrated with, as an example, in this case
Emphasis
most
important
of
all,
most
importantly,
above
all,
chiefly,
with
attention
to,
especially,
particularly,
singularly, obviously, certainly, undoubtedly,
surely, very likely, indeed, in fact
Exception:
aside from, barri
ng
不包括
/
除非
, besides, except, excepting, excluding, exclusive of, other than
除
了
, outside
of, save
除了
<
Nobody else knows barring
you and me.
除你我之外无人知道。
>
Restatement:
in essence, in
other words, namely, that is, that is to say, in
short, in brief, to put it differently, put
it another way
Similarity:
by the same
token
出于同样的原因
, identically,
likewise, the same
…
as, be
similar to
；
similarly,
both…and…
；
resemble
；
have…in
common
；
in the same
way
；
equally important,
comparatively,
1
Transitional Words and Phrases in
English Writing
correspondi
ngly
相对地
, coupled with
加上
/
外加
,
moreover, together with, There are similarities
between…and…
Contrast and Comparison:
still, likewise,
yet,
nevertheless
然而
,but, however,
Whereas/While
；
contrast
with/differ from
；
conversely,
instead, on the contrary, in contrast, rather,
Unlike…
；
be
different from
；
Contrary
to…
；
As opposed to
…
；
Although
；
more…than…
；
less…than…
；
not
so…as
；
on one hand, on the other
hand
；
Sequence:
at first, first of all, to begin with,
in the first place,
at the
same time, simultaneously, in the meantime,
meanwhile, while,
the next step, next,
then, soon, earlier, afterward, in time, in turn,
later on,
for now
目前
/
暂时
, for the time
being
暂时
, later, with this in
mind, in conclusion,
Summarizing:
in brief, briefly, finally, after all,
all in all, all things considered, by and
large
总的来说
, in any
case
无论如何
, in any
event, in conclusion, to conclude, on the whole,
in short, in summary, in the
final
analysis, in the long run, on
balance
总而言之
, to sum up, to
summarize,
Diversion:
by the
way, incidentally
Direction:
here,
there,
over
there,
beyond,
nearly,
opposite,
under,
above,
to
the
left,
to
the
right,
in
the
distance
Time
now
in the
past
until
soon
recently
after
a while
later
nowadays
not long
after
then
while
in the
mean time
before
since
meanwhile
Space Order
under the table
i
n the distance
on the hilltop
across the river
in front
of the room
next to the door
in the back
of the room
on the front wall
on the tenth floor
a
long the street
nearby
f
ar
away
inside the house
o
utside the
school
behind the cupboard
by the window
round the
corner
on the
opposite side of the street
at the foot
of the mountain
at the bottom of
the sea
Cause and Effect
since
so…that…
because
thus
because of this/that
hence
because of the fact
that
therefore
as a result
accordingly
2