193  Transitions Between Sentences

A paragraph’s flow is built by linking sentences together. Use the following transitions to signal to the reader and build the storyline of each paragraph.

Transition phrases between sentences are most effective when used at the beginning of a sentence, acting as signals for the reader.

Type Example
Addition Again, … Furthermore, …
Moreover, … Further experiments …
Further … In addition …
Besides X, … We also note …
Indeed, … Also, …
Comparison Likewise As seen in …
When compared to …\(^1\) Comparing … to …\(^1\)
Similarly, … In the same way, …
As reported by …
Contrast But … Still …
Nevertheless …\(^2\) Nonetheless …\(^2\)
Instead … Occasionally …
Unlike …, … Although …
Of course … Otherwise …
However, … Yet …
Despite this …\(^3\) In contrast, …\(^4\)
On the contrary, …… In comparison with …\(^1\)
On the other hand … In reality …
Whereas, … Conversely …
Emphasis\(^5\) Notably, …\(^6\) Interestingly, …\(^6\)
Even …\(^7\) In other words, …\(^8\)
i.e. …\(^{8,9}\) Strikingly, …
Specifically, … Importantly, …
Surprisingly, …
Example For example, … This is illustrated by …
An example of …, … Specifically, …
This is exemplified by … For instance, …
In particular, … e.g. …\(^8\)
Result, explanation Therefore, … Hence, …
logical progression Thus, … Consequently, …
Accordingly, … Subsequently, …
Here, … Because of …, …
As a result of … Because … is …
In this experiment, … In this case, …
Purpose For this purpose, … To this end, …
The purpose of X was to … For the purpose, …
To determine XYZ, we …
Sequence, time After … First, …
Later … Meanwhile, …
Now … While, …
Subsequently, … Finally, …
Next, … Then …
Second, … Last
During … When
Start a sentence To date, … Currently, …
Thus far, … At present, …\(^{11}\)
End of a sentence … as yet … until now
… so far
Summary, Conclusion Briefly, … In fact, …
To summarise, … To conclude, …
In summary, … In conclusion, …
In short, … Taken together, …
Table 193.1: Key transition words and phrases.

\(^1\)Note the difference between compare with, emphasising differences between similar classes, e.g. compare Berlin with Paris (Berlin and Paris are both cities, what sets them apart?) and compare to emphasising similarities between different classes, e.g. compare thee to a summer’s day (people and the weather are different classes).

\(^2\)Nevertheless and nonetheless are synonymous, but nonetheless is a more recent term and is gaining in popularity, whereas nevertheless has a long history and its popularity is declining.

\(^3\)Use despite instead of in spite of.

\(^4\)In contrast is a strong transition and can be combined with an emphasising word, such as strong, striking, sharp or stark.

\(^5\)Avoid using: Clearly, Obviously, or Unexpectedly

\(^6\)Both notably and interestingly are more concise alternatives to it is interesting to note that.

\(^7\)Even is used to introduce an extreme case, e.g. Even after 20 years of research….

\(^8\)In other words and i.e. allow key information to be repeated in a different way, thereby adding emphasis.

\(^9\)Use i.e. in the middle (not at the beginning) of a sentence, and don’t confuse it with e.g.

\(^{10}\)Avoid starting a sentence with So….

\(^{11}\)Use at present instead of presently, which literally means soon, not shortly.

193.1 Transitions

Connect the following three sentence pairs with suitable transition words:

  • We sampled the transcriptome of CD4 cells using >1 million RNA Seq reads. We did not detect any additional alternative transcripts of yfg1.

  • We determined whether the increased endotoxin susceptibility of AUF1\(^{-/-}\) mice is due to deregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. We measured the serum TNF\(\alpha\) level in AUF1\(^{-/-}\) mice after LPS challenge.

  • This new gene is closely related to the fms family. The gene was designated flt (fms-like tyrosine kinase).