Improving Your English

Compare and contrast transition words for essays, discussions and more

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

When you are trying to compare and contrast different things, it helps to have the right words and phrases to explain your ideas clearly. This is where compare and contrast transition words come in handy.

A transition word or phrase guides the listener or reader through what the speaker or writer is saying. We use transition words, also known as ‘ discourse markers ‘, or ‘signal words’, to help us structure what we say and make our meaning clearer.

So, let’s take a look at some common transition words for comparing and contrasting – as well as some which you may not be familiar with. We have included plenty of example sentences so you can understand how to use them correctly.

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Compare and contrast transition words

Comparing and contrasting involves explaining how one thing is the same as  or  different to  something else, and examining alternatives. You may get a compare and contrast essay assignment, for example, or you might need to write a business plan exploring different possible outcomes.

Whatever the situation, these transition words for comparing and contrasting will help you transition from one point to the next in a clear and logical way.

Transition words for comparing similarities

When you want to highlight the similarities between two things, or talk about how they are the same, these are the comparison transition words you should use.

The following signal words can be used to compare two things in the same sentence:

“Cats are  as  friendly  as  dogs.” “That cloud looks  like  a face.” “I look  similar  to my mother.”

The next group of comparing words are used after one point has been stated or mentioned, and they begin the following sentence that contains the second point:

  • in the same way
“The sales team need to work hard to meet their targets this month.  Similarly , all warehouse staff must make an effort to despatch all orders on time.”

Find more examples of alternative words for ‘similarly’ here.

Transition words for contrast emphasis

When presenting something that contrasts with what was previously written or said, or what would be expected as a result of a previous point, we can use these contradictory transition words.

In a simple sentence when presenting the two pieces of information together, we can use:

“I’m really good at playing the guitar  but  I can’t play the flute.” “Alan is a great singer  whereas  Anna is an excellent painter.” “Spain is good for beach holidays,  unlike  Austria, which is good for skiing.”

To add information that contradicts or contrasts with what has previously been said in a separate sentence, we can use one of the following:

  • in contrast
  • on the contrary
  • On the one hand… On the other hand

Here are some sentences with discourse markers to express contrast:

“Our children’s products have performed very well this year.  Conversely , sales of menswear have fallen slightly.” “It’s been sunny today;  however , I think it’s going to rain tomorrow.” “I’m not sure if we should continue working with this supplier.  On the one hand , they have the best pricing in the market and a good reputation.  On the other hand , we have had many problems with their service recently.”

Find some more emphasis transition words here.

Transition words to signal contrast in an outcome

When talking about one thing happening in spite of another thing (in contrast to the expected outcome), we can use transition words and phrases such as:

  • all the same
  • in spite of this
  • nevertheless
  • nonetheless
“The away team fought really hard to secure a victory.  Still , the home team eventually won 2:1.” “I will try to pick up some groceries on the way home.  All the same , it would be nice if you had time to do the shopping this afternoon.” “It has been a very tough year for the hospitality sector. In spite of this , our restaurant has managed to turn a good profit.”

In the same situation as above, but with the two points joined in the same sentence, you can use these signal words:

  • in spite of
  • even though
“ Even though  the kids hadn’t met before, they got on really well at the party.” “We managed to afford a holiday  despite  our financial problems.” “We had a great time at the beach, in spite of the clouds.”

Find some more transition words for ending and concluding here.

Transition words for contrasting solutions and suggestions

And finally, these signal words can be used when you’re making a suggestion or offering a solution that contrasts with another suggestion or solution:

  • alternatively
  • another option is to
“ Instead of  cooking dinner tonight, why don’t we get a takeaway?” “We could hire a new staff member for this project.  Alternatively  we could just use a consultant on a temporary basis.”

And that concludes this list of compare and contrast transition words. If you have any other examples or are unsure how to use these compare and contrast words in a sentence, please leave a comment below.

If you found this article useful, take a look at these others which cover different categories of transition word:

Transition words for addition Transition words for cause and effect Transition words for giving examples Transition words for time order and sequence

Finally, if you have a compare and contrast essay assignment, this resource might help you structure it well and cover the topic in full.

Learn a new language from home - get Lifetime Access to Mondly with 95% OFF!

11 Comments

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Is the word “while” one of the compare and contrast signal/transition words?

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Yes, that’s another good one. ‘While’ is used in the same way as ‘whereas’ in the context of comparing and contrasting.

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

What about “other than”? Can it be considered a contrast and comparison word?

Good question! In some cases, yes, ‘other than’ could be used to contrast positive and negative points. For example: “Other than the broken taillight and faulty speedometer, this car is in perfect condition.”

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Hi Amanda. Please help me with this.

He changed his mind about coming over even though we have prepared the meal and everything else for him.

I have a feeling the marker even though doesn’t quite work there. I’d like to emphasize the host great disappointment about the guest’s change of plan. Do you have another suggestion?

The sentence you proposed works well with ‘even though’. The only change you should make is to the tense, either:

“He changed his mind about coming over even though we had prepared the meal and everything else for him.” (reporting a past event)

“He has changed his mind about coming over even though we have prepared the meal and everything else for him.” (speaking about it as it happens).

An alternative would be to replace ‘even though’ with ‘despite the fact that’; that might hint at even stronger disappointment with the decision.

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Hi Amanda, i want to ask you why ‘than’ is not part of signal words for comparison and contrast?

You’re right, this is an important word for comparing when paired with a comparative adjective.

Thank you Amanda, but i want to make sure gain that “than” is not a part of signal words in comparison and contrast, except “more than” or “less than”. Is that right?

You can use ‘than’ with any comparative adjective. For example, “Your dessert looks tastier than mine.” “This car is slower than when I bought it.” “Joshua is more intelligent than James.” I hope this helps!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and site URL in my browser for next time I post a comment.

Sign me up for the newsletter!

Transition Words For A Compare And Contrast Essay

image

Table of contents

  • 1 What Are Comparison Transition Words?
  • 2.1 Comparison Words
  • 2.2 Contrast Words
  • 2.3 Universal Transition words for compare and contrast essays
  • 3.1 Comparison
  • 3.2 Contrast

Many students today have to deal with writing complex and time-consuming essays. These include topics where two different viewpoints have to be introduced and debated. For more professional essay help like this and plenty of other writing resources related to using transition words for compare and contrast essays.

So what do we mean by compare and contrast transition words? Before we delve into these two terms, let’s look at what a ‘transition word’ is. Simply put, transition words describe the relationship between two ideas; they are words for similarities and differences. If we were to dissect their purposes to a more nuanced degree, they can:

Show vague or strong similarities between one concept and another

Show a correlation between one concept and another

Show a causal relationship between one concept and the other

Show the opposing natures of one concept and another

What Are Comparison Transition Words?

As the name clearly implies, they are transition words that establish a comparison or a contrast between one thing and another. These are very useful and quite widely used in any form of writing. The overall effect of comparing and contrasting expressions is that they make your essays flow much better. Using them ensures that every point you introduce in the piece has a context for each other. It may seem confusing to some, so if you don’t want to go into detail, you can buy essays online and not worry about your grades.

Compare And Contrast Transition Words: Defined And Explained

Comparison words.

What are some ‘similarity transition words or transition words’ for explaining what two things have in common? Here are a few comparison transition words examples :

  • In the same way
  • In like manner
  • By the same token

Hence, for example, if you were describing the likeness between the speeds of two different subspecies of lions, you could word it like so: ‘subspecies A can reach speeds up to 40 mph. Similarly, subspecies B can achieve a maximum of 35 mph.

Could “in addition” transitions also fit into the domain of comparative phrases?

The answer is “yes.” It is possible to link multiple traits or features to one entity. For instance, if you want to discuss the multiple benefits of exercise but don’t want your sentences to be too lengthy. You could use compare transition words like ‘in addition’ and “furthermore” to list more benefits in a new sentence. Here are a few examples of these comparison transition signals in use:

  • “Keeping your tires properly inflated can help prevent random blowouts on the road. In addition, it will also mean that you don’t have to spend money as often to replace them.”
  • “A morning cup of coffee will give you the energy you need to start the day. Furthermore, it will make sure that you don’t get grumpy as the day progresses.”
  • “Learning to play instruments as a family will help you become much closer with each other. On top of that, you’ll have a really great time.”

Contrast Words

What is a comparison transition signal, and what would we do without transitions signifying contrast? There would be no way for us to articulate our polar, different, and conflicting ideas, so debates could not exist. Therefore, contrast words are very important to any essay.

Let’s take a look at some different “categories” of these contrasting words:

What are some “opposite” transition words or phrases?

  • In contrast
  • At the other end of the spectrum

What are some “difference” transition words or phrases?

  • Dissimilarly
  • A clear difference

What are some ‘conflict’ transition words or phrases?

  • Nevertheless
  • On the one hand
  • On the other hand

Transition words for compare and contrast essays are important for academic essay writers to include in their writing. They help connect ideas and points in a compare-and-contrast essay and make the argument or point more easily understood. Transition words for compare and contrast essays can help make an essay more effective and structured. They can link ideas and facts, create emphasis, and help to organize information.

Universal Transition words for compare and contrast essays

Not everything is black and white in terms of which words fit into which category of transition words. There are, in fact, grey areas where words can be used to both compare and contrast depending on the context. Let’s take a look at these grey areas.

Signal words for compare and contrast – what are they?

These are general words that fall under both contrast and comparative phrases. For example:

  • At the same time
  • On the same token

What are summary transition words and phrases?

These are words that can be both contrast and comparative terms, which can help tie many points together during a wrap-up. These include:

  • All things considered
  • To summarize
  • Free unlimited checks
  • All common file formats
  • Accurate results
  • Intuitive interface

Comparison And Contrast Example Sentences

One of the best ways to learn about something is to see how it is applied. Hence, we’ve compiled a large list of comparison and contrast phrases in action.

Here’s how these transition phrases are applied:

  • Regular cardio exercise does wonders for your overall heart health. Likewise, it contributes to the betterment of your mental health.
  • Listening to your spouse and adjusting your behavior to address their concerns can do wonders for your marriage. In the same way, arranging spontaneous fun dates can certainly throw more excitement into things.
  • Leonardo Da Vinci and Francisco Goya were renowned painters in their respective eras. Similarly, Hieronymus Bosch was an accomplished painter whose works are still revered today.
  • Followers of Islam believe that there is only one God in existence. In like manner, Christianity is also a monotheistic religion.
  • Be careful not to harm yourself while roofing your own house. Moreover, take measures to keep tools from falling down and accidentally injuring passersby.
  • The average life expectancy is greater than it was ten years ago. Furthermore, studies have shown that people are also happier now.
  • I don’t think I’ll ever quit eating ice cream. Besides, I exercise daily and take great care of my teeth.
  • Make sure you make a habit of keeping an eye on the fluid levels of your car. That, coupled with regular inspection of your tires, should ensure that your vehicle remains healthy for a long while.
  • The number of college-educated people is on the rise as well as the number of women in the STEM fields.

more_shortcode

Let’s take a look at a few examples of how contrast transition words are used in essays:

  • People who play basketball are generally quite tall. In contrast, gymnasts and jockeys are typically short.
  • India is an undeniably beautiful country with a rich heritage and vibrant culture. Nevertheless, the country’s reputation has been tarnished over the years due to its rampant corruption problems.
  • On the one hand, a career in the military earns a lot of respect from everyone. On the other hand, soldiers tend to experience severe depression fairly commonly.
  • People of the Christian faith strongly believe in the afterlife, while Hindus and Buddhists preach the concept of reincarnation and nirvana.
  • Both vegans and vegetarians avoid the consumption of meat. However, the former also avoids all animal products in all instances.
  • Bohemian Rhapsody received largely negative reviews from critics when it was released. At the same time, it helped propel them into stardom.
  • Everyone expects life to go smoothly all the time. In truth, it is filled with constant ups and downs.
  • Feminism is on the rise now, but so is resistance to it.

Using transition words in your paper can elevate your writing to a whole new level since these words make your writing more professional and strengthen the connections between the ideas and concepts you describe. Using transitions wisely is where the difference between a good and a great writer is, so let’s find out more about those.

As you can see from the name, these words indicate either similarity or contradiction between different concepts or ideas you describe. You can click here  to find out more about those and the proper ways to use them or use some help with essay writing. You can choose any of those as long as they fit the context.

Those are fairly simple, and you can put them between ideas that either entail one another or do not contradict directly. These are:

  • Consequently
  • In the same manner

You can use those whenever a continuation of your ideas is in order.

  • Contrasting

In contrast to the comparison transitions, these serve to draw the line between the ideas you describe and show your reader that right now, you are about to talk about something entirely different in nature:

  • Nonetheless

These and other similar words make it easier to define the difference between the ideas you describe.

Using transition words requires some finesse because you should never stuff your essays too much with those. Use them wisely and only where necessary, and your writing will reach a new level.

Readers also enjoyed

The Role of Transition Words in Argumentative Essays

WHY WAIT? PLACE AN ORDER RIGHT NOW!

Just fill out the form, press the button, and have no worries!

We use cookies to give you the best experience possible. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy.

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Change will not be effected, say some others, unless individual actions raise the necessary awareness.

While a reader can see the connection between the sentences above, it’s not immediately clear that the second sentence is providing a counterargument to the first. In the example below, key “old information” is repeated in the second sentence to help readers quickly see the connection. This makes the sequence of ideas easier to follow.  

Sentence pair #2: Effective Transition

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Other experts argue that individual actions are key to raising the awareness necessary to effect change.

You can use this same technique to create clear transitions between paragraphs. Here’s an example:

Some experts argue that focusing on individual actions to combat climate change takes the focus away from the collective action required to keep carbon levels from rising. Other experts argue that individual actions are key to raising the awareness necessary to effect change. According to Annie Lowery, individual actions are important to making social change because when individuals take action, they can change values, which can lead to more people becoming invested in fighting climate change. She writes, “Researchers believe that these kinds of household-led trends can help avert climate catastrophe, even if government and corporate actions are far more important” (Lowery).

So, what’s an individual household supposed to do?

The repetition of the word “household” in the new paragraph helps readers see the connection between what has come before (a discussion of whether household actions matter) and what is about to come (a proposal for what types of actions households can take to combat climate change).

Sometimes, transitional words can help readers see how ideas are connected. But it’s not enough to just include a “therefore,” “moreover,” “also,” or “in addition.” You should choose these words carefully to show your readers what kind of connection you are making between your ideas.

To decide which transitional word to use, start by identifying the relationship between your ideas. For example, you might be

  • making a comparison or showing a contrast Transitional words that compare and contrast include also, in the same way, similarly, in contrast, yet, on the one hand, on the other hand. But before you signal comparison, ask these questions: Do your readers need another example of the same thing? Is there a new nuance in this next point that distinguishes it from the previous example? For those relationships between ideas, you might try this type of transition: While x may appear the same, it actually raises a new question in a slightly different way. 
  • expressing agreement or disagreement When you are making an argument, you need to signal to readers where you stand in relation to other scholars and critics. You may agree with another person’s claim, you may want to concede some part of the argument even if you don’t agree with everything, or you may disagree. Transitional words that signal agreement, concession, and disagreement include however, nevertheless, actually, still, despite, admittedly, still, on the contrary, nonetheless .
  • showing cause and effect Transitional phrases that show cause and effect include therefore, hence, consequently, thus, so. Before you choose one of these words, make sure that what you are about to illustrate is really a causal link. Novice writers tend to add therefore and hence when they aren’t sure how to transition; you should reserve these words for when they accurately signal the progression of your ideas.
  • explaining or elaborating Transitions can signal to readers that you are going to expand on a point that you have just made or explain something further. Transitional words that signal explanation or elaboration include in other words, for example, for instance, in particular, that is, to illustrate, moreover .
  • drawing conclusions You can use transitions to signal to readers that you are moving from the body of your argument to your conclusions. Before you use transitional words to signal conclusions, consider whether you can write a stronger conclusion by creating a transition that shows the relationship between your ideas rather than by flagging the paragraph simply as a conclusion. Transitional words that signal a conclusion include in conclusion , as a result, ultimately, overall— but strong conclusions do not necessarily have to include those phrases.

If you’re not sure which transitional words to use—or whether to use one at all—see if you can explain the connection between your paragraphs or sentence either out loud or in the margins of your draft.

For example, if you write a paragraph in which you summarize physician Atul Gawande’s argument about the value of incremental care, and then you move on to a paragraph that challenges those ideas, you might write down something like this next to the first paragraph: “In this paragraph I summarize Gawande’s main claim.” Then, next to the second paragraph, you might write, “In this paragraph I present a challenge to Gawande’s main claim.” Now that you have identified the relationship between those two paragraphs, you can choose the most effective transition between them. Since the second paragraph in this example challenges the ideas in the first, you might begin with something like “but,” or “however,” to signal that shift for your readers.  

  • picture_as_pdf Transitions

Transition words for contrast and compare - wordscoach.com

Transition words for contrast and compare with examples

Transition words for contrast and compare.

In the world of writing, creating connections between ideas is key. But sometimes, the most impactful connections are those that highlight differences and similarities. This is where transition words for contrast and comparison come in! These handy phrases act like bridges, guiding your reader through the relationship between your ideas.

List of Transition words for Contrast

  • On the other hand
  • In contrast
  • Nevertheless
  • Nonetheless
  • In spite of
  • On the contrary
  • In opposition to
  • Alternatively
  • In contrast to
  • Even though

Use these transition words to showcase how your ideas differ:

  • Example: “Dogs are known for their loyalty,  however,  cats can be just as affectionate in their own way.”
  • Example: “Horror movies thrive on making us jump,  on the other hand,  comedies aim to make us laugh.”
  • Example: “City life offers a fast-paced environment,  in contrast  to the tranquility of a rural setting.”
  • Example: “Some people prefer the structure of a routine,  conversely  others thrive on spontaneity.”

List of Transition words for Comparison:

  • In the same way
  • Correspondingly
  • In comparison
  • Comparatively
  • In like manner
  • By the same token
  • On the one hand… on the other hand
  • Not only… but also
  • In addition
  • Furthermore
  • Additionally

Use these transition words to connect ideas that share similarities:

  • Example: “Both yoga and meditation promote relaxation,  similarly  they can also improve focus.”
  • Example:  In the same way  that exercise strengthens the body, mental exercises can strengthen the mind.
  • Example: “Traveling broadens your perspective,  likewise  learning a new language can open doors to new cultures.”
  • Example:  Just as  a car needs fuel to run, the human body needs food for energy.

Transition words for contrast with examples

Here are examples of sentences using each of the transition words for contrast:

  • However : “The weather forecast predicted rain; however, it turned out to be a sunny day.”
  • On the other hand : “Some people prefer coffee in the morning; on the other hand, others opt for tea.”
  • Conversely : “Some students find math challenging; conversely, others excel in it effortlessly.”
  • In contrast : “The old house had a rustic charm; in contrast, the new building had a modern design.”
  • Nevertheless : “The project faced many setbacks; nevertheless, it was completed on time.”
  • Nonetheless : “The experiment didn’t yield the expected results; nonetheless, valuable data was collected.”
  • Whereas : “Some people enjoy solitude; whereas, others thrive in social settings.”
  • While : “Some prefer cats as pets, while others prefer dogs.”
  • But : “The movie received rave reviews, but some viewers found it disappointing.”
  • Although : “Although it was raining, they decided to go for a hike.”
  • Despite : “Despite the traffic, we arrived at our destination on time.”
  • In spite of : “In spite of the obstacles, she remained determined to achieve her goals.”
  • Conversely : “Some people enjoy the hustle and bustle of city life; conversely, others prefer the tranquility of rural areas.”
  • On the contrary : “Many believed the project would fail; on the contrary, it exceeded expectations.”
  • In opposition to : “In opposition to popular belief, not all teenagers are tech-savvy.”
  • Instead : “She didn’t buy a new car; instead, she decided to invest in public transportation.”
  • Conversely : “Some prefer reading fiction; conversely, others prefer non-fiction.”
  • Alternatively : “If you don’t enjoy outdoor activities, there are plenty of alternatives, such as indoor sports or creative hobbies.”
  • In contrast to : “In contrast to his loud demeanor, he was surprisingly introverted.”
  • Nonetheless : “The restaurant was fully booked; nonetheless, they managed to find us a table.”
  • Even though : “Even though it was late, they continued working on the project.”
  • Still : “The economy has improved, but there are still challenges ahead.”
  • Yet : “He had studied hard, yet he failed the exam.”

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Transition words for compare with examples

Here are examples of sentences using each of the transition words for comparison:

  • Similarly : “Just as the sun rises in the east, similarly, the moon sets in the west.”
  • Likewise : “He enjoys hiking; likewise, his brother shares the same passion for outdoor activities.”
  • In the same way : “In the same way that exercise strengthens the body, reading exercises the mind.”
  • Just as : “Just as a painter uses brushes to create art, a writer uses words to craft stories.”
  • Also : “She enjoys swimming; also, she is fond of cycling.”
  • Likewise : “He prefers tea over coffee; likewise, his sister has the same preference.”
  • Correspondingly : “A healthy diet leads to a healthy body; correspondingly, regular exercise leads to physical fitness.”
  • Equally : “Both siblings are equally talented in music.”
  • Similarly : “Similarly to her sister, she excels in academics.”
  • In comparison : “In comparison to the old model, the new phone offers better features.”
  • Comparatively : “The new laptop is comparatively faster than the old one.”
  • In like manner : “In like manner to the previous example, this theory also relies on empirical evidence.”
  • By the same token : “By the same token, success requires dedication and hard work.”
  • On the one hand… on the other hand : “On the one hand, technology has made communication easier; on the other hand, it has led to increased screen time.”
  • As well as : “He enjoys playing the piano, as well as the guitar.”
  • Both… and : “Both the mother and the daughter share a passion for gardening.”
  • Not only… but also : “Not only does she excel in academics, but she also participates actively in extracurricular activities.”
  • In addition : “In addition to his academic achievements, he is also a talented musician.”
  • Moreover : “Moreover, the study found a correlation between exercise and mental well-being.”
  • Furthermore : “Furthermore, the report highlights the importance of environmental conservation.”
  • Additionally : “Additionally, the new software update includes security enhancements.”
  • Besides : “Besides studying for exams, she spends her free time volunteering at the local shelter.”
  • Plus : “The new smartphone comes with an improved camera, plus enhanced battery life.”

Transition words for contrast and compare - wordscoach.com

So, the next time you write, remember the power of transition words for contrast and comparison! They’ll help you create clear, engaging connections between your ideas, leaving your reader with a well-rounded understanding of your points.

Download the Word of the day

Related Posts:

Sentences with In spite of - wordscoach.com

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Download the Word coach App on your Android phone

Word Coach - IELTS and GRE Vocabulary Builder & word coach Quiz (10 Words a Day) application helps, you and your friends to improve English Vocabulary and help you become the smartest among your group.

vocabulary building apps

Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

Transition Words for Essays

What are Transition Words and how Do I use Transition Words for Essays? Transition words and phrases help make your essay flow smoothly from paragraph to paragraph. You can use them at the ends and beginnings of paragraphs, as well as in your introduction and conclusion. Transition words and phrases can be used in every type of essay, but they are most appropriate in expository or argumentative essays in which it’s important to present your ideas in a clear, logical flow. Read on for more insight into transition words for essays, including lists, examples and descriptions of how to use them in your writing.

Transition Words for Essays that Compare and Contrast

Comparison and contrast transition words are obviously helpful when writing a compare/contrast essay, but you can also use them to compare two different pieces of information in an expository or argumentative essay. You may also use comparison and contrast transition words to contrast two different experiences in a narrative essay or to compare two different people, places or objects in a descriptive essay.

Here are some of the most common comparison transition words for essays, followed by examples:

  • in the same way

Comparison Transition Words for Essays, sentence examples:

  • In the same way , Dr. Martin Luther King’s speech inspired a generation.
  • Similarly , my vacation to the beach was also peaceful and fun, just like my week at summer camp.

Here are some of the most common contrast transition words for essays, followed by examples:

  • in spite of
  • on the one hand/on the other hand
  • in contrast
  • on the contrary

Contrast Transition Words for Essays, sentence examples:

  • However , this delicious breakfast was not as memorable as the dinner my family shared that evening.
  • In contrast , my grandmother is always cracking jokes while my grandfather stays serious.

Sequence/Order Transition Words for Essays

Sequence words are especially important in narrative essays, where you must guide your reader through the events of your story. Sequence words can be used at the start of each paragraph to clearly mark out what happened first, next and so on. In addition, you can also use sequence transition words for essays that are informational and communicate historical events. It is also helpful to use sequence transition words for essays where you are writing about a book or movie and need to briefly summarize the plot. Here are some sequence/ordering words, followed by examples:

  • First , my mom dropped me off at school that fateful morning.
  • Then , I saw an unbelievable sight!
  • Finally , the zookeepers showed up and led the baby elephant into the back of a hay-filled truck.

Transition Word for Essays Examples

Example transition words can help you provide evidence in argumentative essays and add interesting detail in descriptive and narrative essays. There are many different kinds of example words and phrases you can use to keep your writing interesting and avoid repetition in a longer essay. Here are some of the most common example transition words for essays:

  • for example
  • for instance
  • specifically
  • to illustrate

Here are some additional example transition words for essays you may use in your writing, followed by examples:

  • additionally
  • equally important
  • furthermore
  • in addition
  • For example , one study explained that students who participate in extracurricular activities have a higher overall homework completion rate.
  • Furthermore , engagement in nonacademic activities has been shown to increase confidence in children between the ages of 11 and 14.

Conclusion Transition Words for Essays

Conclusion words help signal to the reader that you are coming to the end of your essay. A strong conclusion paragraph will begin with a clear conclusion word or phrase that will help to sum up your overall points. Here are some of the most common conclusion words and phrases, followed by examples:

  • in conclusion
  • on the whole
  • to conclude
  • to summarize
  • In conclusion , school uniforms can help improve students’ focus in the middle school classroom.
  • In sum , voting is an important part of our democracy and something we shouldn’t take for granted.

Learn more about Transition Words

ESL Forums

List of 30+ Useful Contrast Transition Words for Writing Essay

Posted on Last updated: July 17, 2019

List of 30+ Useful Contrast Transition Words for Writing Essay

Sharing is caring!

Contrast Transition Words! In this lesson, you will learn a list of useful contrast transition words in English. They have been chosen especially for ESL Learners.

Table of Contents

Contrast Transition Words

List of contrast words in English

  • On the contrary
  • On the one hand
  • In comparison
  • On the other hand
  • At the same time
  • Nevertheless
  • By contrast
  • In contrast
  • Notwithstanding
  • In spite of
  • Alternatively
  • Despite this
  • In contrast to
  • Even though

Contrast Transition Words with Examples

It wasn’t a good thing;  on the contrary  it was a huge mistake.

The tongue is not steel,  yet   it cuts.

It’s easy to fall into a trap,  but   hard to get out again.

On the one hand , a message of change was needed in order to win new voters.

Although I poured it carefully, I  still  managed to spill some.

In comparison, the female is stronger and more energetic than the male.

Success has many fathers,  while   failure is an orphan.

I want to go to the party, but  on the other hand  I ought to be studying.

Fairness,  rather   than efficiency, is the guiding principle.

Conversely , you might say that it is ridiculous.

I had mixed feelings about leaving home. I was excited but  at the same time , I knew I would miss my family.

This is a cheap and simple process.  However   there are dangers.

He was very tired;  nevertheless   he went on walking.

Despite   the bad weather, we enjoyed ourselves.

Wisdom is a good purchase  though   we pay dear for it.

Shut the window,  otherwise   it’ll get too cold in here.

By contrast , he was much cleverer.

He is too busy, let me go  instead .

Some people like fat meat,  whereas   others hate it.

She was a small, dainty child,  unlike   her sister who was large and had big feet.

Although   the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it.

In contrast , the lives of girls in well-to-do families were often very sheltered .

He still went home,  notwithstanding   the midnight

In spite of   their quarrel, they remain the best of friends.

Alternatively , manufacturers have recently produced a colour changer.

Because of  the fire, hundreds of houses went up in smoke.

In contrast to  her sister, she is very tall.

There are a lot of spelling mistakes;  even so , it’s quite a good essay.

She hasn’t phoned,  even though  she said she would.

Contrast Words | Infographic

List of 30+ Useful Contrast Transition Words for Writing Essay

Wednesday 11th of May 2022

I like your site

Sunday 20th of February 2022

both topics....

Monday 2nd of November 2020

In general, I think it is all right, and quite usuful.

Wednesday 7th of October 2020

Hi I understand more about this

Tuesday 7th of July 2020

Writing Studio

Common transition words and phrases.

In an effort to make our handouts more accessible, we have begun converting our PDF handouts to web pages. Download this page as a PDF: Transitions Return to Writing Studio Handouts

Transitions clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. These tools should alert readers to shifts in your argument while and also maintain the smoothness and clarity of your prose. Below, you’ll find some of the most commonly used transition categories and examples of each. Depending on the example, these suggestions may be within sentences or at the beginning of sentences.

Transitions by Category

1. addition.

Use when presenting multiple ideas that flow in the same direction, under the same heading/ idea also, another, finally, first, first of all, for one thing, furthermore, in addition, last of all, likewise, moreover, next, and, second, the third reason

2. Sequence/ Order

Use to suggest a temporal relationship between ideas; places evidence in sequence first, second (etc.), next, last, finally, first of all, concurrently, immediately, prior to, then, at that time, at this point, previously, subsequently, and then, at this time, thereafter, previously, soon, before, after, followed by, after that, next, before, after, meanwhile, formerly, finally, during

3. Contrast

Use to demonstrate differences between ideas or change in argument direction but, however, in contrast, on the other hand, on the contrary, yet, differ, difference, balanced against, differing from, variation, still, on the contrary, unlike, conversely, otherwise, on the other hand, however

4. Exception

Use to introduce an opposing idea however, whereas, on the other hand, while, instead, in spite of, yet, despite, still, nevertheless, even though, in contrast, but, but one could also say…

5. Comparison

Use to demonstrate similarities between ideas that may not be under the same subject heading or within the same paragraph like, likewise, just, in a different way / sense, whereas, like, equally, in like manner, by comparison, similar to, in the same way, alike, similarity, similarly, just as, as in a similar fashion, conversely

6. Illustration

Use to develop or clarify an idea, to introduce examples, or to show that the second idea is subordinate to the first for example, to illustrate, on this occasion, this can be seen, in this case, specifically, once, to illustrate, when/where, for instance, such as, to demonstrate, take the case of, in this case

7. Location

Use to show spatial relations next to, above, below, beneath, left, right, behind, in front, on top, within

8. Cause and Effect

Use to show that one idea causes, or results from, the idea that follows or precedes it because, therefore, so that, cause, reason, effect, thus, consequently, since, as a result, if…then, result in

9. Emphasis

Use to suggest that an idea is particularly important to your argument important to note, most of all, a significant factor, a primary concern, a key feature, remember that, pay particular attention to, a central issue, the most substantial issue, the main value, a major event, the chief factor, a distinctive quality, especially valuable, the chief outcome, a vital force, especially relevant, most noteworthy, the principal item, above all, should be noted

10. Summary or Conclusion

Use to signal that what follows is summarizing or concluding the previous ideas; in humanities papers, use these phrases sparingly. to summarize, in short, in brief, in sum, in summary, to sum up, in conclusion, to conclude, finally

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .” 

Writing Effective Sentence Transitions (Advanced)

Transitions are the rhetorical tools that clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. The ability to integrate sentence transitions into your prose, rather than simply throwing in overt transition signals like “in addition,” indicates your mastery of the material. (Note: The visibility of transitions may vary by discipline; consult with your professor to get a better sense of discipline or assignment specific expectations.)

Transition Signals

Transition signals are words or phrases that indicate the logic connecting sets of information or ideas. Signals like therefore, on the other hand, for example, because, then, and afterwards can be good transition tools at the sentence and paragraph level. When using these signals, be conscious of the real meaning of these terms; they should reflect the actual relationship between ideas.

Review Words

Review words are transition tools that link groups of sentences or whole paragraphs. They condense preceding discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just completed a detailed discussion about the greenhouse effect. To transition to the next topic, you could use review words like “this heat-trapping process” to refer back to the green house effect discussion. The relative ability to determine a cogent set of review words might signal your own understanding of your work; think of review words as super-short summaries of key ideas.

Preview words

Preview words condense an upcoming discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just explained how heat is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. Transitioning to the theory that humans are adding to that effect, you could use preview words like “sources of additional CO2 in the atmosphere include” to point forward to that discussion.

Transition Sentences

The strongest and most sophisticated tools, transition sentences indicate the connection between the preceding and upcoming pieces of your argument. They often contain one or more of the above transition tools. For example: You’ve just discussed how much CO2 humans have added to the atmosphere. You need to transition to a discussion of the effects. A strong set of transition sentences between the two sections might sound like this:

“These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere may lead to a number of disastrous consequences for residents of planet earth. The rise in global temperature that accompanies the extra CO2 can yield effects as varied as glacial melting and species extinction.”

In the first sentence, the review words are “These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere”; the preview words are “number of disastrous consequences”; the transition signals are “may lead to.” The topic sentence of the next paragraph indicates the specific “disastrous consequences” you will discuss.

If you don’t see a way to write a logical, effective transition between sentences, ideas or paragraphs, this might indicate organizational problems in your essay; you might consider revising your work.

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program  and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .”

Last revised: 07/2008 | Adapted for web delivery: 05/2021

In order to access certain content on this page, you may need to download Adobe Acrobat Reader or an equivalent PDF viewer software.

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

  • Knowledge Base
  • Comparing and contrasting in an essay | Tips & examples

Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples

Published on August 6, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Comparing and contrasting is an important skill in academic writing . It involves taking two or more subjects and analyzing the differences and similarities between them.

Instantly correct all language mistakes in your text

Upload your document to correct all your mistakes in minutes

upload-your-document-ai-proofreader

Table of contents

When should i compare and contrast, making effective comparisons, comparing and contrasting as a brainstorming tool, structuring your comparisons, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about comparing and contrasting.

Many assignments will invite you to make comparisons quite explicitly, as in these prompts.

  • Compare the treatment of the theme of beauty in the poetry of William Wordsworth and John Keats.
  • Compare and contrast in-class and distance learning. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each approach?

Some other prompts may not directly ask you to compare and contrast, but present you with a topic where comparing and contrasting could be a good approach.

One way to approach this essay might be to contrast the situation before the Great Depression with the situation during it, to highlight how large a difference it made.

Comparing and contrasting is also used in all kinds of academic contexts where it’s not explicitly prompted. For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

As the name suggests, comparing and contrasting is about identifying both similarities and differences. You might focus on contrasting quite different subjects or comparing subjects with a lot in common—but there must be some grounds for comparison in the first place.

For example, you might contrast French society before and after the French Revolution; you’d likely find many differences, but there would be a valid basis for comparison. However, if you contrasted pre-revolutionary France with Han-dynasty China, your reader might wonder why you chose to compare these two societies.

This is why it’s important to clarify the point of your comparisons by writing a focused thesis statement . Every element of an essay should serve your central argument in some way. Consider what you’re trying to accomplish with any comparisons you make, and be sure to make this clear to the reader.

Comparing and contrasting can be a useful tool to help organize your thoughts before you begin writing any type of academic text. You might use it to compare different theories and approaches you’ve encountered in your preliminary research, for example.

Let’s say your research involves the competing psychological approaches of behaviorism and cognitive psychology. You might make a table to summarize the key differences between them.

Behaviorism Cognitive psychology
Dominant from the 1920s to the 1950s Rose to prominence in the 1960s
Mental processes cannot be empirically studied Mental processes as focus of study
Focuses on how thinking is affected by conditioning and environment Focuses on the cognitive processes themselves

Or say you’re writing about the major global conflicts of the twentieth century. You might visualize the key similarities and differences in a Venn diagram.

A Venn diagram showing the similarities and differences between World War I, World War II, and the Cold War.

These visualizations wouldn’t make it into your actual writing, so they don’t have to be very formal in terms of phrasing or presentation. The point of comparing and contrasting at this stage is to help you organize and shape your ideas to aid you in structuring your arguments.

When comparing and contrasting in an essay, there are two main ways to structure your comparisons: the alternating method and the block method.

The alternating method

In the alternating method, you structure your text according to what aspect you’re comparing. You cover both your subjects side by side in terms of a specific point of comparison. Your text is structured like this:

Mouse over the example paragraph below to see how this approach works.

One challenge teachers face is identifying and assisting students who are struggling without disrupting the rest of the class. In a traditional classroom environment, the teacher can easily identify when a student is struggling based on their demeanor in class or simply by regularly checking on students during exercises. They can then offer assistance quietly during the exercise or discuss it further after class. Meanwhile, in a Zoom-based class, the lack of physical presence makes it more difficult to pay attention to individual students’ responses and notice frustrations, and there is less flexibility to speak with students privately to offer assistance. In this case, therefore, the traditional classroom environment holds the advantage, although it appears likely that aiding students in a virtual classroom environment will become easier as the technology, and teachers’ familiarity with it, improves.

The block method

In the block method, you cover each of the overall subjects you’re comparing in a block. You say everything you have to say about your first subject, then discuss your second subject, making comparisons and contrasts back to the things you’ve already said about the first. Your text is structured like this:

  • Point of comparison A
  • Point of comparison B

The most commonly cited advantage of distance learning is the flexibility and accessibility it offers. Rather than being required to travel to a specific location every week (and to live near enough to feasibly do so), students can participate from anywhere with an internet connection. This allows not only for a wider geographical spread of students but for the possibility of studying while travelling. However, distance learning presents its own accessibility challenges; not all students have a stable internet connection and a computer or other device with which to participate in online classes, and less technologically literate students and teachers may struggle with the technical aspects of class participation. Furthermore, discomfort and distractions can hinder an individual student’s ability to engage with the class from home, creating divergent learning experiences for different students. Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

Note that these two methods can be combined; these two example paragraphs could both be part of the same essay, but it’s wise to use an essay outline to plan out which approach you’re taking in each paragraph.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

  • Ad hominem fallacy
  • Post hoc fallacy
  • Appeal to authority fallacy
  • False cause fallacy
  • Sunk cost fallacy

College essays

  • Choosing Essay Topic
  • Write a College Essay
  • Write a Diversity Essay
  • College Essay Format & Structure
  • Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

 (AI) Tools

  • Grammar Checker
  • Paraphrasing Tool
  • Text Summarizer
  • AI Detector
  • Plagiarism Checker
  • Citation Generator

Some essay prompts include the keywords “compare” and/or “contrast.” In these cases, an essay structured around comparing and contrasting is the appropriate response.

Comparing and contrasting is also a useful approach in all kinds of academic writing : You might compare different studies in a literature review , weigh up different arguments in an argumentative essay , or consider different theoretical approaches in a theoretical framework .

Your subjects might be very different or quite similar, but it’s important that there be meaningful grounds for comparison . You can probably describe many differences between a cat and a bicycle, but there isn’t really any connection between them to justify the comparison.

You’ll have to write a thesis statement explaining the central point you want to make in your essay , so be sure to know in advance what connects your subjects and makes them worth comparing.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

  • The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
  • The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay | Tips & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 4, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/compare-and-contrast/

Is this article helpful?

Jack Caulfield

Jack Caulfield

Other students also liked, how to write an expository essay, how to write an argumentative essay | examples & tips, academic paragraph structure | step-by-step guide & examples, what is your plagiarism score.

As a student, you would be writing multiple essays, research papers, thesis, statements of purpose, speeches, etc. as a part of your coursework. A lot of time and effort goes into understanding the assignments and researching the material. After this comes the hard part. This requires putting the gathered information into words and forming a piece that is informative and conveys the intended message to the readers. Making use of transition words for compare and contrast essay will make your essay meaningful. 

Transition words for compare

When you write a compare and contrast essay, you are looking at the similarities and differences of two or more items, ideas, methods, theories, characters, etc. This means that when writing a compare and contrast essay, you are examining the subjects from multiple viewpoints. This kind of essay requires you to think critically. Transition words in essays help you to improve GPA in college , communicating the similarities and highlighting the differences.

What are transition words for compare and contrast essays?

You might have a lot to write in your essay but the sentences might seem unfinished. If you submit your essay like this, it will give your professors the impression that you have not worked hard. To fix this, you should use transition words for compare and contrast essays. This is one trick that essay writing services use properly.

You can think of transition words for essay writing as bridges between paragraphs for a smooth transition. Using the correct transition words in your essay will make it look like it is written by an expert.

Need for using transition words for compare and contrast essays

Using transition words for essays makes your writing smooth and easy to follow. Mastering the art of using transitional words in your writings will make them more impressive. Your ideas and thoughts could be related to the essay topic but still, be unclear to the reader. For the purpose of clarity, the various sentences and paragraphs should have a logical relationship between them. 

You do not need to add transition words in every sentence. However, you should use them to illustrate relationships between words and phrases. Transition words form a critical part of the sentence. Sometimes a single transition word is not enough to make your sentences look smooth. Here you can use transition phrases to forge connections and show comparisons.

Need Transition words for compare

Compare And Contrast Transition Words: Defined And Explained

Transition words are crucial for connecting ideas in writing, especially when comparing and contrasting. These words guide readers through arguments, showing how ideas relate, whether by highlighting similarities or differences.

Comparison Words

Compare and contrast transition words are used to emphasize similarities between two or more ideas or items. Examples of these include “in the same way,” “likewise,” “similarly,” and “by the same token.” For instance, if you’re comparing the speeds of two lion subspecies, you might say, “Subspecies A can reach speeds up to 40 mph. Similarly, subspecies B can achieve a maximum of 35 mph.” Here, “similarly” highlights the comparable speeds of the two subspecies.

Additionally, phrases like “in addition” and “furthermore” can be used as transition words for comparing multiple traits or benefits in a discussion. These transitions help avoid overly lengthy sentences while still clearly conveying additional points. For example, “Keeping your tires properly inflated can prevent blowouts on the road. In addition, it reduces the frequency of tire replacements.” Another example might be, “A morning cup of coffee gives you the energy to start your day. Furthermore, it helps prevent midday fatigue.” These transitions effectively add layers of information while maintaining clarity and flow.

Contrast Words

Contrast transition words are equally important, as they highlight differences between ideas or perspectives. Without these words, it would be difficult to articulate opposing viewpoints or contrasting concepts. Examples of compare and contrast transition words include “in contrast,” “conversely,” “on the other hand,” and “however.” These words signal to the reader that the upcoming information differs from what was previously stated.

For instance, if you’re discussing different perspectives on a topic, you might use a phrase like “On the one hand” to introduce one viewpoint, followed by “On the other hand” to present the contrasting opinion. Another example could be, “She enjoys working in the morning; however, he prefers to exercise in the evening.” The word “however” clearly indicates the contrast between their preferences.

In academic writing, especially in compare-and-contrast essays, using transition words for comparing and contrasting effectively helps structure the argument, making it easier for readers to follow and understand the connections between ideas. They enhance the essay’s coherence and ensure that the comparison or contrast is clearly articulated.

Different uses of transition words for compare and contrast essays

Transition words for essays can be categorized into different categories depending upon their usage.

Different used of Transition words

Transition words can be used for:

  • Introducing a new idea in a paragraph
  • Demonstrating the cause and effect relationship i.e. how once action or circumstance can lead to a specific outcome
  • Concluding the paragraph or summarizing the main points of the essay

You can also use transition words, including those generated by an essay generator to describe the time or location of a specific event. Transition words can be used for opposing ideas and arguments as well. 

Examples of transition words for compare and contrast essays

There are a large number of words that are used as transition words for compare and contrast essays. Some of the top examples based on different contexts include:

Add or introduce a new point to the existing topic

Use words such as further, furthermore, moreover, in addition to, likewise, etc.

Oppose an idea or thought

Words such as unlike, conversely, on the contrary, despite, notwithstanding, as much as, but, above all can be used when you want to. 

Demonstrate the cause and effect

Use transition words such as then, as a result, hence, because, henceforth, consequently, therefore, in effect.

Summary or conclusion

Use words like overall, in conclusion, in essence, to summarize, to sum up, to conclude.

Describe time

Use words including presently, occasionally, in the meantime, after, at the moment, all of a sudden, once. 

Location and spatial relationship

Focus on words like beside, over, where, under, behind, next to, below, above, beyond, opposite, in front of.

Get help from TutorBin

Are you still struggling to use the correct transition words for compare and contrast essays? Leave your worries behind and sign up with TutorBin. TutorBin has numerous global experts with vast experience writing compare and contrast essays. These experts can churn out perfect compare and contrast essays with the correct usage of transition words.

By using the transitional words for compare and contrast essays, the ideas remain connected together and help you score a better grade. Apart from getting top-quality essays, TutorBin ensures that the essays are plagiarism-free, factually correct, and delivered to you within the deadline.

Our Trending Services >>  Homework Help  |  Assignment Help  |  Live Sessions  |  Do My Essay  |  Write My Essay  |  Essay Writing Service  |  Lab Report Help  |  Project Report Help  |  Essay Generator  |  Speech Writing Service  |  Presentation Writing Service  |  Video Solutions  |  Pay Someone To Do My Homework  |  Help With Writing My Paper  |  Writing Service For Research Paper  |  Paying Someone To Write Your Paper

Our Popular Subjects >> Math Homework Help | Physics Homework Help | Chemistry Homework Help | Civil Engineering Homework Help | Finance Homework Help | Electrical Engineering Homework Help | Mechanical Engineering Homework Help | Computer Science Homework Help | Economics Homework Help | Calculus Homework Help | Fluid Mechanics Homework Help

  • E- Learning
  • Online Learning

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked*

Comment * NEXT

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment.

Interesting blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A theme like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your theme. Thank you>

Thanks for a marvelous posting! I genuinely enjoyed reading it, you may be a great author.I will make sure to bookmark your blog and definitely will come back later on. I want to encourage you to ultimately continue your great writing, have a nice evening!

If you are going for most excellent contents like me, just pay a visit this site daily since it provides quality contents, thanks

I always used to study piece of writing in news papers but now as I am what is a drip coffee user of web therefore from now I am using net for articles, thanks to web.

Wow, this article is nice, my sister is analyzing such things, thus I am going to let know her.

Good way of telling, and pleasant paragraph to get data about my presentation subject, which i am going to present in institution of higher education.

You May Also Like

50 Science Research Topics to Write an A+ Paper

50 Science Research Topics to Write an A+ Paper

What is Java?- Learn From Subject Experts

What is Java?- Learn From Subject Experts

How to Write an Essay Proposal – Ultimate Guide with Examples

How to Write an Essay Proposal – Ultimate Guide with Examples

How to Write a Survey Paper: Guidance From Experts

How to Write a Survey Paper: Guidance From Experts

Best 25 Macroeconomics Research Paper Topics in 2024

Best 25 Macroeconomics Research Paper Topics in 2024

Online homework help, get homework help.

Get Answer within 15-30 minutes

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Check out our free tool Math Problem Solver

About tutorbin, what do we do.

We offer an array of online homework help and other services for our students and tutors to choose from based on their needs and expertise. As an integrated platform for both tutors and students, we provide real time sessions, online assignment and homework help and project work assistance.

about tutorbin | what we do

Who are we?

TutorBin is an integrated online homework help and tutoring platform serving as a one stop solution for students and online tutors. Students benefit from the experience and domain knowledge of global subject matter experts.

How To Write An Essay

Transition Words For Essays

Barbara P

Transition Words for Essays - An Ultimate List

12 min read

Published on: Jan 1, 2021

Last updated on: Jul 23, 2024

transition words for essays

People also read

How To Write An Essay - "The Secret To Craft an A+ Essay"

Learn How to Title an Essay Like a Professional Writer

How to Write an Essay Outline Like a Pro

Essay Format - An Easy Guide & Examples

What is a Thesis Statement, and How is it Written? - Know Here

Arguable and Strong Thesis Statement Examples for Your Essay

200+ Creative Hook Examples: Ready, Set, Hook

A Guide to Writing a 1000 Word Essay for School or College

All You Need to Know About a 500-word Essay

Different Types of Essay: Definition With Best Examples

Writing an Essay Introduction - Step by Step Guide

Jumpstart Your Writing with These Proven Strategies on How to Start an Essay

Learn How to Write a Topic Sentence that Stands Out

A Guide to Crafting an Impactful Conclusion for Your Essay

Amazing Essay Topics & Ideas for Your Next Project (2024)

Explore the Different Types of Sentences with Examples

Share this article

Are you tired of reading essays that feel disjointed and difficult to follow? Do you find yourself struggling to connect your ideas smoothly and effectively? 

If so, then you're in luck, because today we're going to take a closer look at the magic of transition words.

In this blog, we'll cover different types of transition words and their precise usage, and how they can elevate your writing. By the end, you'll have the tools to captivate your readers and leave a lasting impression. 

Let's dive in!

On This Page On This Page -->

What are Transition Words?

Transition words are linking words used to connect sentences and ideas in the content. They help the audience move from one idea to another, building a coherent relationship within the document.

When  writing an essay , it is essential to make sure that the information provided is readable and understandable by the readers. For this purpose, explicit language, transition words, and phrases are used.

Moreover, these words set a base for the idea that is going to be discussed next.

Transition words can either make or break the entire essay. It is mandatory to keep in view that not every sentence in your essay needs a transitional phrase. 

Types of Transitions

Generally, there are three types of transitions that are used while drafting a piece of document. Depending on the length, complexity, and kind of text, transitions can take the following form:

  • Transition Between Sections - When your document is lengthy, transition paragraphs are used to summarize a particular section for the readers. In addition to this, it also links the information that is to be shared next.

For example:

"In the following section..." "Moving on to..." "Now, let's explore..." "Turning our attention to..." "To delve deeper, we will now examine..."

  • Transition Between Paragraphs -  The transition between paragraphs is when you logically connect the two paragraphs. This connection summarizes the paragraph’s primary concern and links it to the next idea of the other paragraph.

"Furthermore..." "On the other hand..." "Similarly..." "In contrast..." "Moreover..." "Additionally..." "In addition to..." "Conversely..." "Likewise..." "In a similar vein...

  • Transition Within Paragraphs -  They act as cues for the readers to prepare them for what is coming next. They are usually single words or small phrases.

"For instance..." "In particular..." "To illustrate..." "Additionally..." "Moreover..." "Furthermore..." "On the contrary..." "However..." "In contrast..." "In other words..."

Order Essay

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

Types of Transition Words

Here's a table showcasing different types of transition words and their corresponding functions:

Furthermore, Moreover, Additionally, In addition toAdds information or ideas
However, On the other hand, In contrast, ConverselyShows a difference or contradiction
Similarly, Likewise, In the same way, Just asDraws a parallel or similarity between ideas
Consequently, Therefore, As a result, ThusIndicates a cause-and-effect relationship
Firstly, Next, Meanwhile, SubsequentlyOrders ideas chronologically or in a sequence
For example, For instance, To illustrate, SpecificallyProvides specific examples or illustrations
Indeed, Certainly, Without a doubt, UndoubtedlyHighlights or reinforces a particular point or idea
In conclusion, Overall, To summarize, All in allSummarizes the main points or ideas
Namely, That is to say, In other words, SpecificallyProvides further clarification or explanation
Consequently, Accordingly, Hence, ThusShows the outcome or result of a previous statement or action

Transition Words For Different Types of Essays

Transitional words depend on the relationship you want to convey to the audience about the ideas and paragraphs. Below is a list of words and phrases that can be used to link different sentences, paragraphs, and sections.

Identify which transition expression you want to share for your logical relationship.

Transition Words for Argumentative Essay

  • In the same way
  • Equally important
  • Furthermore
  • Comparatively
  • Additionally
  • In addition
  • Not only...but also

Transition Words for Compare and Contrast Essay

  • In contrast
  • Different from
  • On the contrary
  • In spite of

Transition Words for Informative Essay

  • Provided that
  • With this in mind
  • For the purpose of
  • In the hope that
  • In order to
  • With this intention

Transition Words for College Essays

  • In other words
  • By all means
  • To demonstrate
  • As in illustration
  • To put it another way

Transition Words for Cause and Effect Essay

  • As a result
  • For this reason
  • Because the
  • Under those circumstances
  • Accordingly
  • Consequently

Transition Words for Expository Essay 

  • Not long after that
  • Specifically
  • To begin with
  • Without doubt
  • Undoubtedly
  • Due to circumstances
  • In similar fashion

Transition Words for Different Parts of Essay

Here's a table listing transition words for different parts of an essay:

Starting a ParagraphFirstly, To begin with, Initially, In the first place
First Body ParagraphFirstly, To start, To begin with, Initially
Second Body ParagraphSecondly, Next, Additionally, Furthermore
Third Body ParagraphMoreover, Furthermore, In addition, Another key point
Last Body ParagraphLastly,  Overall, Ultimately, As a final point
In conclusion, To summarize, Overall, Wrapping it up

How Transitions work

Transitions work by creating a bridge between ideas, sentences, paragraphs, or sections in your essay. They help to establish logical connections and guide the reader through the flow of your writing. 

Here's how transitions work:

  • Coherence : Transitions create smooth connections between ideas, ensuring a coherent flow in your writing.
  • Signal Relationships: Transitions clarify how ideas are related, such as cause and effect, comparison, contrast, or sequence.
  • Guide the Reader: It acts as signpost, guiding readers through your essay and indicating the direction of your thoughts.
  • Enhance Clarity: Transitions improve clarity by organizing ideas and helping readers understand logical progression.
  • Improve Flow: It ensures a seamless flow between sentences, paragraphs, and sections, preventing choppiness.
  • Emphasize Key Points: Transitions can be used strategically to highlight important ideas and make them more impactful.

Let's consider an example:


"The use of renewable energy sources is crucial for combating climate change. Solar power is one such renewable energy source. It harnesses the energy from the sun and converts it into electricity. Wind power is another significant renewable energy source. It utilizes wind turbines to generate electricity. Both solar and wind power have numerous environmental benefits."


In the above example, transitions like " one such source " connect the idea of solar power to renewable energy sources. " Similarly " then introduces the concept of wind power, creating a logical progression. These transitions help readers follow the flow of ideas and understand the relationships between different energy sources.

Tips to Use Transition Words in your Essay

Here are some tips to effectively use transition words in your essay:

  • Understand the Purpose: Familiarize yourself with the different types and functions of transition words, phrases, or sentences. Recognize how they connect ideas, provide structure, and indicate relationships between different parts of your essay.
  • Plan your Essay Structure: Before you start writing, outline the main sections, paragraphs, and points you want to cover. Consider where transition words can be used to improve the flow and coherence of your essay.
  • Use Transition Words Appropriately: Ensure that the transition word you choose accurately reflects the relationship between ideas. Don't force a transition where it doesn't fit naturally.
  • Vary Transition Words: Avoid repetitive or excessive use of the same transition word throughout your essay. Use a variety of transition words to maintain reader interest and enhance overall readability.
  • Pay Attention to Placement: Place transition words at the beginning, middle, or end of sentences, depending on the desired effect. Consider the logical flow of your ideas and choose the appropriate placement for each transition word.
  • Use Transitional Phrases: Instead of using single transition words, consider incorporating transitional phrases or clauses. These can provide more context and clarity, strengthening the connection between ideas.
  • Revise and Edit: After completing your essay, review it for the effectiveness and smoothness of transitions. Ensure that they serve their purpose in guiding the reader and enhancing the overall coherence of your writing.
  • Seek Feedback: Share your essay with others and ask for feedback, specifically on the use of transition words. Others' perspectives can help you identify any areas that need improvement or where transitions could be strengthened.

To sum it up! While mastering transition words may require time and practice, it is a skill well worth developing. These words are crucial for creating coherence and flow in your essays. Throughout this blog, we have explored various transition words and phrases that can greatly enhance your writing.

Remember, practice makes perfect, so don't hesitate to apply these newfound skills in your future essays. You can utilize an AI essay writer to enhance and refine your writing skills.

If you still need assistance or have further inquiries, our team at CollegeEssay.org is available to provide legit essay writing service . 

Contact us today, and let us be a part of your journey toward academic excellence!

Barbara P (Literature, Marketing)

Barbara is a highly educated and qualified author with a Ph.D. in public health from an Ivy League university. She has spent a significant amount of time working in the medical field, conducting a thorough study on a variety of health issues. Her work has been published in several major publications.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That’s our Job!

Get Help

Keep reading

transition words for essays

Legal & Policies

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Refunds & Cancellations
  • Our Writers
  • Success Stories
  • Our Guarantees
  • Affiliate Program
  • Referral Program
  • AI Essay Writer

Disclaimer: All client orders are completed by our team of highly qualified human writers. The essays and papers provided by us are not to be used for submission but rather as learning models only.

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

  • Essay Editor

How to Use Transition Words for Essays + Examples

How to Use Transition Words for Essays + Examples

Transition words play a key role in essay writing. They connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs, helping readers follow your text easily. These words do many jobs, from comparing things to showing cause and effect. They turn scattered thoughts into a clear story.

Learning to use transition words for essays isn't just about making your writing sound better. It's about making your ideas clearer and easier for readers to understand. Let's look at transition words and how to use them well in your essays.

Understanding Transition Words for Essays

Transition words for essays are like road signs. They guide readers through your ideas. They help show how your thoughts connect, making your writing easier to follow.

The Purpose and Placement of Transition Sentences

Transition sentences do several important things:

  • They make your ideas flow better
  • They help readers grasp your main point
  • They link sentences and paragraphs
  • They show how ideas relate to each other
  • They make your writing easier to read

Where you put transitions matters. They're often used:

  • Between parts of an essay to sum up or introduce new ideas
  • Between paragraphs to show connections or changes in focus
  • Within paragraphs to link related thoughts

Here's an example: 

"The Industrial Revolution brought many new technologies. On the other hand, it also caused social problems."

In this case, "On the other hand" shows a contrast between the good and bad effects of the Industrial Revolution.

Putting transitions in the right places helps your ideas flow smoothly. For instance, transition words to start a paragraph in an essay can signal a new point or a shift in focus, preparing the reader for what's next.

Types of Transitions Words

There are different types of transition words for essays, each with its own job. Knowing these types can help you pick the right words for different parts of your writing.

  • Adding information: "Also," "In addition," "Furthermore"
  • Showing contrast: "But," "However," "On the other hand"
  • Showing cause and effect: "So," "As a result," "Therefore"
  • Showing order: "First," "Second," "Finally"
  • Giving examples: "For example," "Such as," "To illustrate"

Using different transition words can make your essay flow better and be more coherent. Aithor can suggest good transition words based on what your essay is about, helping you improve your writing.

Creating Smooth Transitions in Your Writing

To make your transitions smooth:

  • Use your essay's structure to find logical connections between sections.
  • Put transitions where they best show how ideas relate.
  • Don't use too many transition words, or your writing might sound forced.
  • Try not to use the same few transitions over and over.

Remember, sometimes less is better. Using too many transition words can make your writing sound unnatural. Writing tools like Aithor can help you find places where transitions might make your essay flow better, suggesting good transition words based on your essay's content.

List of Transitions

Let's look at different types of transition words and phrases you can use in your essays:

1. Addition

Transition words to start a paragraph in an essay that add information include:

  • Furthermore
  • Additionally
  • In addition

Example: "The new policy aims to cut down on carbon emissions. Also, it encourages the use of energy from renewable sources."

2. Contradiction

To show contrast, you can use:

  • Nevertheless
  • On the other hand
  • In contrast
  • Despite this

Example: "Many people thought the project would fail. On the other hand, it did better than anyone expected."

3. Condition

Conditional transitions include:

  • Provided that
  • In the event that

Example: "The company will grow bigger if the market stays good."

4. Emphasis

To highlight important points, use:

  • Undoubtedly

Example: "The experiment gave surprising results. In fact, it made people question many old theories in the field."

5. Similarity

Transition words for the second body paragraph showing similarity include:

  • In the same way

Example: "The novel explores themes of love and loss. In the same way, the author's previous work dealt with complex human emotions."

To show outcomes or consequences, use:

  • As a result
  • Consequently

Example: "The team worked very hard on the project. As a result, they finished it early."

7. Conclusion Transitions

Transition words for the conclusion paragraph include:

  • In conclusion
  • To summarize

Example: "In conclusion, the study shows that social media greatly affects how consumers behave."

8. Sequence

To show order or progression, use:

  • First, Second, and Third
  • Subsequently

Example: "First, we'll look at the data. Then, we'll explain what it means. Finally, we'll make conclusions based on what we found."

9. Location

Spatial transitions include:

  • Adjacent to
  • In the vicinity of

Example: "The rare plant was found growing nearby the river bank."

As you start writing, remember this important tip: use transition words carefully. While these words help make your writing easy to read, using too many can confuse your reader. Think of transition words like spices in food — they make it taste better, but too much can ruin the dish.

Your goal is to help your reader easily follow your ideas, not to create a maze of connecting words. So, when you write your next essay, remember: when it comes to transitions, often using fewer is better. Use them thoughtfully to make your argument clear, and your writing will be easy to understand and follow.

If you want to get even better at writing essays, Aithor has special features that can help you choose the best transitions for what you're writing about, making sure your essays flow smoothly from start to finish.

Happy writing!

Related articles

Paraphrasing vs plagiarism: do they really differ.

Academic assignments require much knowledge and skill. One of the most important points is rendering and interpreting material one has ever studied. A person should avoid presenting word-for-word plagiarism but express his or her thoughts and ideas as much as possible. However, every fine research is certain to be based on the previous issues, data given, or concepts suggested. And here it's high time to differentiate plagiarism and paraphrasing, to realize its peculiarities and cases of usage. ...

How to Write a Dialogue in an Essay: Useful Tips

A correct usage of dialogues in essays may seem quite difficult at first sight. Still there are special issues, for instance, narrative or descriptive papers, where this literary technique will be a good helper in depicting anyone's character. How to add dialogues to the work? How to format them correctly? Let's discuss all relevant matters to master putting conversation episodes into academic essays. Essay Dialogue: Definition & Purpose A dialogue is a literary technique for presenting a con ...

Top 10 Use Cases for AI Writers

Writing is changing a lot because of AI. But don't worry — AI won't take human writers' jobs. It's a tool that can make our work easier and help us write better. When we use AI along with our own skills, we can create good content faster and better. AI can help with many parts of writing, from coming up with ideas to fixing the final version. Let's look at the top 10 ways how to use AI for content creation and how it can make your writing better. What Is AI Content Writing? AI content writin ...

What is Citation and Why Should You Cite the Sources When Writing Content

When we write something for school, work, or just for fun, we often use ideas and facts from other places. This makes us ask: what is a citation in writing? Let's find out what this means and why it's really important when we write. What is Citation? Citation in research refers to the practice of telling your readers where you got your information, ideas, or exact words from. It's like showing them the path to the original information you used in your writing. When you cite something, you us ...

How To Write Essays Faster Using AI?

Creating various topical texts is an obligatory assignment during studies. For a majority of students, it seems like a real headache. It is quite difficult to write a smooth and complex work, meeting all the professors' requirements. However, thanks to modern technologies there appeared a good way of getting a decent project – using AI to write essays. We'd like to acquaint you with Aithor, an effective tool of this kind, able to perform fine and elaborated texts, and, of course, inspiration, i ...

What Is Self-Plagiarism & How To Avoid It

Have you ever thought about whether using your own work again could be seen as copying? It might seem strange, but self-plagiarism is a real issue in school and work writing. Let's look at what this means and learn how to avoid self-plagiarism so your work stays original and ethical. What is self-plagiarism? Self-plagiarism, also called auto-plagiarism or duplicate plagiarism, happens when a writer uses parts of their old work without saying where it came from. This isn't just about copying w ...

Can Plagiarism Be Detected on PDF?

Plagiarism has been a challenge for a long time in writing. It's easy to find information online, which might make some people use it without saying where it came from. But plagiarism isn't just taking someone else's words. Sometimes, we might do it by accident or even use our own old work without mentioning it. When people plagiarize, they can get into serious trouble. They might lose others' trust or even face legal problems. Luckily, we now have tools to detect plagiarism. But what about PDF ...

Plagiarism: 7 Types in Detail

Your professor says that it is necessary to avoid plagiarism when writing a research paper, essay, or any project based on the works of other people, so to say, any reference source. But what does plagiarism mean? What types of it exist? And how to formulate the material to get rid of potential bad consequences while rendering original texts? Today we try to answer these very questions. Plagiarism: Aspect in Brief Plagiarism is considered to be a serious breach, able to spoil your successful ...

Transitional Words and Phrases

One of your primary goals as a writer is to present ideas in a clear and understandable way. To help readers move through your complex ideas, you want to be intentional about how you structure your paper as a whole as well as how you form the individual paragraphs that comprise it. In order to think through the challenges of presenting your ideas articulately, logically, and in ways that seem natural to your readers, check out some of these resources: Developing a Thesis Statement , Paragraphing , and Developing Strategic Transitions: Writing that Establishes Relationships and Connections Between Ideas.

While clear writing is mostly achieved through the deliberate sequencing of your ideas across your entire paper, you can guide readers through the connections you’re making by using transitional words in individual sentences. Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between your ideas and can help your reader understand your paper’s logic.

In what follows, we’ve included a list of frequently used transitional words and phrases that can help you establish how your various ideas relate to each other. We’ve divided these words and phrases into categories based on the common kinds of relationships writers establish between ideas.

Two recommendations: Use these transitions strategically by making sure that the word or phrase you’re choosing matches the logic of the relationship you’re emphasizing or the connection you’re making. All of these words and phrases have different meanings, nuances, and connotations, so before using a particular transitional word in your paper, be sure you understand its meaning and usage completely, and be sure that it’s the right match for your paper’s logic. Use these transitional words and phrases sparingly because if you use too many of them, your readers might feel like you are overexplaining connections that are already clear.

Categories of Transition Words and Phrases

Causation Chronology Combinations Contrast Example

Importance Location Similarity Clarification Concession

Conclusion Intensification Purpose Summary

Transitions to help establish some of the most common kinds of relationships

Causation– Connecting instigator(s) to consequence(s).

accordingly as a result and so because

consequently for that reason hence on account of

since therefore thus

Chronology– Connecting what issues in regard to when they occur.

after afterwards always at length during earlier following immediately in the meantime

later never next now once simultaneously so far sometimes

soon subsequently then this time until now when whenever while

Combinations Lists– Connecting numerous events. Part/Whole– Connecting numerous elements that make up something bigger.

additionally again also and, or, not as a result besides even more

finally first, firstly further furthermore in addition in the first place in the second place

last, lastly moreover next second, secondly, etc. too

Contrast– Connecting two things by focusing on their differences.

after all although and yet at the same time but

despite however in contrast nevertheless nonetheless notwithstanding

on the contrary on the other hand otherwise though yet

Example– Connecting a general idea to a particular instance of this idea.

as an illustration e.g., (from a Latin abbreviation for “for example”)

for example for instance specifically that is

to demonstrate to illustrate

Importance– Connecting what is critical to what is more inconsequential.

chiefly critically

foundationally most importantly

of less importance primarily

Location– Connecting elements according to where they are placed in relationship to each other.

above adjacent to below beyond

centrally here nearby neighboring on

opposite to peripherally there wherever

Similarity– Connecting to things by suggesting that they are in some way alike.

by the same token in like manner

in similar fashion here in the same way

likewise wherever

Other kinds of transitional words and phrases Clarification

i.e., (from a Latin abbreviation for “that is”) in other words

that is that is to say to clarify to explain

to put it another way to rephrase it

granted it is true

naturally of course

finally lastly

in conclusion in the end

to conclude

Intensification

in fact indeed no

of course surely to repeat

undoubtedly without doubt yes

for this purpose in order that

so that to that end

to this end

in brief in sum

in summary in short

to sum up to summarize

transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

Improving Your Writing Style

This is an accordion element with a series of buttons that open and close related content panels.

Clear, Concise Sentences

Use the active voice

Put the action in the verb

Tidy up wordy phrases

Reduce wordy verbs

Reduce prepositional phrases

Reduce expletive constructions

Avoid using vague nouns

Avoid unneccessarily inflated words

Avoid noun strings

Connecting Ideas Through Transitions

Using Transitional Words and Phrases

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

190 Good Transition Words for Essays

August 23, 2023

Essay writing consists of two primary procedures: coming up with the content we want to include and structuring that content. These procedures might take place in either order or they could occur simultaneously. When writing an essay it is important to think about the ways that content and structure complement one another. The best essays join these two elements in thoughtful ways. Transition words for essays (including for college essays) are some of our most primary tools when it comes to structuring a piece of writing.

When beginning an essay it is often recommended to begin with a messy first draft. The purpose of this draft is to get everything out on the page. You should put down as many ideas and trajectories as you can without worrying too much about phrasing or whether they will make it into the final draft. The key here is to be loose—to get ahead of our self-editors and expel everything we can from our minds.

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (Continued)

While this is a good strategy for beginning an essay it will likely leave you unsure how everything fits together. This is where transition words come in. As you will see in this list (which is necessarily incomplete) the range of transition words for essays is vast. Each transition word implies a different relation, often in subtle ways. After accumulating content, the next step is to figure out how the elements fit together towards an overall goal (this could be but is not necessarily an “argument”). Consulting this list of transition words for essays can provide a shortcut for determining how one piece might lead into another. Along with transition words, rhetorical devices and literary devices are other tools to consider during this stage of essay writing.

Transition Words for College Essays

While this list will be a useful tool for all types of essay writing it will be particularly helpful when it comes to finding the right transition words for college essays . The goal of a college essay is to give a strong overall sense of its author in the tight space of 650 words. As you might imagine, it’s not easy to encompass a life or convey a complex personality in such a space. When writing a college essay you are working with a huge amount of potential content. Students often want to squeeze in as much as they can. To this end, transition words for college essays are essential tools to have at our disposal.

Here is our list of transition words for college essays and other essays. It is organized by the different types of transition words/phrases and their functions. While this organization should be convenient, keep in mind that there’s plenty of overlap. Many of these words can function in multiple ways.

1) Additive Transitions

These words function in an additive manner, accumulating content to build upon what has already been stated. They can be used to construct an argument or establish a scene through the accumulation of details.

  • Additionally
  • In addition to
  • Furthermore
  • Not to mention
  • In all honesty
  • To tell the truth
  • Not only…but also
  • As a matter of fact
  • To say nothing of
  • What’s more
  • Alternatively
  • To go a step further

 2) Comparative Transitions (Similarity)

  These transition words draw a parallel or bring out a similarity between images or ideas. They can be used not only in a straightforward sense but also to establish relations of similarity between objects or ideas that might appear to be dissonant.

  • In the same way
  • In a similar vein
  • Along the lines of
  • In the key of

 3) Comparative Transitions (Difference)

  While also functioning comparatively, the following words demonstrate difference between ideas or images. These transition words are useful when it comes to establishing contrasting points of view, an important component of any argument.

  • On the other hand
  • On the contrary
  • In contrast to
  • In contradiction
  • Nevertheless
  • Nonetheless
  • In any event
  • In any case
  • In either event

4) Sequential Transitions

  The following are particularly effective transition words for college essays. They will allow you to order ideas chronologically or in a sequence, providing a sense of continuity over time. This is particularly useful when an essay leans into something more creative or involves telling a story.

  • Subsequently
  • At the same time
  • Concurrently
  • In the beginning
  • At the start
  • At the outset
  • Off the bat

5) Spatial Transitions

Rather than organizing ideas or images in regards to sequence, these transitions indicate spatial relationships. They are particularly useful when it comes to painting a scene and/or describing objects, but they can also be used metaphorically. Consider, for example, how you might use the transition, “standing in […’s] shadow.”

  • Standing in […’s] shadow
  • In front of
  • In the middle
  • In the center
  • To the left
  • To the right
  • On the side
  • Adjacent to
  • Around the bend
  • On the outskirts
  • In the distance
  • On the horizon
  • In the foreground
  • In the background
  • Underground
  • Through the grapevine

 6) Causal Transitions

These transition words for essays indicate cause and effect relationships between ideas. They will be particularly useful when you are structuring a logical argument, i.e. using logos as a mode of persuasion . Causal transitions are an important element of academic, legal and scientific writing.

  • Accordingly
  • Resultingly
  • As a result
  • Consequently
  • In consequence
  • As a consequence
  • For this reason
  • So much that
  • Granting that
  • That being the case
  • Under those circumstances
  • With this in mind
  • For the purpose of
  • For all intents and purposes
  • In the event that
  • In the event of
  • In light of
  • On the condition that
  • To the extent that

7) Examples/Illustration/Supporting Transition

  These transition words for college essays can be used to introduce supporting evidence, emphasis, examples, and clarification. There is some overlap here with additive transitions and causal transitions. These transitions are also useful when it comes to building an argument. At the same time, they can signal a shift into a different linguistic register.

  • For example
  • For instance
  • In other words
  • As an illustration
  • To illustrate
  • To put it differently
  • To put it another way
  • That is to say
  • As the evidence illustrates
  • It’s important to realize
  • It’s important to understand
  • It must be remembered
  • To demonstrate
  • For clarity’s sake
  • To emphasize
  • To put it plainly
  • To enumerate
  • To speak metaphorically

8) Conclusory Transitions

These transition words for essays serve to bring an idea or story to a close. They offer a clear way of signaling the conclusion of a particular train of thought. They might be followed by a summary or a restatement of an essay’s argument. In this way they also provide emphasis, setting the reader up for what is about to come.

  • In conclusion
  • To summarize
  • To put it succinctly
  • To this end
  • At the end of the day
  • In the final analysis
  • By and large
  • On second thought
  • On first glance
  • That’s all to say
  • On the whole
  • All things considered
  • Generally speaking

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (Final Thoughts)

Even when elements appear to be disparate on first glance, transition words are a great tool for giving your essay a smooth flow. They can also create surprising juxtapositions, relationships, and equivalences. The way a reader will understand a transition word depends on the context in which they encounter it.

Individual words and phrases can be used in a wide variety of ways, ranging from the literal to the figurative to the colloquial or idiomatic. “Through the grapevine” is an example of the colloquial or idiomatic. When we encounter this phrase we don’t interpret it literally (as hearing something “through” a grapevine) but rather as hearing news secondhand. There are, of course, a vast number of idioms that are not included in this list but can also function as transitional phrases.

This list of transition words for college essays (and really any form of writing you might be working on) is a resource that you can return to again and again in your life as a writer. Over years of writing we tend to fall into patterns when it comes to the transition words we use. Mixing things up can be exciting both as a writer and for your readers. Even if you don’t choose to stray from your trusted transitions, considering the alternatives (and why they don’t work for you) can offer a deeper understanding of what you are trying to say.

List of Good Transition Words for Essays (An Exercise)

As an exercise in self-understanding, you may want to try highlighting all of the transition words in a piece of your own writing. You can then compare this to the transition words in a piece of writing that you admire. Are they using similar transitions or others? Are they using them more or less often? What do you like or dislike about them? We all use transition words differently, creating different tonal effects. Keeping an eye out for them, not only as a writer but also as a reader, will help you develop your own aesthetic.

  • College Essay

Emmett Lewis

Emmett holds a BA in Philosophy from Vassar College and is currently completing an MFA in Writing at Columbia University. Previously, he served as a writing instructor within the Columbia Artists/Teachers community as well as a Creative Writing Teaching Fellow at Columbia, where he taught poetry workshops. In addition, Emmett is a member of the Poetry Board at the Columbia Journal , and his work has been published in HAD , Otoliths , and Some Kind of Opening , among others.

  • 2-Year Colleges
  • ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
  • Application Strategies
  • Best Colleges by Major
  • Best Colleges by State
  • Big Picture
  • Career & Personality Assessment
  • College Search/Knowledge
  • College Success
  • Costs & Financial Aid
  • Data Visualizations
  • Dental School Admissions
  • Extracurricular Activities
  • Graduate School Admissions
  • High School Success
  • High Schools
  • Homeschool Resources
  • Law School Admissions
  • Medical School Admissions
  • Navigating the Admissions Process
  • Online Learning
  • Outdoor Adventure
  • Private High School Spotlight
  • Research Programs
  • Summer Program Spotlight
  • Summer Programs
  • Teacher Tools
  • Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

The Writing Center • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Transitions (ESL)

What this handout is about.

Logical connectors are often listed in categories like “contrast” with no further explanation; however, there are important, though subtle differences in how they signal relationships between ideas. This handout will help you choose the appropriate connector by explaining how some of the more common expressions function to connect ideas.

Contrast transitions

Expression Function Example
Shows contrast between two comparable things

Synonymous with “but”

Not synonymous with “despite this”

Shows contrast between comparable things or between expectation and reality

Synonymous with “but” and “despite this”

I’ve had breakfast; however, I’m still hungry.

Opposition (not x but y).

Follows a negative statement and elaborates

Comparison of two choices or two sides of an issue

Shows contrast between expectation and reality

Synonymous with “but” and “despite this”

Addition transitions

Expression Function Example
Almost interchangeable with “and.” Prefers identical subjects and usually appears after the subject.
Used as a transitional adverb, “besides” adds information emphatically. It implies that previous information can be disregarded because the new information is so powerful.
Adds information emphatically, but does not imply that previous information can be disregarded. (Compare to “besides” above.)
Usually used when three or more reasons (or premises) are given for the same conclusion
More formal than “and.”  Used for joining sentences. Prefers non-identical subjects and appears before the subject.
Use when adding a noun phrase to a sentence. Verbs in this phrase take the -ing form.

Usually used when two or more reasons (or premises) are given for the same conclusion

Cause-Effect transitions

Expression Function Example
Signals causal relationship
Signals causal relationship. Also signals a logical conclusion or reasonable inference.

Signals causal relationship when reason is explicitly stated.
Same as “therefore” but more formal. Both of these can be used to introduce phrases rather than complete sentences.

Signals a conditional relationship, like if–>then

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Make a Gift

helpful professor logo

5 Compare and Contrast Essay Examples (Full Text)

5 Compare and Contrast Essay Examples (Full Text)

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

Learn about our Editorial Process

A compare and contrast essay selects two or more items that are critically analyzed to demonstrate their differences and similarities. Here is a template for you that provides the general structure:

compare and contrast essay format

A range of example essays is presented below.

Compare and Contrast Essay Examples

#1 jean piaget vs lev vygotsky essay.

1480 Words | 5 Pages | 10 References

(Level: University Undergraduate)

paget vs vygotsky essay

Thesis Statement: “This essay will critically examine and compare the developmental theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky, focusing on their differing views on cognitive development in children and their influence on educational psychology, through an exploration of key concepts such as the role of culture and environment, scaffolding, equilibration, and their overall implications for educational practices..”

#2 Democracy vs Authoritarianism Essay

democracy vs authoritarianism essay

Thesis Statement: “The thesis of this analysis is that, despite the efficiency and control offered by authoritarian regimes, democratic systems, with their emphasis on individual freedoms, participatory governance, and social welfare, present a more balanced and ethically sound approach to governance, better aligned with the ideals of a just and progressive society.”

#3 Apples vs Oranges Essay

1190 Words | 5 Pages | 0 References

(Level: 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade)

apples vs oranges essay

Thesis Statement: “While apples and oranges are both popular and nutritious fruits, they differ significantly in their taste profiles, nutritional benefits, cultural symbolism, and culinary applications.”

#4 Nature vs Nurture Essay

1525 Words | 5 Pages | 11 References

(Level: High School and College)

nature vs nurture essay

Thesis Statement: “The purpose of this essay is to examine and elucidate the complex and interconnected roles of genetic inheritance (nature) and environmental influences (nurture) in shaping human development across various domains such as physical traits, personality, behavior, intelligence, and abilities.”

#5 Dogs vs Cats Essay

1095 Words | 5 Pages | 7 Bibliographic Sources

(Level: 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade)

Thesis Statement: “This essay explores the distinctive characteristics, emotional connections, and lifestyle considerations associated with owning dogs and cats, aiming to illuminate the unique joys and benefits each pet brings to their human companions.”

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Essay

I’ve recorded a full video for you on how to write a compare and contrast essay:

Get the Compare and Contrast Templates with AI Prompts Here

In the video, I outline the steps to writing your essay. Here they are explained below:

1. Essay Planning

First, I recommend using my compare and contrast worksheet, which acts like a Venn Diagram, walking you through the steps of comparing the similarities and differences of the concepts or items you’re comparing.

I recommend selecting 3-5 features that can be compared, as shown in the worksheet:

compare and contrast worksheet

Grab the Worksheet as Part of the Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Pack

2. Writing the Essay

Once you’ve completed the worksheet, you’re ready to start writing. Go systematically through each feature you are comparing and discuss the similarities and differences, then make an evaluative statement after showing your depth of knowledge:

compare and contrast essay template

Get the Rest of the Premium Compare and Contrast Essay Writing Pack (With AI Prompts) Here

How to Write a Compare and Contrast Thesis Statement

Compare and contrast thesis statements can either:

  • Remain neutral in an expository tone.
  • Prosecute an argument about which of the items you’re comparing is overall best.

To write an argumentative thesis statement for a compare and contrast essay, try this AI Prompts:

💡 AI Prompt to Generate Ideas I am writing a compare and contrast essay that compares [Concept 1] and [Concept2]. Give me 5 potential single-sentence thesis statements that pass a reasonable judgement.

Ready to Write your Essay?

compare and contrast essay pack promotional image

Take action! Choose one of the following options to start writing your compare and contrast essay now:

Read Next: Process Essay Examples

compare and contrast examples and definition

  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 20 Montessori Toddler Bedrooms (Design Inspiration)
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 21 Montessori Homeschool Setups
  • Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 101 Hidden Talents Examples

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Pardon Our Interruption

As you were browsing something about your browser made us think you were a bot. There are a few reasons this might happen:

  • You've disabled JavaScript in your web browser.
  • You're a power user moving through this website with super-human speed.
  • You've disabled cookies in your web browser.
  • A third-party browser plugin, such as Ghostery or NoScript, is preventing JavaScript from running. Additional information is available in this support article .

To regain access, please make sure that cookies and JavaScript are enabled before reloading the page.

French Transition Words: A Key to Improve Your Communication

Learn the most useful transition words in french, with lists and examples., i want to learn....

The use of French transition words is an important part of the elegant and sophisticated French writing tradition. Perhaps more than other languages, French has developed a set of standards that should be followed to make writing not only more fluent and clear, but also more elegant. The use of transition words, or connectives, belongs to these standards, but it is also essential to express meaning clearly.

We use connectives all the time when we speak in order to connect sentences and ideas and explain things. However, transition words are especially useful in writing, to give texts a clear structure, to build logical and believable arguments, and to connect ideas properly. Ça va sans dire (it goes without saying), transition words are especially important when writing essays in French!

Knowing a variety of transition words and being able to use them correctly will significantly improve your ability to express ideas clearly, both in speaking and writing, and to better communicate in French .

In this article, we provide a selection of the most useful French transition words and phrases , presented with example sentences to put them in context.

Need some help to advance your French communication skills?

Discover lots of useful vocabulary and get plenty of writing practice with personalized advice on Busuu’s free online courses.

French transition words and phrases

Transition words are called ‘connecteurs’ in French. Transition words in French are used to connect sentences and parts of the text according to the links between those elements. These can be, for example, links that express a cause, consequence, additional idea, explanation, and so on. Connectives can thus be grouped according to their function or the idea that they express.

We will present a group of transition words in each section of this article with a table. In each table you will find the French transition words, the English equivalent (or equivalents), examples in French with an English translation, and tips on how to use them, when needed.

Transitions of addition

Among the most basic French transition words are the ones that express the idea of addition. In English this function is covered by words like ‘and,’ ‘moreover’ and ‘as well as.’

French transition words list: addition

French English Example
et and J’ai acheté du pain et des légumes.
I bought some bread and some vegetables.
de plus moreover,
what is more
Il a perdu la clé. De plus, il n’y avait personne à la maison.
He lost his key. What’s more, there was nobody at home.
de même que as well as Elle a invité sa famille de même que ses amis.
She invited her family as well as her friends.

Transitions of contrast

The transition words in this group are extremely common, and they are used to contrast two parts of a sentence or text. In English, these are words like ‘but,’ ‘however’ and ‘though.’

French transition words list: contrast

French English Example
ou or Tu préfères du thé ou du café?
Would you rather have tea or coffee?
mais but J’ai répondu à sa question, mais il n’a pas compris.
I answered his question, but he did not understand.
pourtant, cependant yet Elle avait tant travaillé et cependant (or et pourtant) elle n’a pas eu son diplôme.
She had worked a lot, and yet she didn’t get her diploma.
par contre though, however Elle est normalement très aimable. Par contre, cette fois, elle a été grossière.
She is normally very nice. This time she’s been rude, though.
tandis que,
alors que
while, whereas J'aime avoir une vie tranquille, alors que ma femme est toujours occupée.
I like to have a quiet life, whereas my wife is always busy.
D’un côté…
De l’autre côté…
On one hand… On the other hand… D’un côté, j’aime mon nouveau boulot. De l’autre côté, je le trouve un peu stressant.
On one hand, I love my new job, but on the other hand, I find it a little stressful.
soit … soit… either … or… Nous boirons soit du vin, soit de la bière.
We’ll drink either wine or beer.

Transitions showing cause

The transition words in this section are used to indicate that one thing causes another. In English, these are words like ‘because’ and ‘since.’

French transition words list: cause

French English Example Notes on usage
parce que,
car
because Nous ne sortons pas parce qu’il pleut.
We’re not going out because it’s raining.
Je suis fatigué, car je n’ai pas bien dormi.
I am tired because I haven’t slept well.
When you use ‘parce que’ and ‘car,’ you introduce the consequence first and then the cause. ‘Car’ is preceded by a comma. ‘Parce que’ is shortened to ‘parce qu’ before a vowel.
puisque,
comme
since Puisque (or Comme) vous n’avez pas compris la règle, je vais la répéter.
Since you haven’t understood the rule, I am going to repeat it.
‘Puisque’ and ‘comme’ have the same meaning as ‘parce que’ and ‘car,’ but they have to be placed at the start of a sentence. When you use ‘puisque’ and ‘comme,’ you introduce the cause first and then the consequence.

Transitions showing aim or purpose

These transition words are used to explain the purpose or goal of an action, similar to the connectives ‘to,’ ‘in order to’ and ‘so that’ in English.

French transition words list: aim or purpose

French English Example Notes on usage
pour to Je vous écris pour vous remercier.
I am writing to thank you.
‘Pour’ is followed by an infinitive.
afin de,
dans le but de
in order to Il est sorti par une porte secondaire afin d'éviter la foule.
He left by a backdoor in order to avoid the crowd.
‘Afin de’ and ‘dans le but de’ are followed by an infinitive.
afin que,
pour que
so that Je vous donne un autre exemple pour que vous compreniez mieux.
I will give you another example so that you understand better.
‘Afin que’ and ‘pour que’ are followed by a subjunctive.

Transitions to show a consequence

This set of connectives is used to explain a consequence – in English, these are words like ‘so,’ ‘as a consequence’ and ‘therefore.’

French transition words list: consequence

French English Example
donc,
alôrs
so Je n’ai pas mangé, donc j’ai faim.
I didn't eat, so I'm hungry.
par conséquent,
en conséquence
as a consequence J’ai perdu ma carte d’identité, par conséquent je n’ai pas pu voter.
I lost my ID card; as a consequence, I couldn't vote.
c’est pourquoi,
voila pourquoi
this is why Tu conduis très mal, c'est pourquoi je ne veux plus voyager avec toi.
You drive very badly – this is why I don't want to travel with you anymore.
de manière que,
de sorte que
therefore Elle n’a pas beaucoup travaillé, de sorte qu’elle a raté son examen.
She didn't do much work; therefore she failed her exam.
à tel point … que,
tellement … que
so much that Il a tellement neigé qu’on ne peut pas sortir de la maison.
It has snowed so much that we cannot leave the house.

Transitions of time

This group of transition words is used to show time relationships between two sentences or parts of a sentence.

French transition words list: time

French English Example Notes on usage
quand when Quand il pleut, je préfère ne pas sortir.
When it rains, I prefer not to go out.
pendant que,
tandis que
while Je vais terminer mes exercices pendant que tu prépares le dîner.
I will finish my exercises while you prepare dinner.
au moment de
at the time of Au moment de payer, il s’est aperçu qu’il avait oublié son portefeuille.
When it was time to pay, he realized that he had forgotten his wallet.
avant de
before Il m’a demandé mon avis avant de prendre une décision.
He asked for my opinion before making a decision.
‘Avant de’ is used when the subject of the two clauses is the same (like ‘il’ in this example). It is followed by an infinitive.
avant que before Je dois ranger avant que les invités arrivent.
I have to tidy up before the guests arrive.
‘Avant que’ is used when the subjects of the two clauses are different (like ‘je’ and ‘les invités’ in this example). It is followed by a subjunctive.
dès que as soon as Dès que tu seras arrivé, appelle-moi s’il te plaît.
Call me as soon as you have arrived.
après after Les enfants feront la sieste après avoir déjeuné.
The children will nap after eating.
‘Après’ is used, without any preposition, when the subject of the two clauses is the same (‘les enfants’ in this example). It is followed by a past infinitive (like ‘avoir déjeuné’).
après que after J'ai commencé à travailler après que le chef m'a donné les détails du projet.
I started working after the manager gave me the details of the project.
‘Après que’ is used when the subjects of the two clauses are different (like ‘je’ and ‘le chef’ in this example). It is followed by an indicative.

Transitions to make a list or put events in order

These words and phrases are typically used to indicate a succession of events. Another important function of these transition words is to create a list or series, which is essential to writing an essay and especially to organizing an argument.

French transition words list: succession or listing

English French Example
d’abord,
tout d’abord, avant tout
first,
first of all
Aujourd’hui on va tout d’abord discuter du bilan de l’entreprise.
Today we will first of all discuss the statement of account for the business.
ensuite afterwards Ensuite, nous vous présenterons le nouveau directeur.
Afterwards, we will introduce you to the new manager.
premièrement,
en premier lieu
firstly,
first
Voici les règles de la maison. Premièrement, il ne faut pas introduire d’animaux.
Here are the rules of the house. First, pets are not allowed inside.
deuxièmement,
en deuxième lieu
second Deuxièmement, il ne faut pas faire de bruit après 22 heures.
Second, you mustn’t make noise after 10 pm.
finalement,
enfin
finally Enfin, il faut nettoyer la maison avant de partir.
Finally, you must clean the house before leaving.

Transitions of concession

This set of transition words express the idea of concession, which means that they introduce a point that seems to weaken the main idea, but then provide another contrasting point that supports the main idea.

French transition words list: concession

French English Example Notes on usage
même si even if On vous laissera entrer même si vous êtes en retard.
We will let you in even if you’re late.
‘Même si’ is followed by an indicative.
quand-même all the same, anyway Vous êtes en retard, mais on vous laissera entrer quand-même.
You’re late, but we will let you in anyway.
bien que even though Bien qu’il soit très fatigué, il continue de travailler.
Even though he is tired, he keeps working.
‘Bien que’ is followed by a subjunctive.
malgré,
en dépit de
despite Malgré son mauvais caractère, il a su se faire accepter par ses collègues.
Despite his difficult character, he managed to be accepted by his colleagues.
‘Malgré’ and ‘en dépit de’ are always followed by a noun. ‘Malgré’ is more informal, while ‘en dépit de’ is more formal.

Transitions of comparison

The transition words introduced in this section are useful to explain and illustrate a point.

French transition words list: comparison

French English Example Notes on usage
c’est-à-dire that is L'élection aura lieu le 23 juillet, c’est-à-dire après-demain.
The election will take place on the 23rd of July, that is, the day after tomorrow.
par exemple for example,
for instance
Il y a beaucoup de manières de se tenir en forme, par exemple faire du yoga et bien s’alimenter.
There are many ways to keep yourself in good shape, for example, doing yoga and eating well.
‘Par exemple’ can be shortened to ‘par ex.’ or ‘p.ex.’
notamment notably Les réseaux sociaux, notamment Instagram and Tik Tok, sont très populaires parmi les jeunes.
Social networks, notably Instagram and Tik Tok, are very popular with young people.
entre autres among others Nous avons visité plusieurs villes en Italie, entre autres Milan, Turin et Venise.
We have visited several cities in Italy, among which are Milan, Turin and Venice.

In conclusion, being able to use a variety of transition words is essential to achieving effective communication in both spoken and written French. Whether you need to connect ideas, express contrast, or list the points of an argument, French transition words will allow you to structure and express your ideas clearly.

In this article we’ve provided you with the most useful sets of connectives. By mastering these, you can enrich your language repertoire and make your French smoother and more sophisticated.

Don’t stop here – it’s time to transition to something new!

Explore tons of fun and engaging content on the Busuu language learning app, crafted by language experts and supported by a lively community of native speakers.

Topics for Beginners

  • Master the use of articles in French
  • French Adjectives: Guide for Beginners
  • A complete guide to French prepositions
  • Guide to using the 12 types of French pronouns
  • French verb tenses, explained

Advanced Grammar Topics

  • The conditional tenses in French
  • A quick guide to French comparatives
  • Guide to French demonstrative adjectives
  • French possessive adjectives
  • French superlatives: A quick guide

Recommended Articles

  • French verb conjugation rules to learn
  • French reflexive verbs and how to use them
  • Guide to mastering French past verbs
  • Conjugating the future tense in french
  • Irregular verbs in French and how to conjugate them

New developments in renewable energy are making headlines and inspiring hope in communities worldwide, from a remote Arctic village working to harness solar and wind power under challenging conditions to a U.S. Air Force base planning an advanced, utility-scale geothermal power system.

As much of the world grapples with mitigating the effects of climate change and global warming, innovation and advancements in renewable energy have emerged as a bright spot. Solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, geothermal energy and biomass energy generation is better for the planet than the burning of fossil fuels including oil, natural gas and coal.

But for all of the advantages of renewable energy, its development and use has disadvantages, too. Let’s take a look at both.

The advantages of renewable energy power sources are wide-ranging, and some are more obvious than others.

Inexhaustible supply

One of the main benefits of renewable energy sources like the sun, wind and water is that they will never run out. In contrast, non-renewable resources are not only finite, but cost more as their availability declines and require more extreme extraction methods with greater environmental impacts.

Carbon-free energy generation

The goal of the clean energy transition is decarbonization . Carbon dioxide emissions reached 11.2 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2022 from oil alone, whereas renewable energy generation emits little to no carbon emissions to power homes, cars and businesses.

A cleaner, healthier environment

The burning of fossil fuels, like coal, releases airborne pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide, while the mining of these resources can result in water pollution and damage animal habitats. Using renewable energy in place of fossil fuels can reduce these pollutants and help mitigate risks to human health and natural environments.

Energy independence

Renewable energy provides for stronger energy security by opening up new opportunities for domestic energy production, thereby reducing reliance on foreign-sourced energy supply. For example, since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, European countries have sought to reduce their imports of Russian oil and gas. In 2023, domestic renewable energy production in Europe rose to account for a record 44% of the EU’s electricity mix while imports from Russia declined, helping build a more stable, resilient power grid.

Less maintenance

For certain types of renewable energy sources, the maintenance and maintenance costs of their infrastructure are minimal. Solar photovoltaic systems, for example, generally don’t have moving parts and can last 25 years or more with little maintenance. Hydroelectric power plants typically have low operating costs and require little maintenance as well, with long-lasting equipment that can remain in operation for decades.

Affordable energy

When it comes to costs, renewable energy sources once compared unfavorably to fossil fuels. But as fossil fuel prices rise renewable energy has emerged as an affordable alternative energy option. An estimated 96% of new utility-scale solar and wind power projects had lower generation costs than new coal and natural gas plants. As more renewable energy resources are integrated into power grids, businesses are also implementing energy management programs to optimize energy usage and reduce overall energy costs.

Job creation

While both clean energy and fossil fuel industries have seen job growth in recent years, growth has been markedly faster in the former. As a result, clean energy roles now account for more than half of the 67 million jobs in the global energy sector. Such growth is fueling demand for additional workers and retraining for existing fossil fuel workers to transition to the renewable energy industry.

For all the celebrated benefits of renewable energy, the sector has some downsides as well. Understanding the disadvantages of renewable energy can help organizations better plan its deployment. Here are some of the cons of renewable energy projects today:

High upfront costs

Shifting to renewable energy technologies saves money in the long run but component costs and initial costs for set-up can be expensive. For example, small businesses can expect to pay USD 100,000 or more for commercial solar installations, depending on their energy needs. However, legislation for incentives, tax credits and various rebates can help offset these costs.

Location and landmass requirements

Most renewable energy power generation is location dependent—solar farms require unobstructed sunlight, hydropower requires water movement, wind farms require open spaces and traditional geothermal power requires proximity to sources of hot water. In many cases, renewable energy systems require a lot of space—more than traditional power stations. Research conducted by the ICF Climate Center found that large-scale renewable energy installations require 10 times more land than coal- and natural gas-fired power plants.

Production volatility

Renewable electricity generation is vulnerable to weather conditions: solar power is susceptible to cloudy days, hydropower to droughts and wind power to calm days. As such, guaranteeing the amount of energy produced at any given time is a challenge. To help companies adapt to this volatility, solutions like the IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite use sensors, geospatial data , advanced analytics, machine learning , artificial intelligence (AI) and weather data to generate day-ahead wind and solar forecasts .

Storage requirements

Due to the intermittent nature of renewable power, batteries are required to collect energy during peak production periods for distribution in a controlled, consistent manner during periods of low- to non-production. Energy storage systems to support utility-scale applications are costly but technology is being developed to support more affordable long-term storage.

Supply chain limitations

Supply chain hurdles are hindering the installation of renewable energy projects. According to a report by McKinsey, project developers face three main challenges : access to raw materials and rare earth metals amid a projected shortage; access to the talent and machinery necessary; and little supplier diversification for critical components. For example, in the case of polysilicon, a material used in solar panels, 79% of global capacity is concentrated in China, making the solar PV industry vulnerable to disruptions in that country.

Carbon footprint and waste

Although solar and wind power emit no harmful emissions during power generation, the manufacturing, installation and transportation of renewable energy equipment does often produce greenhouse gas emissions . Additionally, waste products are created during asset production process and disposal, with wind turbine blades and solar panels taking up space in landfills.

Businesses in the renewable energy industry or interested in sourcing renewable power can proactively monitor renewable energy trends with the right tools. The IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite uses historical energy generation data, weather data and more to generate high-accuracy energy forecasts for wind and solar assets to inform key decision-making at the enterprise level.

Try the IBM Environmental Intelligence Suite for free

Book a live demo

IMAGES

  1. Compare & Contrast Essays

    transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

  2. Transitions Words

    transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

  3. Compare and Contrast Transition Words in English • 7ESL

    transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

  4. Compare and Contrast Transition Words Poster by Kelsearae20

    transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

  5. Compare and Contrast Transition Words in English • 7ESL

    transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

  6. List of Transition Words and Phrases in English

    transition sentences for compare and contrast essays

VIDEO

  1. Transition words, phrases|Transitional devices in reading and writing|Complete Concept| examples

  2. Transition Sentences EST & ACT

  3. Cleft Sentences&Contrast Complex

  4. PARAGRAPH TRANSITIONS

  5. As for Contrast with Sentences. ||

  6. Writing Academic English _ Chapter 7 _ Comparison and Contrast Essays

COMMENTS

  1. 32 Compare and contrast transition words (with examples)

    We use transition words for comparing and contrasting in essays, discussions, presentations, etc. Explore compare and contrast words & phrases.

  2. Transition Words For A Compare And Contrast Essay

    Steal this list of transition words for your compare and contrast essay to make a stable flow of thoughts, and make your writing even more persuasive and much easier to read and comprehend.

  3. Transitions

    Transitional words that compare and contrast include also, in the same way, similarly, in contrast, yet, on the one hand, on the other hand. But before you signal comparison, ask these questions: Do your readers need another example of the same thing?

  4. Transition words for contrast and compare with examples

    Transition words for contrast and compare In the world of writing, creating connections between ideas is key. But sometimes, the most impactful connections are those that highlight differences and similarities. This is where transition words for contrast and comparison come in! These handy phrases act like bridges, guiding your reader through the relationship between your ideas.

  5. Transition Sentences

    Clear transitions are crucial to clear writing: They show the reader how different parts of your essay, paper, or thesis are connected. Transition sentences can be used to structure your text and link together paragraphs or sections. Example of a transition sentence for a new paragraph. In this case, the researchers concluded that the method ...

  6. 92 Essay Transition Words to Know

    Abruptly switching topics in essays can be jarring; however, transition words can smooth the change for the convenience of the reader. Moreover, you can use essay transition words to start a paragraph, sentence, or clause more naturally. Additionally, essay transition words can connect new information to the previous statement so you don't have to say everything at once.

  7. PDF Compare & Contrast Transitions

    Compare & Contrast Transitions Transitional words and phrases keep your ideas connected together, make your writing coherent, and help your reader understand the logic of your paper. Below is a list of some transitional words you can use in a compare and contrast essay. Make sure you use them in the right place to convey the right meaning.

  8. Transition Words & Phrases

    Transition words and phrases (also called linking words, connecting words, or transitional words) are used to link together different ideas in your text. They help the reader to follow your arguments by expressing the relationships between different sentences or parts of a sentence.

  9. Transition Words and Phrases

    Transition Words for Essays that Compare and Contrast Comparison and contrast transition words are obviously helpful when writing a compare/contrast essay, but you can also use them to compare two different pieces of information in an expository or argumentative essay.

  10. List of 30+ Useful Contrast Transition Words for Writing Essay

    Contrast Transition Words. List of contrast words in English. On the contrary. Yet. But. On the one hand. Still. In comparison. While.

  11. Common Transition Words and Phrases

    Learn how to use common transition words and phrases to improve your writing skills and connect your ideas. The Writing Studio at Vanderbilt offers helpful resources and guidance.

  12. Comparing and Contrasting in an Essay

    Comparing and contrasting is also used in all kinds of academic contexts where it's not explicitly prompted. For example, a literature review involves comparing and contrasting different studies on your topic, and an argumentative essay may involve weighing up the pros and cons of different arguments.

  13. Compare and Contrast Essays: The Ultimate Guide

    Learn how to write a stronger-than-ever compare-and-contrast essay, with tips and examples to help you organize your ideas.

  14. What are transition words for compare and contrast essays?

    In academic writing, especially in compare-and-contrast essays, using transition words for comparing and contrasting effectively helps structure the argument, making it easier for readers to follow and understand the connections between ideas.

  15. A Complete List of 200+ Transition Words for Essays

    Discover the perfect transition words for essays! This blog lists transition words for all essay types, ensuring smooth transitions & improved readability.

  16. How to Use Transition Words for Essays + Examples

    Transition words play a key role in essay writing. They connect ideas, sentences, and paragraphs, helping readers follow your text easily. These words do many jobs, from comparing things to showing cause and effect. They turn scattered thoughts into a clear story. Learning to use transition words for essays isn't just about making your writing sound better. It's about making your ideas clearer ...

  17. Transitional Words and Phrases

    While clear writing is mostly achieved through the deliberate sequencing of your ideas across your entire paper, you can guide readers through the connections you're making by using transitional words in individual sentences. Transitional words and phrases can create powerful links between your ideas and can help your reader understand your paper's logic.

  18. 190 Good Transition Words for Essays

    Transition words for essays can help improve flow and enhance the quality of your writing. Includes transition words for college essays.

  19. Transition Words: Examples In Sentences, Paragraphs & Essays

    The last thing you want is your transition words to feel trite and uninspired. Discover what these words are and a variety of examples for your writing here.

  20. Transitions (ESL)

    What this handout is about Logical connectors are often listed in categories like "contrast" with no further explanation; however, there are important, though subtle differences in how they signal relationships between ideas. This handout will help you choose the appropriate … Read more

  21. 5 Compare and Contrast Essay Examples (Full Text)

    Here they are explained below: 1. Essay Planning. First, I recommend using my compare and contrast worksheet, which acts like a Venn Diagram, walking you through the steps of comparing the similarities and differences of the concepts or items you're comparing. I recommend selecting 3-5 features that can be compared, as shown in the worksheet:

  22. How To Write A Compare And Contrast Essay Outline

    How To Write A Compare And Contrast Essay Outline Writing an essay on the intricacies of crafting a compare and contrast essay outline can be a challenging task. This type of essay requires a careful analysis of two or more subjects, identifying their similarities and differences, and presenting them in a coherent and organized manner. The difficulty lies not only in the critical thinking and ...

  23. French Transition Words: A Practical Guide

    Check our guide to French transition words with words lists, examples and tips. ... Transitions of contrast. The transition words in this group are extremely common, and they are used to contrast two parts of a sentence or text. In English, these are words like 'but,' 'however' and 'though.' ... Transitions of comparison.

  24. Renewable Energy Advantages & Disadvantages

    In contrast, non-renewable resources are not only finite, but cost more as their availability declines and require more extreme extraction methods with greater environmental impacts. Carbon-free energy generation. The goal of the clean energy transition is decarbonization. Carbon dioxide emissions reached 11.2 gigatonnes (Gt) in 2022 from oil ...