Clear writing requires that communications be:

 

“…understandable in a single rapid reading…”

 

One way to ensure your writing meets this standard is to make your material coherent. That is, ensure your ideas flow together logically.

 

Coherence means more than just connecting your sentences mechanically. It means that the way you connect your ideas reflects the relationship between them. Words and phrases called transitional markers establish the relationship.

 

To make your writing effective, you must choose the transitional marker that reflects the relationship you want to establish. Listed below are words or phrases you can use to help you transition from one idea to another grouped by the relationship they establish between ideas.

 

You can use these transition markers within sentences, between sentences, and between paragraphs. The result will be that your reader will be able to follow your ideas as they flow from one to another.

To Indicate

Addition

again
also
and then
besides
equally important
finally
first (And other ordinal numbers like second, third, etc.)
further
furthermore
in addition

last

likewise

moreover

next

too

 

Cause and Effect

accordingly

consequently

hence

in short

then

therefore

thus

truly

 

Comparison

in a like manner

likewise

similarly

 

Concession

after all

although this may be true

at the same time

even though

I admit

naturally

of course

 

Contrast

after all

although true

and yet

at the same time

but

for all that

however

in contrast

in spite of

nevertheless

notwithstanding

on the contrary

on the other hand

still yet

 

Time Relationships

after a short time

afterwards

as long as

as soon as

at last

at length

at that time

at the same time

before

earlier

immediately

in the meantime

lately

later

meanwhile

of late

presently

shortly

since

soon

temporarily

thereafter

until

when

while