Transition Word List by Category:
Words are alphabetized in each category. There are 6 versions of the word list, using various clipart (or none). Larger printables of each category include small, colored visuals for support within each category. Bookmarks include both visual and plane options.
Time Words (first, during, meanwhile, next...)
Emphasizing Words (absolutely, in fact, especially ...)
Location Words (here, between, alongside, beyond...)
Comparing Words (while, where, compared to...)
Contrasting Words (however, otherwise, on the other hand...)
Clarifying Words (in this case, for instance...)
Concluding Words (hence, finally, in conclusion...)
Additional Information Words (additionally, besides, moreover...)
Want Ready-to-Use Transition Word Lists?
My complete Transition Word resource includes six student word-list options, eight categories of transition words, classroom display posters, visual supports, and student-friendly bookmarks for Writers' Workshop, editing, and revising.
Transition Words for Informational Writing
For example, additionally, another, specifically, in fact, furthermore, as a result, finally...
Transition Words for Opinion Writing
First, for example, in addition, because, therefore, clearly, most importantly, in conclusion...
Transition Words for Comparing and Contrasting
Similarly, both, likewise, however, although, unlike, on the other hand, in contrast...
Grab your FREE Comparing and Contrasting Transition Word List sample handout!
Looking for an easy-to-use tool to help your students master transition words? Sign up for my mailing list, and you'll receive a FREE Transition Word List for Comparing and Contrasting Words!
This is designed to:
- Provide students with a handy reference during writing tasks.
- Reinforce the use of transitions during editing and revising.
- Allow for specific language when comparing content area topics.
.png "Transition Words for Writers Report Persuasive Writing")
Writers’ Workshop Resource
Use as a student handouts, a writing journal resource, classroom posters, with interactive writer's notebooks, or as a classroom bulletin board. Perfect for editing or revising stories during the writing process!.png "Transition Words Writers' Workshop Handout")
Multiple Genre Use with 8 Categories of Transition Words
Integrate Into Writers' Workshop and Your Classroom:
1. Display in the Classroom
- Create a Writing Area: Hang the enlarged posters in a designated writing space to provide students with easy access during independent writing time.
- Anchor Charts: Use the posters as part of an anchor chart practice for writing strategies. Reference them during mini-lessons on transitions.
2. Incorporate into Writer’s Workshop
- Model in Mini-Lessons: Demonstrate how to use transition words to connect ideas in sentences or paragraphs. Write sample sentences on the board and edit them together with your students.
- Sentence Expansion Activity: Give students simple sentences and challenge them to expand them using transition words from the lists.
3. Interactive Notebooks
- Glue-in Resource: Have students glue a copy of the transition word list into their interactive notebooks. Encourage them to highlight their most-used words or write notes about where each type is best used (e.g., “First” for sequence, “Although” for contrast).
- Color-Coding Exercise: Assign students to color-code transition words by function (e.g., time, comparison, contrast) to deepen understanding and for quick access.
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| Great sticky notes for color coding transition words in writers' notebooks! |
4. Editing and Revising
- Peer Editing Checklist: Add “Check for effective transitions” to peer or self-editing checklists. Students can refer to the lists while revising their work.
- Highlighting Transitions: During revisions, ask students to highlight or underline the transition words in their drafts. If transitions are missing, they can refer to the lists to improve their work.
5. Journaling
- Writing Prompts: Provide prompts where students must use a certain number of transition words from the list. For example: “Write about your weekend using at least 5 transitions for sequence.”
- Quick Writes: Challenge students to use as many different transition words as possible in a short journal entry, practicing variety and fluency.
6. Games and Challenges
- Transition Word Relay: Write transition words on index cards. Students must use the word in a sentence and pass the card to the next student to continue the story.
- Transition Hunt: Have students hunt for transition words in mentor texts or their own writing, making connections to real-world usage.
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| Color coded index cards for story writing word relay. |
7. Scaffold for Different Learners
- Tiered Lists: For younger or struggling writers, provide a simplified list of commonly used transitions. Gradually introduce more complex words as they gain confidence.
- Sentence Starters: Pair transition words with sentence starters to give students examples of how to use them in context.
8. Create Bookmarks:
- Laminate double-sided bookmarks. Students can use Vis-a-vis markers to circle words as they use them in their writing revisions (without making smudges!)
- Have students tape them into their writing journals, so they can continually refer to them.
- Enlarge them for classroom posters or bulletin board display.
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