TRANSITIONS
ELITA
WHAT ARE "TRANSITIONS" QUESTIONS?
ON THE READING AND WRITING SECTION OF YOUR
SAT, SOME QUESTIONS WILL ASK YOU TO SELECT
THE MOST LOGICAL TRANSITION WORD OR PHRASE TO
CONNECT INFORMATION AND IDEAS WITHIN A BRIEF
PASSAGE .
TRANSITIONS QUESTIONS WILL LOOK LIKE THIS:
IRAQI ARTIST NAZIK AL-MALAIKA, CELEBRATED AS
THE FIRST ARABIC POET TO WRITE IN FREE VERSE,
DIDN’T REJECT TRADITIONAL FORMS ENTIRELY; HER
POEM “ELEGY FOR A WOMAN OF NO IMPORTANCE”
CONSISTS OF TWO TEN-LINE STANZAS AND A
STANDARD NUMBER OF SYLLABLES. EVEN IN THIS
SUPERFICIALLY TRADITIONAL WORK, ______ AL-
MALAIKA WAS BREAKING NEW GROUND BY
MEMORIALIZING AN ANONYMOUS WOMAN RATHER
THAN A FAMOUS MAN.
WHICH CHOICE COMPLETES THE TEXT WITH THE
MOST LOGICAL TRANSITION?
Transitions are the glue that holds ideas
together. They connect sentences in ways
HOW SHOULD WE that tell the reader how those sentences
THINK ABOUT are related. Is there an argument being
TRANSITIONS?
made? A story being told? The transitions
used in the text should reflect that
relationship.
What is a contrast transition?
Contrast transitions are essential for highlighting differences and
creating clear distinctions between ideas in writing.
Familiarize yourself with common contrast transition words
such as “however,” “on the other hand,” and “nevertheless” to
THE RELATIONSHIPS improve your writing flow.
BETWEEN IDEAS
USUALLY FALL INTO . Sequence and order
THE FOLLOWING Are the events in the sentences being organized by time or by
CATEGORIES: position? If so, we may want to use a sequence transition
like "previously"
What is a transition word for continuing?
For continuing a common line of reasoning: consequently,
clearly, then, furthermore, additionally, and, in addition,
moreover, because, besides that, in the same way, following
this further, also, pursuing this further, in the light of the... it is
easy to see that. To change the line of reasoning.
CAUSE AND EFFECT
IS THE SECOND SENTENCE CAUSED BY OR A CONSEQUENCE OF
THE IDEA IN THE FIRST SENTENCE? IF SO, WE MAY WANT TO
USE A CAUSE AND EFFECT TRANSITION LIKE "THEREFORE"
HOW TO APPROACH TRANSITIONS QUESTIONS
TRANSITIONS QUESTIONS ASK YOU TO SELECT THE "MOST LOGICAL
TRANSITION". HOWEVER, THESE QUESTIONS ARE ACTUALLY AS MUCH
ABOUT HOW WELL YOU UNDERSTAND THE TEXT AS THEY ARE ABOUT
THE TRANSITIONS THEMSELVES. SO BE SURE TO READ CAREFULLY!
TO ANSWER A TRANSITIONS QUESTION, FOLLOW THESE THREE STEPS:
STEP 1: SUMMARIZE THE TEXT IN YOUR OWN WORD
DON'T JUST SKIM THE PASSAGE . READ IT CLOSELY, AND TRY TO
SUMMARIZE THE MAIN IDEA IN YOUR OWN WORDS. THIS CAN BE
TRICKY SINCE AN IMPORTANT TRANSITION WORD IS MISSING. IF
YOU'RE STRUGGLING TO UNDERSTAND THE TEXT, TRY TO TRANSLATE
EACH SENTENCE INTO A SIMPLE BULLET POINT.
Step 2: Identify the relationship between the passage’s ideas
The transition we're asked to select will connect two ideas from the passage. How are
those ideas related? Do they disagree? Does one cause the other? We should be able to
place the relationship into one of the four categories discussed above.
Step 3: Select the transition that matches the relationship
Only one of the choices will offer a transition that matches the relationship we identified.
We can select it with confidence!
If you find yourself stuck between two choices, try plugging them each into the blank.
Which transition creates the clearest meaning when placed in context?
QUESTIONS
• THE "GORDIE HOWE HAT T RICK", AN UNOFFICIAL STATISTIC IN WHICH A
HOCKEY PLAYER S CORES A GOAL, RECORDS AN ASSIST , AND GETS IN A FI GHT
ALL IN THE SAME GAME, IS NAMED AFT ER HOCKEY GREAT GORDIE HOWE.
______ HOWE ONLY ACHIEVED THIS FEAT TWICE IN HIS PROFESSIONAL
CAREER, FAR FEWER TIMES THAN MANY OTHER PLAYERS .
• WHICH CHOICE COMPLETES THE TEXT WITH THE MOS T LOGICAL
TRANSITION?
• A)HOWEVER
• B)THEREFORE
• C)AFTERWARDS,
• D)AS A RESULT,
