TRANSITIONS Transitions are words that connect ideas within one sentence or between two sentences.

Rules were very impotant at boarding school, so I had to learn how to obey them. I dind’t like all of the rules. However, I soon learned rules can be helpful.

Coordinating conjunctions are commonly used as transitions to join two independent clauses. An easy way to remember the seven coodinating conjunctions is to think of the word FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

I dindn’t like the rules at first, for I wasn’t used to them. The rules were sometimes difficult to obey, yet they helped me live a better life.

Reference: Zemach, Dorothy & Stafford, Lynn; Writers at work

TRANSITIONS - 2In academic or formal writing don’t use the coordinating conjunctions and or but at the beginning of a sentence. Instead, use the transitions in addition and however.

Informal: I met people of different ages. And I met people from different backgrouds.Formal: I met people of different ages, and I met people fom different backgrounds.Formal: I met people of different ages. In addition, I met people from different backgrounds.Informal: Senior students told me the rules. But I didn’t obey them.Formal: Senior students told me the rules, but I didn’t obey them. Formal: Senior students told me the rules. However, I didn’t obey them.

Reference: Zemach, Dorothy & Stafford, Lynn; Writers at work

BECAUSE AND THEREFOREBecause and therefore are especially useful transitions for explanatory essays. They help the reader understand your explanations by showing causes and results.

Because rules were very important at boarding school, I had to learn how to obey them. Rules were very important at boarding school. Therefore, I had to learn how to obey them.

Because can come at the beginning or in the middle of a sentence. Because I was lonely, I sometimes cried at first. My parents sent me to boarding school because they wanted me to have a good education.

Therefore comes at the beginning of a new sentence.My parents wanted me to have a good education. Therefore, they sent me to boarding school.

Reference: Zemach, Dorothy & Stafford, Lynn; Writers at work.

PUNCTUATION WITH FANBOYSAll of the FANBOYS transitions – for, and, not, but, or, yet, so – follow the same rules for punctuation.

If they connect two complete sentences (each one has a subject and a verb), a comma is used before the transition: S V S V

I made good friends in boarding school. I still keep in touch with them

S V S V I made good friends in boarding school, and I still keep in touch with them.

Don’t use a comma if the second clause uses the same subject as the first and it doesn’t repeat the subject:

S V V I made good friends in boarding school, and still keep in touch with them.

Reference: Zemach, Dorothy & Stafford, Lynn; Writers at work.

PUNCTUATION WITH OTHER TRANSITIONS

When you use the transitions: in addition, however, and therefore at the beginning of a sentence, use a comma after them:

In addition, I sometimes visit my old school.

When you use because in the middle of a sentence, you usually don’t need a comma:

I respect my brother because he is such a hard worker.

When you use because at the beginning of a sentence, use a comma after the first part of the sentence:

Because my brother is such a hard worker, I respect him.Reference: Zemach, Dorothy & Stafford, Lynn; Writers at work.