Learning the right words to start a paragraph is essential because it helps grab the reader’s attention. Besides, such words give readers the urge to read the entire paper, more so when each paragraph begins with a hook. However, it can become tricky to determine transition words and phrases to start and connect paragraphs readily. Familiarizing yourself with words to use thus becomes vital to write the perfect piece that interests your readers.
Most writers can become confused when choosing words to start a paragraph, be it the first, middle, or concluding paragraphs. The intent is often to keep the reader hooked to your paper, and using correct transition words do exactly that. Here is what you necessitate to learn about words to begin a paragraph and their examples.
Simple Words to Utilize as Sentence Starters to Write Better Essays
Students write several essays throughout their time in college, which require well-structured sentences across all paragraphs. Yet, most of them may become unaware of which words are suitable for each paragraph hence making life difficult. Other students can start the first paragraph correctly but fail to include proper transition words leading to pending sentences.
The best approach to address such instances is learning correct sentence starters, coupled with transition words sequentially, making your writing smooth between paragraphs. This is because individual words and phrases provide a relationship between ideas, helping you submit well-written essays. That said, there are several direct words to incorporate in your essay to make it unique and exciting to your reader and score higher in the subject at hand.
Improve Your Writing Today!
Is it possible to improve your writing skills? Yes! If you find it confusing to start a paragraph or connect sentences using transition words, you can readily learn and improve your writing. Several students like you who experienced such problems have significantly improved and can now start a new paragraph effortlessly. So, why learn the use of transition words for paragraphs?
- Transition words help you avoid the use of simple subject-verb sentence structures.
- Transitions connect ideas more effectively and create more nicety meaning.
- Also, transition words make writings thoughtful, more professional, and less than spoken language.
How to Use Sentence Starter Lists
When looking to improve your writing skills and make your essay stand out, you need to adhere to one rule; begin each sentence in a paragraph with a unique word. This often gives your reader the desire to continue reading. Intrinsically, here is a stepwise guide to using sentence starters;
- Use transition words list when writing: Always consider how sentences in each paragraph relate to one another; either you are comparing or contrasting ideas. Always use ‘showing contrast’ transition words when contrasting ideas and ‘adding to an idea’ transitions when comparing ideas. Besides, use ‘sequence/time’ transitions when writing about past events.
- Using transition list when revising: Beginning writers often find it hard using these paragraph transition words primarily during their final draft stage. To use these transitions, read your first draft and circle beginning words in every sentence. Again, if you use the same words to start a sentence twice, choose an alternative transition word, and replace the sentence.
Choosing the Right Word
When searching for precise transition words to start a new paragraph, you need to make the right choice to avoid random words and phrases likely to ruin your essay. The primary purpose of using transitions is to improve your writing by forcing you to explain the link between your ideas. Here are key questions to ask when connecting sentences and suitable transition words examples to use.
- Does the sentence add information? Use transition words like moreover, additionally, furthermore, and not only…. but also.
- Does the sentence contrast or contradict? Use words such as, however, in contrast, conversely, and on the other hand.
- Is your writing following a specific order? Transition words to use are next, in fact, first, second, third, and finally, then and similarly.
- Does the sentence add evidence? Use words like, for example, for this reason, or consequently.
- Does the sentence accentuate an idea? Examples of words to use are especially, particularly, obviously, and as a rule.
- Does the sentence start the conclusion? Use finally, in conclusion, obviously, or in summary, among others.
Choosing appropriate transition words for each paragraph enables you to write the perfect essay essential for your studies. However, you need to keep in mind important tips that enable you to incorporate these words correctly. Use different transitional words and avoid repetition. Also, put a comma after a transition word and always put the subject after the comma.
Transition Word List
If your writing lacks transition words, you will likely write stilted ideas, making your essay boring to the reader. Using transition words to start a paragraph throughout your text tends to sew each paragraph together, giving your writing the flow and connection of ideas. That said, here is a list of transition word list to help you write your essay.
Words to show contrast
- However
- Although
- Conversely
- Yet
- Nevertheless
- Yet
- On the other hand
- In contrast
- Whereas
- Besides
- Comparatively
- On the contrary
- Otherwise
Words to add to an idea
- Moreover
- Furthermore
- Additionally
- Likewise
- Again
- Similarly
- In fact
- For example
- Correspondingly
- Coupled with
- Also
- Likewise
- One other thing
Words that show cause
- Accordingly
- As a result
- Because
- Following this
- Wherefore
- For all those reasons
- This is why
- Subsequently
- So then
- As you can see
- Thus
- Consequently
- Hence
- For this reason
Words that add emphasis
- Admittedly
- As a rule
- Above all
- Especially
- Generally speaking
- Chiefly
- Certainly
- As usual
- Singularly
- Unquestionably
- Particularly
- Usually
- Of course
- Obviously
- Undoubtedly
- In this situation
Use Different Words When Citing Examples
Transition words are also vital when citing examples as they show a connection between your ideas and the shreds of evidence you provide. Words like especially are often used to illustrate examples as support to indicate their importance. Below is a list of transition words suitable for citing examples;
- Namely
- Chiefly
- For example
- In this case
- For instance
- Such as
- In fact
- Including
- As an illustration
- For one thing
- Specifically
- This can be seen in
Use Various Words to Order Events and Sequence Time
These are transition words used to limit, restrict, and define time where you can write them alone or as a section of an adverbial expression. These words are essential when your essay centers upon time, chronology, or sequences. Some of these words include;
- Currently
- Finally
- Next
- Then
- Meanwhile
- First of all
- For the time being
- As well as
- Furthermore
- First… second… third
- In turn
- Later on
- Earlier
- Eventually
Use Interesting Words When Summarizing
You can also use different interesting transition words to start a conclusion paragraph or summarize or restate ideas. These words and phrases introduce the final general statement; thus, you can use different words to summarize your writing. Here are a few words to start your concluding paragraph.
- On balance
- In brief
- Namely
- Conclusively
- In any case
- Lastly
- Briefly
- All in all
- In summary
- In short
- In other words
- In conclusion
- Overall
- Once and for all
- By and large
- To sum up
- To summarize
- Therefore
- That is
Purpose of Transition Words
Transition words are essential when writing your paper as it gives your piece the flow it needs by connecting one idea to the other. Yet, it is essential to ensure your sentence sounds natural when using these words to start a new paragraph. This is because transition words show the relationship between paragraphs rather than forcing them into your piece.
Improving Your Writing Over Time
Following the above tips helps you add transition words easily to your essay and make it better and sequentially improve your grade. Students who use such a technique to learn how to start a paragraph with transition words have significantly improved their writing. When you constantly use these words, you tend to begin using them frequently, thus relating your ideas perfectly within your paper.
FAQs
How Do You Start a Body Paragraph?
With several transition words to start your body paragraph, you can choose any for your first sentence relevant to your piece. This ensures you accompany your subject with a transition word to avoid monotonous across paragraphs.
Which Are Good Paragraph Starter Words?
When looking to begin any given sentence in your paragraphs, you can use any of these starter words first, second and third, afterward, moreover, notably, as a result, essentially, henceforth, meanwhile, at this instant suddenly and more.
Can You Start a Paragraph with ‘For Example’?
Yes, this is among the most commonly used transition words to start a new paragraph, especially when providing evidence or example regarding your idea.
How Do You Create an Effective Paragraph?
Use sentence starters correctly as it helps you grab your reader’s attention to have the urge to continue reading. Likewise, you can begin with a story or example to get your reader involved through questions can also be an excellent alternative besides using transition words for first body paragraph sentences.
Bottom Line
Getting fitting words to start a paragraph in your writing helps you submit quality essays that help you score higher in the subject. Still, it is essential to learn which words to use on each sentence starter to avoid random use of transitions. Use this approach to learn more about transition words and improve your writing.