Transition Words for Persuasive Essays

This type of essay means that the writer’s task is to make readers change their stance on a certain issue. Thus, the topic for persuasive essays must always be debatable enough. For example, you may want to argue that being a vegetarian is healthy or that euthanasia is morally unacceptable. Perhaps you’d like to prove that modern factories harm the environment instead of making profit or that the authorities spend too much money on their political campaigns. Regardless of the topic you opt for, you must define your own opinion on the matter and follow a clear structure of the essay with the help of certain language devices.

Logical and Smooth Transitions

However good your arguments could be, without a well-organized presentation you will fail to bring the reader to your point of view. Using proper transitions is a vital part of writing a good persuasive essay. The definition of the term goes as follows: these are the words that make the essay more coherent and cohesive. Oftentimes they are used to connect different ideas expressed in separate sentences or to make the transition to the next paragraph more smooth and logical. In such a way, the text becomes more easy-to-follow and interesting for readers. In fact, transitions are linking elements that can be represented as separate words, word groups, or full sentences. Here are some typical examples of the above-mentioned transitions:

1. Words: definitely, despite, certainly, obviously, additionally, undoubtedly, however, firstly, etc.
2. Word groups: in addition to this, regardless of, what is more, in reality, for instance, in other words, according to, etc.
3. Sentences (serve as topic sentences that prepare the reader for the layout of the further points): “Many people claim that genetically modified food is harmful in many ways.” This example implies that the writer is going to present his/her arguments and examples why it is harmful. At the end of the paragraph you can summarize the most important points specifying particular examples that you’ve mentioned. For instance, “Thus, GMOs are not only unhealthy to humans and animals but also dangerous to the environment.”

The Importance of Smooth Transitions in Persuasive Essays

Transition words are crucially important for the readers to be able to follow the writer’s thoughts. Otherwise, they won’t be convinced that the writer is right. Transitions might be used for the following purposes:

1. To elaborate on the point that you’ve made: further, what is more, apart from, in addition to, similarly, etc.
2. To give examples: for instance, for example, to illustrate this, etc.
3. To put a couple of points in a list: first, second, third, etc.
4. To restate the same idea in a different manner: in other words, with this in mind, etc.

In conclusion, transition words help the writers to convey his/her ideas in a logical manner, which appeals to the readers and ideally makes them change their position on certain topics or at least think about alternative ways of the arguable point at hand.