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Speech transitions: words and phrases to connect your ideas

June 28, 2018 - Gini Beqiri

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant.

This can be done using speech transitions because these act as signposts to the audience – signalling the relationship between points and ideas. This article explores how to use speech transitions in presentations.

What are speech transitions?

Speech transitions are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

This makes it easier for the audience to understand your argument and without transitions the  audience may be confused  as to how one point relates to another and they may think you’re randomly jumping between points.

Types of transitions

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different types, here are a few:

Introduction

Introduce your topic:

• We will be looking at/identifying/investigating the effects of…
• Today I will be discussing…

Presentation outline

Inform the audience of the structure of your presentation:

• There are three key points I’ll be discussing…
• I want to begin by…, and then I’ll move on to…
• We’ll be covering… from two points of view…
• This presentation is divided into four parts…

Move from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin with…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

Shift between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

• In the same way…
• Likewise…
• Equally…
• This is similar to…
• Similarly…

Shift between disagreeing points

You may have to introduce conflicting ideas – bridging words and phrases are especially good for this:

• Conversely…
• Despite this…
• However…
• On the contrary…
• Now let’s consider…
• Even so…
• Nonetheless…
• We can’t ignore…
• On the other hand…

Transition to a significant issue

• Fundamentally…
• A major issue is…
• The crux of the matter…
• A significant concern is…

Referring to previous points

You may have to refer to something that you’ve already spoken about because, for example, there may have been a break or a fire alarm etc:

• Let’s return to…
• We briefly spoke about X earlier; let’s look at it in more depth now…
• Let’s revisit…
• Let’s go back to…
• Do you recall when I mentioned…

This can be also be useful to introduce a new point because adults learn better when new information builds on previously learned information.

Introducing an aside note

You may want to introduce a digression:

• I’d just like to mention…
• That reminds me…
• Incidentally…

Physical movement

You can  move your body  and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

• Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
• For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
• You discuss your second point from the centre again.
• You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
• The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Emphasising importance

You need to ensure that the audience get the message by informing them why something is important:

• More importantly…
• This is essential…
• Primarily…
• Mainly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

• What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
• What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
• How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
• What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Cause and effect

You will have to transition to show relationships between factors:

• Therefore…
• Thus…
• Consequently…
• As a result…
• This is significant because…
• Hence…

Elaboration

• Also…
• Besides…
• What’s more…
• In addition/additionally…
• Moreover…
• Furthermore…

Point-by-point or steps of a process

• First/firstly/The first one is…
• Second/Secondly/The second one is…
• Third/Thirdly/The third one is…
• Last/Lastly/Finally/The fourth one is…

Introduce an example

• This is demonstrated by…
• For instance…
• Take the case of…
• For example…
• You may be asking whether this happens in X? The answer is yes…
• To show/illustrate/highlight this…
• Let me illustrate this by…

Transition to a demonstration

• Now that we’ve covered the theory, let’s practically apply it…
• I’ll conduct an experiment to show you this in action…
• Let me demonstrate this…
• I’ll now show you this…

Introducing a quotation

• X was a supporter of this thinking because he said…
• There is a lot of support for this, for example, X said…

Transition to another speaker

In a  group presentation  you must transition to other speakers:

• Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
• Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Gayle will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
• Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Gayle”.
• The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Simon.”

From these examples, you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

You can  tell personal stories  or share the experiences of others to introduce a point. Anecdotes are especially valuable for your introduction and between different sections of the presentation because they engage the audience. Ensure that you plan the stories thoroughly beforehand and that they are not too long.

Using questions

You can transition through your speech by asking questions and these questions also have the benefit of engaging your audience more. There are three different types of questions:

Direct questions require an answer: “What is the capital of Italy?” These are mentally stimulating for the audience.

Rhetorical questions  do not require answers, they are often used to emphasises an idea or point: “Is the Pope catholic?

Loaded questions contain an unjustified assumption made to prompt the audience into providing a particular answer which you can then correct to support your point: You may ask “Why does your wonderful company have such a low incidence of mental health problems?”.

The audience will generally answer that they’re happy. After receiving the answers you could then say “Actually it’s because people are still unwilling and too embarrassed to seek help for mental health issues at work etc.”

Transition to a visual aid

If you are going to introduce a visual aid you must prepare the audience with what they’re going to see, for example, you might be leading into a diagram that supports your statement. Also, before you  show the visual aid , explain why you’re going to show it, for example, “This graph is a significant piece of evidence supporting X”.

When the graphic is on display get the audience to focus on it:

• The table indicates…
• As you can see…
• I’d like to direct your attention to…

Explain what the visual is showing:

• You can see that there has been a reduction in…
• The diagram is comparing the…

Using a visual aid to transition

Visual aids can also be used as transitions and they have the benefit of being stimulating and breaking-up vocal transitions.

You might have a slide with just a picture on it to signify to the audience that you’re moving on to a new point – ensure that this image is relevant to the point. Many speakers like to use cartoons for this purpose but ensure its suitable for your audience.

Always summarise your key points first in the conclusion:

• Let’s recap on what we’ve spoken about today…
• Let me briefly summarise the main points…

And then conclude:

If you have a shorter speech you may choose to  end your presentation  with one statement:

• In short…
• To sum up…
• In a nutshell…
• To summarise…
• In conclusion…

However, using statements such as “To conclude” may cause the audience to stop listening. It’s better to say:

• I’d like to leave you with this…
• What you should take away from this is…
• Finally, I want to say…

Call to action

Requesting the audience to do something at the end of the presentation:

• You may be thinking how can I help in this matter? Well…
• My aim is to encourage you to go further and…
• What I’m requesting of you is…

Common mistakes

When transitions are used poorly you can annoy and confuse the audience. Avoid:

• Using transitions that are too short – transitions are a key part of ensuring the audience understands your presentation so spend sufficient time linking to your next idea.
• Too many tangents – any digressions should still be relevant to the topic and help the audience with their understanding, otherwise cut them out.
• Incompatible transitions – for example, if you’re about to introduce an example that supports your statement you wouldn’t introduce this by saying “but”. Use transitions that signify the relationship between points.
• Over-using the same transition because this is boring for the audience to hear repeatedly. Ensure that there is variety with your transitions, consider including visual transitions.
• Miscounting your transitions – for example, don’t say “first point”, “second point”, “next point” – refer to your points consistently.

Speech transitions are useful for unifying and connecting your presentation. The audience are more likely to remain engaged since they’ll be able to follow your points. But remember that it’s important to practice your transitions beforehand and not just the content of your arguments because you risk looking unprofessional and confusing the audience if the presentation does not flow smoothly.

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13 Transitions: Bridging Ideas for a Seamless Presentation

Good transitions can make a speech more important to the audience because they feel they are being taken to a positive conclusion without having to travel a bumpy road. – Joe Griffith

Transitions

The difference between a novice speaker and an advanced speaker is in how they bridge the gap between ideas. Learning to use transitions effectively will help take your speaking to the advanced level. Transitions can be one word, a phrase, or a full sentence.

The audience is dying to know the relationship between ideas. Their brains are hard-wired for that. It’s more important when you are speaking than when you are writing because the listeners can’t go back – they have to get it when it happens. If the brain is bored, or gets tired because it’s overwhelmed, or gets confused – it can’t stay in that place, so it daydreams, creating its own interest. Speech Coach Max Dixon, Westside Toastmasters.

So, let’s get started. I have included various transition types for you to consider. These do little good if you read them and do not use them. This list works best if you read it now and then revisit it every time you write a speech.

• Let’s begin with…
• First, I’d like to share with you…
• Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
• Our first stop is…
• I will first cover…
• My first point covers…
• To get started, let’s look at…

The Order of Things

• After that…
• Next…
• Second thing…
• Our next stop is…
• Let me tell you about your next step.

Steve Jobs Commencement to Stanford University

Steve Jobs clearly previews his main points, “Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.” He flows smoothly between points with clear transitions.

• “The first story is about connecting the dots.”
• “My second story is about love and loss.”
• “My third story is about death.”

Watch Steve Jobs Stanford Commencement Address

Between Similar Points

• In the same way…
• In addition…
• Likewise…
• Similarly…

Between Disagreeing Points

• Conversely…
• Despite this…
• The flip side of the issue…
• However…
• On the contrary…
• On the other hand…
• On the other side …
• Yet, we cannot ignore …
• The opposing argument …
• If we examine the opposite side, we see …

Introduce an example

• This is best illustrated by an example…
• For instance…
• Take the case of…
• For example…
• To understand this…
• Let me illustrate this by…

Introduce Research

• To make the point…
• As illustrated by…
• Case in point…
• To solidify this point…
• As researched by…

Cause and effect

• Therefore…
• Thus…
• Consequently…
• As a result…
• This is significant because…
• Hence…
• Resulting in…
• For that reason …
• The effect is…

Elaboration

• Also…
• Besides…
• What’s more…
• In addition/additionally…
• Moreover…
• Furthermore…

Transition to a Demonstration

• Let me show you how this works…
• Let me demonstrate this…
• Now that we’ve covered the theory, let’s see it in action …
• Next, I’d like to let you see this for yourselves…

Introducing Your Visual

• As you can see from this chart…
• I’d like you to notice that…
• The table indicates…

Questions as Transitions

• Now that you know the problem, what do you think will solve it?
• What do you think will solve this crisis?

Connective: A word or phrase that connects the ideas of a speech and indicates the relationship between them.

Transitions: A word or phrase that indicates when a speaker had finished one thought and it moving on to another.

Internal preview: A statement in the body of the speech that tells the audience what the speaker is going to discuss next.

Internal summary: A statement in the body of the speech that summarizes the speaker’s preceding point or points.

Signpost: A very brief statement that indicates where a speaker is in the speech or that focuses attention on key ideas.

From the Art of Public Speaking by Stephen Lucas

THOUGHTS FROM A FORMER STUDENT

One thing I learned in class that made me a better speechwriter was to pay attention to the transitions. In our outlines, there was space for our main points, but also our transitions between them.  At the beginning of the semester, I thought this was a waste of time planning out my transition for a speech and that I would just wing it the day of, but I soon realized how important they were. Transitions are like the finishing touches that make everything fall together in a speech.

You may have some interesting points or facts to give to your audience, but without transitions, you have nothing to connect your points and create a narrative. An audience is much more interested in a talk if there is a continuing idea or theme, and transitions help create this. I found this out by watching the other students in my class as they learned to use transitions as well. I loved the speeches that were clearly organized and had a common idea with transitions.

Zoe Lawless, Honors Public Speaking, University of Arkansas

Movement as Transition

Many people don’t think about movement as a type of transition, but it can be a very powerful way to help your audience transition between ideas.

• Setting out a visual or putting it away signals a change in ideas. 
• Some speakers will imagine a baseball diamond laid out on the floor and move to each base throughout the speech. Their opening comment is at home plate. Point one is delivered on first, point two on second, and point three on third. They stand back on their home plate to deliver the final closing statements.
• One speaker that I met said he always has a special place that is his big idea place. He may move around during his speech but when he wants the audience to know it is an important point, he stands in the big idea place.

Silence as a Transition

John Chappelear, speech consultant, suggests that the use of silence can be powerful. It is powerful,  but it is not easy. Being able to stand silently in front of a large audience for 15-45 seconds requires practice. Sometimes you can use silence as a way to let the audience catch up and think deeply about what you just said. 

Transitioning Between Slides

• As the next slide shows…
• As you can see…
• Next, I will show you…

Transitioning to Visuals

• I’d like to direct your attention to…
• This diagram compares…
• Now, I’d like to illustrate this with…

Signaling the End is Near

• In conclusion…
• To sum it up…
• Lastly…
• In a nutshell…
• To recap…
• I’d like to leave you with…
• Finally, I’d like to say…
• The takeaway from all of this is…
• To summarise…

Moving to the Next Speaker

• I told you about the most credible theories about climate change, now John will share with you some examples of what you can do.
• I’m going to turn it over to Malachi, who will take you through the next few points.
• Next, Angie will come up and talk about…
• To help us understand this topic better, we have Beatrice, who will talk us through…
• Look to the next speaker and motion towards them as they walk to the podium, Twila will tell you more…

Problems with Transitions

These are some of the most common problems with transitions:

• Not planning out transitions and just “winging it.”
• Using fancy phrases inconsistent with the rest of the speech.
• Saying, “I have five points” and then having only four or miscounting the points.
• Overusing the same transitional phrase.
• Long pauses before transitions as the speaker tries to figure out what to say next.

Tricks on Smoothly Presenting Transitions

Now you have a list of ideas to use when you write your next speech, let’s talk about how to use transitions effectively. Speakers typically struggle as they end one point and seek to move to the next idea. This usually happens because of poor planning, not enough practice, and poor note management. Let’s talk about these one at a time. First, poor planning happens because a speaker does not put enough time and effort into writing the speech. Second, not enough practice happened because even when a speech is practiced, it is practiced with regards to getting through the main points and not about moving smoothly between points. Finally, poor note management. Let me give you some tricks.

• Make your notes large-larger than you think you need.
• Give ample space between main ideas so you can look down and see the gap and know another point is coming.
• On your notecards, make each main idea a different color.
• I usually have a “T” in a circle to remind me that this is a transition statement.
• Practice your speech twice by just reading the transition statements and the next sentence.
• The night before your speech, visualize how you will manage the transitions.

Key Takeaways

Remember This!

• Using transitions will help your speech flow smoothly.
• Practice using your transitions.
• Plan transitions for impact.

Please share your feedback, suggestions, corrections, and ideas.

I want to hear from you. 

Do you have an activity to include? Did you notice a typo that I should correct? Are you planning to use this as a resource and do you want me to know about it? Do you want to tell me something that really helped you?

Click here to share your feedback. 

Allgood, E., & Ebersole, T. (Eds.). (2017). C OMM 2100 public speaking: A workbook for student success . Fountainhead Press.

Beqiri, G. (2018). Speech transitions: Words and phrases to connect your ideas. https://virtualspeech.com/blog/speech-transitions-words-phrases

Dugan, A. (2013, August 26). Speech transitions: Magical words and phrases. http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/speech-transitions/

Effective speech transitions, how to make your speech flow. https://franticallyspeaking.com/effective-speech-transitions-how-to-make-your-speech-flow/

Jobs, S. (2005). Steve Jobs commencement address to Stanford University. [Video]. YouTube. https://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/ Standard YouTube License.

Lawless, Z. (2020). Honors Public Speaking, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Used with permission.

Lucas, S.E. (2009). The art of public speaking. McGraw Hill.

Pace, P. (n.d). Bridge the gap–Speech transitions. https://westsidetoastmasters.com/article_reference/bridge_the_gap-speech_transitions.html#:~:text=%22I%20think%20body%20movement%20is,carries%20the%20audience%20with%20him.

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Presentation Training Institute

A division of bold new directions training, how to use transition words and phrases effectively in presentations.

When delivering a presentation, it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand and follow along. This can be accomplished by using transitions to bridge the gap between ideas. Transitions can be a word or phrase that act as a signpost to the audience, signaling the relationship between points and ideas. Here we will take a look at how to use transitions more effectively in your presentation. 

What are Speech Transitions?

Speech transitions are words or phrases that allow you to seamlessly transition from one point to another so that your speech flows smoothly. This makes it easier for the audience to follow along and see how one point relates to the next. Transitions can be one word, a phrase, or even a full sentence.

Examples of Transitions

Introduction.

You can introduce your topic with one of the following transitions:

• The purpose of this presentation is to…
• Today we will examine the effects of…
• Our team will be discussing…
• I want to start by…
• Let’s begin by…

Moving from the Introduction to the First Point

This is when you will signal to the audience that you have introduced the topic and you are ready to discuss the first main point.

• Now that you are familiar with…let’s begin with…
• First, let’s begin by discussing…
• To get started, let’s look at…
• My first point covers…

Moving from One Point to Another 

You can use these transitions to shift from one point to another during your presentation:

• In the same way…
• If I could now turn to…
• Now let’s consider…

Shifting to a Disagreeing Point

• The flip side of this issue is that…
• On the other hand…
• Yet, we cannot ignore…
• On the contrary…
• The opposing argument…

Introducing an Example

• Let me illustrate this by…
• Take the case of…
• This is demonstrated by…
• An example of this is…

Emphasizing Importance

• More importantly…
• This is essential because…

Conclusion of the Presentation

• In conclusion…
• In summary…
• Finally, I want to say that…

Part of rehearsing your presentation involves practicing your transitions. Be sure to plan for these words and phrases, as they are the finishing touches that will pull your entire presentation together. Without them, you can confuse your audience. Effective transitions help to create a clearly organized presentation that feels like a continuous conversation.

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Categories:

• Storytelling

The Magical Transitional Phrase Every Presentation Needs

Good transitional sentences and phrases are simple, elegant and clear.

They help your audience follow you from one point to the next one.

In today’s article, you will learn the “Summarize and Switch” transition phrase.

You will learn the same phrase I use in most of my presentations, keynotes and training. It’s by far the most efficient transition method I’ve ever used.

Here is how you can create a good transition phrase:

After you finish a section of your presentation, you quickly summarize that part in one or two sentences, then you switch your audience’s attention to the next point.

Here is an example:

“We just explored the impact of mobile technology on the future of education. And as you can tell, you have to embrace this technology to be able to stand out as a leading school.”

“Now, I want to give you a case study of XYZ school, and how they successfully mobilized their Ipad program in three phases before any other school in the district. And how that gave them an educational edge …”

Here is another example

“Now that you have seen the simplicity of the Summarize and Switch method.”

“Don’t let its simplicity fools you. This transitional phrase is simple yet powerful and is one of the most effective ways to transition…”

See how simple this is?

When doing a presentation at work, you want to be clear, educational and memorable. Summarizing your points will make them memorable due to the repetition, and the distinct switch will make them clear and easy to follow.

Summarize and switch, a powerful transition phase for your next presentation

Use the Summarize and Switch Transitional phrase in your next presentation. It will work like a charm every single time.

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Smooth Transition in a Speech – 69 Transition Statements

There are times when you listen to a speech and you wonder, how does the speaker relate these two things, or if he jumped topics and you felt completely lost. Knowing how to make a smooth transition in a speech will help you as a speaker to keep your audience engaged and on topic.

If you ever feel so, then the speaker has not used the right transitions in his speech and it all feels out of space. In this article, we will talk about  transitions in a speech  and share with you 69 words or phrases that will help you connect ideas and smoothly transition between several points in your speech.

Related Article:

Speech Starting Transitions

Why are transitions important in a speech?

Speech transitions help relate and connect your ideas and help your audience to follow and understand your words better.

Once you understand what speech transitions are, you need to find out where to put them. Typically you put speech transitions between the introduction and first main point and between each main point.

How to make your speech flow more naturally and avoid boring your audience?

There are various types of speech transitions that help a speech flow naturally and avoid boring the audience.

Transition in a Speech: Types of Speech Transitions

As we talked about before, speech transitions can be just a single word or phrase to relate points or sentences. Let’s have a look at different types of speech transitions that help make speeches to keep the audience interested.

Introduction Transition Statements

As you begin your speech, you cannot directly start making your points, you need to ease into it. You generally begin any speech by addressing your crowd and giving an introduction and this can help captivate or interest your audience. You can make use of the following phrases to introduce your topic – 

Speech Transitions to Highlight the first point

After you are done with the introduction, you need to move on to the first point of your speech. A simple transition word can help highlight that you are making a point.

Example:  I want to begin  by addressing the main point.

Speech Transitions to use between similar ideas

Example:  In the same way , you can also use likewise to transition between similar ideas.

Speech Transitions to use between conflicting points

In parts of your speech, you may address conflicting points and transitions help you highlight such conflicting points.

Example :  There’s always a good and bad side to most things in life. For example, you can try to read all the interesting articles and advice online and have a wealth of knowledge. But,  on the other hand , if you don’t act upon what you have learned, it’s just a waste of time.

Speech Transitions used to elaborate ideas

Example:  Furthermore , there are various types of transitions in speech that help to show cause.

Transition phrases to illustrate Numbered Points

Example –   Let’s talk about how you can overcome your fear of making eye contact: First, make sure you are looking in reasonable intervals, to all the audience (left/right/up/down). Second, look at their foreheads it’s less intimidating to you and it feels like you’re looking at them in the eye for the audience. Third…

Transitions phrases to show cause

Whenever you are trying to prove a point or come to a conclusion, the audience should understand that this is what you are implying.

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Transition phrases to give an example.

Example:   We always have to make some sacrifices and changes in our day to day life to experience a new way of life. For example, if you start waking up just an hour or two earlier compared to now, you have just gained extra time to meditate, exercise and plan your entire day..

Transition Statements to demonstration

Transition phrases to mention quotes.

When you pull facts and quote someone, you need to mention it in the following way – 

Transition to a side note

Transition to another speaker.

When you have a co-speaker or someone to explain some part of the speech and you need to transition to them, you can use the following transition phrases – 

Transition to an earlier point

There are some parts in a speech where you may need to recall an earlier point and this can be done as follows – 

Example:   Remember when we spoke about trolls? Let’s dive deep into that now.

Transition to a visual aid

Transition at the end of a point.

Once you are the end of a point you need to conclude the point, provide a brief summary and address the next point.

The transition from Speech to Conclusion

Once you are at the end of your speech, you need to provide a brief summary or conclusion to make sure your audience has understood the main points of your speech and you can be open to any questions or doubts. You can use the following speech transition phrases – 

Communications Coach Expert Alex Lyon shares an interesting video on Youtube with tips on how to effectively use Transition Statements for Public Speaking. Check it out below:

Smooth Transition in a speech  helps to stitch together a perfect dress that is your speech. They are hardly take up any space in your speech but are essential and effective. Without such transitions, any speech may seem poor and of lesser quality.

https://franticallyspeaking.com/effective-speech-transitions-how-to-make-your-speech-flow/

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71 Speech Transitions: The Ultimate Guide (+341 Examples & 11 Secrets)

Peter Andrei

If you don’t use speech transitions, your speeches will fail.

They will confuse your audiences, make little sense, and even confuse you .

But don’t worry: this guide will teach you everything about speech transitions.

You’ll learn exactly how to use speech transitions to make sure that your audience loves listening to you, your speeches sound eloquent, and your words are clear and powerful. ​Are you ready? Let’s get started.

Sections in this Guide

Understanding the Basics of Speech Transitions, 48 Basic Types of Speech Transitions (288 Examples), 23 Advanced Transitions That Grab Attention, How to Avoid the 9 Speech Transition Mistakes, 9 Advanced Secrets of Speech Transitions

“Transitions are critically important. I want the reader to turn the page without thinking she’s turning the page. It must flow seamlessly.” ― Janet Evanovich

Understanding the Basics of Speech Transitions

If you don’t understand the basics of speech transitions, you won’t be able to master them. And if you can’t master speech transitions, public speaking will be much harder. ​Fortunately: in this chapter, I answer the most common questions about speech transitions. ​Are you ready? Let’s start.

1 — What are some examples of transition words?

Transition words are transition phrases that are single words. Transition words are snappier, shorter, and quicker than transition phrases. They heighten the pace and intensity of a sentence in a speech. Some examples are: “Instead,” “Additionally,” “Also,” “Next,” “Now,” “And,” “Lastly,” “First,” “Because,” “Since,” etc. They work because they are, essentially, a mini open-loop. When you connect one sentence to another by starting the second with the word “but,” that implies an exception, for example. And people are captivated by that mini open-loop because they want to complete it. “But what? ” Technically, all transitions are mini open-loops until the sentence is finished, but these are particularly effective because they are just one word. More on this later.

2 — Why are transitions important in a speech?

Transitions are important in a speech because they smooth the flow of information. Transitions also show the audience what is coming next. They connect what you are about to say with what you just said. Transitions guarantee eloquence. They help your audience understand each of your sentences as they relate to each other.

3 — What are the three types of transitions?

Funny… I made this section “what are the three types of transitions” because thousands of people have been typing this in Google, according to a tool of mine. Here’s the funny part: in public speaking, there aren’t three types of transitions. There are over 60. Which type of transition you choose depends on the relationship between your previous sentence and your next one. Choose the type of transition that acts as a gateway into your next sentence. That’s the best type of transition.

4 — How do you write a good transition?

You write a good transition by choosing a transition that’s not already been used, that’s clear, and that’s relevant to your speech. You write a good transition by shortening transition phrases to get rid of unnecessary words. You write a good transition by connecting your previous sentence to your next one. That’s the key idea here.

5 — What are some good transition phrases?

What is a good transition word? That depends on what you want to say. Good transition phrases connect your previous sentence to your next sentence. If your next sentence will describe something different then your last one, “On the contrary…” is a good transition. “Similarly…” is not a good one. Get it?

6 — What is the difference between transitions and signposts?

Signposts are transition phrases that are just single words. They are so natural that they often happen unintentionally. They can happen at any point in a sentence. Signposts include conjunctions, like “and,” but also verbal lists: “first, second, third, etc.” Signposts also improve speech flow. And they act as refresher phrases. Transition words, signposts, and delayed transitions are all refresher phrases that create fast mini open-loops. We’ll get into this shortly.

7 — How do you introduce a main point in a speech?

You introduce a main point in a speech by using a transition of importance. A transition of importance indicates that what you are about to say is your main point. It shows the audience that it is your main message. Here are some examples: “the whole point is,” “and here’s what this all means,” etc. ​

48 Basic Types of Speech Transitions (288 Examples)

This section will teach you exactly how to use speech transitions. You’ll learn 48 proven speech transitions that will make your speeches flow like a river. Here’s the best part: each kind of transition comes with six examples. Just take the examples and use them. By using these 48 transitions, you will guarantee that your audiences are listening to you, guarantee that your audiences understand your speech, and guarantee that your speech is eloquent and clear. ​Let’s start.

1 — Difference

These indicate that what you are about to say is different from what you just said. Use these to indicate contrasts, and to prime your audience to identify differences. “On the contrary…” “Unlike…” “As opposed to…” “Conversely…” “On the other hand…” “If we flip that around…”

2 — Similarity

These indicate that what you are about to say is similar to what you just said. These will prime your audience to identify similar characteristics. Use these for metaphors, similes, and analogies. “Similarly…” “Just like…” “This is a lot like…” “Something similar is…” “This mirrors the…” “Much like…”

3 — Specification

These elaborate upon a previous point. Use these when you’re diving deeper into an idea. Use these when you want to present additional information about an idea. “Additionally…” “Furthermore…” “To elaborate…” “Also…” “There’s more…” “It goes deeper…”

4 — List Items

These present the items in a list of items. A sequence of these transitions is efficient and memorable. Your audience will remember content that’s structured in a list. One tip: don’t say “lastly…” say “last.” Don’t say “firstly…” say “first.” There’s no need for the “ly.” “First…” “Second…” “Third…” “Fourth…” “Fifth…” “Last…”

5 — Chronology

These present a list of events in chronological sequence. Chronologies are naturally engaging. People love stories. Use these to build a rapid, fast-paced chronology. “Next…” “Then…” “After this…” “What happened next…” “Now…” “The next thing…”

6 — Closing

These indicate that you are closing your speech. Often, your audience will lose attention in the middle of your speech. People love listening to the beginning and ending of a speech, but lose attention in the middle. Use these transitions to bring back some of those people. “To conclude…” “Before I close…” “Bringing this to an end…” “I want to tell you one last thing…” “So, if you remember one thing from this speech before I close…” “Here are my parting words…”

7 — Referral

These are used to refer back to a previous point. You’ll often find that certain parts of your speech are especially relevant. You’ll often find that you need to constantly return to those points. Use these transitions to do so. “As I said…” “If you recall…” “Like I mentioned previously…” “Earlier, I said that…” “Remember when I said…” “Just as I said before…”

8 — Openings

These are used to open your speech, or part of your speech. They signal to your audience that it’s time to pay close attention. “Today, we’ll be talking about…” “Here’s what you’ll learn today…” “The first point I want to make is…” “To start…” “Let’s begin…” “Here’s what I want to tell you first…”

9 — Cause and Effect

These present the impact of a cause. It’s always important to elaborate on a cause. So, if you say something like “20% of kids are disengaged in schools,” elaborate on the impact of that with these transitions. “The consequence is that…” “Because of this…” “This results in…” “This leads to…” “Due to this…” “This causes…”

10 — Examples

These present an example. The more examples you give, the more convincing you’ll be. Use these to make sure your audience understands you’re giving an example. “For example…” “An example of this is…” “Such as…” “This is shown by…” “A clear sign of this…” “A perfect example is…”

11 — Quotations

These present a quotation by another speaker. If you can borrow famous quotes, you gain instant eloquence. You also support your stance. That’s why quotes are rhetorically powerful. “It was once said by [person]…” “To quote [person]…” “[person] once said…” “According to [person]…” “A great quote about this subject is when [person] said…” “[person] famously said that…”

12 — Section Summaries

These summarize previous points. It’s important to repeat your points. This will help your audience remember them. Use these transitions to indicate summaries: “To summarize…” “So far, the big idea is…” “What this all means is…” “To put it simply…” “To quickly restate it…” “The main point is…”

13 — Speech Summaries

These summarize entire speeches. It’s always a good idea to remind your audience what they just learned. It helps cement the content in their long-term memory. Use these transitions to make the summary clear: “After listening, I hope you learned…” “Today, we discussed…” “In this speech, we explored…” “Here’s exactly what you learned today…” “To restate what we talked about…” “Here’s what you should remember from this speech…”

14 — Demonstrations

These transition to demonstrations. Speakers who include demonstrations often confuse their audiences. These transitions will make it clear that a demonstration is actually going on. “And if you turn your attention to…” “I’ll demonstrate this…” “This will demonstrate what we were talking about…” “Look at this demonstration…” “This demonstration will show you…” “Here’s a quick demonstration…”

15 — Another Speaker

These transition to another speaker. They make it clear that you’re handing it off to someone else. “It’s my pleasure to introduce…” “I’m honored to introduce…” “Someone has more to say…” “Now [person’s name] is going to say a few words to you…” “It’s time to hear from…” “Thanks for listening. Up next, is…”

16 — Core Issue

These transition to a core problem or central idea. Use these to indicate that what you’re about to say is of special importance. “The core issue is…” “What this all means is…” “The central problem is…” “When we boil it down…” “In a sentence, the fundamental problem is…” “So, if we talk about what’s really going on…”

17 — Opposing Points

These transition to an opposite stance. Imagine not using these transitions. Your audience would think you just contradicted yourself. “Those who disagree say…” “The opposite stance is…” “The main counter-argument is…” “My opponents say…” “The common disagreement is…” “Unfortunately, many critics say…”

18 — Importance

These transitions move to an important idea. Audience attention ebbs and flows. It increases and decreases. To get it back, use an importance transition. “The most important idea is…” “The significant part is…” “This is the most important part…” “Let’s get to the crucial part…” “The single biggest idea is…” “Here’s the important part…”

19 — Anecdotes

These transition to a personal anecdote. Personal anecdotes are effective because they build audience relatability. They strengthen the speaker to audience connection. But you have to open them up with the proper transition. “And I have a personal story that…” “The other day…” “There’s a story that…” “There’s a funny story…” “One time, I was…” “I have a perfect story for this…”

20 — Visual Aids

These transition to a visual aid. Visual aids are useful because they back up verbal information with visual information. But you need to make sure that your audience actually looks at the visual. How? With these transitions. “If you turn your attention to…” “As you can see on the whiteboard…” “This chart indicates…” “I’ve put together this visual…” “This PowerPoint slide…” “Look here to see…”

21 — Action

These transition to your call to action. Your speech needs a call to action to create real-world impact. And if you transition to it, your audience will pay attention, and then actually take action. “Here’s how you can help me…” “Want to take action?” “You can change this by…” “Here’s what you can do…” “It’s time to take action and…” “Your opportunity to act is…”

22 — Concurrence

These transitions indicate that two things are happening at the same time. If you ever want to show concurrence, you have to use these transitions. Otherwise, your audience won’t understand it. “At the same time…” “While…” “During this…” “Concurrently…” “As this was happening…” “At the same exact moment…”

23 — Continuation

These transitions indicate that something is continuing. If you want to present something, and then take it a step further, use these transitions. “And it continues to…” “It goes on to…” “It doesn’t end there, but…” “It keeps going…” “Did you think it was over?” “It doesn’t stop just yet, but…”

24 — Exception

These transitions indicate an exception to a rule. Always enumerate exceptions as a public speaker. Why? It’s the honest thing to do. Seldom do rules exist without exception. “Except for…” “In all cases but…” “But not if…” “Unless…” “Usually, but not if…” “It doesn’t happen if…”

25 — Qualification

These transitions indicate the specific circumstances in which something happens. They qualify your statements to specific circumstances. “Only if…” “Unless…” “Only in these exact circumstances…” “Specifically when…” “Only when…” “But only in the following conditions…”

26 — Despite

These transitions indicate that something happens despite something else. They show the audience that the two things usually contradict, and can’t happen together. “Even though…” “Despite this…” “This happens even while…” “And yet…” “Although…” “Nevertheless…”

27 — Evidence

These transitions indicate that evidence is about to be presented. Presenting evidence is persuasive and convincing. Presenting evidence with an evidence transition is even better. Why? It commands the audience’s attention towards the evidence. “This is proven by…” “The proof is that…” “I’ll show you the evidence…” “For example…” “As evidence…” “The evidence is that…”

28 — Central Message

These transitions indicate the presentation of the central message. Almost all speeches are centered around one big idea. It’s always a good idea to explicitly state this idea. When you do, make sure to use a central message transition. “And the fundamental idea is that…” “This all comes down to…” “The most important idea is that…” “Ultimately…” “The whole point is that…” “As you can see, one core truth emerges…”

29 — Problem

These transitions indicate a problem. You’re often speaking to solve a problem. Specifically state the problem, and when you do, use these transitions. “The problem is that…” “The reason it doesn’t work is…” “The issue is that…” “Unfortunately, something goes wrong, specifically…” “It doesn’t work because…” “But there’s a problem…”

30 — Solution

These transitions indicate a solution. Stating a problem is great, but you have to also present a solution. To make sure everyone hears your solution, introduce it with one of these transitions. “Here’s how we can solve it…” “To fix it, we have to…” “It’s easy to fix if we…” “Luckily, there’s an easy solution…” “The solution is to…” “All we have to do to solve it is…”

31 — Positive Equation

This equation indicates that something is equal to something else. Use these when you’re presenting metaphors, similes, or analogies. Use these when you’re presenting logical syllogisms (A = B = C, so A = C). “It is…” “This means…” “It’s the same thing as…” “It’s equivalent to…” “It’s the exact same thing as…” “It is a form of…”

32 — Negative Equation

This indicates that something isn’t equal to something else. Use these especially when people assume two different things are the same. Break that false assumption with these transitions. “It’s not…” “It doesn’t mean…” “It’s not the same thing as…” “It’s not equivalent to…” “It’s the exact opposite of…” “It’s not a form of…”

33 — Options

This indicates that what you’re going to say next is one of multiple options. Use this when you’re trying to navigate a set of possible actions. “One choice is…” “Or, we could…” “An option is to…” “One thing we could do…” “One possible solution is…” “One course of action is…”

34 — Sequence

This indicates a sequential narrative. Sequential narratives are engaging. Audiences love them. If you want to make your sequential narrative clear, use these transitions. “This leads to…” “After this, what happens is…” “This causes…” “The next step is always…” “What happens next is that…” “The next thing that happens is…”

35 — Outline

These transitions present an outline. Outlines are effective because they mentally prime your audience members to receive the information that’s coming next. It helps them see how it all fits together. You can do outlines of what you’ve already discussed, or outlines of what’s coming next. Regardless, use these transitions when you do. “The big ideas are…” “You’ll learn…” “So far, you’ve learned…” “The three main concepts we talked about are…” “This is what we’ve discussed so far…” “I’ll teach you these three key concepts…”

36 — Intensification

These intensify statements. If you are building up intensity, and you want to continue that, use these. They increase the magnitude of the quality of your subject. Your subject becomes more of whatever you said it was (good, bad, funny, etc.) “But it gets worse…” “It’s even more extreme…” “It’s worse than it seems…” “It gets better…” “I’ll tell you why it’s even better…” “Just wait, it gets crazier…”

37 — Minimization

These minimize statements. If you want to decrease the intensity, use these. “But that’s pretty much it…” “Luckily, it ends when…” “It doesn’t move past…” “That’s all it is…” “That’s about it…” “There’s not much else…”

38 — Direction

These indicate statements about the direction of things. People care more about where things are going then where they are. “We’re going to…” “It’s moving towards…” “It’s going the way of…” “We’re moving in a direction of…” “The way we’re going will…” “We’re taking the route towards…”

39 — Destination

These indicate what the end result of something is. If you are making forecasts into the future, use these transitions. “We’ll end up…” “It’s going to become…” “The end result will be…” “It’s all going to lead us to…” “At the end of it, we’ll end up…” “It’s going to result in…”

These indicate a shift in scale. When you use these transitions, you’re identifying whether the following subject is huge, or insignificant but worth mentioning. “It’s huge…” “It’s no big deal, but…” “A massive breakthrough is…” “It’s small but…” “This immense innovation is…” “It’s insignificant, but…”

41 — Reason

These indicate that you are going to describe a reason. Often, you need to diagnose the reasons why something is happening. Use these transitions to grab attention right before you present your findings. “The reason why is that…” “Because…” “This happens since…” “Due to the fact that…” “And because of…” “Since…”

42 — Quality

These indicate the quality of the following sentence. They tell your audience how to feel about your upcoming words. This gives you control over audience perception. “It’s unbelievable that…” “It’s amazing that…” “Unfortunately…” “Luckily for us…” “Thankfully…” “It’s sad, but…”

These indicate that you are moving into the body of your speech. They prime your audience to get ready for the real information. Use them after your opening and introduction as a gateway into your speech. “Let’s start…” “To begin…” “Let’s get right into it…” “The first point I want to make is that…” “Let’s get into our main points…” “First, let’s talk about…”

44 — Explanation

These indicate that you are moving into an explanation. They grab your audience’s attention. They prime your audience to closely analyze the explanation. If your audience is confused, this keeps them from tuning out in frustration by telling them you’ll simplify it. “But it makes sense when…” “Let me explain…” “But there’s an explanation…” “Here’s an explanation…” “If you’re wondering why, here’s the explanation…” “The explanation is…”

45 — Repetition

These indicate that you are repeating a previous idea. Moderate repetition is good. It helps audiences remember concepts. It also allows you to reference previous concepts if needed. And it places strategic, rhetorical emphasis on what you’re repeating. “To restate…” “Once again…” “I repeat…” “Let me reiterate…” “I’ll say it again…” “It’s worth mentioning again that…”

46 — Opinion

These indicate that you are transitioning to a personal opinion. It’s important to let your audience know what is verified fact and personal opinion. This is especially true when you move from verified fact to opinion. That’s when you need to use one of these transitions. “Personally, I believe that…” “It’s my opinion that…” “I think that…” “In my belief…” “It is my view that…” “If you ask me…”

47 — Question

These indicate a question or area of intellectual exploration. It’s intriguing and builds audience rapport. You can pose a question, and then answer it. Regardless, when transitioning to questions, use one of these. “So, my question is…” “The question we still haven’t answered is…” “We still don’t know why…” “The big question with no answer is…” “The last unanswered question is…” “The question we need to answer is…”

48 — Prediction

This indicates that what you are about to say is a prediction. And if you are an expert, predictions are good. Just make sure that you use these transitions. “I predict that…” “Here’s what’s going to happen next, in my view…” “Based on my experience, the next step will be…” “What usually happens next at this point is…” “Next…” “This is what I think will happen next…” Those are 48 basic transitions, and 288 examples. Great, right? Not as great as what I’m about to show you in the next section.

23 Advanced Transitions That Grab Attention

This chapter will teach you advanced speech transitions that even the pros don’t know. These transitions will captivate audiences, guarantee attention, and help your speech succeed. I promise that if you use these transitions, your speech will be much more engaging and persuasive. For example, the “benefit transition” will always grab audience attention. But we’ll talk about that later. ​ Are you ready? Let’s dive right in.

1 — Review and Preview

This is an awesome transition. Here’s why: it reviews what you said. It previews what you’re about to say. Want to know why this is so powerful? Because it is the perfect transition between structural units of speeches. For example, consider a simple speech structure: the problem-solution structure. Right when you finish up the problem section and move into the solution, you can use the review-preview transition like this: “So far, we’ve talked about the problem. We’ve discussed how it [insert consequence of problem one, two, and three]. Now, it’s time to discuss the solution. We’ll talk about how this solution [insert benefits one, two, and three].” Simple, but elegant. It acts as a turning point in your speech. Let’s move on to the next advanced speech transition.

2 — Themed Transitions

Let’s say that you want your speech to be unified around a theme. You can use themed transitions. Here’s how: identify your theme. Summarize that theme in a word. Inject that word into your transitions. Here’s an example: let’s say your theme is the “human journey through difficult times and obstacles.” Summarize the theme in one word: “journey.” Inject that word into your transitions, like so:

1. Transition of sequence: “This leads to…” becomes “This leads our journey to…”

2. Transition of central message: “This all comes down to…” becomes “The journey all comes down to…”

3. Transition of continuation: “This continues until…” becomes “Our journey continues until…” etc.

You’re essentially taking your theme and attaching it to your transitions. Why do this? Here’s why: it reinforces your theme. It helps your audience remember your main message. It reminds your audience, during your speech, what your big idea is. All from adding a word or two to your existing transitions. Let’s move on.

3 — Direct Requests

Direct requests are persuasive. We talked about that before. They are commanding. They give you control. And they work as transitions. Here are some examples: “Listen to this…” “Let me tell you…” “Guess what?” “Pay attention to this…” All of these direct request speech transitions are crisp, clear, and commanding. They get you respect as a public speaker. They get you attention and focus. ​ Cool, right? Let’s move on to another seriously captivating transition.

4 — I Know What You’re Thinking

This transition is so captivating that you’ll wish you could constantly use it. Here are some examples: “Now I know what you’re thinking…” “At this point you’re probably wondering…” “I know you probably think…” Why are these so powerful? Not only are they smooth, engaging, and captivating speech transitions, but they connect you to your audience. If you can get even close to actually guessing what your audience is thinking at a given moment, you immediately get their attention. And if you don’t? That’s fine too. The transition is still an attention-grabber. And they’ll instantly think what you mistakenly guessed they were already thinking, now that you popped the thought into their heads. However: the next transition on the list might just be an even more powerful attention-grabber.

5 — FOMO Transition

I love this transition. It’s so insanely powerful that I constantly use it when I speak. FOMO stands for “fear of missing out.” And when you use this transition, you make your audience fear missing what you’re about to say. Here are some examples: “You can’t miss this…” “You’ll regret it if you miss this next…” “You don’t want to miss this big reveal…” Yes. It’s insanely powerful. And it gets even more powerful with this simple, step-by-step process:

1. Find a point in your speech where audience attention might be low.

2. Insert an interesting, shocking piece of information.

3. Insert a FOMO transition right at that point, before saying the interesting piece of information.

This uses a FOMO transition right when you need it most. That said, this next transition is also captivating.

6 — Huge Discovery

These transitions tell you audience that you have a huge discovery coming next. And they love hearing huge discoveries. Want to instantly regain audience attention? Want to transition into a big discovery? Why not use this transition? It does both. Here are some examples: “And then I discovered the most incredible secret…” “What I found out next was earth-shattering…” “I discovered something that blew my mind…” These become even more attention-grabbing with a method I call “transition stacking.” But we’ll talk about that later. For now, let’s get into the next advanced transition.

7 — Unfortunate Catch

Use this transition after describing something good, with no flaws presented. Use it to present the first flaw. “Unfortunately, there’s a catch…” “It would work perfectly, except for…” “But there’s one problem that breaks it…” It’s a good way to regain the audience’s attention. They’ll all be thinking: “What’s the flaw? Why doesn’t it work?” With that, let’s move on to another transition that uses immense curiosity to grab attention.

8 — Hidden Answer

This one is so insanely captivating. It’s so effective at instantly grabbing audience attention. You’re going to love using it. Here’s why it works: it teases a huge secret answer to a big question… which immediately builds curiosity. And curiosity = attention. Make sure you actually say the question. Some examples: “And here’s the answer to the question of…” “And the answer that nobody seems to know is…” “The correct answer is not what you’d think, it’s…” Questions = open loops. Open loops = curiosity. Curiosity = burning desire to satisfy the curiosity. Hidden-answer transitions = hints at loop-closers that satisfy curiosity. Get it?

9 — Exemplary Example

People love examples. And these transitions show them that a perfect example is coming up. Here are some examples of the example transition: “And a perfect example of this is…” “A perfect example of this exact thing is…” “And this was expressed perfectly by…” Using words like “perfect” and “exact,” show your audience that this example, in particular, is one they shouldn’t miss. Moving on.

10 — How To

Here’s what this transition will do: transition to an explanation of how to do something, grab audience attention, and project your value. Here are some examples: “Now, I’ll teach you exactly how to…” “If you’re wondering how to do it, here’s how…” “Here’s how you can do the exact same thing…” Honestly, if your audience could choose only one part of your speech to listen to, it would be the one where you explain how to do something. Why? Because that provides them unique value. And when you use this transition, you indicate to them that you’re giving them exactly what they want. Using words like “exactly” build the impression that this is a bullet-proof, trustworthy, guaranteed process you’re going to teach them; that it is a precise solution to their specific problem. Fun stuff. Let’s move on to this next transition.

11 — Big Secret

These transitions give you your audience’s attention. It’s yours. You control it now. All from using these transitions. Here are some examples: “The hidden, little-known secret nobody else knows is that…” “The big secret is…” “The secret you’ll be the first to know is that…” Why are these transitions so powerful? Let me remind you: they create open loops, open loops create curiosity, and curiosity creates instant attention. Cool, right? Speaking of curiosity, you’ll love our next transition.

12 — Curious Question

Curious questions create curiosity. It’s that simple. Here are some examples: “What does this all mean?” “So, what’s really going on here? “What’s the real reason this is happening?” When you use questions like these, you create curiosity. You’re probably wondering: “Why do all of these transitions do the same thing?” Because a curious audience is an attentive one, and an attentive audience is the only kind of audience you can persuade. Using words like “really,” and “real reason” imply that you’re going straight to the truth. And your audience will love that. This next transition doesn’t use curiosity. I’m sure you were getting bored of those. Instead, this next transition piles on tantalizing benefits. Those on their own grab attention. Let’s check it out.

13 — Benefit Transitions

Your audience is always thinking “WIIFM.” “Why should I listen? How will I benefit from this? How is this speaker helping me?” And with these transitions, you tell your audience what’s in it for them. You answer those selfish questions. Here are some examples: “Now, you’ll learn how to [insert benefit one], [insert benefit two], and [insert benefit three].” “What I’m going to tell you will help you [insert benefit].” “If you want to [insert benefit], here’s how…” The moment you tell your audience what’s in it for them is the moment you get their attention. And if it’s been a long time since you’ve hit upon the WIIFM question, it’s time to hit upon it again with this transition to renew attention. Think to yourself: “What do they truly want? What are they trying to achieve? What motivates them?” And then: “How does this relate to my speech?” Put those two things together, add this transition to the mix, and your audience’s attention is yours.

14 — Guess What Happened

Yes. More curiosity. Here’s how you use this transition: “And guess what happened next?” “Try figuring out what happened next for a moment.” “Will you even believe what happened next?” Simple. Elegant. Powerful. Next up is a personal favorite of mine, especially when lecturing.

15 — Stay with Me

Another kind of direct command. Remember direct commands? They are persuasive and attention grabbing. These transitions sound like this: “Stay with me…” “Pay attention to this…” “Stick with me…” Use these to reinforce audience attention during difficult segments. What do I mean by difficult segments? Parts of your speech that are complex, are technical in nature, or have a high cognitive load. It’s during these moments when your audience decides to stop paying attention. But, if you include one of these transitions, you’ll tug them along. Moving on.

16 — Information Scent Transitions

These are fun. First, some background review: people forage for information like animals forage for food. Yup. It’s an actual theory. And they use something called “information scent” to determine if they should pay attention. Remember, attention is a resource. So, information scent transitions do exactly what they sound like they do. They increase the information scent. Here’s a step-by-step process:

1. Figure out exactly what your audience wants to know above all. Their “knowledge mission.”

2. Precede that in your speech with an “information scent” transition.

Simple, right? Here’s what these transitions look like: “I promise that you’ll learn exactly how to [insert audience knowledge mission].” “You’ll learn a simple step-by-step process to [insert audience knowledge mission].” “If you want to know how to [insert audience knowledge mission], I’m about to tell you.” These increase information scent. They indicate incoming information. They grab attention. Very cool. A similar transition is this next one.

17 — Open-Loop Transitions

Open loops are a secret weapon of maintaining attention. Honestly, when I found out this technique, public speaking became a lot more fun. And these transitions have open-loops engineered directly into them. Here’s a step-by-step process:

1. Find an attention-grabbing, juicy secret to tease.

2. Engineer that into existing transitions.

For example: “In a few minutes, I’ll teach you [insert tease], but first…” “You’ll learn [insert tease], but before that…” “I’m going to show you [insert tease], right after we talk about…” Usually, the secrets are benefit-driven. For example: “How to save 20% more money.” “How to buy a new car for 50% less.” “How to determine if a candidate is right for you.” And now, for a bedrock transition of eloquence and rhetoric, you’ll now learn rhetorical questions.

18 — Rhetorical Questions

You know what they are. You don’t know how you can turn any transition into one. So, here are some examples:

1. Transition of sequence: “This leads to…” becomes “What does this all lead to?”

2. Transition of central message: “This all comes down to…” becomes “What does this all come down to?”

3. Transition of continuation: “This continues until…” becomes “How far does this continue?”

If you want to become more eloquent, use transitions. Want to become even more eloquent after that? Then turn your transitions into rhetorical questions. ​It’s that simple. ​

19 — Uncertainty ​

Secrecy sells. And uncertainty is accidental secrecy. ​So, engineer it into your transitions. Here are some examples: ​ “And what we’re all uncertain about is…” “What nobody understands yet is…” “The big, frustrating, unanswered question is…” Before the internet and the information age, people craved finding things that were certain. Now that we are inundated with information, people love uncertain things. ​So, if you use these transitions to tease uncertainty:​ you’ll get more attention, you’ll create intrigue, and you’ll be more memorable. ​Seems easy, right? It is easy. ​But not as easy as our next transition.

20 — Behind the Scenes ​

People love being insiders. People love knowing things that other people don’t. People love feeling like they have exclusive information. ​And can you guess how behind the scenes transitions make people feel? Like insiders. Like they know information others don’t. Like they have exclusive information.​ That’s why these are so powerful. ​Here are some examples: ​ “What happens behind the scenes is…” “As an insider, I’ll tell you what nobody else knows…” “If you want the exclusive, behind-the-scenes look, here it is…” ​Easy. ​But effective. Moving on.

21 — Refresher Phrases ​

I’ll be honest: ​a lot of these previous transitions are refresher phrases. ​ In fact, refresher phrases aren’t a distinct set of transitions. ​So why are we talking about them? ​Because they are an important concept, and I want you to know them. ​Refresher phrases are transitions specifically designed to refresh an audience’s attention span. ​Here’s how they work:

they tease information that is interesting, important, secretive, or valuable. They come before sentences containing that information. They subconsciously indicate to your audience that something important is coming. ​They front-load and shorten the transition, usually placing the transition on the left side of a colon and the sentence on the right. But, more importantly, here’s why they work: ​when you say “Here’s the secret:” (a refresher phrase), your audience is thinking: “What’s the secret? I love secrets. I better pay attention.” ​When you say “Here’s the solution:” your audience is thinking: ​“I need the solution. This seems important. I’ll listen up.” ​Get it? Moving on to our final advanced transition.

22 — Delayed Transitions ​

These heighten pace. They heighten intensity. They shorten sentences. ​ Delayed transitions are one-word transitions: “And…” “Now…” “But…” “Since…”​ It’s as simple as that. They create the sensation of receiving more information in less time, which is actually true since they are shorter. And they maintain simplicity. But we’re almost done with these advanced transitions, and after this next and final one, we are going to move on to the nine most common mistakes (and how to avoid them).

23 — The Truth

This one is captivating. It’ll instantly grab audience attention. Why? Because people love truth, especially when it is handed to them on a silver platter. Want to grab attention before making a statement? Want to inject confidence into that statement? Want your audience to see you as an honest, trustworthy speaker, and to take what you say as though an expert just told them the information? Then use this type of transition. These go like this: “Now, the truth is…” “But the brutal truth is…” “Here’s the truth…”

How to Avoid the 9 Speech Transition Mistakes

If you make one of these nine mistakes, everything you’ve learned about speech transitions becomes useless. ​It’s unfortunate, but that won’t stop me from telling you the truth. ​Luckily for you: ​I will teach you the nine most common speech transition mistakes. ​And I will teach you exactly how to avoid them. ​Ready? Let’s start.

1 — Wrong Transition

This is the most common mistake you might make. In fact, I’m 100% positive that you’ve made this mistake at some point in the past. Here’s what happened next: your audience got confused, you lost your train of thought, and your speech became unclear, blurry, and confusing. Want to know what this big mistake is? Here it is: applying the wrong transition. Applying a transition that doesn’t match the relationship between the previous sentence and the next sentence. Let me explain: as you know, transitions are supposed to connect sentences. They tell your audience information about what you’re going to say next. They’re words spoken about the words you’re going to speak next. The best transition to use (in fact, the only one to use), is the one that accurately connects sentence A and sentence B. For example: if sentence A and sentence B are describing two different things, the best transition to use is a difference transition, like “on the contrary.” The wrong transition to use is anything other than a difference transition. Any transition that does not accurately represent the relationship between sentence A and B is the wrong transition. To help you prevent this mistake, I gave you more examples of transitions than you’ll find anywhere else, broken down into more categories than you’ll find anywhere else. Here’s the next mistake, which can be just as bad: tangents.

2 — Tangents

Tangents blur the clarity of your speaking. They confuse your audience. They muddy your message. Usually, you can tell when you’re about to go on a tangent when you say a tangent transition: “This reminds me of a time…” “Ironically…” “A friend of mine once…” Now, here’s the truth: tangents aren’t all that bad. For informal, conversational speeches, one layer of tangents is okay. Why? Because it builds the speaker to audience connection. However: two or more layers are not. In other words: if you’re giving a relaxed, funny, personal speech, then one tangent is okay. But if you then launch into another tangent off of the previous tangent, that’s bad. You have to first return to your linear speech. That’s what “two layers of tangents” means. So be careful for this pattern:

1. Tangent transition.

2. Tangent.

3. Another tangent transition.

That pattern indicates two layers of tangents. This pattern is acceptable:

3. “Back to what I was saying…”

4. Main speech.

Another common mistake (which I’m sure you’ve done once or twice) is transitions which are totally missing.

3 — Missing Transitions

There’s only one time when you shouldn’t use transitions. But we’ll talk about that later. Except for that one time, you should always use transitions. Without transitions, your audience is wondering: “What does this sentence have to do with the last one?” “What is this person going to say next?” “How does this speech fit together?” And also, probably thinking: “This speech is jumbled.” “This speaker is disorganized.” “I’m confused.” Needless to say, you don’t want your audience thinking those things. So never avoid transitions. But definitely avoid repetitive transitions too, which are our next mistake.

4 — Repetitive Transitions

Never repeat your transitions. Sure, you can use transitions of difference over and over. That’s fine. But here’s the problem: when you use the same exact transition of difference over and over. Let’s say you need to use three consecutive transitions of difference. Don’t do it this way: “On the contrary… [sentence one].” “On the contrary… [sentence two].” “On the contrary… [sentence three].” Instead, do it this way: “On the contrary… [sentence one].” “As opposed to… [sentence two].” “Unlike… [sentence three].” Get it? Moving on.

5 — Miscount

Let’s say you’re listing out something in your speech. Maybe you’re listing the steps of a process, a sequence of events, or your points. Here’s what a miscount looks like: “First, you do…” “Second, you do…” “Next, you do…” “Third, you do…” There are four items in that list, but your list transition words don’t show that. Why? Because instead of signposting the list items correctly, you accidentally replaced “third” with “next,” and then made “fourth” into “third.”

6 — Redundant Transitions

What do these three examples of transitions have in common? “On the contrary, different than…” “Similarly, just like…” “Furthermore, additionally…” They are redundant. ​If you say “on the contrary,” you don’t need any other difference indicators. If you say “similarly,” “just like” is redundant. ​If you say “furthermore,” “additionally” is redundant. This is not the meaning of transition stacking, which we’ll talk about later. You get the point. Moving on.

7 — Too Long ​

Transitions are important. Critical. ​But they shouldn’t be running the show. ​Transitions are supposed to support your sentence, not the other way around. ​Any given sentence has a limited number of words before it starts to make no sense. Before it starts to be a run-on. Before it becomes confusing. ​ Don’t strain your sentences by using transitions that are way too long. ​For example: ​don’t say “completely contrary and different to what we just talked about is…” ​ Just say “on the contrary.” That’s much more easy, elegant, end efficient. Moving on to (an opposite) mistake.​

8 — Too Short ​

Transitions are too important. ​They have to be clear. ​You have to take the time to clearly put what you’re about to say in context. Otherwise it makes no sense. So, while short transitions do have their place, an entire speech with short, unclear transitions is no good. As a general rule: ​transitions within the structural units of your speeches (sentence A to sentence B) can be short. Transitions between the structural unit (part one to part two) need to be more defined and longer.

9 — Unclear ​

Clever transitions help nobody. ​Choose clear over clever every chance you get. The best way to word your transitions (in fact, to word anything) is to say: ​

1. Exactly what you mean.

2. With the fewest number of words.

3. With the simplest words.

4. (With regards to transitions) In a way that accurately connects your previous sentence to your next one. ​

Now… enough about the mistakes. ​Time for nine speech transition secrets that will change the way you look at public speaking and persuasive communication.

9 Advanced Secrets of Speech Transitions

Did you know that you could stack transitions to instantly captivate an audience? ​Well, you can. And I’ll show you how. These nine speech transition secrets are what set the pros apart from the amateurs.​ For example, the transitional body language technique. ​Even expert public speakers don’t know that one. ​But you will. ​Let’s dive right into it.

1 — Transitional Body Language ​

It’s simple: ​if you combine your transitions with transitional body language, they become twice as effective. ​Here some ways to do this: ​ for list transitions, list out the items on your fingers. For transitions of difference, hold your hands up in two fists, and move them away from each other. For transitions of similarity, bring your hands together. For transitions of continuation, take your hand and move it forward. For transitions of scale, hold your hands out wide. The big idea is that your body should send the same message as your words.​ Here’s another cool way to use transitional body language: ​if you’re giving a speech around three main points, deliver your first one from the left corner of the stage. Then, as you transition to your second point, move to the middle. ​Last, when you transition to your third, move to the right corner of the stage. In this way you mirror the structural transitions of your speech. ​Here’s another example, to spur your imagination: for the problem-solution structure, you can sit for the problem portion and stand for the solution. Sitting, you seem like a cool professional diagnosing a problem with their expert, scalpel-like perception. Standing? An excited, passionate, visionary of a leader advocating for the best possible path forward. (Only sit if you’re in a small meeting or if the context makes sitting okay). Cool, right? ​Moving on to another secret of speech transitions.

2 — Lack of Transitions ​

Every public speaking rule has exceptions. ​“Seriously?” you might be asking, slightly — or very — frustrated. ​Yes. And this is an exception to the rule “always use transitions.” ​Here are some examples of the extreme cases where you might not use transitions: ​

1. When you want to build an extremely fast pace.

2. When you want to build an extremely intense sequence.

3. When you want to build an extremely snappy section. ​

That said, 99% of the time, you absolutely should use transitions. ​ But if there’s a segment in your speech where your most important priority is intensity, then test the segment without transitions. ​Maybe it’ll make it more intense. Give it a shot. ​

3 — Transition Stacking ​

What’s better than an insanely captivating transition? ​ Here’s what: ​three insanely captivating transitions stacked together. Let’s take a “big secret” transition. ​Not stacked: ​“The hidden, little-known secret nobody else knows is that…” Stacked: “You’re about to learn the hidden, little-known secret nobody else knows. You’ll be the first to know this massive secret I’m about to tell you. The big secret is…” When you stack transitions, you’re amplifying their individual impacts. ​In this case, you amplify attention-grabbing impacts:​ curiosity, suspense, and intrigue. ​ Let’s move on to another powerful transition secret.

4 — Transition Words ​

You’re going to learn about transition words, phrases, and sentences. ​ Specifically, you’re going to learn when to use each. ​ Use transition words to connect sentences when you want to heighten pace. We already talked about that. ​But when do you use transition phrases? ​That’s what I’ll tell you now.

5 — Transition Phrases ​

Transition phrases are transitions that use multiple words.​ What advantages do they have over transition words? They are clearer. They more strongly indicate a transition. They make sure nobody misses the transition. ​But what disadvantages do they have? ​Well, one main disadvantage: ​ they don’t heighten pace as much as transition words. (By the way… fast pace = engaging, in case you forgot). Anyway… before we put all this information together into a step-by-step process, let’s talk about transition sentences.

6 — Transition Sentences ​

Transition sentences are transitions that take up full sentences, and if stacked, up to three sentences. Why are they good? Well, they’re so incredibly clear that nobody misses them. ​In other words: ​ they guarantee a smooth transition. ​Time to put all this information together.

7 — The Transition Map ​

Here’s how to use transition words, phrases, and sentences:

1. Use transition words between sentences.

2. Use transition phrases between rhetorical segments.

3. Use transition sentences between structural shifts and paradigm shifts. ​

In other words, here’s how transition words, phrases, and sentences match up to a speech structure: ​ 1st main structural unit: transition with a sentence. 1st rhetorical sub-unit: transition with a phrase. Sentences within this: transition with single words. 2nd rhetorical sub-unit: transition with a phrase. Sentences within this: transition with single words. 2nd main structural unit: transition with a sentence. Repeat the pattern. This makes sure that the strength of your transition matches the size of your shift. ​Big structural shifts in a speech need big, obvious transitions (transition sentences). ​Smaller shifts between rhetorical sub-units need smaller transitions (transition phrases). ​The smallest shifts between individual sentences need the smallest transitions (transition words). ​Simple, but important. ​Let’s elaborate on structural transitions.

8 — Speech Structure Transitions ​

Every structural shift should be accompanied by a big, obvious transition. This is exactly where transition stacking is most appropriate. For example, let’s say you are using the problem-solution structure. When you’re starting the problem unit of the structure, use a structural transition: “I’m going to tell you about a problem you have. This problem has dangerous consequences. You’ll learn all about this problem. The problem is that…”​ And also when you’re moving into the solution unit: ​ “That’s the problem, but now I’m going to tell you about the solution. This solution is quick and easy, and you’re going to learn how to use it. The solution is…”

9 — Tricolon Transitions ​

Want to be eloquent? Want your audiences to hang on your every word? Want your words to form a smooth flow? ​ Then use tricolon transitions. Tricolons are phrases that incorporate lists of three. ​ Here is an example of a regular “big-secret” transition: ​“The big secret is…” ​And now an example of a tricolon big-secret: “The big, hidden, little-known secret is…” It’s a small change, but effective public speaking is accomplished by a series of small, subtle changes. ​ Moving on.

Written by Peter Andrei

Text to speech

Oratory Club

Public Speaking Helpline

Speech Transitions: Words And Phrases to Connect Your Ideas

Speech transitions are important as they connect ideas and maintain a smooth flow. These transitions help guide the audience through the speech effectively.

Effective communication is crucial in delivering a compelling speech. To engage and captivate an audience, it is essential to connect ideas seamlessly. Speech transitions serve as connectors between different thoughts and ensure a logical progression of ideas. By employing suitable words and phrases, a speaker can enhance the flow of their speech and maintain the audience’s attention.

We will explore various words and phrases that can be used to connect ideas in a speech. These transitions play a vital role in conveying the message effectively and leaving a lasting impact on the listeners.

Credit: www.spanish.academy

Table of Contents

Why Are Speech Transitions Important In Public Speaking?

Speech transitions play a crucial role in public speaking by connecting ideas seamlessly. These words and phrases help maintain the flow of the speech and captivate the audience, ensuring a clear and coherent delivery.

Speech transitions play a significant role in public speaking. They serve as vital connectors that link together various ideas and concepts in a seamless manner. By using appropriate words and phrases to transition between different points, speakers can maintain the flow and coherence of their speech.

Here’s why speech transitions are important:

Benefits Of Using Speech Transitions:

• Enhance clarity: Transitions help speakers to clearly communicate their ideas and thoughts to the audience. By using transition words and phrases, they can guide the listeners through the different sections of their speech, making it easier to follow.
• Improve understanding: Effective transitions ensure that the audience can easily grasp the connections between ideas and concepts. This helps to prevent any confusion or misinterpretation of the speaker’s message.
• Increase engagement: Speech transitions prevent a monotonous or disjointed delivery, making the speech more engaging for the audience. By smoothly moving from one idea to another, the speaker captures the listeners’ attention and keeps them actively involved throughout the presentation.
• Highlight key points: Transitions can be used strategically to emphasize important information or key points. By signaling the significance of certain ideas, speakers can ensure that these points are understood and remembered by the audience.

Impact On Audience Engagement:

• Retention of information: With the help of effective speech transitions, speakers can enhance the audience’s ability to retain and recall the information presented. Logical connections created through transitions make it easier for listeners to process and remember the content.
• Focused attention: Well-placed transitions help to maintain the audience’s focus and prevent their minds from wandering. By smoothly transitioning between ideas, speakers keep the listeners engaged and attentive.
• Active participation: Speech transitions encourage the audience to actively participate in the speech. Clear connections between ideas enable listeners to anticipate the direction of the speech, allowing them to make connections and draw conclusions alongside the speaker.
• Emotionally connect: Transitions can also have an emotional impact on the audience. By using appropriate words and phrases, speakers can evoke specific feelings, making the speech more memorable and impactful.

Creating a smooth and coherent flow:

• Logical progression: Transitions facilitate a logical progression of ideas, enabling the speaker to present their thoughts in a structured manner. This ensures that the audience can easily follow the speaker’s intended flow of information.
• Seamless connection: Speech transitions act as bridges between different ideas or sections, creating a seamless connection between them. This helps to establish a sense of continuity in the speech, preventing any abrupt shifts in topic or subject matter.
• Professional delivery: The use of speech transitions demonstrates a speaker’s professionalism and command over their subject. It showcases their ability to present complex ideas in a clear and organized manner.

By recognizing the importance of speech transitions and incorporating them into public speaking, speakers can enhance the effectiveness of their presentations, captivate their audience, and ensure that their message is delivered with impact.

Types Of Speech Transitions

Discover various types of speech transitions that effectively connect ideas and thoughts in your speech. These words and phrases seamlessly guide the flow of your presentation, keeping your audience engaged and interested. Improve your public speaking skills with these powerful speech transition techniques.

Transition words and phrases play a crucial role in connecting your ideas and making your speech or presentation flow smoothly. By using these linguistic tools, you can create a cohesive and engaging narrative that keeps your listeners hooked. In this section, we will explore the different types of speech transitions, including transition words and phrases, verbal transitions, and nonverbal transitions.

Transition Words And Phrases:

• First and foremost, transition words and phrases serve as the glue that holds your speech together. They facilitate the logical progression of your ideas and help your audience follow along effortlessly.
• Additionally, transition words and phrases add clarity and coherence to your speech, ensuring that your message is easily understood.
• Moreover, they signal shifts in topic, introduce examples, emphasize crucial points, and establish cause-and-effect relationships.
• Furthermore, transition words and phrases enable you to create smooth transitions between different sections of your speech, which is essential for maintaining audience engagement.

Verbal Transitions:

• Verbal transitions involve the use of spoken words or phrases to guide your audience from one idea to another seamlessly.
• For instance, you can use phrases like “now, let’s move on to…”, “in relation to…”, or “on the other hand…” to smoothly transition between topics.
• Likewise, starting a sentence with phrases such as “in the same vein…”, “to illustrate my point…”, or “another key aspect is…” can effectively connect your ideas and make your speech more coherent.
• Furthermore, verbally signaling your intention to transition, using phrases like “now, let’s shift gears and discuss…”, “next up, we’ll explore…”, or “in light of this information…” can help your audience anticipate and comprehend your transitions better.

Nonverbal Transitions:

• Nonverbal transitions involve actions, gestures, or visuals that complement your verbal transitions, reinforcing the connections between your ideas.
• Use physical cues, such as changing your stance, moving to a different part of the stage, or making eye contact with a specific audience member, to signify a transition.
• Similarly, employing visual aids like slides, charts, or props can also assist in smoothly guiding your audience from one idea to the next.
• Additionally, adjusting your tone of voice, pausing strategically, or utilizing facial expressions can effectively emphasize the shift in ideas and engage your listeners.

Incorporating a variety of transition words and phrases, implementing verbal transitions, and utilizing nonverbal cues can greatly enhance the flow and impact of your speech. Integrating these techniques will help you maintain your audience’s attention and ensure that your ideas are communicated effectively.

So, let’s dive in and explore the world of speech transitions further!

Using Transition Words And Phrases

Discover the power of using speech transitions to seamlessly connect your ideas. By employing a variety of transition words and phrases, you can create a cohesive flow in your speech while keeping your audience engaged and interested. Swap repetitive terms for different expressions to ensure your content remains fresh and captivating.

Importance Of Strategic Placement:

• Transition words and phrases are essential in speech writing as they help to connect and smoothly organize ideas and thoughts.
• Strategic placement of transition words and phrases allows for a coherent flow of information, making it easier for the audience to follow the speaker’s train of thought.
• Proper use of transition words and phrases can enhance the overall impact of a speech by creating a logical progression of ideas and reinforcing key points.
• By strategically incorporating transition words and phrases, speakers can maintain the audience’s attention and prevent confusion or disengagement.

Commonly Used Transition Words:

• “furthermore”: Used to add another supporting point or to provide additional information.
• Example: Furthermore, research has shown that regular exercise improves overall mental health.
• “however”: Introduces a contrasting idea or viewpoint.
• Example: The study found that the new drug is effective; however, more research is needed to determine long-term effects.
• “meanwhile”: Shows a simultaneous action or event occurring.
• Example: The company was experiencing financial difficulties; meanwhile, their competitors were thriving.
• “moreover”: Indicates the addition of more information or evidence.
• Example: The data collected from the survey revealed alarming statistics; moreover, it highlighted the need for immediate action.

Connecting Ideas Within A Sentence:

• “similarly”: Demonstrates a likeness or similarity between two ideas.
• Example: The baby elephant walked with a wobble, similarly to a toddler taking their first steps.
• “in addition”: Introduces an additional piece of information or evidence.
• Example: The market research indicated a growing demand for organic products; in addition, consumer preferences were shifting towards sustainable packaging.
• “likewise”: Expresses similarity or agreement with a previous statement.
• Example: The new policy aims to increase employee satisfaction; likewise, it strives to improve overall productivity.
• “on the other hand”: Indicates a contrasting viewpoint or perspective.
• Example: The group was divided on the issue; on the other hand, some argued for immediate action while others preferred a more cautious approach.

Transition Phrases For Introducing New Points:

• “first and foremost”: Emphasizes the primary or most important point to be made.
• Example: First and foremost, it is crucial for individuals to prioritize their mental health.
• “another key point”: Introduces an additional significant idea or argument.
• Example: Another key point to consider is the impact of social media on mental well-being.
• “lastly”: Signals the final point or argument in a series or sequence.
• Example: Lastly, it is essential to provide accessible and affordable mental health services for all individuals.

Transition Words For Emphasizing Or Contrasting Ideas:

• “indeed”: Emphasizes and reinforces a previous point or statement.
• Example: The results of the study indeed highlight the need for further investigation.
• “contrarily”: Shows a contrasting or opposite perspective.
• Example: While some argue for stricter regulations, contrarily, others believe in the importance of personal freedoms.
• “in summary”: Provides a concise overview or recap of the main points discussed.
• Example: The research demonstrates the significant impact of early childhood education on future academic success.

Remember, incorporating these transition words and phrases into your speech can greatly enhance its overall effectiveness, making it more engaging and easy to follow. Use them strategically to guide your listeners through your ideas and ensure they stay connected and engaged with your message.

Incorporating Verbal Transitions

Discover the power of incorporating verbal transitions in your speech to effortlessly connect your ideas. Enhance your communication skills with carefully chosen phrases and words that keep your audience engaged and interested. Unlock the potential of seamless transitions for impactful speeches.

Establishing A Connection Between Ideas

• Incorporating verbal transitions is essential in speech delivery as it helps maintain a smooth flow of ideas. These transitions act as bridges between different thoughts, guiding the audience through your speech. By using the right words and phrases, you can establish clear connections between ideas, leaving a lasting impact on your listeners. Let’s explore some effective techniques for incorporating verbal transitions.

Using Clear Language And Cues

• Clear language and cues allow your audience to follow along effortlessly, ensuring that your ideas are effectively communicated. Consider the following strategies to enhance clarity in your speech:
• Signposting: The use of signposting phrases, such as “firstly,” “next,” or “” helps guide your audience through the structure of your speech, making it easier for them to follow your thought process.
• Repetition: Repeating key phrases or concepts throughout your speech can reinforce your ideas, making them more memorable for your audience.
• Pronouns: Utilize pronouns like “they,” “we,” or “you” to create a sense of inclusivity and engagement. This fosters a connection between you and your audience, encouraging active participation.

Examples Of Verbal Transition Techniques

• Here are some effective examples of verbal transition techniques to incorporate in your speech:
• Cause and effect: Use phrases like “as a result,” “consequently,” or “therefore” to highlight the cause and effect relationship between different ideas.
• Comparison and contrast: Employ phrases such as “similarly,” “on the other hand,” or “in contrast” to draw comparisons or highlight differences between ideas, helping your audience understand distinct concepts better.
• Time sequence: Signal the passage of time or progression of ideas with phrases like “before,” “afterward,” or “meanwhile.” This helps your audience follow the chronological order of events or thoughts.

Practice And Delivery Tips

• To improve your use of verbal transitions, consider these practice and delivery tips:
• Rehearse your speech: Practice delivering your speech multiple times, focusing on incorporating verbal transitions smoothly. This will help you become more comfortable and confident in your delivery.
• Record and review: Record yourself delivering the speech and take note of areas where verbal transitions can be improved. Analyzing your performance will enable you to refine your delivery and strengthen your speech.
• Seek feedback: Request constructive feedback or have a trusted person observe your speech. They can provide valuable insights on how to enhance your verbal transitions and overall impact.

Remember, incorporating verbal transitions in your speech not only enhances its coherence but also ensures that your ideas are effectively communicated and understood by your audience. By practicing and mastering these techniques, you’ll become a more engaging and persuasive speaker.

Keep honing your skills, and watch your speech captivate and inspire your listeners.

Leveraging Nonverbal Transitions

Discover the power of nonverbal transitions in connecting your ideas during speeches. Utilize effective words and phrases that enhance the flow of your presentation and engage your audience. Say goodbye to common speech transition pitfalls and captivate your listeners with seamless transitions.

In the realm of public speaking, effective speech transitions are crucial for connecting ideas and maintaining the attention of your audience. While verbal transitions are commonly employed, nonverbal cues can be just as powerful in conveying a seamless flow of thoughts.

This section will explore the various ways to leverage nonverbal transitions, including visual cues, body language, gestures and facial expressions, the importance of eye contact, and how to convey confidence and professionalism.

Visual Cues And Body Language:

• Visual cues play a vital role in indicating transitions and maintaining engagement during a speech.
• Use confident and purposeful body language to signify a change in topic or shift in ideas.
• Positioning yourself differently on stage or adjusting your stance can visually communicate a transition to your audience.
• Maintain an open and relaxed posture, which indicates a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Gestures And Facial Expressions:

• Utilize gestures and facial expressions to enhance the impact of your nonverbal transitions.
• Gesture with your hands to emphasize key points or signal a transition to a new idea.
• Employ facial expressions to convey enthusiasm, surprise, or seriousness, making your transitions more engaging and memorable.

Importance Of Eye Contact:

• Eye contact is a powerful nonverbal tool that establishes a connection with your audience and aids in smooth transitions.
• Engage with individuals in different parts of the room, ensuring that your eye contact is inclusive and not only focused on a single person or section.
• During transitions, maintain eye contact to signal that you are moving on to a new topic or idea.
• The use of eye contact can also help you gauge the audience’s reaction and adjust your delivery accordingly.

Conveying Confidence And Professionalism:

• Nonverbal transitions are instrumental in conveying confidence and professionalism throughout your speech.
• Maintain a calm and composed demeanor, which instills confidence in your audience.
• Avoid fidgeting or excessive movements that may distract from your message.
• By utilizing nonverbal cues effectively, you can create a sense of professionalism and competence, enhancing your overall speaker presence.

Incorporating nonverbal transitions into your speech can significantly improve its flow, captivate your audience, and reinforce your message. Visual cues, body language, gestures, facial expressions, eye contact, and conveying confidence and professionalism are all essential elements in creating a seamless and engaging speaking experience.

Practice and master these nonverbal techniques to elevate your speech to new heights.

Transitioning Between Different Sections Of A Speech

Transitioning between different sections of a speech is crucial for maintaining a coherent flow and engaging the audience. By utilizing effective speech transitions, you can seamlessly connect your ideas, avoiding clichés and repetitive terms, to ensure a captivating and impactful delivery.

Transitioning between different sections of a speech is crucial to maintain the flow and coherence of your ideas. To ensure a smooth transition, consider using the following techniques:

Introducing A New Topic Or Main Idea

• Pose a question: Start a new section by asking a thought-provoking question that introduces your audience to the upcoming topic. For example, “have you ever wondered how technology has revolutionized the way we communicate?”
• Provide a brief anecdote or story: Capture your audience’s attention by sharing a relevant story or anecdote that sets the stage for the new topic. This personal touch will engage your listeners from the start.
• Use a powerful quote: Begin your section with an impactful quote that relates to the subject matter. This will immediately draw your audience’s attention and create curiosity about the upcoming discussion.

Summarizing Key Points

• Highlight the main ideas: Summarize the key points you have discussed so far in a concise and clear manner. This allows your audience to understand the progress of your speech and reinforces the central ideas you want them to remember.
• Use transition words: Employ transition words and phrases such as “” “to summarize,” or “in conclusion” to signal that you are summarizing the main points. This helps the audience mentally prepare for the upcoming summary.

Shifting Focus Or Transitioning To A Conclusion

• Preview the provide a glimpse of what your conclusion will entail without delving into the details. This primes your audience for the upcoming ending, creating anticipation and signaling the shift in focus.
• Ask for the audience’s attention: Use phrases like “now, let’s turn to the final part of our discussion” to redirect the attention back to the conclusion. This helps maintain engagement and refocuses the audience’s thoughts on the closing remarks.
• Reinforce the central theme: Remind your listeners of the central theme or main message of your speech. This will ensure that the concluding remarks connect back to the core ideas you have been discussing.

Remember, effective transitions are like signposts that guide your audience through your speech. By utilizing these techniques, you can navigate between different sections smoothly and keep your audience fully engaged.

Tips For Effective Transitioning

Discover practical tips for effective transitioning in your speech through the use of appropriate words and phrases. Enhance the flow of your ideas by avoiding overused terms and incorporating a variety of expressions at the beginning of paragraphs. Keep your sentences concise and engaging to maintain the reader’s interest.

Preparing And Rehearsing Transitions:

• Craft a list of transitional words and phrases: To ensure smooth and seamless transitions between your ideas, compile a list of words and phrases that can serve as connectors. Examples include “however,” “in addition,” and “on the other hand.”
• Identify logical connections: Assess the flow of your speech and identify the logical connections between each point. This will help you determine the appropriate transitional words or phrases to use.
• Practice aloud: Once you have selected your transition words and phrases, practice incorporating them into your speech. Rehearse it several times to ensure that the transitions feel natural and help maintain the overall coherence of your ideas.

Using A Variety Of Transition Methods:

• Implement signposts: Signposts are words or phrases that indicate where you are in your speech and where you are going next. Examples include “firstly,” “next,” and “finally.” By using these signposts, you guide your audience through your speech, making it easier for them to follow along.
• Utilize parallel structure: Parallel structure involves using the same grammatical structure for each point in your speech. This creates a rhythm and consistency that facilitates smooth transitions. For example, instead of saying “i like hiking and to swim,” you would say “i like hiking and swimming.”
• Incorporate rhetorical questions: Asking a rhetorical question can help transition from one idea to the next seamlessly. It engages your audience and prompts them to reflect on the previous point before moving on to the next one.
• Use visual aids: Visual aids such as slides or props can serve as effective transition tools. By visually emphasizing the connection between ideas, you can make the transition more apparent to your audience.
• Provide summaries: Summarizing the main points of each section can be a powerful transition technique. It allows you to recap what has been discussed and prepare your audience for the upcoming topic.

Maintaining A Natural And Conversational Tone:

• Avoid using jargon: To keep your speech accessible and engaging, avoid using technical jargon or overly complicated language. Opt for words and phrases that your audience can easily understand.
• Vary sentence lengths: Using a mix of short and long sentences adds rhythm and variety to your speech. This prevents monotony and keeps your audience engaged.
• Practice active voice: Choosing active voice sentences instead of passive voice helps maintain a conversational tone. Active voice is more direct and engaging, making it easier for your audience to follow along.
• Engage with the audience: Encourage audience participation throughout your speech by asking for their thoughts or experiences related to your topic. This creates a more conversational and interactive atmosphere.
• Adjust your pace: Pay attention to your speaking pace and adjust it accordingly. Speaking too fast can make it difficult for your audience to process the information, while speaking too slowly can lead to disengagement. Aim for a rhythmic and natural pace.

Remember, effective transitioning is crucial for the cohesiveness and clarity of your speech. By preparing and rehearsing your transitions, utilizing a variety of transition methods, and maintaining a natural and conversational tone, you can ensure that your ideas flow smoothly and leave a lasting impact on your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are speech transitions.

Speech transitions are words and phrases used to connect ideas and help the audience follow your presentation more smoothly. They create a logical flow and make it easier for listeners to understand and remember your key points.

Why Are Speech Transitions Important?

Speech transitions are important because they enhance the coherence and clarity of your speech. They help your audience navigate through your ideas and maintain their attention. Transitions also make your speech more engaging and polished, leaving a lasting impact on your listeners.

What Are Some Common Speech Transition Words And Phrases?

There are various speech transition words and phrases you can use, such as “in addition,” “however,” “on the other hand,” “moreover,” “as a result,” “to summarize,” and “finally. ” These transition words and phrases can help you transition between different ideas, compare and contrast points, and summarize information.

How Can Speech Transitions Improve My Public Speaking Skills?

Using speech transitions in your presentations enhances your public speaking skills by making your speech more organized, coherent, and impactful. With effective transitions, you can smoothly guide your audience through your ideas, keeping them engaged and helping them understand and remember your message.

To sum up, utilizing effective speech transitions is essential for seamless and coherent delivery. By incorporating appropriate words and phrases, you can effectively connect your ideas and guide your audience through your speech. Whether you are emphasizing a point, introducing a new topic, or providing examples, utilizing transitional words and phrases enhances the overall flow of your speech.

Moreover, these transitions help to maintain your audience’s engagement and comprehension. From using simple transitional words like “firstly” and “next,” to employing complex connectors such as “in contrast” and “similarly,” the right speech transitions can transform your speaking style. By following these guidelines and practicing your delivery, you can become a confident and compelling speaker.

Remember, speech transitions are powerful tools that can transform your speech from disjointed to cohesive, ensuring that your ideas are conveyed clearly and effectively. So, the next time you give a speech, make sure to incorporate these essential speech transitions and watch your message resonate with your audience.

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Speech Transitions: How to Word Them Effectively (17 Examples)

Do you think your audience notices the transition words you use during the speech? Probably not.

However, when presenting to an audience, you need your words and ideas to flow smoothly to ensure successful delivery. This retains the central idea and helps you hold the audience's attention.

Transition words enable such flow, allowing you to move effortlessly from one idea to the next.

Therefore, it is essential to learn various transition words for speeches and the right way to use them.

You must also understand the connection between body language and speech transitions and what pitfalls to avoid when making a presentation.

What Are Speech Transitions?

Speech transitions are tools to move from one part of a speech to the next. These words, phrases, or complete sentences help a presenter connect different ideas to make the speech coherent and exciting.

Instead of listing those ideas, a presentation needs to flow.

Introducing the next concept and showing that connection helps to deliver your message effectively. The alternative would be to send your audience a list of your ideas and save them a dull and incoherent speech.

Forming connections in a speech is essential since you need your words to link your ideas to form a message.

Therefore, you must show consequences, comparisons, examples, sequences, and conclusions. They allow you to guide the audience to see your argument by making your speech smooth and your expressions clear.

Think of speech transitions as the arrows on signposts , showing hikers which directions to follow to arrive at a predetermined destination.

With these arrows showing the way, your audience can arrive at your speech's core and main message.

What Are the Types of Transitions in Speeches?

Let us look at different types of speech transition words and phrases:

1. Transition Between Similar Ideas

As the name suggests, this transition connects two similar ideas by showing where one ends and the next begins.

This type of speech transition examples includes: likewise, similarly, in a similar way , etc.

2. Transition to Elaborate Upon an Idea

These help you emphasize an idea by providing more information about it. Examples include: in addition, furthermore, moreover, also, in other words , etc.

3. Transition Between Contrasting Ideas

This shows where one idea ends, and an opposing one begins.

Contrasting transition words and phrases set up the next point to support the final idea by showing consequence or urgency.

Examples include: however, on the other hand, conversely, on the contrary, on the other side, in contrast , etc.

4. Transition to a List or Numbered Points

These speech transitions help you deliver a list of items that would otherwise be numbered on paper. A typical example is numbering each point as you go down the list.

For example: first, second, third, firstly, secondly, thirdly , etc.

5. Transition to Emphasize a Cause-Effect Relationship

This transition shows how one idea depends on the next or how its existence determines the fate of the next.

Examples include: therefore, consequently, as a result, for that reason , etc.

6. Transition to Show a Supporting Example

This simple transition is powerful as it introduces an example to support and emphasize a point.

Examples include: for example, for instance, to illustrate this, as an example , etc.

7. Transition to a Supporting Demonstration

Your presentation may include a demonstration to highlight your points further. Therefore, you need to help the audience smoothly transition from listening to you to paying attention to the demonstration.

You could tell the audience, " Now that we've discussed the theory, let's see it in action. "

8. Transition Between the Main Speech Parts

You need to transition from the introduction to the main body to the conclusion . Typically, the introduction includes a brief breakdown of what your speech entails. That is, you'll let the audience know what to expect.

As you move to the main body, you can use speech transitions such as, " Let's begin, " " Let's get started, " etc.

When you reach your conclusion, you can wind down with " In summary, " " In conclusion ," "t o round off, " etc.

9. Transition to Raise an Earlier Point

Your speech may not flow from the beginning to the end in one straight line, and sometimes you may need to recap an earlier point for your address to resume its smooth flow or just to re-emphasize a point you need for your next part.

Examples include " let's return ," " let's revisit, " and " go back to …, etc.

Advanced Speech Transitions

The previous section covered most speech transitions. This section will focus on speech transition examples that apply when standing before an audience.

While you'll need the transitions mentioned above, how you execute them before an audience determines how engaging your speech will be.

Note that giving a speech allows you to elaborate more on transition words and phrases, unlike written communication.

Therefore, you're free to use phrases like " as an example, " " let us look at several examples, " etc.

In written communication, you need to use as few words as possible, such as " for example, " "f or instance, " etc.

Moreover, the use of longer transitions might smoothen your speech. Therefore, use longer phrase examples in your speech, but avoid going overboard with the word count.

1. Transition to Another Speaker

In a group presentation, preparing the audience for a speaker change is vital. Your flow will likely differ, so you need to allow the audience to switch gears.

Examples include, " my colleague will talk about our next topic, " " I now hand over the microphone to… ", etc.

2. Commanding Speech Transitions

Asking your audience to do something specific is powerful and helps you guide their information processing.

Examples include, " Listen to this, " " Guess what? ", " Pay attention to this, " etc. These initially seem subtle and are agreeable, making them practical guiding tools.

3. Empathy Speech Transitions

These appear to give the audience's perspective on your speech while subtly guiding their thought process where you wish.

Examples include, " Now, I know what you're thinking, " " You're probably asking yourself… ", etc.

While you don't necessarily know what the audience thinks, you can read their reaction to your point. It shows you're connected to them, and they, in turn, will feel the same way.

You can rely on logic and intuition to correctly guess what they are thinking based on your speech up to that point. If done correctly, this will further pique their interest and increase their attention.

4. Reveal a Significant Discovery

This speech transition works best when you want to state a significant point in the speech. It embodies the spirit of narration, where you want to reveal the big secret.

Examples include, " The results from the experiment were staggering, " " One witness shared the most chilling detail, " etc.

5. Highlight A Catch

This speech transition is similar to "However" in written communication.

Examples include, " But, there's a catch, " " That would have been a perfect conclusion, except… ", " Unfortunately, the prototype has one glaring flaw, " etc.

This transition jolts the audience's attention and sets them up for the next part.

6. How-To Speech Transition

This works best when you're ready to offer solutions in your presentation. The transition primes your audience to receive the solutions; you may even see some taking notes.

You could tell them, " Let me now teach you how to… ", " Here is how you too can attain similar success, " etc.

7. Curiosity-Inducing Speech Transitions

Sprinkling curiosity-inducing questions at intervals in your speech sustain the audience's attention. It also refocuses them on your main points and subtly reviews previous ones.

For example, you could ask them, " What's really going on here? ", " What's the aggressor's main motivation?" etc.

8. Stay With Me

When you get to complex sections of a technical presentation, you need to ensure your audience understands.

You can simplify the concepts as much as possible, but sometimes you must check in with them and encourage them. This speech transition reassures audience members and highlights where they need to pay the most attention.

Examples include " Stay with me, " " Stick with me, " etc.

You could also point to a presentation slide, use bold text for specific parts of the displayed text, etc.

Speech Transitions and Body Language

Your audience will shift attention between your presentation aids and your body. Presentation aids add to the quality of your speech, but your body language is more significant.

Therefore, you can capitalize on that attention through gestures to emphasize your points. For example, a finger wag could underline a critical issue.

Additionally, pointing to a specific figure on a presentation slide could focus attention and drive your point home.

Body language is powerful, and this stresses the need to prepare well for your speech , noting all crucial turns. At the very least, avoid standing still while talking on stage.

Hand and Arm Movements

Speech transitions pair well with hand and arm movements for emphasis. However, you need to avoid making it seem confrontational.

For example, too much finger wagging may seem like you're pointing at someone in the audience. It also seems aggressive. Instead, use open palms as this is more inviting and approachable.

In addition, use hand and arm movements sparingly, or reserve them for the main points.

You could even count your fingers when listing the main points in your summary to draw the audience's eyes to yourself and allow them to focus better on your points.

Walking on Stage

All Apple Event presentations, whether in person or streamed, are perfect examples of the power of walking on stage.

Every presenter ensures they move about on stage, further emphasizing their point. They sustain the audience's attention and combine hand gestures when making the main points.

These presenters learned from the best; Apple's founding father, Steve Jobs . While his technology continues to dominate today, his speeches contributed significantly to those devices' acceptance and profits.

He would walk forward when making a positive remark and backward when stating a contradictory argument. He would walk left or right when explaining how something about the device works.

The movements were well timed , ending near his presentation slide when he needed to refer to something on the screen.

While seemingly random at first, your subconscious would pick the rhythm of his movements. You were soon engrossed in the speech, grasping every detail he intended.

Suddenly stopping in the middle of the stage and saying, " Pay attention to this, " " Guess what the research revealed, " " What we saw was shocking, " etc., was a powerful way he used to highlight your next point.

Other Body Language Factors

Other body language tools, such as facial expressions or mood changes, are equally powerful alongside speech transitions.

For example, you can smile before sharing some good news or appear serious when sharing some grave news.

You could even do something unexpected, like removing your reading glasses and saying, "Let me be frank with you guys."

Vary your tone as the speech unfolds to capture and guide your audience's attention. If done right, you could even affect their emotions and emotional reactions to your main points.

Transition Pitfalls You Need to Avoid

Poorly executed speech transitions will alter the meaning of your message and put off your audience. Here are the main ones:

Miscount Transition: This entails counting your main points but failing to follow a specific order and style.

For example, first, second, third, four, five, next, etc. Reserve counting for the summary section, where you can line up the points nicely. Additionally, avoid counting when there are subsections to your main points.

Incompatible Transition: An example is when you wish to contradict the previous point but end up stating some examples. The relationship between the first part of your sentence and the rest of it will make no sense to your audience.

Missing Transition: A poor and common way to fail at using transitions is not to use them. Switching from one point to the next with nothing to connect them only frustrates your audience.

Tangential Transition: These transitions excite the audience or help you fit in an incidental yet essential point.

However, they break from your flow and introduce new information while you're still transmitting the last part.

Reserve those for informal gatherings among friends where the more tangents your speech takes, the more interesting it is.

Speech transitions are vital components of any public speaking endeavor. They bring flow and logic to your speech and guide the audience's attention.

When used well, you'll make the audience arrive at specific conclusions and take particular actions afterward.

This article shares some of the best speech transitions to make your speeches memorable and meaningful.

Related: How to write a Speech Outline (with Examples)

Transitions in a speech or presentation

Mannerofspeaking.

• May 12, 2019

Have you ever been in the audience listening to a speaker and found yourself lost? You weren’t exactly sure where the speaker was going or how the different points in a speech were connected?

There are many possible reasons for such a situation, but one of them is faulty, or non-existent, transitions.

What is a transition?

Transitions are words or sentences that help your audience understand the flow of your speech or presentation. They make it easy for your audience to follow along.

A transition is a signpost that tells the audience where you are going, just like signposts along the highway tell you which direction you are heading. W hen a speaker says, “You’ve seen what the product can do, let’s now look at market opportunity”, the audience knows that the speaker is leaving one topic and moving on to the next.

A transition can be a single word or a phrase or even a sentence or two. It connects one idea to another and helps the audience follow along. Never forget the curse of knowledge . Things that are obvious to you will not necessarily be obvious to your audience. Transitions can help.

Types of Transitions

There are many types of transitions in a speech or presentation. Below are some of the most common ones, with examples.

The overview

This transition is used to go from the opening of a talk (during which you should have grabbed the audience’s attention) to the main part.

• Today, we will look at the reasons for [X] and what we can do about it.
• In the next 45 minutes, I will share with you four ways that you can [X].
• As a team, we need to [X] for the following three reasons …

Moving between main points

These transitions are used to signal a change between one point and another. Too often, they are absent and the different points blur together.

• The first reason is [X]; the second reason is [Y]; the third reason is [Z]
• Now that we’ve seen the problem, let’s see how we can solve it.
• That was the past; let’s look at what we have planned for the future.

Comparison of similar ideas

Sometimes you will want to compare ideas that are the same or similar. A simple transition can help.

• Likewise …
• Similarly …
• In the same manner …
• In the same way …
• We can also see this …

Comparison contrasting ideas

When comparing contrasting or conflicting ideas, transitions are important to signal a counterargument.

• However …
• But …
• On the other hand …
• On the contrary …
• Nevertheless …
• Notwithstanding the forgoing …

Expanding on a point

If you use several reasons to support a point, transitions such as these are useful:

• Furthermore …
• In addition …
• On top of the that …
• Also …

For emphasis

When you reach a key moment in your presentation, it is essential that the audience understand how important it is.

• And the most important reason is …
• Most importantly …
• Even if we put aside all the other reasons …
• Above all else …

Discussing consequences

If you are discussing a causal relationship between two things or events, use transitions such as the following:

• Therefore …
• As a result …
• As a consequence …
• For these reasons …

To conclude

It is important to transition smoothly from the main body of your speech or presentation to the conclusion. Depending on how long or complex your talk was, you may wish to repeat the main points that you covered.

• In conclusion …
• In summary …
• To sum up …
• I’d like to leave you with …

A word about team presentations

Transitions in a team presentation are important and something that must be practiced. Why? Because the way in which a team performs on stage sends a signal to the audience about the cohesiveness of the team members.

I tell my clients that when the audience watches a team presentation, it wants to see one team , not two or three or four individuals. Yet mistakes are made all the time.

Too often, a speaker will finish his part of the presentation and just signal to his partner to come on stage without a word. Or he will say something banal such as, “I’ll now hand over to my colleague.” It doesn’t look good and it can easily be avoided.

The key points to cover in a transition to the another speaker are as follows:

• Brief conclusion of your part
• Name and position of the next speaker

– If speaking to an audience of strangers, use the first and last name

– If speaking to an audience that already knows the team, you can drop the last name and possibly the position

• Brief statement about what they will cover

A good format is as follows: “I’ve shown you [X]. I’d like to hand over to [NAME and POSITION] to talk about [Y].

Here are some examples:

• “I’ve shown you the challenges that the new legislation poses. Sara Jones, the Head of our Accounting Department, will discuss the steps we’ve taken to adapt.”  
• “Now that you’ve heard the reasons for the office move, I’d like to invite Martin Smith, our logistics expert, to explain what we have to do next.”
• “I’ve set out the cost-benefit analysis of the first option. Melanie will now do the same for the second option.”

“In conclusion”

Transitions in a speech or presentation are like the stitching in a fine suit or dress. They take up a relatively small part of the whole and when they work well, you don’t really notice them. But when they are loose and of poor quality, they stick out.

You want your suit or dress to be stitched together properly. You should want the same thing for your speech or presentation.

Like this article?

It’s useful to have all the ideas you listed for transitional phrases, so thanks for sharing. I’d go as far as to say that (as well as the opening and closing) transitions are worth working out in advance, and rehearsing or even scripting. That’s because they’re key to how cohesive and persuasive your whole argument is.

I agree, Craig. All transitions are important. But they are too often overlooked.

Very useful

Pure gold, John!

I call these signposts because they help your audience walk through your reasoning with you.

The only one I hope I never hear is: “Notwithstanding the forgoing” 🤣

Thanks, Lisa. Yes, signposting is the hallmark of a professional speaker.

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Speech Transitions: Magical Words and Phrases

When listening to a speech, have you ever:

• wondered “how does this relate to that ?”
• felt the speaker jumped randomly from one point to the next?
• gotten totally lost?

If you’ve experienced any of these, there’s a very good chance that the speaker failed to use appropriate speech transitions.

In this article, we define speech transitions and learn why they are so critical. In addition, we provide dozens of speech transition examples that you can incorporate into your speech.

What are speech transitions?

Speech transitions are magical words and phrases that help your argument flow smoothly . They often consist of a single transition word or a short transition phrase, but occasionally form an entire sentence. In a written speech, speech transitions are generally found at the start of paragraphs.

Speech transitions smooth over the boundary between two ideas, and  reveal the relationship between the words just spoken and those about to be spoken. In this way, speech transitions help your audience understand your message.

Types of Speech Transitions

There are many types of speech transitions. Each type highlights a different verbal relationship. For example, one type of transition highlights the contrast between two different ideas.

Each of these types is itemized below. For each type, we list a few of the many possible words and phrases. Can you think of others?

1. Transition between Similar Ideas or Points

• Likewise …
• Similarly …
• This is just like …
• In a similar way …
• We see the same thing if we consider …

“ Speech transitions smooth over the boundary between two ideas, and reveal the relationship between the words just spoken and those about to be spoken. ”

2. Transition between Contrasting Ideas or Points

• However …
• Conversely …
• On the contrary …
• On the other side …
• On the other hand …
• If we flip that around …
• Yet, we cannot ignore …
• The opposing argument …
• If we examine the opposite side, we see …

3. Transition to elaborate upon an idea

• Also …
• Moreover …
• In addition …
• Furthermore …
• In other words …
• Not only that, but …

4. Transition to Numbered Ideas or Points (or Process Steps)

• First … (The first step is …)
• Second … (The second step is …)
• Third … (The third step is …)
• Last … (The last step is …)

5. Transition to show Cause-Effect Relationship

• Therefore …
• As a result …
• Consequently …
• For that reason …
• This is important because …

6. Transition to a Supporting Example

• For instance …
• For example …
• As an example …
• To illustrate this …
• What’s an example of this? …
• But does this happen in real life? Yes …

7. Transition to a Supporting Demonstration

• Now that we’ve covered the theory, let’s see it in action …
• To reinforce what we’ve learned, let’s see a demonstration …
• I’ve prepared a demonstration to show how this works.
• Let’s see a demonstration which applies what we’ve learned.

“ When executed well, speech transitions help make a speech understandable. When executed poorly, speech transitions can obscure meaning and frustrate audiences. ”

8. Transition to a Supporting Quotation

• X  said: …
• In 1968, X said: …
• This idea was expressed clearly by  X  who said …

9. Transition from Introduction into Speech Body

• Let’s begin …
• To get started, let’s examine …
• Let’s get started talking about …
• Now that we’ve given an overview, let’s start with …

10. Transition from Speech Body into Conclusion

For a short speech, you might conclude with a single statement:

• In short …
• In summary …
• In conclusion …

In a longer presentation, your conclusion might include a review of a the key points:

• Let’s summarize the key lessons …
• Let’s recap what we’ve covered today …

11. Transition to Another Speaker

In a team presentation, it is necessary to transfer control between speakers.

The abrupt way to do this is to simply have one person stop talking, and then have the other person start talking. It is much smoother, however, to pass the verbal baton to the next speaker (X):

• To talk about our next topic, we have X …
• I’ll pass the microphone to X who will describe …
• To guide us through a demonstration of this, we have X …

12. Transition Back to an Earlier Point

There are many occasions when you need to jump back to an earlier idea to add additional information. e.g. after a break, following an exercise, or returning from an unplanned interruption

• Let’s return …
• Let’s revisit …
• Let’s go back to …
• We introduced  X  earlier; let’s explore that further now.

Avoid Faulty Transitions

When executed well, speech transitions help make a speech understandable.

When executed poorly, speech transitions can obscure meaning and frustrate audiences.

Beware these four types of faulty transitions:

• Miscount Transition This faulty transition occurs when a speaker begins counting main points, but does not do so consistently. (e.g. First, Second, Next, Next, Third, Third, …) Faulty counting can also occur when a speaker tries to number both the main points and the sub-points and gets mixed up.
• Incompatible Transition This faulty transition occurs when a speaker uses a transition word or phrase which does not match the relationship. (e.g. they start with the word “however”, but they follow it with an example) Imagine the confusion you would cause if you signalled to the left, but then turned your car right. Incompatible transitions cause the same problem; your audience is expecting one thing, but you head off confusingly in a different direction.
• Tangential Transition Transitional phrases like “That reminds me…”, “Ironically…”, or “As an aside…” are dangerous because they often lead to an off-topic diversion which blurs the focus of the speech and wastes time for you and your audience. Just. Don’t. Do. It.
• Missing Transition This faulty transition is the most common of all. It occurs when a speaker abruptly changes from one point to another without using any transition words or phrases. The audience is left confused and lost because points get mashed together and critical relationships are obscured.

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13 comments.

Wonderful summary of transitions! Thank you so much for the article.

Hi Andrew, how useful! I always see transitions like signposts point the audience in the direction that I want to go next, but some of these will be really useful at other times during a speech, thanks these will be a great resource. Recently, when speaking on a sensitive subject where I had pointed out a number of problems which the audience identified with i transitioned to the solution section by saying, “isn’t it good to know we are not the first people to have suffered with these issues and questions,” people were then expecting a move towards a solution phase and it worked well. I will keep these as a reference for the future, thanks!

Indeed. Transitional words and phrases are minor signposts. I have a broader definition of signposts, however, which I plan to expand upon in a future article.

Excellent post, Andrew. I’ve definitely witnessed too many presentation with disjointed ideas and seemingly no connection to the subject matter, leaving me with that “What’s he talking about?” feeling.

One additional thought about (#11) “Transitioning to Another Speaker” – which I often do in my workshops. Rather than announcing that you’re about to pass the mic to Speaker X, you can actually set them up for success using one of the other transition types. For instance: (#7)- “We’ve now discussed a method for delivering effective feedback, let’s see it in action”… pass the mic. (#9)- “We know we want our employees to be motivated, let’s explore some practical ways we can inspire our team to achieve greater levels of success”… pass the mic. In each example, we’re handing the ball off (or throwing an Alley-oop pass) to Speaker X for a smoother (and less abrupt transition). It can be incredibly effective. Good stuff!

Yes, the other transition examples can absolutely be used to transition to another speaker.

It is so important to be consistent with the way one enumerates their points. For example, we don’t say first, then, finally but first, second, and third. That way the audience is not confused about when the speaker is near to completing his/her well organized speech. Excellent article!

Great guide Mr Dlugan. This is going to be very helpful for my comibg presentations this semester. Thank you.

Excelent !!!

Dear Andrew,

Thank you for this very useful succinct guide.

Regarding tangential transitions, digressional matter –even if only contextually and even if vaguely related– can be inserted in the form of a diverticulum in the flow of text or speech, with the purposely intention of weaseling in something tangentially related, but of paramount importance to the writer or speaker.

A “By the way,…” introduction to the diverticulum does smooth fairly well any abruptness in the transition. as it makes it illusively look or sound as appropriately parenthetical matter.

And, when done with the digression, flow can be reinstated with a frank and explicit “Back on track,…” return-call transition.

I have obtained miracles with the “By the way,…” and “Back on track,…” pair, even if talking about “oranges” and introducing an “apples” diverticulum…when what I actually had for sale was “apples “, not “oranges “. I know, it is a brazen “blow below the belt”, but in some particular instances, it is a pressing necessity which has to be, ineludibly, addressed.

This helped me a lot with all of my transitions through my whole speech

Thank you for this it really helped me.

Oh my goodness, Thank you so much! I really needed this for my speech!

Thanks so much for the most amazing experience i had missed it for a long time i am now able to make an exciting presentation. Thanks

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Practical Media Training and Public Speaking Tips

7 Ways to Use Transitions During Your Presentation

“You are here!”  

Those three words, found on maps everywhere from highway rest stops and shopping malls to tourist sites and hiking trails, capture your attention instantly, as they’re designed to do. They immediately orient you to where you are and help you spot, with ease, where you’re about to go.

There is a tool you can use during your presentation that plays a similar role – transitions. They serve as spoken you are here!  signs, connecting distinct ideas, topics, or tones, and guiding your audience from one point to another.

Transitions can be a word, phrase, question, or statement. They can be subtle or overt, smooth or abrupt, gradual or purposefully shocking – whichever best serves your intention.

Without them, audiences can feel as lost as travelers without a map. As an added bonus, they also can help you to round up the stragglers. Used as a way to break the pattern , verbal transitions can reengage audience members whose attention may have wandered.

7 Ways to Use Transitions in Your Talk

1. to elaborate.

• “For example …” 
• “In addition …” 
• “A recent experience by one of my patients serves as an excellent illustration of this concept …” 

2. Highlight a key message

• “The important point here is that …”
• “More than anything, we’ve learned that …”

3. Link similar ideas

• “In the same way …”
• “Just as Department A was slow to respond to the problem, a similar critique could be made of department B, because …”

4. Move from one section to another

• “That brings us to point number two.”
• “Now you know the challenges we are up against. I’m going to take the next 10 minutes to focus on how we are going to overcome them.”

5. Summarize or highlight relevance

• “So, what can we learn from all that?”
• “I’m telling you all this because …”

6. Introduce conflict

• “However …”
• “Critics see this issue differently …”

7. Indicate next steps or set up your call to action

• “Here’s our challenge …” 
• “Where does that leave us today?”
• “You’ve heard the reasons why you need to reduce stress. Before you head out the door, I’m going to give you three simple, everyday actions that lead a more stress-less life.”

Recapturing Attention  

Yes, we are sneaking in an eighth way verbal transitions can make for a better presentation. They have the power to snap your audience back to attention. It’s a strategy familiar to experienced radio hosts and podcasters, who use transitions to regain attention from members of their audience whose focus may have drifted.

Just imagine listening to the radio when the host says, “But even more than that, the  most surprising thing I learned was ….”  At that moment, are you really  going to switch to a different station? Or are you going to stay tuned to hear the most surprising thing?

Lines such as these will recapture your wayward travelers:

• “But that’s not our real problem …”
• “For years, we’ve been told this is best the way to recover from heart surgery. I am here to tell you that’s wrong …”
• “I’m about to let you in on a secret …”
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Using Transition Phrases to Keep Your Audience Engrossed in Your Presentation

• By THE NEWMAN GROUP INC.

Many won’t be able to resist the temptation to take a peek at their smart phones. So how do you keep your audience involved and following the discussion?

Transition Phrases

Savvy speakers use Transition/Linking Phrases as the glue that holds their thoughts together so they can move seamlessly from one point to another.

It’s important to organize your presentation so that everything supports one main idea. Develop two to three key headlines to support that idea and then further elaborate with facts, anecdotes, case studies, visuals and other evidence.

Also including transitions to connect sentences and key messages will help the audience move from idea to idea. Transitions can make or break your presentation. Linking phrases can turn your presentation into a unified whole.

Transitions can also be tricky. You need to use words other than “but,” “however,” and “in addition.” The words you use will serve as punctuation marks and entice the audience to listen to your next points. Keep giving them the road map to follow throughout your presentation.

After you’ve introduced your main theme, consider the following transition phrases to get started:

• I’d like to support­­­­____from three main aspects…
• I’d like to discuss____from these three fundamental points of view…
• Let’s cover____with three essential elements in mind…

Getting From Here to There

Launch your first key message with a phrase that says it’s your first point:

• First, lets start with…
• My first point covers…
• I will talk first about…

Stick to that “chunk” of content and don’t jump to your other key messages until you conclude with a phrase like:

• Moving on to our next area of interest…
• Now, I’d like to discuss…
• Our next important element is…

Or, it could just be that it’s getting close to lunch and people are restless. Whatever the reason, you’ve got to regain their attention. So pause, and give them a chance to get back in sync with you.

When finished with presenting your key messages, repeat them, beginning with a phrase such as, “I’ve just covered the three most important points about…”

  The Closer

Now the audience is ready for your closing remarks. Please don’t use, “In conclusion…” because that’s the signal you’ve come to the end of your presentation and it’s OK to mentally tune out.

Instead, keep them listening with a more compelling phrase such as:

• What I want you to take away from…
• The thought I’d like to leave you with…
• I strongly recommend that…

Call to Action

Don’t just say, “Thanks for listening” when you’re finished. Preface that with what you want the audience to do after the presentation. Include a call to action:

• What I’d like to ask you to do now…
• Can I ask for your support in…
• My intention today is to convince you to take the next step and…

Transition phrases are the audience’s lifeline to your presentation. Choose them carefully so that your audience knows exactly where you are at any point in time. They will also help to keep you on track, so that you don’t begin wandering off topic and lose your own sense of direction.

Are there transition phrases that you use in your presentations that you find particularly effective? Please leave us a comment. We’d love to know what they are.

Related articles

• Transitive Verbs (englishpost.org)
• How to Adapt to Your Audience and Develop and Effective Presentation (ronakb1.wordpress.com)
• How to Introduce the Speaker Without it Sounding Like an Obituary (presenting-yourself.com)
• Using Jargon and Acronyms Can Leave Your Audience in the Dark (presenting-yourself.com)

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• Transition sentences | Tips & examples for clear writing

Transition Sentences | Tips & Examples for Clear Writing

Published on June 9, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Clear transitions are crucial to clear writing: They show the reader how different parts of your essay, paper, or thesis are connected. Transition sentences can be used to structure your text and link together paragraphs or sections.

… In this case, the researchers concluded that the method was unreliable.

However , evidence from a more recent study points to a different conclusion . …

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Table of contents

Transitioning between paragraphs, transitioning to a new section, transitions within a paragraph, other interesting articles.

When you start a new paragraph , the first sentence should clearly express:

• What this paragraph will discuss
• How it relates to the previous paragraph

The examples below show some examples of transition sentences between paragraphs and what they express.

Placement of transition sentences

The beginning of a new paragraph is generally the right place for a transition sentence. Each paragraph should focus on one topic, so avoid spending time at the end of a paragraph explaining the theme of the next one.

The first dissenter to consider is …

However, several scholars dissent from this consensus. The first one to consider is …

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While transitions between paragraphs are generally a single sentence, when you start a new section in a longer text, you may need an entire transition paragraph. Transitioning to a new section involves summarizing the content of the previous section and expressing how the new one will build upon or depart from it.

For example, the following sentences might be an effective transition for a new section in a literary analysis essay.

Having established that the subjective experience of time is one of Mann’s key concerns in The Magic Mountain , it is now possible to explore how this theme facilitates the novel’s connection with World War I. The war itself is not narrated in the book, but rather hinted at as something awaiting Castorp beyond the final pages. In this way, Mann links his protagonist’s subjective experience of time to more than just his illness; it is also used to explore the period leading up to the outbreak of war.

As in academic writing generally, aim to be as concise as you can while maintaining clarity: If you can transition to a new section clearly with a single sentence, do so, but use more when necessary.

It’s also important to use effective transitions within each paragraph you write, leading the reader through your arguments efficiently and avoiding ambiguity.

The known-new contract

The order of information within each of your sentences is important to the cohesion of your text. The known-new contract , a useful writing concept, states that a new sentence should generally begin with some reference to information from the previous sentence, and then go on to connect it to new information.

In the following example, the second sentence doesn’t follow very clearly from the first. The connection only becomes clear when we reach the end.

By reordering the information in the second sentence so that it begins with a reference to the first, we can help the reader follow our argument more smoothly.

Note that the known-new contract is just a general guideline. Not every sentence needs to be structured this way, but it’s a useful technique if you’re struggling to make your sentences cohere.

Transition words and phrases

Using appropriate transition words helps show your reader connections within and between sentences. Transition words and phrases come in four main types:

• Additive transitions, which introduce new information or examples
• Adversative transitions, which signal a contrast or departure from the previous text
• Causal transitions, which are used to describe cause and effect
• Sequential transitions, which indicate a sequence

The table below gives a few examples for each type:

Grouping similar information

While transition words and phrases are essential, and every essay will contain at least some of them, it’s also important to avoid overusing them. One way to do this is by grouping similar information together so that fewer transitions are needed.

For example, the following text uses three transition words and jumps back and forth between ideas. This makes it repetitive and difficult to follow.

Rewriting it to group similar information allows us to use just one transition, making the text more concise and readable.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Writing Studio

Common transition words and phrases.

In an effort to make our handouts more accessible, we have begun converting our PDF handouts to web pages. Download this page as a PDF: Transitions Return to Writing Studio Handouts

Transitions clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. These tools should alert readers to shifts in your argument while and also maintain the smoothness and clarity of your prose. Below, you’ll find some of the most commonly used transition categories and examples of each. Depending on the example, these suggestions may be within sentences or at the beginning of sentences.

Transitions by Category

1. addition.

Use when presenting multiple ideas that flow in the same direction, under the same heading/ idea also, another, finally, first, first of all, for one thing, furthermore, in addition, last of all, likewise, moreover, next, and, second, the third reason

2. Sequence/ Order

Use to suggest a temporal relationship between ideas; places evidence in sequence first, second (etc.), next, last, finally, first of all, concurrently, immediately, prior to, then, at that time, at this point, previously, subsequently, and then, at this time, thereafter, previously, soon, before, after, followed by, after that, next, before, after, meanwhile, formerly, finally, during

3. Contrast

Use to demonstrate differences between ideas or change in argument direction but, however, in contrast, on the other hand, on the contrary, yet, differ, difference, balanced against, differing from, variation, still, on the contrary, unlike, conversely, otherwise, on the other hand, however

4. Exception

Use to introduce an opposing idea however, whereas, on the other hand, while, instead, in spite of, yet, despite, still, nevertheless, even though, in contrast, but, but one could also say…

5. Comparison

Use to demonstrate similarities between ideas that may not be under the same subject heading or within the same paragraph like, likewise, just, in a different way / sense, whereas, like, equally, in like manner, by comparison, similar to, in the same way, alike, similarity, similarly, just as, as in a similar fashion, conversely

6. Illustration

Use to develop or clarify an idea, to introduce examples, or to show that the second idea is subordinate to the first for example, to illustrate, on this occasion, this can be seen, in this case, specifically, once, to illustrate, when/where, for instance, such as, to demonstrate, take the case of, in this case

7. Location

Use to show spatial relations next to, above, below, beneath, left, right, behind, in front, on top, within

8. Cause and Effect

Use to show that one idea causes, or results from, the idea that follows or precedes it because, therefore, so that, cause, reason, effect, thus, consequently, since, as a result, if…then, result in

9. Emphasis

Use to suggest that an idea is particularly important to your argument important to note, most of all, a significant factor, a primary concern, a key feature, remember that, pay particular attention to, a central issue, the most substantial issue, the main value, a major event, the chief factor, a distinctive quality, especially valuable, the chief outcome, a vital force, especially relevant, most noteworthy, the principal item, above all, should be noted

10. Summary or Conclusion

Use to signal that what follows is summarizing or concluding the previous ideas; in humanities papers, use these phrases sparingly. to summarize, in short, in brief, in sum, in summary, to sum up, in conclusion, to conclude, finally

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .” 

Writing Effective Sentence Transitions (Advanced)

Transitions are the rhetorical tools that clarify the logic of your argument by orienting your reader as you develop ideas between sentences and paragraphs. The ability to integrate sentence transitions into your prose, rather than simply throwing in overt transition signals like “in addition,” indicates your mastery of the material. (Note: The visibility of transitions may vary by discipline; consult with your professor to get a better sense of discipline or assignment specific expectations.)

Transition Signals

Transition signals are words or phrases that indicate the logic connecting sets of information or ideas. Signals like therefore, on the other hand, for example, because, then, and afterwards can be good transition tools at the sentence and paragraph level. When using these signals, be conscious of the real meaning of these terms; they should reflect the actual relationship between ideas.

Review Words

Review words are transition tools that link groups of sentences or whole paragraphs. They condense preceding discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just completed a detailed discussion about the greenhouse effect. To transition to the next topic, you could use review words like “this heat-trapping process” to refer back to the green house effect discussion. The relative ability to determine a cogent set of review words might signal your own understanding of your work; think of review words as super-short summaries of key ideas.

Preview words

Preview words condense an upcoming discussion into a brief word or phrase. For example: You’ve just explained how heat is trapped in the earth’s atmosphere. Transitioning to the theory that humans are adding to that effect, you could use preview words like “sources of additional CO2 in the atmosphere include” to point forward to that discussion.

Transition Sentences

The strongest and most sophisticated tools, transition sentences indicate the connection between the preceding and upcoming pieces of your argument. They often contain one or more of the above transition tools. For example: You’ve just discussed how much CO2 humans have added to the atmosphere. You need to transition to a discussion of the effects. A strong set of transition sentences between the two sections might sound like this:

“These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere may lead to a number of disastrous consequences for residents of planet earth. The rise in global temperature that accompanies the extra CO2 can yield effects as varied as glacial melting and species extinction.”

In the first sentence, the review words are “These large amounts of CO2 added to the atmosphere”; the preview words are “number of disastrous consequences”; the transition signals are “may lead to.” The topic sentence of the next paragraph indicates the specific “disastrous consequences” you will discuss.

If you don’t see a way to write a logical, effective transition between sentences, ideas or paragraphs, this might indicate organizational problems in your essay; you might consider revising your work.

Some material adapted from Cal Poly Pomona College Reading Skills Program  and “ Power Tools for Technical Communication .”

Last revised: 07/2008 | Adapted for web delivery: 05/2021

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Conclusion transition words: Phrases for summarizing and ending

Transition words help us structure our thoughts and guide the reader or listener through what we are saying. When it’s time to summarize your message or end a paragraph, conclusion transition words let you signal this closing.

It’s good to know some synonyms for ‘in conclusion’ and ‘to conclude’, because although these are good examples of concluding words, they can get repetitive.

Our comprehensive list of transition words for conclusion and summary should give you all the inspiration you need, whether you are writing an essay or speech, or just want to become more confident forming an argument. These signal words can also be helpful for restating ideas, drawing attention to key points as you conclude.

We have included plenty of examples of how you can use these transition words for concluding paragraphs or sentences, so by the end of this article, you should be clear on how to use them properly.

Conclusion transition words with examples

We have grouped these summarizing and concluding transition words according to how and where they can be used. For example, some should only be used when forming a final conclusion, whereas others can be used to summarize sections mid-way through your speech or writing.

First, let’s be clear about the difference between a summary and a conclusion .

Summary vs conclusion

A conclusion comes at the end of a speech, chapter, or piece of text, and it brings together all of the points mentioned. A summary, however, can be placed anywhere (even at the beginning). A summary gives a brief outline of the main points but is not as in-depth as a conclusion.

If you are giving a presentation or writing a blog, you may wish to summarize the main points in your introduction so that people know what you are going to cover. You could also summarize a section part-way through before moving on to another angle or topic.

In contrast, the conclusion always comes at the end, and you should only use specific conclusion transition words as you are drawing to a close.

Transition words for conclusion paragraphs

Let’s begin with some discourse markers that signal you are moving to the concluding paragraph in your presentation, speech, essay, or paper. These can all be used to start a conclusion paragraph.

• In conclusion
• To conclude
• We can conclude that
• Given these points
• In the final analysis
• As can be seen
• In the long run
• When all is said and done
• I’ll end by
• As we draw to a close

The last three on this list, the ‘closing’ transition words, would generally only be used in spoken discourse.

Some transition words for order and sequencing should also help with structuring what you want to say, including the ending.

Example conclusion sentences

The following sentences show how to use conclusion words correctly:

• In conclusion , we can say that plan A will be of greater benefit to the company.
• When all is said and done , it’s clear that we should steer clear of this investment strategy.
• Given these points , I believe the trial was a great success.
• I’ll end by reminding you all that this experiment was just the beginning of a much larger project.
• To wrap up , let’s look at how this learning can be applied.
• In the long run , we will make more profit by investing heavily in new machinery.
• Having analyzed seven of our competitors in detail, we can conclude that our content marketing strategy should be updated.

Transition words for summary

The following summary transition words may be used as part of a conclusion paragraph, but they are especially helpful for concisely drawing together several points.

• To summarize
• On the whole
• Generally speaking
• All things considered
• In a nutshell (informal)
• In any case

Note that although you can insert summary transition words anywhere, the specific phrases ‘In summary’, ‘To summarize’ and ‘To sum up’ are generally only used at the end, similar to conclusion phrases.

Example summary sentences

• In brief , this presentation is going to cover the pros and cons of the device and how we can apply this to our own product development.
• This new technology is, in a word , revolutionary.
• All things considered , we found that Berlin was a great city for a weekend break.
• To summarize , we can say that Shakespeare’s writing continues to have a global influence.
• We can say that the combustion engine was, on the whole , a good invention.
• In any case , we should put the necessary precautions in place.
• Generally speaking , girls are more thoughtful than boys.

Transition words to end a paragraph

You may wish to add ending transition words in the final sentence of a paragraph to conclude the ideas in that section of text, before moving on to another point.

Here are some transition words to conclude a paragraph:

• This means that
• With this in mind
• By and large
• For the most part

Note that some of these could equally be used to begin a new paragraph, so long as that paragraph is summarizing the points previously mentioned.

Cause and effect transition words could also be helpful in this context.

Examples of transition words for the end of a paragraph

• Jamie is a vegan and Sheryl has a lot of allergies. This means that we should be careful which restaurant we choose.
• The weather forecast said it would rain this afternoon. With this in mind , should we postpone our hike?
• Each of the students has their own opinion about where to go for the field trip. Ultimately , though, it’s the teacher who will decide.

Restating points as you conclude

Conclusion transition words can also signal that you are restating a point you mentioned earlier. This is common practice in both writing and speaking as it draws the reader or listener’s attention back to something you want them to keep in mind. These are, therefore, also examples of transition words for emphasizing a point .

Here are some helpful transition words for concluding or summarizing by restating points:

• As mentioned previously
• As stated earlier
• As has been noted
• As shown above
• As I have said
• As I have mentioned
• As we have seen
• As has been demonstrated

You may switch most of these between the passive and active voice, depending on which is most appropriate. For example, ‘As has been demonstrated’ could become ‘As I have demonstrated’ and ‘As shown above’ could become ‘As I have shown’.

Example sentences to restate a point in conclusion or summary

• As I stated earlier , the only way we can get meaningful results from this survey is by including at least a thousand people.
• As has been demonstrated throughout this conference, there are exciting things happening in the world of neuroscience.
• As shown by this study, the trials have been promising.

If you were researching these transition words for concluding an essay, you might find it helpful to read this guide to strong essay conclusions . Of course, there are many ways to use summary transition words beyond essays. They may be a little formal for casual conversation, but they certainly can be used in speech as part of a presentation, debate, or argument.

Can you think of any other concluding words or phrases that should be on this list? Leave a comment below to share them!

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French Transition Words: A Key to Improve Your Communication

Learn the most useful transition words in french, with lists and examples., i want to learn....

The use of French transition words is an important part of the elegant and sophisticated French writing tradition. Perhaps more than other languages, French has developed a set of standards that should be followed to make writing not only more fluent and clear, but also more elegant. The use of transition words, or connectives, belongs to these standards, but it is also essential to express meaning clearly.

We use connectives all the time when we speak in order to connect sentences and ideas and explain things. However, transition words are especially useful in writing, to give texts a clear structure, to build logical and believable arguments, and to connect ideas properly. Ça va sans dire (it goes without saying), transition words are especially important when writing essays in French!

Knowing a variety of transition words and being able to use them correctly will significantly improve your ability to express ideas clearly, both in speaking and writing, and to better communicate in French .

In this article, we provide a selection of the most useful French transition words and phrases , presented with example sentences to put them in context.

Need some help to advance your French communication skills?

Discover lots of useful vocabulary and get plenty of writing practice with personalized advice on Busuu’s free online courses.

French transition words and phrases

Transition words are called ‘connecteurs’ in French. Transition words in French are used to connect sentences and parts of the text according to the links between those elements. These can be, for example, links that express a cause, consequence, additional idea, explanation, and so on. Connectives can thus be grouped according to their function or the idea that they express.

We will present a group of transition words in each section of this article with a table. In each table you will find the French transition words, the English equivalent (or equivalents), examples in French with an English translation, and tips on how to use them, when needed.

Transitions of addition

Among the most basic French transition words are the ones that express the idea of addition. In English this function is covered by words like ‘and,’ ‘moreover’ and ‘as well as.’

French transition words list: addition

Transitions of contrast

The transition words in this group are extremely common, and they are used to contrast two parts of a sentence or text. In English, these are words like ‘but,’ ‘however’ and ‘though.’

French transition words list: contrast

Transitions showing cause

The transition words in this section are used to indicate that one thing causes another. In English, these are words like ‘because’ and ‘since.’

French transition words list: cause

Transitions showing aim or purpose

These transition words are used to explain the purpose or goal of an action, similar to the connectives ‘to,’ ‘in order to’ and ‘so that’ in English.

French transition words list: aim or purpose

Transitions to show a consequence

This set of connectives is used to explain a consequence – in English, these are words like ‘so,’ ‘as a consequence’ and ‘therefore.’

French transition words list: consequence

Transitions of time

This group of transition words is used to show time relationships between two sentences or parts of a sentence.

French transition words list: time

Transitions to make a list or put events in order

These words and phrases are typically used to indicate a succession of events. Another important function of these transition words is to create a list or series, which is essential to writing an essay and especially to organizing an argument.

French transition words list: succession or listing

Transitions of concession

This set of transition words express the idea of concession, which means that they introduce a point that seems to weaken the main idea, but then provide another contrasting point that supports the main idea.

French transition words list: concession

Transitions of comparison

The transition words introduced in this section are useful to explain and illustrate a point.

French transition words list: comparison

In conclusion, being able to use a variety of transition words is essential to achieving effective communication in both spoken and written French. Whether you need to connect ideas, express contrast, or list the points of an argument, French transition words will allow you to structure and express your ideas clearly.

In this article we’ve provided you with the most useful sets of connectives. By mastering these, you can enrich your language repertoire and make your French smoother and more sophisticated.

Don’t stop here – it’s time to transition to something new!

Explore tons of fun and engaging content on the Busuu language learning app, crafted by language experts and supported by a lively community of native speakers.

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OpenAI, Still Haunted by Its Chaotic Past, Is Trying to Grow Up

The maker of ChatGPT is struggling to transform itself into a profit-driven company while satisfying worries about the safety of artificial intelligence.

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By Cade Metz and Mike Isaac

Reporting from San Francisco

OpenAI, the often troubled standard-bearer of the tech industry’s push into artificial intelligence, is making substantial changes to its management team, and even how it is organized, as it courts investments from some of the wealthiest companies in the world.

Over the past several months, OpenAI, the maker of the online chatbot ChatGPT, has hired a who’s who of tech executives, disinformation experts and A.I. safety researchers. It has also added seven board members — including a four-star Army general who ran the National Security Agency — while revamping efforts to ensure that its A.I. technologies do not cause serious harm.

OpenAI is also in talks with investors such as Microsoft, Apple, Nvidia and the investment firm Thrive for a deal that would value it at $100 billion . And the company is considering changes to its corporate structure that would make it easier to attract investors.

The San Francisco start-up, after years of public conflict between management and some of its top researchers, is trying to look more like a no-nonsense company ready to lead the tech industry’s march into artificial intelligence. OpenAI is also trying to push last year’s high-profile fight over the management of Sam Altman , its chief executive, into the background.

But interviews with more than 20 current and former OpenAI employees and board members show that the transition has been difficult. Early employees continue to leave, even as new workers and new executives pour in. And rapid growth hasn’t resolved a fundamental question of what OpenAI is supposed to be: Is it a cutting-edge A.I. lab created for the benefit of humanity, or an aspiring industry giant dedicated to profits?

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The University of Chicago The Law School

Abrams environmental law clinic—significant achievements for 2023-24, protecting our great lakes, rivers, and shorelines.

The Abrams Clinic represents Friends of the Chicago River and the Sierra Club in their efforts to hold Trump Tower in downtown Chicago accountable for withdrawing water illegally from the Chicago River. To cool the building, Trump Tower draws water at high volumes, similar to industrial factories or power plants, but Trump Tower operated for more than a decade without ever conducting the legally required studies to determine the impact of those operations on aquatic life or without installing sufficient equipment to protect aquatic life consistent with federal regulations. After the Clinic sent a notice of intent to sue Trump Tower, the State of Illinois filed its own case in the summer of 2018, and the Clinic moved successfully to intervene in that case. In 2023-24, motions practice and discovery continued. Working with co-counsel at Northwestern University’s Pritzker Law School’s Environmental Advocacy Center, the Clinic moved to amend its complaint to include Trump Tower’s systematic underreporting each month of the volume of water that it intakes from and discharges to the Chicago River. The Clinic and co-counsel addressed Trump Tower’s motion to dismiss some of our clients’ claims, and we filed a motion for summary judgment on our claim that Trump Tower has committed a public nuisance. We also worked closely with our expert, Dr. Peter Henderson, on a supplemental disclosure and on defending an additional deposition of him. In summer 2024, the Clinic is defending its motion for summary judgment and challenging Trump Tower’s own motion for summary judgment. The Clinic is also preparing for trial, which could take place as early as fall 2024.

Since 2016, the Abrams Clinic has worked with the Chicago chapter of the Surfrider Foundation to protect water quality along the Lake Michigan shoreline in northwest Indiana, where its members surf. In April 2017, the U. S. Steel plant in Portage, Indiana, spilled approximately 300 pounds of hexavalent chromium into Lake Michigan. In January 2018, the Abrams Clinic filed a suit on behalf of Surfrider against U. S. Steel, alleging multiple violations of U. S. Steel’s discharge permits; the City of Chicago filed suit shortly after. When the US government and the State of Indiana filed their own, separate case, the Clinic filed extensive comments on the proposed consent decree. In August 2021, the court entered a revised consent decree which included provisions advocated for by Surfrider and the City of Chicago, namely a water sampling project that alerts beachgoers as to Lake Michigan’s water quality conditions, better notifications in case of future spills, and improvements to U. S. Steel’s operations and maintenance plans. In the 2023-24 academic year, the Clinic successfully litigated its claims for attorneys’ fees as a substantially prevailing party. Significantly, the court’s order adopted the “Fitzpatrick matrix,” used by the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia to determine appropriate hourly rates for civil litigants, endorsed Chicago legal market rates as the appropriate rates for complex environmental litigation in Northwest Indiana, and allowed for partially reconstructed time records. The Clinic’s work, which has received significant media attention, helped to spawn other litigation to address pollution by other industrial facilities in Northwest Indiana and other enforcement against U. S. Steel by the State of Indiana.

In Winter Quarter 2024, Clinic students worked closely with Dr. John Ikerd, an agricultural economist and emeritus professor at the University of Missouri, to file an amicus brief in Food & Water Watch v. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency . In that case pending before the Ninth Circuit, Food & Water Watch argues that US EPA is illegally allowing Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, more commonly known as factory farms, to pollute waterways significantly more than is allowable under the Clean Water Act. In the brief for Dr. Ikerd and co-amici Austin Frerick, Crawford Stewardship Project, Family Farm Defenders, Farm Aid, Missouri Rural Crisis Center, National Family Farm Coalition, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, and Western Organization of Resource Councils, we argued that EPA’s refusal to regulate CAFOs effectively is an unwarranted application of “agricultural exceptionalism” to industrial agriculture and that EPA effectively distorts the animal production market by allowing CAFOs to externalize their pollution costs and diminishing the ability of family farms to compete. Attorneys for the litigants will argue the case in September 2024.

Energy and Climate

Energy justice.

The Abrams Clinic supported grassroots organizations advocating for energy justice in low-income communities and Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities in Michigan. With the Clinic’s representation, these organizations intervened in cases before the Michigan Public Service Commission (MPSC), which regulates investor-owned utilities. Students conducted discovery, drafted written testimony, cross-examined utility executives, participated in settlement discussions, and filed briefs for these projects. The Clinic’s representation has elevated the concerns of these community organizations and forced both the utilities and regulators to consider issues of equity to an unprecedented degree. This year, on behalf of Soulardarity (Highland Park, MI), We Want Green, Too (Detroit, MI), and Urban Core Collective (Grand Rapids, MI), Clinic students engaged in eight contested cases before the MPSC against DTE Electric, DTE Gas, and Consumers Energy, as well as provided support for our clients’ advocacy in other non-contested MPSC proceedings.

The Clinic started this past fall with wins in three cases. First, the Clinic’s clients settled with DTE Electric in its Integrated Resource Plan case. The settlement included an agreement to close the second dirtiest coal power plant in Michigan three years early, $30 million from DTE’s shareholders to assist low-income customers in paying their bills, and $8 million from DTE’s shareholders toward a community fund that assists low-income customers with installing energy efficiency improvements, renewable energy, and battery technology. Second, in DTE Electric’s 2023 request for a rate hike (a “rate case”), the Commission required DTE Electric to develop a more robust environmental justice analysis and rejected the Company’s second attempt to waive consumer protections through a proposed electric utility prepayment program with a questionable history of success during its pilot run. The final Commission order and the administrative law judge’s proposal for final decision cited the Clinic’s testimony and briefs. Third, in Consumers Electric’s 2023 rate case, the Commission rejected the Company’s request for a higher ratepayer-funded return on its investments and required the Company to create a process that will enable intervenors to obtain accurate GIS data. The Clinic intends to use this data to map the disparate impact of infrastructure investment in low-income and BIPOC communities.

In the winter, the Clinic filed public comments regarding DTE Electric and Consumers Energy’s “distribution grid plans” (DGP) as well as supported interventions in two additional cases: Consumers Energy’s voluntary green pricing (VGP) case and the Clinic’s first case against the gas utility DTE Gas. Beginning with the DGP comments, the Clinic first addressed Consumers’s 2023 Electric Distribution Infrastructure Investment Plan (EDIIP), which detailed current distribution system health and the utility’s approximately $7 billion capital project planning ($2 billion of which went unaccounted for in the EDIIP) over 2023–2028. The Clinic then commented on DTE Electric’s 2023 DGP, which outlined the utility’s opaque project prioritization and planned more than $9 billion in capital investments and associated maintenance over 2024–2028. The comments targeted four areas of deficiencies in both the EDIIP and DGP: (1) inadequate consideration of distributed energy resources (DERs) as providing grid reliability, resiliency, and energy transition benefits; (2) flawed environmental justice analysis, particularly with respect to the collection of performance metrics and the narrow implementation of the Michigan Environmental Justice Screen Tool; (3) inequitable investment patterns across census tracts, with emphasis on DTE Electric’s skewed prioritization for retaining its old circuits rather than upgrading those circuits; and (4) failing to engage with community feedback.

For the VGP case against Consumers, the Clinic supported the filing of both an initial brief and reply brief requesting that the Commission reject the Company’s flawed proposal for a “community solar” program. In a prior case, the Clinic advocated for the development of a community solar program that would provide low-income, BIPOC communities with access to clean energy. As a result of our efforts, the Commission approved a settlement agreement requiring the Company “to evaluate and provide a strawman recommendation on community solar in its Voluntary Green Pricing Program.” However, the Company’s subsequent proposal in its VGP case violated the Commission’s order because it (1) was not consistent with the applicable law, MCL 460.1061; (2) was not a true community solar program; (3) lacked essential details; (4) failed to compensate subscribers sufficiently; (5) included overpriced and inflexible subscriptions; (6) excessively limited capacity; and (7) failed to provide a clear pathway for certain participants to transition into other VGP programs. For these reasons, the Clinic argued that the Commission should reject the Company’s proposal.

In DTE Gas’s current rate case, the Clinic worked with four witnesses to develop testimony that would rebut DTE Gas’s request for a rate hike on its customers. The testimony advocated for a pathway to a just energy transition that avoids dumping the costs of stranded gas assets on the low-income and BIPOC communities that are likely to be the last to electrify. Instead, the testimony proposed that the gas and electric utilities undertake integrated planning that would prioritize electric infrastructure over gas infrastructure investment to ensure that DTE Gas does not over-invest in gas infrastructure that will be rendered obsolete in the coming decades. The Clinic also worked with one expert witness to develop an analysis of DTE Gas’s unaffordable bills and inequitable shutoff, deposit, and collections practices. Lastly, the Clinic offered testimony on behalf of and from community members who would be directly impacted by the Company’s rate hike and lack of affordable and quality service. Clinic students have spent the summer drafting an approximately one-hundred-page brief making these arguments formally. We expect the Commission’s decision this fall.

Finally, both DTE Electric and Consumers Energy have filed additional requests for rate increases after the conclusion of their respective rate cases filed in 2023. On behalf of our Clients, the Clinic has intervened in these cases, and clinic students have already reviewed thousands of pages of documents and started to develop arguments and strategies to protect low-income and BIPOC communities from the utility’s ceaseless efforts to increase the cost of energy.

Corporate Climate Greenwashing

The Abrams Environmental Law Clinic worked with a leading international nonprofit dedicated to using the law to protect the environment to research corporate climate greenwashing, focusing on consumer protection, green financing, and securities liability. Clinic students spent the year examining an innovative state law, drafted a fifty-page guide to the statute and relevant cases, and examined how the law would apply to a variety of potential cases. Students then presented their findings in a case study and oral presentation to members of ClientEarth, including the organization’s North American head and members of its European team. The project helped identify the strengths and weaknesses of potential new strategies for increasing corporate accountability in the fight against climate change.

Land Contamination, Lead, and Hazardous Waste

The Abrams Clinic continues to represent East Chicago, Indiana, residents who live or lived on or adjacent to the USS Lead Superfund site. This year, the Clinic worked closely with the East Chicago/Calumet Coalition Community Advisory Group (CAG) to advance the CAG’s advocacy beyond the Superfund site and the adjacent Dupont RCRA site. Through multiple forms of advocacy, the clinics challenged the poor performance and permit modification and renewal attempts of Tradebe Treatment and Recycling, LLC (Tradebe), a hazardous waste storage and recycling facility in the community. Clinic students sent letters to US EPA and Indiana Department of Environmental Management officials about how IDEM has failed to assess meaningful penalties against Tradebe for repeated violations of the law and how IDEM has allowed Tradebe to continue to threaten public and worker health and safety by not improving its operations. Students also drafted substantial comments for the CAG on the US EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule improvements, the Suppliers’ Park proposed cleanup, and Sims Metal’s proposed air permit revisions. The Clinic has also continued working with the CAG, environmental experts, and regulators since US EPA awarded $200,000 to the CAG for community air monitoring. The Clinic and its clients also joined comments drafted by other environmental organizations about poor operations and loose regulatory oversight of several industrial facilities in the area.

Endangered Species

The Abrams Clinic represented the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Hoosier Environmental Council (HEC) in litigation regarding the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s (Service) failure to list the Kirtland’s snake as threatened or endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The Kirtland’s snake is a small, secretive, non-venomous snake historically located across the Midwest and the Ohio River Valley. Development and climate change have undermined large portions of the snake’s habitat, and populations are declining. Accordingly, the Clinic sued the Service in the US District Court for the District of Columbia last summer over the Service’s denial of CBD’s request to have the Kirtland’s snake protected. This spring, the Clinic was able to reach a settlement with the Service that requires the Service to reconsider its listing decision for the Kirtland’s snake and to pay attorney fees.

The Clinic also represented CBD in preparation for litigation regarding the Service’s failure to list another species as threatened or endangered. Threats from land development and climate change have devastated this species as well, and the species has already been extirpated from two of the sixteen US states in its range. As such, the Clinic worked this winter and spring to prepare a notice of intent (NOI) to sue the Service. The Team poured over hundreds of FOIA documents and dug into the Service’s supporting documentation to create strong arguments against the Service in the imminent litigation. The Clinic will send the NOI and file a complaint in the next few months.

Students and Faculty

Twenty-four law school students from the classes of 2024 and 2025 participated in the Clinic, performing complex legal research, reviewing documents obtained through discovery, drafting legal research memos and briefs, conferring with clients, conducting cross-examination, participating in settlement conferences, and arguing motions. Students secured nine clerkships, five were heading to private practice after graduation, and two are pursuing public interest work. Sam Heppell joined the Clinic from civil rights private practice, bringing the Clinic to its full complement of three attorneys.

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A-Level INFLUENCIA DE LOS ÍDOLOS - LESSON 1: INTRO

Subject: Spanish

Age range: 16+

Resource type: Lesson (complete)

Last updated

30 August 2024

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Learning Intention: To take an introductory look at Hispanic celebrities and conditional sentences. Success Criteria -To be able to translate a paragraph about celebrities in the Hispanic world into English. -To be able to relay key information about ten Hispanic celebrities and the positive and negative influences they can have.

• To be able to form sentences using the zero and first conditional in Spanish to describe the positive or negative result of celebrities’ actions.
• Full interactive Ppt with answers to all exercises incorporated into the resource.
• Complete handout for the students to follow the class
• Extension work for stretch and challenge
• DO IT NOW and Plenary Re-call exercises
• Separate Reflection Plenary slide
• video resource(s)

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INFLUENCIA DE LOS ÍDOLOS MÓDULOS

Sequenced module covering some of the most iconic hispanic celebrities and their influences on the world. Also incorporates elements of regional identity (lightly touches upon Seville and Islamic Andalusia, which will lead nicely into module 5: regional identity and/or module 6: cultural heritage) Lesson 1: INTRO Lesson 2: DASOUL AND ANTONIO JOSÉ Lesson 3: LOS DEL RÍO Lesson 4: ANDRES SUAREZ AND SEVILLE Lesson 5: INDIRECT OBJECT PRONOUNS AND SHAKIRA Lesson 6: ENRIQUE IGLESIAS Lesson 7: LA OREJA DE VAN GOGH Lesson 8: DAVID BISBAL Lesson 9: SHAKIRA AND PIES DESCALZOS

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