More Transitions and Punctuation Rules
Ready to organize your ideas in sequence? Use transitions like "first," "second," and "finally" to guide readers through your points. When wrapping things up, "in conclusion" or "in summary" signal you're about to present your final thoughts.
For conditions, words like "if...then" and "whether...or" help present possibilities: "If you want good grades, then you must do your homework." When you need to explain or emphasize, try "in fact," "actually," or "in other words" to clarify your meaning.
Punctuation with transitions matters! With coordinating conjunctions like "and," "but," and "so," use a comma before them when connecting complete sentences. For transitional phrases at the beginning of sentences, place a comma after them: "Specifically, I enjoy places with old cathedrals."
When using transitions in the middle of a sentence, surround them with commas. If connecting two complete thoughts, you can use a semicolon before the transition and a comma after: "I like to travel; specifically, I enjoy places with old cathedrals."
Remember: Using varied transitions makes your writing more sophisticated and helps your reader follow your thinking more easily.