Transitional devices are like bridges between parts of your paper. They are cues that help the reader to interpret ideas in the way that you, as a writer, want them to understand. Transitional devices connect your thoughts from one sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph to another. And finally, transitional devices link your sentences and paragraphs together smoothly so that there are no abrupt jumps or breaks between ideas.
There are several types of transitional devices, and each category leads your reader to make certain connections or assumptions about the areas you are connecting. Some lead your reader forward and imply the "building" of an idea or thought, while others make your reader compare ideas or draw conclusions from the preceding thoughts. Think of the transitional words and phrases below as useful road maps that guide your reader from thought to thought, insuring that s/he understands the relationships between ideas and is easily led from one to the other.

COMMON TRANSITIONS