There are four main types of transition words: additive, adversative, causal, and sequential. Within each category, words are divided into several more specific ones, Matt Ellis. Student Update. Abruptly changing topics in essays can be jarring, however, transition words can soften the change for transition words that introduce, agree, and add. One of the most common ways to use transition words is to introduce new ideas and add topics that have already been explored in the piece; Transition words are used to connect ideas, sentences or expressions. They help your reader understand what is happening in the text. Additionally, transitions can be used to establish relationships between ideas in the text. Transition words are often followed by a comma, but you can use semicolons instead if they make sense in your sentence. List of Good Transition Words for Essays Final Thoughts Even when elements seem disparate at first glance, transition words are a great tool to give your essay a smooth flow. They can also create surprising juxtapositions, relationships and equivalences. How a reader will understand a transition word depends on how transition words and transition phrases exist. They can be classified according to their function, although some cut across several categories. Usually, transitional words and phrases are placed at the beginning of a sentence or clause and are often followed by a comma. Avoid overusing transition or creating words. Transition words are essential to the English language and help tie what we say together. These words can be as simple as “and,” “at,” or “thus,” or more complex, like “moreover,” “furthermore,” and “comparatively.” Words like those listed above are essential to add, emphasize or introduce a. The types of transition words vary depending on the situations in which you can use them to improve the effectiveness of your academic writing. 1. Addition. “Add” transition words are used to introduce additional information or ideas that support or complement the main point being discussed.