Have you ever encountered a text that is full of flowery words but you still cannot bring yourself to read it or simply you feel like pulling your hair out of frustration?
Most of the times, such a lag in writing occurs due to the inappropriate writing styles. Imagine an official e-mail full of straight simple and direct sentences, without any transitional words or phrases to create a piece of effective text that makes sense to everyone.
So, the trick is not to create texts that are confusing, annoying and irritating. Do not write a group of sentences with full stops, repeating the same idea. Put those ideas coherently in a sentence using transitional words and phrases.
As it is obvious from the name given to these words/phrases – Transitional – their whole function is to create transitions within the writings.
These words create a natural flow in any piece of writing. Without their appropriate usage, the whole piece looks bland and lifeless.
Transitional devices also help in connecting the thoughts within a sentence and a paragraph. While reading the text there are no sudden jumps or halts. This is where you simply fall in love with an author, showing his/her competencies in creating magic through words.
These transitional devices become all the more important when you have to write a small, coherent piece of formal nature. As a matter of fact, any writing presents the same challenge of coherence. After writing one; ‘idea’, you are required to make a smooth transition to the next idea. Finally, all the transitions or the whole text needs to be concluded in a way so as to achieve the real purpose of writing, that is, to communicate the idea or information coherently and cohesively.
Transitions are basically used to show examples, time, comparisons, contrasts, sequences, exceptions and much more. Most importantly. These words/phrases put the ideas in logical orders.
Example:
“Last month, my friend and I, along with my dog went to the park for a picnic. It was windy but a pleasant day. We walked around for a while, and then, I took out the Frisbee. Sam threw it hard and unfortunately it took off over the trees. My dog dashed after it and I dashed after him. Or I tried to run after him to stop him from getting hurt, but I was late. The Frisbee took a flight over the hills and down to a steep hill. A few moments later, my dog returned, running excitedly towards me with the Frisbee. He was really filthy. It seemed that he skidded and rolled in the mud along with the Frisbee.”
Read the whole passage once again. Does it make sense? Do you understand how a natural flow is created by the mere use of transitions?
I hope I have stressed enough the importance of the usage of transitions. Do not just use these words and phrases just for the sake of decoration or just for the sake of fulfilling the ‘doctor’s orders.’ Rather use them to create the magic that has made individuals like George Bernard Shaw and many others; maestros.
Sometime in the future, I will write some detailed posts on the usage of some specific transitions.
