GRAMMAR:TRANSITIONAL WORDS

TENSES

Components to cover:

• TRANSITIONAL WORDS

• TENSES

TRANSITIONAL WORDS

Transition words and phrases help make clear connections between ideas and see that sentences

and paragraphs flow together smoothly, making them easier to read.

Transitional words are words that are used to add, compare, contrast, exemplify, summarize, and put the

words in sequence.

FEATURES OF TRANSITIONAL WORDS

Transition signals are connecting words or phrases that act like bridges between parts of your writing.

Transition signals act like signposts to indicate to the reader the order and flow of your writing and ideas.

They strengthen the internal cohesion of your writing. Using transitions makes it easier for the reader to follow your ideas.

They help carry over a thought from one sentence to another, from one paragraph to another, or from one idea to another.

Example

1. Apples and oranges are types of fruit.

2. Not only fast cars but also slow trucks make up highway traffic.

3. Henri stopped writing so that he could listen to his friend.

FUNCTIONS OF TRANSITIONAL

WORDS?

Transitions function to connect words,

phrases, and clauses.

Example

1. Addition We also visited Miami Beach.

2. Comparison We like them have to study.

3. ContrastInstead of riding, they walked.

TRANSITION, ADD, COMPARE AND

CONTRAST

There are some transitional words that are used to compare and contrast a

sentence.

Some words are used additionally in sentences.

Example

Example: To illustrate, I will tell a story.

Summary: In sum, you must try hard.

Time Sequence: At last, she said yes.

TRANSITION FOR SUMMARY AND

SEQUENCE?

There are some different set of words that are used to explain the transition for a summary,

an example and time sequence.

TRANSITION FOR ADDITION

Common Words 1. And2. Also3. Besides4. Too5. First6. Next7. Last

Power Terms

8. Moreover9. Furthermore3. In Addition

TRANSITION FOR COMPARISON

Simple Ones

1. Also2. Too

Complex Ones

3. In the same way4. Likewise5. Similarly

TRANSITION FOR CONTRAST

Simple Contrast Complex Contrast 1. Although 1. But

2. At the same time 2. Yet3. Despite that 3. Still4. In contrast 4. Even so 5. In spite of 5. Instead

6. Nevertheless 6. Otherwise7. Notwithstanding 7. Regardless8. On the other hand

TRANSITION FOR EXAMPLE

Simple Example Complex Example

1. For example 1. As an illustration

2. For instance 2. In other words3. Indeed 3. In short4. In fact 4. That is

5. Of course 5. To illustrate

TRANSITION FOR SUMMARY

Simple Ones1. Altogether2. Finally

Complex Ones3. In brief4. In conclusion5. In other words6. In particular7. In short8. In summary9. On the whole10.That is

ACTIVITY 1

Answer the following questions and write the transition words that helped you make your

decision

1.If you can’t get rid of a cold, the flu, or a nagging sore throat, the reason may be your toothbrush. 2. Studies at the University of Oklahoma Dental School have shown that your old toothbrush may carry the germs that are causing your illness. 3. The studies have found that people who change their toothbrushes about every two weeks recover from common winter ills faster that people who use their toothbrushes for a month or more. 4. Old toothbrushes can culture the germs that can cause colds, influenza, pneumonia, strep throat, diarrhea, and sinus disease. 5. Another study found that disease germs can live in an unused toothbrush for as long as a week. 6. They can start to thrive again every time you brush your teeth.

ACTIVITY 1

Answer the following questions and write the transition words that helped you make your

decision

1.The relationship between the two parts of sentence 1 is one of a. time. c. cause and effect. b. addition. d. contrast.

2. The relationship of sentence 5 to the previous sentence is one of a. addition. c. time. b. comparison. d. contrast.

ANSWER TO ACTIVITY 1

Answer the following questions and write the transition words that helped you make your

DecisionTransition words are: If , another.

The relationship between the two parts of sentence is one of a. time. b. cause and effect. c. addition. d. contrast.

The relationship of sentence 5 to the previous sentence is one of

a. addition. c. time. b. comparison. d. contrast.

Example:

The Present Tense

The Past Tense

The Future Tense

WHAT ARE TENSES?

Verb tense expresses the time of an event or action. Time and

how it is expressed in writing is very

important to English readers. The English language has twelve

different tenses.

THE SIX ENGLISH TENSES

Three Simple Tenses Simple continuous Present – You walk. You are walking I run. I am running. Past – You Walked You were walking. I ran. I was running.

Future – You will walk. You will be walking. I will run. I will be running.

THE SIX ENGLISH TENSES

Three Perfect Tenses Perfect continuous Present perfect you have walked. I have run. you have been walking. I have been running. Past Perfect You had walked. I had run. You had been walking. I had been running. Future PerfectYou will have walked I will have run. You will have been walking. I will have been running.

Example

1. She goes to work everyday.

2. They always eat lunch together.

3. Snow falls in the December in Minnesota.

4. Water boils at 100 degrees Celsius.

SIMPLE PRESENT TENSE?

Expresses a habit or often repeated action. Adverbs of

frequency such as, often, seldom, sometimes, never, etc.

are used with this tense.

This tense also expresses general truths or facts that are

timeless.

Example

She is typing a paper for her class.

He can’t talk. He is fixing the sink right now.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS

TENSE

adjectivesThis tense is used to describe

an action that is occurring right now (at this moment, today, this year, etc.). The

action has begun and is still in progress. It can be occurring

now, but is temporary

Example

I visited my sister yesterday.

We went out to dinner last night.

THE SIMPLE PAST TENSE

The passive voice requires a "double verb" and will always consist of

a form of the verb "to be" and the past

participle (usually the "en/ed/t" form) of

another verb.

Example

I was taking a bath when the doorbell rang.

They were eating dinner when the neighbors stopped by for a visit.

THE PAST CONTINUOUS

TENSE

The past continuous is often used with the

simple past to show that one action was in progress

when another action occurred.

Example

I was studying for an exam while my mother was cooking dinner.

We were walking in the park around 7 p.m. last night.

THE PAST CONTINUOUS

TENSE

The past continuous is used to talk about an

activity that was in progress at a specific point

of time in the past. The emphasis is on the

duration of the activity in the past.

Example

He has lived in Modesto for two years. (He began living in Modesto two years ago and he still lives there.)

THE PRESENT PERFECT TENSE

The present perfect is used to talk about an

event that began in the past and continues up to

the present.

Example

The Titanic had received many warnings before it hit the

iceberg.

I had already eaten when my friend stopped by to visit.

THE PAST PERFECT TENSE

This tense describes completed events that took place in the past before another past

event.

Example

She had been driving around the city for three hours before

she finally found the right office.

THE PAST PERFECT

CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense is used to emphasize the duration of an

action that was completed before another action or

event in the past.

Example

She is meeting a new client at eleven o’clock.

The train leaves at 6:00 a.m. tomorrow.

THE FUTURE TENSE

The simple present and present continuous are also used to express future time. These are often used used in connection with schedules.

Example

We will have finished the exam by the time class ends

tomorrow.

THE FUTURE PERFECT TENSE

This tense is used to describe an event or action that will be

completed before another event or time in the future.

.

Example

By the time he finishes law school, we will have been living

in the U.S. for eight years.

THE FUTURE PERFECT

CONTINUOUS TENSE

This tense describes an action that has been in progress for

a duration of time before another event or time in the

future.

ACTIVITY 1Fill in with the right tenses:

1. Hi, I ________(be) Matt Rotell, a friend of Alice's.

2. Oh, yes. Alice _______(mention) you the other day. Gee, you _________(not look) like a detective.

3. Well, that's good, I ___________(guess).

4. I'm curious. Tell me, how you _______(decide) to become an undercover cop?

5. Well, when I ____(be) a kid, I _____(love) to read detective novels. By the time I _________(be) ten, I ____(read) every book in the Hardy Boys series. I ____(know) that I ___(want) to go into law enforcement.

ANSWERS TO ACTIVITY 1

1. am

2. mentioned, don’t like

3. guess

4. did , decide

5. was, loved, was, had read, knew, wanted.

ACTIVITY 1Fill in with the right tenses:

6. But according to Alice, you ____(attend) law school nowadays.

7. Right. I ___(get) married last month. I ___(not mind) being on the police force when I ____(be) single, but ever since I ___(meet) Nicole, my wife, I ___(want) to do something less dangerous.

8. I ____(understand). By the way, you ____(have) any luck yet with those counterfeiters?

9. Well, I _____(follow) them for more than a month now, but so far I ___(not be able to) catch them in the act. Sometimes I _____(worry) that by the time they're caught, I'll have my law degree and I'll be defending them!

ANSWERS TO ACTIVITY 1

6. are attending, have been attending

7. got, didn’t mind, was, met, have wanted

8. understand, have, had

9. have been following , haven’t been able to, worry

ACTIVITY 1

Change the sentences below to the active voice:

6. The building was damaged by the fire.

7. By whom were you taught French?

8. You will be given a ticket by the manager.

9. The streets were thronged with spectators.

10. We will be blamed by everyone.

The end