Writing - Transitions - in addition, moreover, furthermore, another

Summary

In this EngVid.com lesson, Adam emphasizes the importance of transitions in writing, particularly for IELTS and TOEFL students. He explains that transitions help create flow in writing, making it easier for readers to follow ideas. Adam focuses on 'in addition', 'in addition to', 'furthermore', 'moreover', and 'another' as key phrases for adding ideas. He warns against common mistakes, such as using these transitions without providing a second related idea. Examples are given to illustrate correct usage, both within sentences and when joining paragraphs, highlighting the significance of transitions in enhancing essay quality and scoring.

Takeaways

• 📝 Transitions are crucial for writing skills, particularly in IELTS and TOEFL essays, as they help in scoring points for essay sections.
• 🔗 A transition is a linguistic device that bridges one idea to another, creating flow which makes writing easier to follow and more engaging.
• 🏗️ Transitions serve various purposes, such as adding information, showing contrast, indicating conditions, and leading to conclusions.
• 📚 The script focuses on specific transitions like 'in addition', 'in addition to', 'furthermore', 'moreover', and 'another ______', which are essential for adding ideas in essays.
• ⚠️ A common mistake is using these transitions without providing a second idea to add to the first, which can lead to a loss of points in exams like IELTS and TOEFL.
• 🔑 The transitions 'in addition to', 'furthermore', and 'moreover' are similar in meaning, with varying degrees of formality, and should be used to avoid repetition in writing.
• 📈 Vocabulary variety is important; using at least two different transitions helps maintain the reader's interest and demonstrates a rich language use.
• 📑 Transitions can be used both mid-sentence and to join paragraphs, but they must be used correctly to ensure the ideas are logically connected.
• 📖 Examples provided in the script illustrate how to use transitions within a sentence and to connect paragraphs in an essay effectively.
• 🔄 When transitioning between paragraphs, the last idea of one paragraph should logically connect to the first idea of the next using appropriate transition words.
• 🚀 In a pinch, 'another' can be used as a go-to transition when stuck or running out of time during an exam, but it should be the last resort after other transitions.
• 🌐 For further practice and resources on English writing and transitions, the script suggests visiting www.engvid.com and subscribing to the channel on YouTube.

Q & A

What are transitions in writing, and why are they important?

Transitions in writing are words or phrases that help connect one idea to another, creating a flow that makes it easier for the reader to follow the text. They are crucial because they enhance the readability and coherence of the writing, especially in essays.

Which specific transitions are discussed in this lesson?

The specific transitions discussed in this lesson are 'in addition', 'in addition to', 'furthermore', 'moreover', and 'another'.

Why are transitions particularly important for IELTS and TOEFL students?

Transitions are particularly important for IELTS and TOEFL students because they are essential for the essay section of these tests. Proper use of transitions can significantly improve the coherence and score of an essay.

What common mistake do students make when using transitions like 'furthermore'?

A common mistake students make is using transitions like 'furthermore' without adding a second idea. Transitions should always connect two ideas, and failing to do so can confuse the reader and result in a lower score.

How should 'in addition', 'furthermore', and 'moreover' be used in writing?

'In addition', 'furthermore', and 'moreover' should be used to add ideas in a text. They can be used within sentences or to join paragraphs. It's important to use them correctly and ensure they link two related ideas.

What is the primary function of transitions in writing?

The primary function of transitions in writing is to create flow by bridging two ideas, making the text more coherent and easier to follow.

What is the difference between 'in addition to', 'furthermore', and 'moreover' in terms of formality?

'In addition to' is the most common and less formal, 'furthermore' is more formal, and 'moreover' is the most formal of the three.

What advice is given for using transitions in a short essay versus a longer essay?

In a short essay, using two transitions is usually sufficient to avoid repetition. In a longer essay, using all three transitions ('in addition', 'furthermore', and 'moreover') can provide variety and enhance the flow of ideas.

What is the recommended fallback transition word if a student is running out of time?

The recommended fallback transition word is 'another'. For example, 'Another reason the internet is good is because it provides companies with a larger pool of prospective employees.'

How should transitions be used when joining two paragraphs in an essay?

When joining two paragraphs, the last idea of the previous paragraph should connect to the first idea of the next paragraph using a transition word such as 'in addition to', 'moreover', or 'furthermore'. This ensures a smooth flow between paragraphs.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Understanding Writing Transitions

In this paragraph, Adam introduces the topic of transitions in writing, emphasizing their importance for IELTS and TOEFL test takers. He explains that transitions are crucial for creating flow in writing, making it easier for readers to follow the author's thoughts. Adam clarifies that transitions serve to add information, show contrast, conditions, and lead to conclusions. He focuses on specific transitions such as 'in addition', 'in addition to', 'furthermore', 'moreover', and 'another', which are essential for adding ideas in essays. Common mistakes are highlighted, particularly the misuse of these transitions without providing a second related idea, which can lead to a loss of points in exams.

05:00

🔗 Using Transitions to Join Ideas

This paragraph delves into how to effectively use the discussed transitions to join two ideas, creating a cohesive flow in writing. Adam illustrates this with an example sentence that uses 'moreover' to add information about a person's attitude in addition to their laziness. He then transitions into discussing how to connect paragraphs in an essay, using the example of the internet's benefits. Adam shows how to use 'in addition to' and 'moreover/furthermore' to transition from discussing the internet's impact on personal connections to its role in business networking. He advises on the importance of using transition words correctly to maintain the essay's flow and coherence. The paragraph concludes with advice for test takers to use 'another reason' as a fallback transition when in doubt, but to remember that it's a last resort after other options have been exhausted.

Keywords

💡Transitions

Transitions are linguistic devices that connect ideas within a sentence or between paragraphs, making writing more coherent and readable. In the context of the video, Adam emphasizes their importance for IELTS and TOEFL test-takers, as they contribute to the essay's flow and can significantly impact the score. Examples from the script include 'in addition,' 'furthermore,' and 'moreover,' which are used to add information and create a bridge between ideas.

💡IELTS

IELTS stands for International English Language Testing System, a globally recognized test of English language proficiency. The video mentions that transitions are crucial for the essay section of the IELTS, as they can earn the test-taker significant points if used correctly. The script provides insights into how to use transitions effectively in IELTS essays to improve scores.

💡TOEFL

TOEFL is the Test of English as a Foreign Language, another standardized test that measures the English language skills of non-native speakers. The script points out that transitions play a vital role in the TOEFL essay section, similar to IELTS, and using them appropriately can lead to higher scores.

💡Flow

Flow in writing refers to the smooth progression of ideas, which makes the text easy to follow and engaging for the reader. The video stresses that transitions are essential for creating flow, as they help in connecting sentences and paragraphs. The concept is illustrated through the use of transitions like 'therefore' and 'thus' to lead to a conclusion.

💡Add Information

Adding information is the process of introducing new details or points that build upon the existing ideas. In the script, Adam explains that transitions such as 'in addition to' and 'furthermore' are used to add one idea to another, which is crucial for developing a comprehensive argument in an essay.

💡Contrast

Contrast is a rhetorical method used to highlight the differences between two ideas or concepts. The video mentions transitions like 'although' and 'however' that serve to show contrast, which is an important aspect of argumentative writing to present opposing viewpoints.

💡Conditions

In the context of writing, conditions are scenarios or stipulations that are presented as part of an argument. The script uses 'if' and 'unless' as examples of transitions that introduce conditional statements, which can be used to set the stage for hypothetical situations or stipulations.

💡Conclusion

A conclusion is the final part of an argument or essay where the main points are summarized and the overall argument is reinforced. The video script illustrates how transitions such as 'therefore' and 'thus' are used to lead to a conclusion, effectively wrapping up the essay.

💡Vocabulary Variety

Vocabulary variety refers to the use of a range of words and phrases to express ideas, which helps to avoid repetition and makes writing more interesting. The script advises learners to use at least two different transition words like 'in addition' and 'moreover' to maintain variety and avoid monotony in their essays.

💡Common Mistakes

Common mistakes in the context of the video refer to the errors that test-takers often make when using transitions, such as using a transition word like 'furthermore' without adding a new idea to the existing one. Adam warns about the importance of linking two related ideas when using these transitions to avoid losing points in exams like IELTS and TOEFL.

💡Another Reason

The phrase 'another reason' is a transition used to introduce an additional argument or point in an essay. The script suggests using 'another reason' as a go-to transition when a writer is running out of time or needs to quickly switch to a new idea, although it should not be the first choice for adding ideas.

Highlights

Transitions are very important for the essay section of IELTS and TOEFL tests.

Transitions create flow in writing, making it easier for the reader to follow and more interesting.

A transition means a change from one idea to another.

Transitions can be used to add information, show contrast, show conditions, and reach a conclusion.

Transitions can join ideas within a sentence or connect two paragraphs.

Using transitions correctly can help gain big points on the IELTS and TOEFL essay sections.

Common transitions to add ideas include 'in addition', 'furthermore', 'moreover', and 'another'.

One of the most common mistakes is using transitions without having two ideas to connect.

Transitions must link two ideas that are similar and close to each other.

'In addition', 'furthermore', and 'moreover' can be used interchangeably but vary in formality.

Using a variety of transitions is important to avoid repetition and enhance vocabulary.

Transitions can be used mid-sentence or to join paragraphs.

For joining paragraphs, the last idea of one paragraph must connect to the first idea of the next using a transition.

Example: 'His laziness caused the company to perform badly. Moreover, his attitude has put his job in jeopardy.'

In essays, transitions like 'in addition', 'furthermore', and 'moreover' help maintain a coherent flow of ideas.

Transcripts

Hi. Welcome back to EngVid.com. I'm Adam. In today's lesson, we're going to look at

writing skills. More specifically, we're going to look at transitions. Again, before I begin,

let me tell you IELTS and TOEFL students out there: transitions are very, very important

for you, for the essay section of the test; big points if you use them correctly, few

points if you don't use them, or use them incorrectly. Anyway, let's get into what transitions

are, and look at a few specific ones.

What is a transition? A transition means a change from one idea to another idea. There

are many transitions in English. We use transitions to add information, we use transitions to

show a contrast; "although", "however", etc. We use transitions to show conditions; "if",

"unless". We use transitions to get to a conclusion; "therefore", "thus".

Lots of transitions -- very important, because they can join ideas within a sentence. But even more

so, they can join two paragraphs. So what they do really, is they create flow. Flow is very

important for writing. Flow makes it easier for the reader to follow what you're saying,

and it makes it a little bit more interesting, as well.

To "transition" basically means to bridge. You have two ideas you're connecting. You're

creating a bridge from one idea to the next. Today, we're going to look specifically at

"in addition", "in addition to", "furthermore", "moreover", and "another ______". These are very,

very important transitions, because they help you add ideas -- one idea to another. Again,

very, very important for TOEFL and IELTS, because you're always going to be adding ideas

to one topic. I'll get to that in a minute. The most important thing to remember here,

and where people I find make the most common mistakes. Believe me; I have marked hundreds

of essays for TOEFL and IELTS. Very, very common mistake. What people forget, this basically

means "plus"; you're adding, you're adding two things. You're always adding at least

one idea to another idea, so you will always have two ideas if you're using these transitions.

One of the most common mistakes I have seen on these essays is that people use these words,

but they only have one idea.

I'm the reader, and I'm reading, reading, reading, and I see, "Furthermore...". Furthermore

what? What are you adding to? What are you adding, at all? Then I look around, and I

only see one idea. If I am the IELTS grader, and I'm reading your essay, you just lost

at least one band because of that. Why? Because you made me stop. You made me search for that

second idea that is not there. Be very careful about that. If you're going to use these words,

there must be two ideas. They must be linked, they must have something similar between them,

and they must be pretty close to each other.

"In addition to", "furthermore", and "moreover"; these are all pretty much the same. This one

is probably the most formal, this one is next most, and this is the most common. If you're

going to write a short essay, usually two of these will be enough. Why do you need to

know how to use two? Because you don't want to repeat. You don't want to say "in addition",

and give your idea, "in addition", give another idea, "in addition", give another idea. You

don't want to do that. You want vocabulary variety, so use at least two. For a longer

essay, you can use all three, or four as the case may be. What's interesting about these,

you can use all of these mid- sentence or to join paragraphs. Very important that you

use them correctly, though.

Let's look at some examples on how to use these.

First we're going to look at a sentence

with the transition working inside it. "His laziness caused the company to perform badly

last quarter. Moreover, his attitude toward the board has put his job in jeopardy."

First, let's look at what's going on here. What are we talking about? We're talking about

the person's laziness. What are we adding to this? Remember, here I put "moreover".

I could put "furthermore". I can also put "in addition", but all three would be okay.

We're talking about his laziness. What are we adding to it? Look at the second sentence.

What are the two things we are adding together to get the two whole ideas?

If you said attitude, you're correct. Laziness and attitude -- these are both qualities of

this person. His laziness and his attitude caused the company to do badly, and put his

job in jeopardy. I could rearrange these two sentences into one, but I don't want to. I

want to have this idea, because this is adding to this. I have one idea, I have another idea,

but they're very much connected. We used a word like "moreover", "furthermore", "in addition", okay?

All of these are about the same topic.

Now, when we talk about an essay, when we're joining paragraph to paragraph, you have to be very

careful. The last idea has to join to the first idea of the next paragraph using one

of these transition words. Let's look at that now.

Let's look at an essay and you're joining two paragraphs, for example. My general topic

here is the internet. What I want to say is that the internet is a good thing, very, very

generally. I'm going to use two reasons. I'm going to talk about two reasons, and I'm going

to use basically one example.

The reason it's good is because it helps connect families and friends. This was my paragraph

before, and this is the last sentence of my paragraph, my body paragraph. "So," conclusion,

"the internet not only helps connect your friends and family anywhere in the world,

it also makes it cheap to do so." That's one good thing about the internet: communication,

networking, social media, etc. Facebook... all that. I want to go to my next paragraph,

and I want to add to this idea, the idea of connection, the idea of communication, as

why the internet is a good thing. "In addition to friends and family...", or "moreover/ furthermore..."

"...the internet provides companies with a larger network, or a larger pool of prospective employees."

I'm still talking about the same thing -- connections, networks -- but I went from personal idea

to business idea, but still within the topic of the internet, still for the reason of communication

and networking. I went with one idea, and the other idea working together for the overall

idea. I hope this makes sense to you, because it's a little bit complicated.

Any topic you take, any essay you write, where you're using one example, or two reasons with

one example, to work together, to support an opinion about a general topic, you can

use these: "In addition to", "moreover, "furthermore".

Let's say you're taking the IELTS, the TOEFL tests, you're writing your essay. You're running

out of time, you're not thinking properly, you're a little bit frazzled, you need a transition

word -- always use "another". For example, "Another reason the internet is good, is because

it provides companies...". This is your go-to transition. When you're stuck, you have nothing

else, you want to switch to the next idea, always use "another reason", but remember, this

is not your first choice, this is your last choice. These are your first choice when you

want to add an idea. But, always good to have this in your back pocket, in case you get stuck,

you pull it out. Ace of spades, etc. -- you're a winner, right?

Lots of examples on www.engvid.com , on the quiz -- go check it out. Also, don't forget

to subscribe to my channel on YouTube. I will see you again soon for more lessons. Thanks.

Learn English for free www.engvid.com