英语语法：59 How to Use Transition Words

Grammar Girl here.
Today, Bonnie Trenga will help us choose better transition words.
This article could make you a tad hungry, because today we’re comparing the art of writing to the art of making a sandwich. In fact, just for today, we might need to change the name of the show to Gourmet¹ Girl. In this episode, we’ll examine how to transition smoothly² from point to point so that the flavors of your sandwich—your nonfiction writing—meld together subtly.
How to Use Transition Words
Back in grade school, you learned the basics of writing. The normal structure of an essay was an introduction, three supporting paragraphs, and a conclusion. You might say you learned to create a run-of-the-mill BLT. Two slices of bread surrounded three clearly separated components³: bacon, lettuce⁴, and tomato.
For example, in an essay that answers the question “What did you do this summer?” a grade-schooler might use a topic sentence like this: “The first thing I did on summer vacation was …” Then he’d move on to “The second thing I did was…” You can imagine how his third supporting paragraph might begin. For third-graders, BLT-type essays might be perfectly⁵ acceptable. Their teachers don’t expect them to be gourmet-sentence chefs just yet.
As students mature, though, we must fear for them. They may not learn how to write transitions that are more masterful. Raise your hands now, grown-ups. How many of you would write a sentence like “The last thing I did on summer vacation was x”? I can see some hands there. Many adults have not progressed past the BLT sandwich. We therefore need to create a new recipe so that we can deliver a more satisfying reading experience.
How to Choose the Best Transition Words
Using transitions is an art, just as it is an art to create a “Top Chef” Tuna Sandwich with Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise (1), for example. You don't want to put your readers to sleep with conventional transition words such as “first,” “second,” and “third.” Although these may be perfectly grammatical, we writers have many other transition words at our disposal. Sometimes we need to be more subtle than writing “The next thing I’m going to talk about is x.” Sometimes just a word or two delivered in the right place can change the topic or contrast one point with another.
What Are Good Transition Words?
The “Top Chef” program has introduced viewers to many odd ingredients. Whoever heard of semolina batard bread and Maldon salt, two ingredients in the artful tuna sandwich mentioned earlier? But you don’t have to be esoteric to create smooth transitions in your sentences. We’ve all heard of words like:
but
yet
however
nevertheless
still
instead
thus
therefore
meanwhile
now
later
today
subsequently
William Zinsser suggested using these transition words in his classic, On Writing Well, as a way to “alert the reader … to any change in mood from the previous sentence” (2).
Try out some of those words, which you may have been ignoring. You’ll likely find that the resulting sentences are more enticing⁶ than the obvious “The second reason I like chocolate is x” and “Then, she decided⁷ to x.” This article, for example, takes advantage of the words “but” and “though” to move fluidly from one idea to the next.
How to Use Better Transition Words
You may not be able to whip up a fancy “Top Chef” sandwich, but next time you write something, you can show a little more imagination with your transition words. You can win at “Top Transition.” If you want to become an expert on transitions, check out Chapter 15 of Getting the Words Right, by Theodore Cheney (3), and Chapter 10 of Keys to Great Writing, by Stephen Wilbers (4). These guides will help you perfect the art. However, the best way to improve your transitions is to practice. Did you notice just now how that useful transition word “however” gloriously allowed us to change gears?
As with any piece of writing, the recipe involves two basic steps: Write a rough draft, and polish it until it gleams. For Step 1, you need to gather all your facts so that you know what you’re going to write about. When you create your first draft, it’s OK to slap together the components into a primitive⁸ sandwich. Go ahead and slather on the condiments⁹ (i.e., transitionwords) without worrying whether they'll spill over the sides of your bread (meaning you’re being wordy or redundant). It’s fine if your lettuce and tomato (grammar and word choices) are askew¹⁰ at first. But you won’t get five stars if you don’t tidy things up before you present the dish (your piece of writing) to your culinary customer (the reader).
When you arrive at Step 2, you’ll be focusing on the transitions you used in Step 1. Circle suspicious transition words such as “then,” “next,” and “first.” Rewrite passages tainted¹¹ with this monotony. Granted, rewriting can be a chore; you often have to fiddle¹² endlessly with sentences to get them in the exact right order. If you keep at it, though, you’ll get it. When you’re done, reward yourself with a yummy snack, perhaps a sandwich.

1 gourmet   

n.食物品尝家；adj.出于美食家之手的

参考例句：

• What does a gourmet writer do? 美食评论家做什么？
• A gourmet like him always eats in expensive restaurants.像他这样的美食家总是到豪华的餐馆用餐。

2 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

3 components   

（机器、设备等的）构成要素，零件，成分； 成分( component的名词复数 )； [物理化学]组分； [数学]分量； （混合物的）组成部分

参考例句：

• the components of a machine 机器部件
• Our chemistry teacher often reduces a compound to its components in lab. 在实验室中化学老师常把化合物分解为各种成分。

4 lettuce   

n.莴苣；生菜

参考例句：

• Get some lettuce and tomatoes so I can make a salad.买些莴苣和西红柿，我好做色拉。
• The lettuce is crisp and cold.莴苣松脆爽口。

5 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

6 enticing   

adj.迷人的；诱人的

参考例句：

• The offer was too enticing to refuse. 这提议太有诱惑力，使人难以拒绝。
• Her neck was short but rounded and her arms plump and enticing. 她的脖子短，但浑圆可爱；两臂丰腴，也很动人。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

9 condiments   

n.调味品

参考例句：

• Refill and clean all salt and peppers, sugar bowls, and other condiments. 清洁并续满所有的胡椒瓶、盐瓶、糖缸及其他调料。
• Go easy on condiments, they tend to be salty. 别放太多调味品，这样往往会太咸。

10 askew   

adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的

参考例句：

• His glasses had been knocked askew by the blow.他的眼镜一下子被打歪了。
• Her hat was slightly askew.她的帽子戴得有点斜。

11 tainted   

adj.腐坏的；污染的；沾污的；感染的v.使变质( taint的过去式和过去分词 )；使污染；败坏；被污染，腐坏，败坏

参考例句：

• The administration was tainted with scandal. 丑闻使得政府声名狼藉。
• He was considered tainted by association with the corrupt regime. 他因与腐败政府有牵连而名誉受损。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 fiddle   

n.小提琴；vi.拉提琴；不停拨弄，乱动

参考例句：

• She plays the fiddle well.她小提琴拉得好。
• Don't fiddle with the typewriter.不要摆弄那架打字机了。