“Transitions” are words or phrases that move a text from one idea (small or large) to another idea of equal or comparable scope.
On the ACT, transitions show how:
The test often checks whether you can choose the transition that correctly matches the relationship between two ideas. Use this four-step process:
Let’s apply that process. We’ll look at transitions between paragraphs and transitions between sentences.
Consider the following passage. Read it once so you have the overall context, and then we’ll zoom in on specific parts.
Gothic: Not so dark at all!
Forget the association of the word “Gothic” to dark, haunted houses, Wuthering Heights, or ghostly pale people wearing black nail polish and ripped fishnets. The original Gothic style was developed to bring sunshine into people’s lives and especially into their churches. To get past the accrued definitions of the centuries, it’s best to go back to the very start of the word “Gothic” and to the style that bears the name.
The Goths were a so-called barbaric tribe who held power in various regions of Europe, from roughly the fifth to the eighth century. They were not renowned for great achievements in architecture. As with many art historical terms, “Gothic” came to be applied to a certain architectural style after the fact.
The most fundamental element of the Gothic style of architecture is the pointed arch, which was likely borrowed from Islamic architecture that would have been seen in Spain at this time. The pointed arch relieved some of the thrust, and therefore, the stress on other structural elements. It then became possible to reduce the size of the columns or piers that supported the arch. So, rather than having massive, drum-like columns as in the Romanesque churches, the new columns could be more slender.
In this passage, you could be asked about:
Let’s start with a paragraph transition.
Look at the underlined portion of the passage and choose the best option:
A. Furthermore, the Goths were
B. Incredibly, the Goths were
C. Originally, the Goths were
D. For example, the Goths were
Let’s go through the answers using the same four steps:
Because the underlined portion appears at the beginning of a paragraph, this is a transition between paragraphs. That means you should focus on the main purpose of paragraph 1 and the main purpose of paragraph 2.
Purpose of paragraph 1
This paragraph contrasts modern associations of “Gothic” (dark, haunted, gloomy imagery) with the original purpose of Gothic architecture (bringing light into churches). In other words, it introduces the topic by contrasting modern usage with historical origins.
Purpose of paragraph 2
This paragraph shifts to the historical origin of the term by explaining who the Goths were and how the label “Gothic” was applied later. It develops the “historical origins” side of the contrast introduced in paragraph 1.
Now choose the transition that best connects those purposes.
Option A uses “furthermore.” “Furthermore” adds another similar point at the same level as the previous one. For example, if you were listing types of fruit and moved from apples to oranges, “furthermore” could work. Here, though, paragraph 2 isn’t adding a separate, similar point; it’s moving into the historical background that paragraph 1 set up.
Option B uses “incredibly.” “Incredibly” signals surprise or something unexpected. Nothing in paragraph 2 is presented as shocking; it’s straightforward background information.
Option C uses “Originally.” This matches the shift from modern associations (paragraph 1) to historical origins (paragraph 2). It signals that you’re moving back in time to the earliest meaning.
Option D uses “for example.” “For example” introduces a specific illustration of a general claim. Paragraph 2 isn’t an example of paragraph 1; it’s an explanation that develops one side of the contrast.
All right, so which is the correct answer?
Answer: C. Originally, the Goths were…
The steps for transitions between sentences are the same. The only difference is your scope: instead of comparing whole paragraphs, you compare the idea in the previous sentence to the idea in the sentence that follows the transition word.
That’s the process. From here, you need to recognize common types of transition words and what they signal. While words within a group can have slightly different meanings, these categories are a useful starting point.
Sign up for free to take 20 quiz questions on this topic