“Transitions” are when a text leaves one idea (small or large) and moves to another idea (of equal or comparable scope).

For the ACT, that means how sentences are connected to other sentences and how paragraphs are connected to other paragraphs. The test loves to see if you know the right transition between those sets of ideas. For this one, we’ll start with the following four-step process:

Identify whether the word/phrase is connecting paragraphs or sentences
Read and consider the idea (sentence or paragraph, whatever you decided in Step 1) before the word/phrase.
Read and consider the idea (sentence or paragraph, whatever you decided in Step 1) after the word/phrase.
Select the choice that best describes the relationship between the two ideas.

Let’s apply that process. We’ll see it from a sentence transition perspective and a paragraph transition perspective as well.

Example

Consider the following passage. Give what’s here a read-through so we can zone in and look at a few things.

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.

Here, we’ll see the two types of questions: transitions between paragraphs and transitions between sentences. Let’s look at the paragraph questions first.

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 each of the answers, following our steps:

Identify whether it’s a paragraph or sentence
Identify the idea expressed before the underline
Identify the idea after the underline
Pick the option that ties them together

Since the underlined portion comes at the beginning of a paragraph, that tells us we’re talking about linking paragraphs together. We need to identify the purpose of the two paragraphs.

Purpose of paragraph 1

It looks like it’s drawing a distinction between how the word “goth” is used now and where the word came from. There are repeated references to modern usages of the word, including “black nail polish and ripped fishnets,” but also states the original was designed around “light” and “churches,” typical characteristics of places of hope and promise. So paragraph 1 is introducing the topic by drawing a contrast across time.

Purpose of paragraph 2

Here, the emphasis is on establishing the early meanings of the word, i.e., the etymology. It focuses entirely on who the originators were and what they were about. So if paragraph 1 sets up the contrast, paragraph 2 deeply explores half of that.

So which choice connects those ideas best?

Option A uses “furthermore.” “Furthermore” is used to add on to a previously discussed idea. Think of if we were discussing fruits, and then we talked about an apple. Then we wanted to also discuss an orange, another type of fruit. We might use “furthermore” to transition to talking about the orange. Not what we want here in the discussion of Gothic style, since we’re not adding on to an equal idea already discussed.

Option B uses “incredibly.” “Incredibly” is used for dramatic effect to highlight a shocking or otherwise unexpected fact or event. Again, not what we want here (though it might have been more appropriate in the first paragraph to help draw a distinction between old usage of the word “Gothic” and newer usage).

Option C uses “Originally.” At first glance, this one is very tempting, since it DOES tie in the ideas from the first paragraph (new vs. old meanings of the word) and the second paragraph (focusing on the old usage of the word). We feel pretty good about this one.

Option D uses “for example.” At first glance, this one also seems tempting. Is it an example though? As we analyze further, we can realize that although the second paragraph is more specifically exploring the ideas from the first one, it’s not really an example. It’s just going into greater detail about one of the ideas brought up. Lots of examples are given in both paragraphs.

All right, so which is the correct answer?

(spoiler)

Answer: C. Originally, the Goths were…

The steps for transitioning between sentences are the same, except you’ll be looking at just the idea of the previous sentence and the sentence that follows the transition word, then matching it up with the correct relational word.

Word examples

That’s the process. From here, you need to be familiar with different types of transition words. Make sure you know what these words mean. While there are some specific differences between words in each group, we have gathered them together in common categories.

Express an opposition

Except
Granted
However
Nevertheless
Comparatively
Though/Although
Rather
Instead
Besides
Comparatively

Adding an idea similar to the last one

Moreover
Furthermore
Likewise
Additionally
Of course
Similarly
Accordingly
For example/instance

Cause/effect or introducing a logical conclusion derived from the previous idea

Thus
Consequently
So
Thus
Undoubtedly
Hence
Subsequently

Moving away from a previous idea to a new one/Moving to another section of the text

In conclusion
Finally
Next
In summary
Firstly

Zoning in or speaking of a more specific idea than the last

For example/instance
Namely