Logical Coherence and Transition Questions | Grammar & Writing: Question Types

Introduction

Logical Coherence and Transition questions on the CLT are some of the most intellectually demanding and rewarding parts of the Grammar & Writing section. They require you to engage deeply with the relationships between ideas, determine the most fitting connection or progression, and evaluate how well sentences and paragraphs work together. Success with these types of questions not only boosts your score but also sharpens your critical reading skills. Strong critical thinking skills will benefit you far beyond high school and even college!

Unlike Word Choice questions, Logical Coherence and Transition questions are less about vocabulary and more about the logical flow of thought. This module provides strategies and examples to help you master these questions.

Approach Question

Should you leave the sentence below as it is or opt for one of the three alternatives listed in the answer choices?

You may get tired; however, you must keep climbing until you reach the shelter on the other side of this mountain.

A. NO CHANGE
B. otherwise
C. indeed
D. consequently

To choose the best transition word, we need to understand the logical relationship between the first and second parts of the sentence. What is the relationship between “get tired” and “keep climbing”? If you’ve ever been both tired and climbing at the same time, you’ll know that the two are opposed to each other: if you’re tired, you probably want to stop, not “keep climbing.”

This relationship raises the crucial issue of contrast. Contrast, or opposition, can be one of the easier relationships to identify in reading a passage; it’s helpful to look for it especially because usually at least one of the answer choices on these types of questions expresses contrast. Because there is contrast in this sentence, we can rule out “indeed” and “consequently”. “Otherwise” is a contrast word of a sort, but it expresses the particular meaning of “If ____ is not true …” We need a more straightforward contrast word to express the opposing relationship between becoming tired and the advice to keep climbing. “However” fits the bill perfectly; the answer is A (NO CHANGE).

General Strategy

Understand the Passage’s Argument or Narrative.
Logical Coherence questions test your understanding of how a passage develops its main idea. Before diving into the answer choices, read at least two sentences surrounding the underlined portion. Then, step back and ask yourself: What is the author trying to say here? A brief summary of the portion you’ve read can clarify the connections you need to evaluate.
Identify the Relationship Between Ideas.
Transitions and logical connections often reflect one of these relationships:

Contrast (e.g., however, but, on the other hand, nevertheless)
Cause and Effect (e.g., because, therefore, as a result)
Addition (e.g., moreover, furthermore, also)
Sequence (e.g., first, then, next, subsequently, finally)

Look for key clues in the context to determine which type of relationship fits best. Of the above transition words and phrases, contrast words are the most powerful indicators you’ll find. Words like “but” are the biggest little words in the English language!

Try this question now.

Should you leave the sentence below as it is or opt for one of the three alternatives listed in the answer choices?

The suffering and alienation among African-Americans did not end with the abolition of slavery; nonetheless, for many, the brutality of the segregated South was just as wrenching as their years enslaved.

A. NO CHANGE
B. consequently
C. indeed
D. moreover

(spoiler)

Transition questions often require you to address whether the two parts of a sentence exist in similarity to or in contrast with each other. In this case, the relationship is one of similarity: a profoundly difficult experience is described in both parts of the sentence. The absence of contrast leads us to eliminate “nonetheless”.

The remaining choices, however, all express some sort of agreement or accordance. “Consequently” implies that the first part of the sentence describes something that causes the scenario in the second half. But there is no hint in the sentence that the years spent under slavery caused the difficulties of the years after slavery. So “consequently” seems unlikely.

“Moreover”, meanwhile, is a synonym for “furthermore” or simply “also”. This is a good word to use when stating two similar facts or describing two similar situations. But there is more than that going on in this sentence: the first part anticipates the second part, and the second part expands upon the first. This is a good opportunity to use an intensifier like “indeed”–a word indicating that what follows is going to exemplify or amplify what came before. That’s what happens in this sentence; the second part shows us that not only did the suffering not go away after emancipation but that in fact it remained just as intense as before, at least for some people. This is why “indeed” is called an intensifier: it points to an idea that makes the idea preceding it even stronger. The answer is C.

Examine the Structure.
Does the sentence in question:

Continue an argument?
Provide an example?
Conclude a thought?
Introduce a contrast or pivot?

Knowing this will help narrow down your options.

Anticipate the Answer.
Similar to the strategy for Word Choice questions, a strong approach to Logical Coherence and Transition questions prioritizes anticipation. Rather than passively reading the answer choices to find which one fits, use your work in the context to predict the answer. What word or phrase would you use to make the logic cohere and any transitions become abundantly clear? Then, and only then, evaluate all the possible answers.

Try this question now.

Should you leave the sentence below as it is or opt for one of the three alternatives listed in the answer choices?

Charles Dickens steadfastly maintained that no one co-wrote his first novel The Pickwick Papers, for several sources have claimed that the work owes its origins to the illustrator Robert Seymour.

A. NO CHANGE
B. and
C. so
D. but

(spoiler)

Unlike the previous example, this sentence bears the marks of contrast all over it. Dickens claimed one thing; others suggested just the opposite. Our four choices are all conjunctions that join together two independent clauses; they could all work grammatically, but “for” is a synonym for “because”, which doesn’t make sense, and “so” suggests that the second part depends logically on the first part. Only one answer, “but”, expresses contrast. The answer is B.

Read Your Answer Back into the Broader Context.
If you have any doubt, plug your answer into the 2-3 sentences surrounding it. How does the section sound? Does it flow well? Does it logically fit together? If it does not sound quite right, revisit the answer choices.

Try this question now.

Should you leave the sentence below as it is or opt for one of the three alternatives listed in the answer choices?

German theologian Karl Barth famously became disenchanted with the liberal theology of his upbringing; as a result, he embarked on a different path from his forebears.

A. NO CHANGE
B. however
C. nevertheless
D. previously

(spoiler)

Sometimes a single word provides the key to understanding a portion of a sentence; in this case, that word is “disenchanted”. Considering that something “enchanting” attracts or inspires those who encounter it, the word “disenchanted” must suggest something unattractive. Barth was moving away from the teachings of his upbringing. When we also consider the word “different” from the second part of the sentence, we see a relationship of similarity between the sentence’s two parts. So “however” and “nevertheless” can be eliminated.

What about “previously”? This word would require a specific time sequence, with one event coming clearly before another. But Barth’s embarking “on a different path” does not appear to have happened before his disenchantment; if anything, it happened afterwards. That leaves us with “as a result”; do we see a “result” in this relationship? Indeed we do: because of his disenchantment, he moved in a different direction. The answer is NO CHANGE.

For Reflection

Rate the difficulty of CLT Logical Coherence and Transition questions for you from 1 (no problem) to 5 (problem!). This will help you decide how much time to spend preparing for this passage.
What strategies in this module do you find most useful? Take a moment to write them down in your own words to make sure you understand them.
What kinds of logical relationships (e.g., contrast, sequence, cause and effect) do you find the most challenging to identify? Be on the lookout for those especially.