A good transition between ideas is usually unnoticed by the reader, whereas poor ones often force him or her to pay extra attention to connecting two different statements or questions. Transitions are natural to experienced readers, who move from one statement to another without any difficulty even if there are several points made by the author. Poor transitions cause the readers to read again and think about whether two parts are related to each other or not. However, there is usually nothing wrong with the statements themselves; it is the lack of connection between them that makes an article hard to understand.
Transitions Start Much Earlier Than You May Think
Most people believe that transitions start with such linking words as however, therefore, or meanwhile. Actually, good transitions start much earlier and prepare the reader for the next paragraph. While reading the last sentence of a paragraph, the reader becomes interested in some details and is expecting an answer to some questions posed in the text. Therefore, the transition happens quite smoothly, and the next paragraph continues a train of thought instead of starting it again.
Common Context Matters More Than Transitional Vocabulary
It is important to remember that context plays a greater role than transitional phrases in creating smooth progression. The same principle can also be seen at https://backlinksense.com/natural-anchor-text-context/, where surrounding context shapes how connected phrases are understood. The same principle also applies to the structure of an article. For transitions between paragraphs to feel natural, each one should continue the previous idea while introducing something new to the discussion.
Thus, an article will have a natural progression, and the reader will barely notice the transitions. Moreover, the writer will be able to avoid unnecessary repetition of the information contained in the previous paragraph, which is necessary because of the fear that the reader would not remember what he or she was talking about.
Unnecessary Abruptness Interferes With the Article Structure
Sometimes very good paragraphs become useless if they are placed in a random order. An abrupt shift of the subject requires the reader to stop the process of reading and mentally rearrange everything himself or herself. It interferes with his or her concentration and decreases the level of involvement into the discussion.
An abrupt shift of the subject matter is usually the result of excitement of the writer, who wants to share another interesting point with his or her readers without finishing the previous one. Even though each of the paragraphs may contain some valuable information, an article starts resembling a bunch of unrelated observations rather than a discussion of the topic.
The momentum of an article is achieved when the next paragraph is answering to the question posed in the previous one. The writer is building up logical connections between paragraphs, which require no efforts from the reader.
Smooth Flow Is a Reflection of Your Logic
Good transitions are the reflection of organized thinking rather than a consequence of advanced writing skills. People who understand the relationship between their ideas write naturally and do not need to look for special transitions.
Although readers may never notice these transitions directly, they usually perceive their effects. The article becomes easier to understand, the arguments become more convincing, and complicated subjects become less difficult to discuss. Good transitions make it possible to show the coherence of thinking.
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