EnglishAges 13-15

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Select appropriate academic transitions for contrast, concession, cause, illustration and synthesis. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Age band:Ages 13-15 Ages 16-18

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which discourse marker means “in spite of that” and concedes a point before maintaining the main claim: “nevertheless” (or “nonetheless”) or “similarly”?
“in spite of that” · “neverthe · Academic transitions & dis…
2. Choose the grammatically correct concessive phrase before a noun phrase: “____ the heavy rain, the match continued” (Despite / Although).
Choose the grammatically c… · Academic transitions & dis…
3. Which discourse marker draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which transition phrase restates a complex technical idea in simpler terms: “in other words” or “by contrast”?
“in other words” · “by contras · Academic transitions & dis…
5. Which temporal transition indicates that a second event was happening at the exact same time in another place: “meanwhile” (or “simultaneously”) or “hitherto”?
“meanwhile” · “simultaneously” · Academic transitions & dis…
6. Which concise formal adverb means “for this reason” or “from this fact”: “hence” (or “thus”) or “meanwhile”?
“for this reason” · “from this · Academic transitions & dis…
7. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker clarifies that the preceding negative statement is false and states the true opposite: “on the contrary” or “in addition”?
“on the contrary” · “in additi · Academic transitions & dis…
9. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · Academic transitions & dis…
10. Which discourse marker signals that the writer is summing up the overall argument at the end of an essay: “in conclusion” (or “to summarise”) or “initially”?
“in conclusion” · “to summaris · Academic transitions & dis…
11. Which causal preposition phrase means “because of” before a noun phrase: “owing to” (or “due to”) or “whereas”?
“because of” · “owing to” · Academic transitions & dis…
12. Choose the grammatically correct concessive conjunction before a full clause: “____ the rain was heavy, the match continued” (Although / Despite).
Choose the grammatically c… · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 104732 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Which discourse marker means “in spite of that” and concedes a point before maintaining the main claim: “nevertheless” (or “nonetheless”) or “similarly”?
nevertheless (or nonetheless)
“Nevertheless” acknowledges a difficulty while affirming that the main conclusion still holds.
2. Choose the grammatically correct concessive phrase before a noun phrase: “____ the heavy rain, the match continued” (Despite / Although).
Despite
“The heavy rain” is a noun phrase, so it requires the preposition “Despite” (whereas “Although” requires a full clause with a verb).
3. Which discourse marker draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
similarly (or likewise)
“Similarly” and “likewise” show that a second case follows the same pattern as the first.
4. Which transition phrase restates a complex technical idea in simpler terms: “in other words” or “by contrast”?
in other words
“In other words” paraphrases or clarifies the preceding statement.
5. Which temporal transition indicates that a second event was happening at the exact same time in another place: “meanwhile” (or “simultaneously”) or “hitherto”?
meanwhile (or simultaneously)
“Meanwhile” links concurrent actions occurring during the same interval.
6. Which concise formal adverb means “for this reason” or “from this fact”: “hence” (or “thus”) or “meanwhile”?
hence (or thus)
“Hence” and “thus” indicate logical deduction from the preceding premise.
7. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
8. Which discourse marker clarifies that the preceding negative statement is false and states the true opposite: “on the contrary” or “in addition”?
on the contrary
After a negative statement (“The reef is not dead; on the contrary, it is thriving”), “on the contrary” intensifies the correction.
9. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
accordingly
“Accordingly” connects a situation to the fitting action taken in response.
10. Which discourse marker signals that the writer is summing up the overall argument at the end of an essay: “in conclusion” (or “to summarise”) or “initially”?
in conclusion (or to summarise)
“In conclusion” signals the synthesis and final takeaway of an argument.
11. Which causal preposition phrase means “because of” before a noun phrase: “owing to” (or “due to”) or “whereas”?
owing to (or due to)
“Owing to” and “due to” introduce a noun phrase explaining the cause.
12. Choose the grammatically correct concessive conjunction before a full clause: “____ the rain was heavy, the match continued” (Although / Despite).
Although
“The rain was heavy” is a full clause with subject and verb, so it requires the subordinating conjunction “Although”.

12 questions · Seed 104732 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which discourse marker means “in spite of that” and concedes a point before maintaining the main claim: “nevertheless” (or “nonetheless”) or “similarly”?
“in spite of that” · “neverthe · Academic transitions & dis…
2. Choose the grammatically correct concessive phrase before a noun phrase: “____ the heavy rain, the match continued” (Despite / Although).
Choose the grammatically c… · Academic transitions & dis…
3. Which discourse marker draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which transition phrase restates a complex technical idea in simpler terms: “in other words” or “by contrast”?
“in other words” · “by contras · Academic transitions & dis…
5. Which temporal transition indicates that a second event was happening at the exact same time in another place: “meanwhile” (or “simultaneously”) or “hitherto”?
“meanwhile” · “simultaneously” · Academic transitions & dis…
6. Which concise formal adverb means “for this reason” or “from this fact”: “hence” (or “thus”) or “meanwhile”?
“for this reason” · “from this · Academic transitions & dis…
7. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker clarifies that the preceding negative statement is false and states the true opposite: “on the contrary” or “in addition”?
“on the contrary” · “in additi · Academic transitions & dis…
9. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · Academic transitions & dis…
10. Which discourse marker signals that the writer is summing up the overall argument at the end of an essay: “in conclusion” (or “to summarise”) or “initially”?
“in conclusion” · “to summaris · Academic transitions & dis…
11. Which causal preposition phrase means “because of” before a noun phrase: “owing to” (or “due to”) or “whereas”?
“because of” · “owing to” · Academic transitions & dis…
12. Choose the grammatically correct concessive conjunction before a full clause: “____ the rain was heavy, the match continued” (Although / Despite).
Choose the grammatically c… · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 104732 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Which discourse marker means “in spite of that” and concedes a point before maintaining the main claim: “nevertheless” (or “nonetheless”) or “similarly”?
nevertheless (or nonetheless)
“Nevertheless” acknowledges a difficulty while affirming that the main conclusion still holds.
2. Choose the grammatically correct concessive phrase before a noun phrase: “____ the heavy rain, the match continued” (Despite / Although).
Despite
“The heavy rain” is a noun phrase, so it requires the preposition “Despite” (whereas “Although” requires a full clause with a verb).
3. Which discourse marker draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
similarly (or likewise)
“Similarly” and “likewise” show that a second case follows the same pattern as the first.
4. Which transition phrase restates a complex technical idea in simpler terms: “in other words” or “by contrast”?
in other words
“In other words” paraphrases or clarifies the preceding statement.
5. Which temporal transition indicates that a second event was happening at the exact same time in another place: “meanwhile” (or “simultaneously”) or “hitherto”?
meanwhile (or simultaneously)
“Meanwhile” links concurrent actions occurring during the same interval.
6. Which concise formal adverb means “for this reason” or “from this fact”: “hence” (or “thus”) or “meanwhile”?
hence (or thus)
“Hence” and “thus” indicate logical deduction from the preceding premise.
7. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
8. Which discourse marker clarifies that the preceding negative statement is false and states the true opposite: “on the contrary” or “in addition”?
on the contrary
After a negative statement (“The reef is not dead; on the contrary, it is thriving”), “on the contrary” intensifies the correction.
9. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
accordingly
“Accordingly” connects a situation to the fitting action taken in response.
10. Which discourse marker signals that the writer is summing up the overall argument at the end of an essay: “in conclusion” (or “to summarise”) or “initially”?
in conclusion (or to summarise)
“In conclusion” signals the synthesis and final takeaway of an argument.
11. Which causal preposition phrase means “because of” before a noun phrase: “owing to” (or “due to”) or “whereas”?
owing to (or due to)
“Owing to” and “due to” introduce a noun phrase explaining the cause.
12. Choose the grammatically correct concessive conjunction before a full clause: “____ the rain was heavy, the match continued” (Although / Despite).
Although
“The rain was heavy” is a full clause with subject and verb, so it requires the subordinating conjunction “Although”.

12 questions · Seed 104732 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification