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. 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…
3. Which discourse marker introduces a specific illustration of a general claim: “for instance” (or “for example”) or “despite this”?
“for instance” · “for example” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which pair of correlative transitions balances two sides of a dilemma: “on the one hand … on the other hand” or “firstly … finally”?
“firstly … finally” · Academic transitions & dis…
5. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · Academic transitions & dis…
6. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. Which adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · Academic transitions & dis…
10. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. 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…
12. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 42 · 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. 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.
3. Which discourse marker introduces a specific illustration of a general claim: “for instance” (or “for example”) or “despite this”?
for instance (or for example)
“For instance” signals that a concrete example is about to illustrate the general principle.
4. Which pair of correlative transitions balances two sides of a dilemma: “on the one hand … on the other hand” or “firstly … finally”?
on the one hand … on the other hand
This paired structure weighs two competing considerations side by side.
5. 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.
6. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
despite
Use “despite + noun phrase” (or “in spite of + noun phrase”); never write “despite of”.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Which adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
briefly (or concisely)
It alerts the reader that the following summary is condensed.
10. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
initially (or firstly)
“Initially” marks what happened at the very beginning of a process.
11. 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).
12. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
moreover (or furthermore)
“Moreover” and “furthermore” add an additional supporting point of even greater weight.

12 questions · Seed 42 · 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. 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…
3. Which discourse marker introduces a specific illustration of a general claim: “for instance” (or “for example”) or “despite this”?
“for instance” · “for example” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which pair of correlative transitions balances two sides of a dilemma: “on the one hand … on the other hand” or “firstly … finally”?
“firstly … finally” · Academic transitions & dis…
5. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · Academic transitions & dis…
6. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. Which adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · Academic transitions & dis…
10. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. 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…
12. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 42 · 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. 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.
3. Which discourse marker introduces a specific illustration of a general claim: “for instance” (or “for example”) or “despite this”?
for instance (or for example)
“For instance” signals that a concrete example is about to illustrate the general principle.
4. Which pair of correlative transitions balances two sides of a dilemma: “on the one hand … on the other hand” or “firstly … finally”?
on the one hand … on the other hand
This paired structure weighs two competing considerations side by side.
5. 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.
6. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
despite
Use “despite + noun phrase” (or “in spite of + noun phrase”); never write “despite of”.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Which adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
briefly (or concisely)
It alerts the reader that the following summary is condensed.
10. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
initially (or firstly)
“Initially” marks what happened at the very beginning of a process.
11. 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).
12. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
moreover (or furthermore)
“Moreover” and “furthermore” add an additional supporting point of even greater weight.

12 questions · Seed 42 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification