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 preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
2. Which discourse marker acknowledges an opposing point as true before pivoting to a stronger counter-argument: “admittedly” (or “granted”) or “hence”?
“admittedly” · “granted” · Academic transitions & dis…
3. 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…
4. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
“consequently” · “therefore” · 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 subordinating conjunction contrasts two simultaneous facts within a single sentence: “Solar energy is renewable, ____ coal is a finite fossil fuel” (whereas / therefore)?
Which subordinating conjun… · Academic transitions & dis…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. 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…
10. Which discourse marker means “after that” or “as a later step in time”: “subsequently” or “previously”?
“after that” · “subsequently” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
12. Which discourse marker draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 48 · 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 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”.
2. Which discourse marker acknowledges an opposing point as true before pivoting to a stronger counter-argument: “admittedly” (or “granted”) or “hence”?
admittedly (or granted)
“Admittedly” makes a strategic concession (often followed by “however” in the next clause).
3. 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.
4. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
consequently (or therefore)
“Consequently” and “therefore” introduce a result that follows from the previous evidence.
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 subordinating conjunction contrasts two simultaneous facts within a single sentence: “Solar energy is renewable, ____ coal is a finite fossil fuel” (whereas / therefore)?
whereas
“Whereas” (or “while”) directly contrasts two clauses within the same sentence.
7. 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”.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Which discourse marker means “after that” or “as a later step in time”: “subsequently” or “previously”?
subsequently
“Subsequently” indicates an event that occurred after the previously mentioned one.
11. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 48 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 13-15

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
2. Which discourse marker acknowledges an opposing point as true before pivoting to a stronger counter-argument: “admittedly” (or “granted”) or “hence”?
“admittedly” · “granted” · Academic transitions & dis…
3. 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…
4. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
“consequently” · “therefore” · 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 subordinating conjunction contrasts two simultaneous facts within a single sentence: “Solar energy is renewable, ____ coal is a finite fossil fuel” (whereas / therefore)?
Which subordinating conjun… · Academic transitions & dis…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. 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…
10. Which discourse marker means “after that” or “as a later step in time”: “subsequently” or “previously”?
“after that” · “subsequently” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
12. Which discourse marker draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 48 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 13-15

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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”.
2. Which discourse marker acknowledges an opposing point as true before pivoting to a stronger counter-argument: “admittedly” (or “granted”) or “hence”?
admittedly (or granted)
“Admittedly” makes a strategic concession (often followed by “however” in the next clause).
3. 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.
4. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
consequently (or therefore)
“Consequently” and “therefore” introduce a result that follows from the previous evidence.
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 subordinating conjunction contrasts two simultaneous facts within a single sentence: “Solar energy is renewable, ____ coal is a finite fossil fuel” (whereas / therefore)?
whereas
“Whereas” (or “while”) directly contrasts two clauses within the same sentence.
7. 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”.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. Which discourse marker means “after that” or “as a later step in time”: “subsequently” or “previously”?
subsequently
“Subsequently” indicates an event that occurred after the previously mentioned one.
11. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 48 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification