EnglishAges 16-18

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 16-18

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. 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 adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. 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…
5. 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…
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. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
9. 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…
10. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. 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…
12. 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…

12 questions · Seed 45 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

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. 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 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.
4. 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).
5. 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.
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. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
8. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
9. 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.
10. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
conversely
“Conversely” reverses the terms or direction of the previous comparison.
11. 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.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 45 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

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. 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 adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. 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…
5. 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…
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. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
9. 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…
10. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. 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…
12. 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…

12 questions · Seed 45 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

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. 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 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.
4. 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).
5. 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.
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. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
8. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
9. 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.
10. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
conversely
“Conversely” reverses the terms or direction of the previous comparison.
11. 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.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 45 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification