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 causal preposition phrase means “because of” before a noun phrase: “owing to” (or “due to”) or “whereas”?
“because of” · “owing to” · Academic transitions & dis…
2. 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…
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 draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…
5. 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…
6. 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…
7. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
9. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
10. 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…
11. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
12. Which discourse marker means “after that” or “as a later step in time”: “subsequently” or “previously”?
“after that” · “subsequently” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 47 · 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 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.
2. 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”.
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 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.
5. 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.
6. 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).
7. 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”.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 47 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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…
2. 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…
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 draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…
5. 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…
6. 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…
7. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
9. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
10. 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…
11. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
12. Which discourse marker means “after that” or “as a later step in time”: “subsequently” or “previously”?
“after that” · “subsequently” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 47 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
2. 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”.
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 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.
5. 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.
6. 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).
7. 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”.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
11. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
12. 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.

12 questions · Seed 47 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification