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 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…
2. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
3. 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…
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 preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
6. 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…
7. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
9. 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…
10. 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…
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. 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…

12 questions · Seed 51 · 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 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.
2. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
3. 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).
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 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”.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
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. 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.

12 questions · Seed 51 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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…
2. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
3. 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…
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 preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
6. 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…
7. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
9. 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…
10. 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…
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. 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…

12 questions · Seed 51 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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.
2. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
3. 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).
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 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”.
6. 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. 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.
10. 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.
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. 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.

12 questions · Seed 51 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification