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 discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · 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 discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · Academic transitions & dis…
5. 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…
6. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
10. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. 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…
12. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 52 · 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 discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
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 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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 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.
11. 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).
12. 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”.

12 questions · Seed 52 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
“however” · “furthermore” · 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 discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · Academic transitions & dis…
5. 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…
6. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · Academic transitions & dis…
7. 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…
8. 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…
9. Which discourse marker introduces the exact opposite situation or reverse perspective: “conversely” or “accordingly”?
“conversely” · “accordingly” · Academic transitions & dis…
10. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. 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…
12. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…

12 questions · Seed 52 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. Which discourse marker introduces a contrasting point or concession: “however” or “furthermore”?
however
“However” signals a contrast or exception to the preceding statement.
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 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
7. 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.
8. 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.
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 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.
11. 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).
12. 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”.

12 questions · Seed 52 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification