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.

New variation Try interactive challenge Browse templates

Age band:Ages 13-15 Ages 16-18

Choose “Save as PDF” to keep a copy. Use your browser’s paper setting for A4 or Letter.

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 preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
3. 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…
4. 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…
5. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
6. 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…
7. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
“consequently” · “therefore” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. 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…
9. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · 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 adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · 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 54 · 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 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”.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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”.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
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 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.
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 54 · 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 preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
3. 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…
4. 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…
5. Which discourse marker introduces the first stage of a chronological sequence: “initially” (or “firstly”) or “subsequently”?
“initially” · “firstly” · Academic transitions & dis…
6. 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…
7. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
“consequently” · “therefore” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. 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…
9. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
“alternatively” · “consequentl · 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 adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · 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 54 · 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 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”.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.
6. 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”.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. Which discourse marker introduces a different option or second possibility: “alternatively” or “consequently”?
alternatively
“Alternatively” proposes another course of action.
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 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.
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 54 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification