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. 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…
2. 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…
3. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
5. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · 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 adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. 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…
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 draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
“consequently” · “therefore” · Academic transitions & dis…
12. 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 questions · Seed 56 · 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. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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”.
5. 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.
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 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.
8. 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.
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 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.
11. 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.
12. 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 questions · Seed 56 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. 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…
2. 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…
3. Which discourse marker adds a reinforcing argument in the same direction: “moreover” (or “furthermore”) or “nevertheless”?
“moreover” · “furthermore” · Academic transitions & dis…
4. Which preposition of concession is followed directly by a noun phrase or -ing form (WITHOUT “of”): “despite” or “although”?
“of” · “despite” · Academic transitions & dis…
5. Which transition word means “correspondingly” or “in a way that is appropriate to the circumstances”: “accordingly” or “alternatively”?
“correspondingly” · “according · 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 adverbial marker signals that a statement is being made briefly and without unnecessary detail: “briefly” (or “concisely”) or “repeatedly”?
“briefly” · “concisely” · Academic transitions & dis…
8. 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…
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 draws a parallel between two comparable cases: “similarly” (or “likewise”) or “on the contrary”?
“similarly” · “likewise” · Academic transitions & dis…
11. Which discourse marker signals a logical cause-and-effect conclusion: “consequently” (or “therefore”) or “conversely”?
“consequently” · “therefore” · Academic transitions & dis…
12. 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 questions · Seed 56 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 16-18

Academic transitions & discourse markers

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. 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).
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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”.
5. 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.
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 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.
8. 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.
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 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.
11. 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.
12. 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 questions · Seed 56 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification