Transition Words For Kids – What Are They And How To Use Them

Teaching words to children can be done through various methods. Reading to them regularly to expose them to new words and concepts is one way to do it. Encouraging them to ask questions and engage in conversation, playing word games and doing word puzzles to make learning fun, and using flashcards and labels to teach vocabulary related to specific objects or actions are ways of keeping them engaged. 

One strong way to explain the meaning of new words to kids is by relating them to everyday experiences. For this, a variety of materials like books, pictures and objects around us can help them a lot.

In this article, we talk about transitional words in English for kids, how they are used, a list of commonly used words and ways to help your little one remember them.

What Are Transition Words and How Are They Used?

Here is the formal transition words or linking words definition: words that connect one type of idea to another in a sentence or paragraph. These words are used to show the relationship between these different ideas and to help the reader follow the flow of thought. 

Common examples of transition words for preschoolers include “however,” “therefore,” “in addition,” “furthermore,” and “nevertheless.” They can be used to signal a contrast, a similarity, an addition, a conclusion, or other relationship between ideas. They help to make writing more cohesive and to clarify the connections between ideas.

List of Commonly Used Transition Words

In this section, we will look at some examples of linking words or connecting words-

What Are The Different Types Of Transitional Words

Transitional words and phrases are used to link ideas and sentences in a text, and indicate the relationship between them. Some common types of linking words include:

1. Conjunctive Adverbs

This includes descriptive link words, such as however, furthermore and therefore.

2. Prepositional Phrases

These are words that further describe the spatial or or temporal relation, like in addition, as a result and on the other hand.

3. Conjunctions

Words that link two ideas or two parts of a sentence fall under this type, like and, but, or.

4. Pronouns

Words indicating a noun which was previously described, such as this, that, these, those come under this category.

5. Time Expressions

These are the words that talk about the temporal description, like first, next, finally, afterwards)

6. Words Indicating Similarity or Contrast

These words are used whenever a comparison or analogy is drawn, like similarly, in contrast, on the contrary.

Exercise That Will Help Your Child To Practice The Transitional Words

Let us now look at some connecting word exercises below

Exercise 1

Fill in the Blanks with Correct Linking Words from the Following Choices:

Hence, Otherwise, Finally, However, Instead

1. My father is very busy on weekdays. ______, he always makes time to watch the football match.
2. We have been waiting eagerly. ____ our exam results are going to be out tomorrow. 
3. I must apply a band-aid on my wound. _____ it won’t heal well. 
4. The Italian restaurant will be too crowded this evening. _____, let’s go to the South Indian restaurant.
5. She didn’t get ready on time. _____ she was late for school.

Answers:

1. However
2. Finally
3. Otherwise
4. Instead
5. Hence

Exercise 2

Identify the Types of Transitional Words in Below Sentence-

1. We found the dish very tasty. Moreover, it has several health benefits.
2. Exercise leads to better heart health. Indeed, several studies have supported this hypothesis.
3. The test was really hard. Therefore, only five students passed it.
4. First, you have to answer the questions. Next, you hand in your paper.
5. We had never met before. Yet, we enjoyed each other’s company.

Answers:

1. Additive
2. Adversative
3. Causal
4. Temporal
5. Conjunctive Adverb

Activities To Teach Your Child Transitional Words

Learning through fun activities is a great way to teach kids how to use good transition words in their vocabulary. Here are a few interesting linking words activities that you can try with your child:

1. Spin The Bottle

Write a few transitional words on pieces of paper and tape them on the floor in a circular order. now, at the centre of the circle, spin the bottle. Ask your child to form a sentence using the transitional word that the bottle indicates.

2. Word Prompts

Give your child two word prompts, like Flight, Late. Now, ask them to create a sentence with a transitional word of their choice using these two words. “We hurried for our flight. However, it was late.”

3. Transition Train

Get a toy train for this game. Write some parts of sentences on chits of paper, and transitional words on other chits of paper. Now, tape the first part of the sentence on the first bogey of the train, and the last part of the sentence on the third bogey. Leave one bogey in the middle for your child to select the correct transition word to tape there. This will give your child a visual idea of how these words connect the sentences and ideas.

4. Hop Scotch!

This game can be played in a large open space, or even a cleared out space at home. You will need wither a piece of chalk (if playing outdoor) or sheets of paper and marker pens. Write a sentence with a transitional word on the ground, word-by-word. Now, ask your child to jump over each word but skip the transitional word. You can make it a competitive game by awarding one point every time they skip correctly. They lose a point if they miss. This will help them practice the concept of transitional words as well as work on their alertness.

5. Write A Story!

Let’s learn an interesting story telling technique. Think of a simple sentence that starts with a transition word. For instance, “Then, we went out for ice-cream!” Now, understanding that this sentence needs a predecessor to transition into, think of a situation that can come ahead, leading to the end that is described in the initial statement. Elaborate on the description of your situation, and you have an anecdotal story there!

Engage your child in these transition words activities and introduce them to a list of such words to improve their knowledge of language and vocabulary. With lots of reading and writing practice, your child will soon master this skill.

Also Read:

Compound Words for Children
Rhyming Words for Kids to Learn
Positive Words for Children to Improve Vocabulary