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John on Transitional Phrases
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7 thoughts on “John on Transitional Phrases”
I have to admit I am absolutely allergic to lists of transitional phrases because I have seen them abused so thoroughly in French education. I first encountered them at the university level where I taught a class called “Contraction”. Students were given magazine articles to reduce to 120 words. But, being good, serious, conscientious students who hoped to become language teachers, they used the lists of transitional phrases they had been told to memorize, and every sentence began However, Furthermore, Nevertheless, etc., etc. The result was wordy and often incomprehensible. I worked hard to convince them that And – But – Or are perfectly adequate transitions. In the lycée, instead of teaching lists, I wait for a student who is writing to ask me, “how do you say “Pourtant” and I give them “However”. I believe that when they are ready to make transitions, when they feel the need for a transition, they’ll ask for it. I read a study once that showed that while students forget much that they’re told by a teacher, they rarely forget the answer to their own question. I’ve seen French teachers penalize students who don’t use “transitional phrases”/ linking words, but I believe their writing is weakened when they try to stick in the words because they’ve been told it’s a good thing to do rather than using them where they feel a real need.
Spoken by one who knows the French language, which, among languages, is, to my limited knowledge, the King of Transitional Phrases. The worst I have heard is a classic: “Eh bien…alors…et puis…enfin….”. Hell at that point I wouldn’t have been surprised if this professor of French literature had dropped the “dorénavant…” bomb on us.
where can I find the Spanish ones?
I will ask Drew to get them to you or post that link here.
Drew sent it:
Hi Ben,
Found it on your blog:
https://benslavic.com/blog/2012/01/08/transitional-phrases-as-writing-tools/
If you’re looking for something else–like how we use it, let me know.
Drew
Hello all
I would like some tips on how to use this list for a TEFL writing class – intermediate level Thai adults age 17-24 – who will be sitting the IELTS test for overseas university entrance at some point.
I thought this list was fab so I copied it out – the English versions and shared it out in my small class (3) Thai students so they could translate into Thai. They used a dictionary for the ones they didn’t know. They seemed to like the task. And then I photocopied the original for them each.
Thing is I’m not sure how to get them to use the list – apart from as reference when writing. I suppose there could be exercises a bit like trainspotting or bingo, where I give them real newspaper articles and other readings and get them to “spot” the use of transitional phrases, and mark their sheet with it… mmm not sure…
Well if you are doing story telling it’s easy to use the “time” category. You can circle happened first/then/consequently/as a result… and get a lot of reps with those. They will use them when they’re comfortable with them. One reading activity you can do is to give them a comprehensible story all cut up and out of order and either give them the transitions they have to use to connect the story OR give them a blank chunk of paper of a different color and have them write the transition that they think fits.