Transitions are bridges between what has been read and what is about to be read. Transitions help readers move from sentence to sentence. They also alert readers to more global connections of ideas—those between paragraphs or larger sections of text.

Skilled writers use transitional expressions with care, making sure, for example, not to use consequently when also would be more precise. They are also careful to select transitions with an appropriate tone, perhaps preferring so to thus in an informal piece, in summary to in short for a scholarly essay.