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获取原文件references/natural-transitions.md
Transitional phrases to guide readers through your content. Good signposting improves readability, user engagement, and helps search engines understand content structure.
Adapted from: University of Manchester Academic Phrasebank (2023), Plain English Campaign, web content best practices
Contents
- Previewing Content Structure
- Introducing a New Topic
- Referring Back
- Moving Between Sections
- Indicating Addition
- Indicating Contrast
- Indicating Similarity
- Indicating Cause and Effect
- Giving Examples
- Emphasising Key Points
- Providing Evidence (neutral attribution, expert quotes, supporting claims)
- Summarising Sections
- Concluding Content
- Question-Based Transitions
- List Introductions
- Hedging Language
- Best Practice Guidelines
- Transitions to Avoid (AI Tells)
Previewing Content Structure
Use in long guides to orient readers. On marketing pages, start with the content instead.
- Here's what we'll cover...
- This guide walks you through...
- Below, you'll find...
- We'll start with X, then move to Y...
- First, let's look at...
- The sections below explain...
Introducing a New Topic
- Regarding X,...
- Speaking of X,...
- Now let's talk about X.
- Another key factor is...
- X is worth exploring because...
Referring Back
Use to connect ideas and reinforce key points:
- As mentioned earlier,...
- As we covered above,...
- Remember when we discussed X?
- Building on that point,...
- Going back to X,...
- Earlier, we explained that...
Moving Between Sections
- Now let's look at...
- Next up:...
- Moving on to...
- With that covered, let's turn to...
- Now that you understand X, here's Y.
- That brings us to...
Indicating Addition
- Also,...
- Plus,...
- On top of that,...
- What's more,...
- Another benefit is...
- Beyond that,...
- In addition,...
- There's also...
Note: Avoid "moreover" and "furthermore" in marketing copy. They read as AI-generated.
Indicating Contrast
- However,...
- But,...
- That said,...
- On the flip side,...
- In contrast,...
- Unlike X, Y...
- While X is true, Y...
- Despite this,...
Indicating Similarity
- Similarly,...
- Likewise,...
- In the same way,...
- Just like X, Y also...
- This mirrors...
- The same applies to...
Indicating Cause and Effect
- So,...
- This means...
- As a result,...
- That's why...
- Because of this,...
- This leads to...
Giving Examples
- For example,...
- For instance,...
- Here's an example:...
- Take X, for instance.
- Consider this:...
- A good example is...
- To illustrate,...
- Like when...
- Say you want to...
Emphasising Key Points
- Here's the key takeaway:...
- The important thing is...
- What matters most is...
- Pay attention to...
Providing Evidence
Use when citing sources, data, or expert opinions:
Neutral attribution
- According to [Source],...
- [Source] reports that...
- Research shows that...
- Data from [Source] indicates...
- A study by [Source] found...
Expert quotes
- As [Expert] puts it,...
- [Expert] explains,...
- In the words of [Expert],...
- [Expert] notes that...
Supporting claims
- This is backed by...
- Evidence suggests...
- The numbers confirm...
- This aligns with findings from...
Summarising Sections
- To recap,...
- In short,...
- Quick summary:...
Concluding Content
- Wrapping up,...
- The bottom line is...
- Here's what to do next:...
- To sum up,...
- Final thoughts:...
- Ready to get started?...
- Now it's your turn.
Note: Avoid "In conclusion" at the start of a paragraph. It's overused and signals AI writing.
Question-Based Transitions
Useful in long-form content for conversational tone and featured snippet optimization. Use them as headings or questions the reader would really ask, then answer with substance. Don't use them as a setup for your own punchline, and keep them out of landing-page copy (see ai-tells.md).
- So what does this mean for you?
- How do you actually do this?
- Wondering where to start?
List Introductions
For numbered lists and step-by-step content:
- Here's how to do it:
- Follow these steps:
- The process is straightforward:
- Here's what you need to know:
- Key things to consider:
- The main factors are:
Hedging Language
For claims that need qualification or aren't absolute:
- may, might, could
- tends to, generally
- often, usually, typically
- in most cases
- it appears that
- evidence suggests
- this can help
Best Practice Guidelines
- Match tone to audience: B2B content can be slightly more formal; B2C often benefits from conversational transitions
- Vary your transitions: Repeating the same phrase gets noticed (and not in a good way)
- Don't over-signpost: Trust your reader; every sentence doesn't need a transition
- Use for scannability: Transitions at paragraph starts help skimmers navigate
- Keep it natural: Read aloud; if it sounds forced, simplify
- Front-load key info: Put the important word or phrase early in the transition
Transitions to Avoid (AI Tells)
These phrases are overused in AI-generated content:
- "That being said,..."
- "It's worth noting that..."
- "At its core,..."
- "In today's digital landscape,..."
- "When it comes to the realm of..."
- "This begs the question..."
- "Let's delve into..."
See ai-tells.md for the full copy blacklist, including structural patterns like contrast reveals and negation lists.