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Down and Dirty Tips: Narrative and Descriptive Essays

Narrative Essay

Helpful Transitional Expressions

Transitional expressions can help tie ideas together and show relationships. They also reveal organization patterns to help your reader follow along. Try out a few in your paper. Be sure that any transition you use makes logical sense.

Time Transitions & Phrases

  • before
  • meanwhile
  • afterward
  • at the same time
  • to begin with
  • subsequently
  • previously
  • at last
  • at present
  • briefly
  • currently
  • at that time
  • in the meantime
  • Eventually
  • finally gradually
  • immediately
  • in the future
  • then
  • now
  • later
  • suddenly
  • earlier
  • formerly
  • shortly
  • until now
  • in the past

Descriptive Essay

Helpful Transitional Expressions

Transitional expressions can help tie ideas together and show relationships. They also reveal organization patterns to help your reader follow along. Try out a few in your paper. Be sure that any transition you use makes logical sense.

Spatial Transitions & Phrases

  • here
  • above
  • beside
  • below
  • beyond
  • further
  • there
  • inside
  • outside
  • nearby
  • next to
  • on the far side
  • adjacent to
  • opposite to
  • to the east
  • to the west
  • to the north
  • to the south
  • behind
  • in the background
  • in the middle ground
  • in the foreground
  • to the right
  • to the left
  • on top
  • in the middle
  • in the bottom