In order to help "move" (the prefix "trans" = move) or lead the reader along from one idea or place to the next, authors use transitions. They give pieces of writing a clearer sense of time and place. They make stories more detailed and interesting to read.
Transitions begin a sentence or paragraph and can start numerous ways. Need some help locating or writing your own transitions? Check this out.
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I am following the lead of the innovative teachers who ran the Reading Roundup whose students wrote about transitions they saw in books. Thanks for helping me learn something new Mrs. Yollis and Mr. Salsich!
Students and guests! Please write to tell us about a transition you have read in a book or story recently. Start by telling us the name of the book or story and then write the sentence with the transition in it. Thank you!
Dear Class,
ReplyDeleteHere are a few transitions I found while perusing Under Wildwood (Yes, the sequel to Wildwood!)
Below him, in the simple, black carriage itself, sits a woman, alone. The transition is "Below him, in the simple, black carriage itself."
With a quick turn of his wrist, he has dropped the whip and taken the reins in both hands. The transition is "With a quick turn of his wrist."
From the dense scrub of the forest comes a horse, a dappled brown and white pony. The transition is "From the dense scrub of the forest comes a horse."
I look forward to reading your comments.
Sincerely,
Mr. Pahl
Dear Mr. Pahl,
DeleteThat’s awesome you are reading Under Wildwood and sharing transitions you find in it. I’ve been reading Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce, and this is a transition sentence I found.
When we left the crew quarters the next day, the dads were waiting by the transporter, ready to say their last goodbyes.
Also, Cosmic is about a kid named Liam and everyone thinks he is an adult. After some time, he gets sent into space. I’m not going to tell you how though, you have to read and find out.
From,
Sophia
Dear Mr. Pahl,
DeleteIt’s great that you’re reading Under Wildwood. I hope you will read us it when you have finished Wildwood; I’m extremely curious what is going happen and how this book is going to end. Also, it shows good examples of descriptive writing and transitions. I am eager to know if you are going to Under Wildwood to the class!
Sincerely,
Sophia
Dear Mr. Pahl,
ReplyDeleteI am very excited to learn about transition phrases and words. I hope to learn even more!
From, Linnea
Dear Linnea,
DeleteI’m excited too because we get to make our writing better and a lot more interesting. Can you tell me why you are excited?
From,
Sophia
Dear classmates, how do you use good transition phrases or words in a sentence? Did you see an exciting transition phrase or word from a book you or another author made? I really want to know all those unique transition sentences you saw or came up with! It can be silly, artistic, or just any sentence with a transition.
ReplyDeleteSincerely, Fiona
Dear Mr.Pahl,
ReplyDeleteSo, Transition Phrases are like a Transition word but in a longer definition?? I am still a little confused about them a little bit.
Sincerely,
Avery
Dear Avery, A transition word is like: then, next, finally, first, and so on. A transition phrase is like: as he jumped out of the house, when she woke up to see the daylight, at 2:00 pm when they ate fried squid, and so on. Transition phrases are a bundle of words together, while a transition word is just one word. If you still don’t understand, then you could watch a video about both of them when you come to your great home after school!
DeleteFrom, Fiona
Dear Avery,
DeleteThanks so much for asking your question. Yes, a transition phrase is like a transition word: they both tell the reader something more about time, place, setting, or some other important aspect of a piece of writing. A transition phrase is made up of more than one word; while a transition word is just that - a word. Fiona gives more examples up above. I will add some more soon. Hopefully, other classmates will also write about transitions they find when they read. If you check back here regularly in the next few days, I bet you will begin to better understand. Until that happens (transition phrase), keep thinking about it.
Sincerely,
Mr. Pahl
Dear Mr. Pahl,
ReplyDeleteI like transitions. They help me keep on track when I am reading.
Sincerely, Devin
Hi Devin,
DeleteI'm glad you like transitions. I enjoy reading transitions that give me good, juicy details. Can you explain what mean when you say that they help you keep on track? I don't understand.
Thanks,
Mr. Pahl
Dear Devin,
DeleteI think you mean that they keep you on topic in the story. Like if it switches to another character, a transition and transition sentences will help.
Sincerely,
Sophia
Dear Mr. Pahl,
ReplyDeleteI’m really excited that we are learning transition words.
I use them almost every day.
From, Eli
Eli,
DeleteThat's great. What are some examples of how you use them?
Mr. Pahl
Dear Mr. Pahl,
ReplyDeleteI very like the transition words because when I write a piece at home I can use the transition at home just in case I need it.
Sincerely, Donna
Dear Class,
ReplyDeleteIn The Paradise Trap, I found this transition: Though he knew it was impossible, he could have sworn the windows were shrinking. The transition is though he knew it was impossible.
From,
Julia
Dear Class,
ReplyDeleteIn Turtle in Paradise, I found whenever Archie comes back from a sales trip, it’s like Christmas. The transition is whenever. Happy blogging!
From, Gavin
Dear Class,
ReplyDeleteIn the book Turtle in Paradise I found the transition, in my opinion, the fellas who make Hollywood pictures are really just salesmen. The transition is, in my opinion. Happy blogging!
From, Gavin
Dear Class,
ReplyDeleteTwo transition I found were:
1. From the book True (Sort Of) The sentence was: “Yet by the middle of August it had been so long since trouble”. The transition was “Yet by the middle of August”.
2. From the book Petal Pushers. The sentence was: “Before the walk home I thought of the perfect Ashley comeback”. The transition was “Before the walk home”.
Happy Bloging!
Sincerely,
Karoline
Dear classmates,
ReplyDeleteThis is a book called Out Of My Mind about a girl named Melody who can’t talk or move on her own, and she has really hard times she goes through.
One transition sentence is, “Dr. Hugely, even though he has been to college for like, a million years, would never be smart enough to understand me.”
The transition phrase is, “even though he has been to college for like, a million years.”
Do you have any more transition phrases you can tell us about?
From, Fiona
Dear Mr. Pahl,
ReplyDeleteTwo transitions I have read this week are :
1) “Once dinner was over, kate went up to her room.” The transition was “Once dinner was over”.
2) “ After tryouts, Marylin was really excited that she’d made the team” the transition is “ try outs”.
Sincerely,
Ella
Dear Mr. Pahl,
ReplyDeleteMy transitions are from Jr. Buddy.
1. My transitions are. “In a jungle in Central America” there is a special place for animals.
2. “Before long” Jr. buddy was a frisky cub.