transition words

Mastering Emotional Shifts in Compositions: How Transition Words Enhance Storytelling

Hi, everyone! This is Teacher Wen Hee, dropping by to share a new post! I am sure everyone has been reminded umpteen times to use Show not Tell to convey the emotions of the characters in your compositions. The Show not Tell method is certainly an effective way to describe the characters’ feelings and reactions and will definitely help make your stories more relatable and exciting. However, we often find that the main character in the story will not only experience one emotion but a range of emotions throughout the story. So how do you show this clearly without confusing your readers?

Similar to other types of writing (e.g. expository, discursive etc.), the answer is to use transition words to link the different parts of the story clearly to create a cohesive whole. Being able to do so will not only elevate the quality of your writing but will also ensure you are able to create vivid and engaging stories!

Below are the reasons why we should use transition words in our stories:
1. Clarity and Flow: Transition words ensure that the composition flows smoothly from one idea to the next, making it easier for readers to follow the progression of emotions. This also helps in preventing logic gaps when a character is suddenly portrayed with a different emotion at a different scene or scenario.

2. Emotional Depth: They help to add layers to the characters by showing how their feelings evolve, making them more relatable and realistic. This is useful if you want to show some sort of character development in your stories!

3. Engagement: A well-transitioned narrative keeps readers hooked as they are keen to see how the characters deal with their changing emotions.

Let us now look at how to use the types and examples of transition words. You may even find them familiar because you may have used them in other types of writing!

Transition Words showing…

Sentence Example

gradual change

gradually, bit by bit, slowly, over time, step by step

Gradually, her trembling hands steadied as she realised the thrill of the roller coaster ride awaiting her.
(from fear to joy/excitement)

sudden change

suddenly, all at once, in an instant, unexpectedly, out of nowhere, immediately

As he spotted his family cheering for him in the audience, in an instant, his anxiety melted away as he brimmed with confidence.
(from anxiety to confidence)

contrast

however, but, yet, in contrast, on the other hand

He was terrified of the dark cave, yet the thought of discovering hidden treasures filled him with eager anticipation.
(from fear to eagerness)

cause and effect

because, since, therefore, consequently, as a result

At first, she was crushed upon seeing the low marks on the test paper as she failed to achieve the grade she had hoped for. However, her teacher approached her and praised her for the progress that she had made thus far. As a result, her disappointment slowly morphed into pride as she felt motivated to keep on improving. (from disappointment to pride)

sequence of time

as soon as, after, when, then, initial, subsequent

As soon as I realised his true intentions, my initial anger was replaced with a warm sense of gratitude. (from anger to gratitude)

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While it is recommended that you use transition words for all stories, there are some types of stories that make it all the more important for us to use such words because they help to indicate clearly the change in the main character’s emotions. Below are some examples of topics and scenarios that you can consider:

  • Going on a thrilling amusement park ride. (Topic: A New Experience/ A Dare)
  • Speaking or performing in front of an audience. (Topic: A Competition /Overcoming fear)
  • Exploring a mysterious place. (Topic: A Discovery / An Unexpected Encounter)
  • Setting a goal to lose weight/break a bad habit. (Topic: A Difficult Change / AChallenge)

With reference to the topic, ‘A New Experience’ and using the picture of a roller coaster ride, take a look at a sample paragraph of how you can reflect the change of emotions using the appropriate transition words (which have been bolded in the paragraph):

As the roller coaster began its steep ascend, a tsunami of fear washed over me. My heart was palpitating wildly against my ribcage as my hands turned cold and clammy. As soon as the moving vehicle reached the peak, the terrifying drop ahead sent a shiver down my spine. In an instant, the adrenaline in my body surged through my veins like lightning. As we plummeted downward, the initial fear transformed into pure exhilaration. The wind whipped through my hair as I let out screams of joy! I could hardly believe it but I was having so much fun that I raised my hands from the safety bars. With each twist and turn, my excitement grew, washing away all my worries, leaving me breathless and laughing with delight.

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Notice how the writer is able to use Show not Tell phrases to vividly describe the emotions of fear as well as excitement the main character experienced as he tried the roller coaster for the first time. Not only that, the writer also manages to show clearly how the emotion of fear that the main character felt at the beginning of the ride subsequently changes into excitement, through the use of appropriate transition words. I hope through this example you are able to see how combining Show not Tell phrases with the right transition words can help to create a satisfying and smooth narrative flow.

Before I go, here are three tips to help you use transition words effectively in your stories:

  1. Plan Your Narrative: Before writing, outline the emotional journey of your characters. Identify key areas (e.g Build-up / Problem / Climax / Resolution of story) where their emotions will change and decide which transition words to use.
  2. Read Widely: Pay attention to how authors use transition words in stories. Notice how these words help transition between different emotional states.
  3. Practice: Write short paragraphs focusing on emotional transitions. Use transition words to link different feelings and refine your narrative flow.

l hope you have managed to pick up a thing or two from this post. As you can see, adding in transition words can really be that simple as long as you flesh out the emotions and ideas in a coherent manner. Furthermore, it also helps to enhance the quality of your writing as a whole. So, be sure to give this a try, budding writers! Practice makes perfect and as the saying goes, ‘don’t delay, start today.’ Everyone can become a great writer and if you like this post, be sure to check out our other posts and videos. See you in the next post and stay positive! Bye!

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Mr Wen Hee

Teacher Wen Hee is a seasoned teacher who always strives to come out with innovative methods to keep his students engaged whilst having fun in class. He strongly believes that learning is a continuous process and hopes to impart this important life skill to his students.

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