They come in handy when you want someone to follow the relationships between your ideas.
 
For example, your hungry roommate is faced with a dilemma: stay home to help proofread your paper for this class or go to the grocery store and get some food for dinner.  You want to make a persuasive argument:

1. If you read my paper, I will order a pizza.
2. If you don’t read my paper, you will be eating Ramen noodles for the third time this week.

What transition best characterizes the relationship between the first and second statement?

     A,  As a matter of fact
     B.  However
     C.  Because
     D.  Consequently

Answer:  However

However is a transition that contrasts. This is the best answer because you are trying to show how one event would be beneficial, while the other event would be detrimental.  As a matter of fact is not the best choice because this transition signals that more support will be offered for the first argument and that’s not how the statement about Ramen noodles functions.  . Because or Consequently indicates a cause or effect and these two statements do not have this kind of relationship.  Eating Ramen noodles is not caused by a failure to accept the offer. It just happens to be true at the same time. The cause for eating Ramen noodles could be a lack of money, but there is not causal link between eating Ramen noodles and declining to read the paper.   

To learn more about using transitions in your writing, check out these topics.

The Basics
     The What, Where, and Why of Transitions

Types of Transitions
     Tons of Transitions with Examples

Practice
     A Chance to Perfect Your Transitions

Extra Credit Assignment

References

Prepared by Pam Benoit and Kelly Berg-Nellis to accompany Communication 104: Controversies in Communication.  Suggestions or comments are welcome. ©Pam Benoit, Professor, University of Missouri.  Last updated 02/04/04 by Greg G. Armfield.