Difference between transitional adverbs and conjunctions

Besides transitional adverbs, conjunctions and prepositions are used to indicate the rhetorical structure of a piece of writing. The grammatical properties of conjunctions and prepositions are different from those of transitional adverbs. Although transitional adverbs indicate relationships between sentences and paragraphs, they do not connect them grammatically.

In other words, transitional adverbs are not required grammatically. Even if you remove them, there would be no ungrammaticality. Of course, some meaning would be lost and the reader will have to infer some of the ideas.

Read the following pairs of sentences.

Now consider removing the transitional adverb 'therefore'.

The sentence still makes sense, doesn't it?

Conjunctions, on the other hand, are used to join words or clauses together. They become a part of the sentence and cannot be removed without causing ungrammaticality.

The various subordinate conjunctions that form adverb clauses are listed below.

When, while, since, as, once

The conjunctions when, while, since, as and once are used to introduce adverb clauses of time.


Where is used to introduce adverb clauses of place.

Because and since

The conjunctions because and since are used to introduce adverb clauses of reason or cause.

While, even though, though

These conjunctions are used to introduce adverb clauses showing contrast or concession.

Just as, like, in that

The conjunctions just as and like are used to show similarity.

Note that this use of like as a conjunction is not considered correct in formal or academic English. Instead, structures with as are used.

In that is used to give an explanation.

Sections in this article

Transformation of sentences - I
Transformation of sentences - II
Transformation of a Simple sentence into a compound sentence
Transformation of a compound sentence into a simple sentence
Transformation of a simple sentence into a complex sentence
Transformation of a complex sentence into a simple sentence
Transformation of sentences containing too
Interchange of degrees of comparison
Combining two sentences using too...to and so...that
How to combine two sentences using too...to

See also

Adverb clauses
Adjective clauses
Noun clauses
Transformation of sentences

See also

Common mistakes in the use of nouns
Common mistakes in the use of nouns | Exercise 1
Common mistakes in the use of nouns | Exercise 2
Common mistakes in the use of nouns | Exercise 3

More CBSE English Grammar worksheets

Passive voice worksheet | Simple past tense
Passive voice worksheet | Past continuous tense
Passive voice worksheet | Simple future tense
Passive voice worksheet | Future perfect tense


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