Clear WritingTransitions and Conclusions

Activity #1

0 Imagine you are giving a friend directions from this high school to where you live. This friend just moved to Ogden, so he/she is unfamiliar with the city.

0On a piece of paper, write down directions to your house. BE VERY SPECIFIC to help your friend know exactly how to find your home without getting lost.

Did you use these words?

0Next0Then0First0Second0Third0After

0Last0When0Until0About0Beyond

Transitions are like bridges

Activity #2

0With your group, put the essay paragraphs in order. (The thesis statement in the introduction should give you a clue.)

0Write “1, 2, 3 . . .” on the back of each paragraph to indicate the order of the paragraphs.

0Next, write in transition words or phrases above each paragraph (other than the introduction) to smooth the movement between paragraphs.0 You may need to rewrite the first sentence of the

paragraphs.

Examples of TransitionsTo Add Information To Give an

ExampleTo Give Opposing Information

To Conclude

Finally For instance Despite In conclusion

Furthermore For example Nevertheless In brief

In addition or additionally

To illustrate the point

Although All things considered

Similarly Put another way While In summary

Equally important That is In contrast In essence

At the same time Specifically Even though Finally

First, second, third To demonstrate Still Therefore

Another or also Such as In spite of this Thus

Of greatest significance

Moreover

1

There are those Friday nights after working hard all week when you just want to get some good food and a movie. Unfortunately, unless you want to empty your wallet at some fancy restaurant or clog an artery with bland, greasy food at the nearest McDonald’s, eating options are limited. At Costa Vida, however, you have healthier options without shrinking the size of your wallet. Costa Vida may be the best tasting restaurant where you can get full for under $10, avoid greasy fast food, and enjoy the comfort of a tasty treat.

2

Costa Vida does not cost too much. I grew up in a family that ate out a lot. My parents are fairly well off and they both, especially my mom, love to eat out. Due to their taste for culinary excellence, I have tried many different restaurants across the western United States. For the most part, Costa Vida is still the best restaurant I have come across. I say “for the most part” because I have eaten at some delicious restaurants, particularly those in more elegant places of the country in L.A. and the fancy hotels in Las Vegas. Those restaurants, however, are incredibly pricy. The dinners cost around twenty to thirty dollars a person. As a starving college student, I cannot afford to spend money at whim for such a meal. At Costa Vida, I can spend eight dollars on a salad and leave with both a full stomach and a full wallet.

3

Costa Vida has healthier options than most fast food establishments. A Big Mac at McDonalds with large fries and a large drink contains around 2000 calories and eighty grams of fat. A Costa Vida Sweet Pork Salad, which is what I always order, has considerably fewer calories and fat. Logically, health conscious consumers should choose Costa Vida over the cheaper, but incredibly greasier fast food restaurants.

4

The comforting ability of Costa Vida makes it an ideal restaurant. Comfort food has long been popular across the world. I argue that Costa Vida’s menu has the same affect. I often feel overwhelmed with homework and the stresses from my job. The friendly, efficient service at Costa Vida always makes me feel like a valued customer. In addition, I get to take my food home and snuggle up while having my dinner. My stress simply drains away. Many of my friends feel the same way. They love eating Costa Vida when they need a mental break from their hectic lives.

5

Many people believe Café Rio is the better choice. I must maintain my assertion that Costa Vida, in most aspects, is the superior establishment. Much of the food between the two restaurants tastes fairly similar. Café Rio does not even have a more enjoyable atmosphere as both restaurants seem upbeat and smell wonderful. Costa Vida, however, is usually much quicker at getting customers through the lines quickly. I have spent twice as long in line at Café Rio than I have at Costa Vida when the two lines were approximately the same length. In addition, Costa Vida is slightly more inexpensive than is Café Rio. I feel safe suggesting that almost anyone would rather pay less for a meal at one restaurant that tastes pretty much the same as the same, more expensive meal in another restaurant.

6

I must reemphasize that although there are innumerable delicious and budget-friendly eating options available, Costa Vida seems to be the best choice for someone who wants to get full from delicious food without spending a lot of money. Perhaps I will change my mind when I have more money to spend as I want. But for now, I will enjoy sitting down with my Costa Vida salad on Friday nights as I watch the latest movie or an exciting basketball game.

My Example

There are those Friday nights after working hard all week when you just want to get some good food and a movie. Unfortunately, unless you want to empty your wallet at some fancy restaurant or clog an artery with bland, greasy food at the nearest McDonald’s, eating options are limited. At Costa Vida, however, you have healthier options without shrinking the size of your wallet. Costa Vida may be the best tasting restaurant where you can get full for under $10, avoid greasy fast food, and enjoy the comfort of a tasty treat.

To begin, Costa Vida does not cost too much. I grew up in a family that ate out a lot. My parents are fairly well off and they both, especially my mom, love to eat out. Due to their taste for culinary excellence, I have tried many different restaurants across the western United States. For the most part, Costa Vida is still the best restaurant I have come across. I say “for the most part” because I have eaten at some delicious restaurants, particularly those in more elegant places of the country in L.A. and the fancy hotels in Las Vegas. Those restaurants, however, are incredibly pricy. The dinners cost around twenty to thirty dollars a person. As a starving college student, I cannot afford to spend money at whim for such a meal. At Costa Vida, I can spend eight dollars on a salad and leave with both a full stomach and a full wallet.

In addition to the low prices on its menu, Costa Vida has healthier options than most fast food establishments. A Big Mac at McDonalds with large fries and a large drink contains around 2000 calories and eighty grams of fat. A Costa Vida Sweet Pork Salad, which is what I always order, has considerably fewer calories and fat. Logically, health conscious consumers should choose Costa Vida over the cheaper, but incredibly greasier fast food restaurants.

Finally, the comforting ability of Costa Vida makes it an ideal restaurant. Comfort food has long been popular across the world. I argue that Costa Vida’s menu has the same affect. I often feel overwhelmed with homework and the stresses from my job. The friendly, efficient service at Costa Vida always makes me feel like a valued customer. In addition, I get to take my food home and snuggle up while having my dinner. My stress simply drains away. Many of my friends feel the same way. They love eating Costa Vida when they need a mental break from their hectic lives.

Despite the overwhelming evidence of Costa Vida’s greatness, many people believe Café Rio is the better choice. I must maintain my assertion that Costa Vida, in most aspects, is the superior establishment. Much of the food between the two restaurants tastes fairly similar. Café Rio does not even have a more enjoyable atmosphere as both restaurants seem upbeat and smell wonderful. Costa Vida, however, is usually much quicker at getting customers through the lines quickly. I have spent twice as long in line at Café Rio than I have at Costa Vida when the two lines were approximately the same length. In addition, Costa Vida is slightly more inexpensive than is Café Rio. I feel safe suggesting that almost anyone would rather pay less for a meal at one restaurant that tastes pretty much the same as the same, more expensive meal in another restaurant.

To conclude, I must reemphasize that although there are innumerable delicious and budget-friendly eating options available, Costa Vida seems to be the best choice for someone who wants to get full from delicious food without spending a lot of money. Perhaps I will change my mind when I have more money to spend as I want. But for now, I will enjoy sitting down with my Costa Vida salad on Friday nights as I watch the latest movie or an exciting basketball game.

Conclusions

What is it?

0Your final comment on the topic, based on the information you have provided

0A way to tell your audience that you are finished

Possible Ideas

0A summary of your main points, or a restatement of your thesis in different words

0Ask a provocative question0Evoke a vivid image0Use a quotation0Offer a solution/Call for some sort of action0End with a warning/Predict a situation that will result or

occur from the ideas introduced in the essay0Compare your subject to other situations0 Suggest results or consequences

Conclusion Do’s

0Should follow logically from the body of the essay (transitions)

0Should summarize the ideas of the essay as a whole, not just one or two major points

Conclusion Don’ts

0DO NOT RESTATE YOUR THESIS0Should not raise any new points but must be related

to the thesis statement or body of the essay

Summary of Essay

To conclude, I must reemphasize that although there are innumerable delicious and budget-friendly eating options available, Costa Vida seems to be the best choice for someone who wants to get full from delicious food without spending a lot of money. Perhaps I will change my mind when I have more money to spend as I want. But for now, I will enjoy sitting down with my Costa Vida salad on Friday nights as I watch the latest movie or an exciting basketball game.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:                Free at last! Free at last!                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

Evoke an Image, Prediction, Quotation

To conclude, I must reemphasize that although there are innumerable delicious and budget-friendly eating options available, Costa Vida seems to be the best choice for someone who wants to get full from delicious food without spending a lot of money. Perhaps I will change my mind when I have more money to spend as I want. But for now, I will enjoy sitting down with my Costa Vida salad on Friday nights as I watch the latest movie or an exciting basketball game.

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:                Free at last! Free at last!                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!