What foundation of writing should students have before they can effectively add transition words?

Students need to have a solid foundation in paragraph skills before they can effectively add transition words to their writing. Understanding paragraph structure is essential because transition words serve to connect ideas within and between paragraphs. When students grasp how to construct coherent paragraphs, they learn how to organize their thoughts logically, which helps them see where transitions naturally fit to guide the reader through their writing.

Without this foundational skill, students might struggle to apply transition words effectively, leading to writing that feels disjointed or lacks clarity. Transition words are essential for providing flow and coherence between sentences and ideas, but they are most effective when the underlying structure of the writing is sound. This makes paragraph skills crucial for utilizing transitions in a meaningful way.