8th grade linking and transition words worksheets

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A transition word tells the reader how the next sentence relates to the last one. Eighth grade separates relationships that sit close together: admitting a point (granted, even so) versus a plain contrast (on the other hand), correcting a claim (on the contrary) versus replacing something (instead), and restating (in other words) versus giving an example (for instance).

Free printable PDF worksheet, aligned to Common Core W.8.2.c.

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The kind of sentences you'll fix

Choose the transition that truly connects the two sentences, and write it.

  1. The trip takes nine hours by car. (As a consequence / By comparison / Moreover), the train takes six.

    Fixed: The trip takes nine hours by car. By comparison, the train takes six.

  2. The old lighthouse is not abandoned. (Afterward / As a result / In fact), a keeper still lives there all year.
  3. Bears roam the campground at night. (Conversely / For this reason / In particular), all food must be locked in the steel boxes.

Every print pulls a new set of sentences at this level, so a make-up test or a second sibling gets a different mix.

What's on an 8th grade sheet

8th grade sheets draw from 67 sentences, 7 to a page. None of these sentences are on 7th grade sheets. 7th grade sheets print 8 to a page.

A few of the sentences, as the answer key corrects them:

Every version prints on US Letter or A4, with its answer key on the last page.

How to teach this

At this level the wrong choices are rarely silly, so the work is naming the relationship precisely. Before choosing, have your student finish the sentence "The second sentence ___ the first" with adds to, gives an example of, restates, admits a point against, corrects, or follows from. Then drill the close pairs. On the contrary corrects a false statement just made, while in contrast sets two true things side by side. Granted admits a point before the writer pushes back. In other words says the same thing again, and for instance gives one case of it.

Watch for: Each transition has a direction: adding, turning, concluding, timing. The wrong word sends the reader down the wrong road, however true both sentences are. The relationship BETWEEN the sentences decides everything: read both, name the connection, then choose. Transition first, meaning second, fails every time.

Common questions about 8th grade linking and transition words

What is the difference between on the contrary and in contrast?
On the contrary corrects: the principal does not dislike the schedule; on the contrary, she proposed it. In contrast compares two true things: metals carry heat quickly; in contrast, wood carries it slowly. Eighth graders mix these up often.
When should a student use granted?
When the writer admits a point against their own argument before moving on. Most neighbors support the bike lane. Granted, a few shop owners worry about parking. It makes an argument sound fair, so it turns up a lot in persuasive writing.
Do phrases like in other words count as transitions?
Yes. A transition can be one word or several. In other words, on the other hand, and by the same token do the same job as however or therefore, just in a few more words.

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Aligned to Common Core W.8.2.c. Reviewed by the One more sheet team. Content version 241, updated September 2026.

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