It's interesting that Diana Hacker uses the term "Transitional
expression" and then divides it between "conjunctive adverbs" and
"transitional phrases," the main difference being that the first is a
single word ("consequently") and the second a phrase ("as a result").
Generally, these are taught in conjunction with the semi-colon rule
that calls for a semi-colon between these clauses (though that happens
rarely in the world of published texts. It's often presented as the
"right way", not as an option.) As a writing teacher, I can also say
please spare your students from believing they need mechanical
transition phrases between their sentences. The work of cohesion
involves much more than that.
   There's a big difference between "always" or "often", which tend to
tell us the speaker or writer's judgement about the frequency of
something happening, and "as a matter of fact," or "honestly", or "as
you know", which interject comments about the nature of the discourse
and relationship between writer and reader. A word like "therefore" is
more tied into the logical connections between entities in the world
than it is to the production of text. (It rained. Therefore, we had to
postpone the shuttle launch.) In addition (you like this one?), pretty
much any adverbial construct can lead a sentence off. These words and
phrases are doing different work, all of it important.
   I think traditional grammar tends to lump all these together to deal
with a single problem, punctuation, and the stubbornness of the run-on
sentence. If we deal with the making of meaning, then questions of
error can fall into their natural place, as secondary. (And as far less
intractable.)
   Student writing needs to cohere. We need to deal with the whole problem
of that and not try to get it done in trivial ways, with a few formal
constraints or observations.
   But that also means language should be taught systematicly, that we
shouldn't fall back as much as we do into saying that the truth is
"confusing", when in fact it's only half truths or partial truths that
leave us confused.
   We spend so much energy trying to avoid direct description. You can't
build off it. We pass the problem on. This year's short-gap solution is
tomorrow's problem.

Craig
These are frequently called "transitions" or "conjunctive adverbs".  I
> find it best to teach them along side subordinate and coordinate
> conjunctions because that is the full set of words the provide the
> function of linking one idea to the next.  Sentences are more tightly
> bound by conjunctions, but conjunctive adverbs have the same meaning
> effect.  They should not be taught to distantly from conjunctions because
> they will muddle students' thinking.
>
> Phil Bralich
>
> -----Original Message-----
>>From: Christine Gray <[log in to unmask]>
>>Sent: Sep 10, 2006 3:24 PM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Conjunctive Adverbs
>>
>>Shazaam!  Call them what you will--but what about Peter's question?
>>
>>Christine Gray
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
>>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Geoffrey Layton
>>Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 5:47 PM
>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>Subject: Re: Conjunctive Adverbs
>>
>>Not being a terminology type, I had to go luck up "conjunctive adverbs"
>> and
>>found the following:
>>"accordingly, again, also, besides consequently, finally, furthermore,
>>however, indeed, moreover, nevertheless, otherwise, then, therefore, and
>>thus."
>>
>>Shazzam!  It's tech talk for transition words!  And here's my take on the
>>"name game" - I have lived for a long time without ever hearing the term
>>"c-a" (for short), and I have to ask myself what's more useful to my
>>students, and the answer is clearly "transition words."
>>
>>Geoff Layton
>>
>>
>>>From: Christine Gray <[log in to unmask]>
>>>Reply-To: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
>>><[log in to unmask]>
>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>Subject: Re: Conjunctive Adverbs
>>>Date: Sun, 10 Sep 2006 17:34:51 -0400
>>>
>>>Peter, I know what you mean about conjunctive adverbs.  They are
>>> "mobile,"
>>>as are adverbs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>However, conjunctive adverbs cannot be intensified, which is, I think, a
>>>property adverbs have: very suddenly, for example.  Nor are conjunctive
>>>adverbs able to modify verbs.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Christine (Gray)
>>>
>>>   _____
>>>
>>>From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar
>>>[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Peter Adams
>>>Sent: Sunday, September 10, 2006 5:08 PM
>>>To: [log in to unmask]
>>>Subject: Conjunctive Adverbs
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Everyone seems to agree, even Martha Kolln and the Cambridge Grammar,
>>> that
>>>conjunctive adverbs are, indeed, conjunctions.  I still don't see why
>>> they
>>>are not just considered adverbs.  Does anyone see it my way?
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Peter Adams
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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