Good writing makes use of transition words, thereby creating better flow and adding some style to the text. In this lesson we’ll look at some linking words and transitions used to connect ideas, such as: “thereby”, “thereof”, “hereby”, “therein”, “wherein”, “whereby”, and more. This will make your writing clear and organized. Watch the video to improve your writing style.
Now it’s time for a lesson on some different transitions:
TAKE THE QUIZ ON THIS LESSON:
TRANSCRIPT
Hi again, everybody. Welcome to www.engvid.com. I’m Adam. In today’s video we’re going to look at transitions. Now, you may have seen some other videos on engVid about transitions, especially for writing. What we’re going to look at today are a few more specific transitions, but this time we’re not looking at transitions between paragraphs or even transitions between sentences. Okay? We’re looking at transitions that we are generally using in a sentence to shift from one idea to another idea in a sentence. So they’re very similar to, like, adverb… Adverb clauses, for example, but they’re used in different ways. But, again, they do have their specific purposes. Now, you’ll also notice that all of them or most of them start with: “there” plus a preposition, or “where” plus a preposition, and we have the one special one: “hereby”. So: “Thereby”, “Thereof”, “Thereafter”, “Therein”, “Therefore”, “Wherein”, “Whereby”, “Hereby”, these are the words we’re going to look at and how they’re used within sentences.
Now, before I explain these to you and show them… Show you samples of how they’re used, I want you to understand that these are generally very formal, very high-end. They’re not very commonly used. There are other ways you can say these things without being too serious, I guess you could say. But if you’re going to university, if you’re going to take a test, IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, all these tests – you will see these and you should be able to use them as well. And if you can actually use them properly in your essays, and like, again, nicely, appropriately, good timing, your score… That’ll help your score. It should go up quite a bit because these are not very easy to use.
So, we’re going to start with “thereby”. “Thereby” basically means by which, or through which, or like through this action something happened. It’s a little bit similar to: “due to”. The only problem is you can’t use it in the same structure as “due to”. Okay? So let’s look at the first sentence. “The team lost the final game of the season, thereby missing the playoffs.” So, basically by doing this, by losing the last game, the result… What happened? They missed the playoffs. But notice that we are using an “ing” here: “…thereby missing the playoffs”, right? This is basically a gerund expression, a gerund phrase, but we can’t use this with a clause. We’re using it with an “ing”. So that’s one thing you have to keep in mind. If I wanted to use “due to”, I would have to change the whole structure. “Due to their loss in the final game of the season, the team missed the playoffs.” A completely different structure. I’m using the independent clause, here, the “due to” with the cause, etc. This one gives you another option, basically, on how to link the ideas. Cause, effect. But we don’t have to use the “ing”, we can use another way. “Lisa studied for three straight weeks and was thereby able to pass her test.” So she studied, studied, studied, and through this action she was able to pass her test. And: “…and was thereby”, “…and she was thereby able”. Notice that I’m not using this to start the clause; I’m using it within the clause, between the verbs to show through this action, this was the result that she was looking for. Okay? So: “by which”, “through which action”.
Let’s look at “therein”. “The new contract does not allow for extended maternity leave;” here I’m using the semi-colon, I’m going to give you the next idea, so this is like a conjunction. “…therein lies the problem for the union, 60% of whose membership is young women”. So, “therein” basically means in that, or into that situation, problem, position, state, etc. So, “therein”. “Therein” means: In what? In this situation, in this new contract there’s a problem. So: “…therein in this new contract lies a problem”, and this is a very common follow-up to the transition “therein”. “…therein lies the problem”. A very famous expression: “…therein lies the rub” from Shakespeare. “Aye, there’s the rub.” I’m not sure if you know that expression, I think from Hamlet, dream to… If you dream and you can die, it’s all good, but then: Oh, there’s a problem – you don’t wake up. So: “…therein lies the rub”. A very common expression to use with “lies”. […]
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Star Patrick says
i'm from ROC(Taiwan) and i appreciate u so much that i can hardly find such clear lesson for these high class words before reaching to the video(hours of search were spent!)
Davronbek Inomov says
The lesson is very good, therefore, I thank you.
Hellen Laespriell says
On the first thereby example shouldn’t it be therefore . Can say “thereby loosing the final game, the team will miss the finals” would that be a correct sentence?
Erebokles says
There are also: whereafter, whereof, wherefore, hereafter herefore, herein, hereof.
Robert Matovu says
Mr Adam may God bless you for your teaching please.
JUNAITH says
A Good Teacher.
NICE TO MEET YOU KATE says
it iscorrect to write and was thereby? I mean in a formal writting
Tahar Tissaoui says
Envie. ,
Hamza Kiani says
Before coming to this platform, I was super reluctant about the use of conjunctive adverbs, thereby containing my prospects of thriving in this world of extraordinarily talented souls. Owing to the complexity of the subject and enormity of the diversified matter aforementioned, and all the obscurities therein, I was not finding the courage to wet my toes in the brutal coldness and rashness of the freezing cold pond of enigma and riddles. If I had subjected myself to deeper catharsis, I probably would've figured out the areas, wherein I was struggling to get over the concept of this "conjunctive adverb". The specified matter, aggravated further due to lack of activity from the side of mine,in the first place, and therein, in my view lied the problem. The older self focused on the shortcomings undermining the strengths, particularly focused on the negative aspects thereof, and failed to muster up the courage to genuinely pursue the destiny leading towards excellence. I, hereby solemnly declare that my lack of confidence in my abilities, had plummeted the possibility of exponential progression in the every possible aspect of life, and having said that, I'm looking forward to bury the older self of mine underneath the soil of forgiveness, and lay the foundation of new hope and life, by dribbling the seeds of optimism beneath the womb of grassy land…
Eduardo Rodrigues says
Adam, you are an amazing teacher. Thank you so much for another fantastic class.
kamal goyal says
Please make a video on WAY n ALL THE WAY uses….ur videos r easy to understand😊
ARIF RAHI says
Thereby+ (verb+ing)
What is the authentic rule here?
Juliana Steinbach says
I love you <3
Calvino says
what can we use instead of these words to sound more casual
Dennis Leung says
Very useful lesson. Thank you.
Matthieu G says
Thanks !
sleepysloth says
What is the difference between wherein and therein?
madam chiang says
He's even got the transcript here! Adam is the best.
Hrvoje Bartulovic says
Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent!
ROBIN AXXFORD says
You think that you’re the man.
I think, therefore, I am
Shorif Khan says
I came here thereby loving to your accent Tmteacher
Oktavianus Kahale says
I can not find words how to thank you for this lesson.
Efraín Bernabé Santos says
I loved the video. Thank you.
Ahmet Ziya Aktaş says
You gave us several examples whereby we can understand how to use them! 🤓
Luis Miranda says
Thank you, Adam. This will help me a lot!
M IQBAL says
👍
Michal jakistam says
The sentence with therein says 'is young women'. Isn't the correct form 'are young women '?
Trap Ak says
What kind of rubric do you use to grade essays?
Trap Ak says
How long does it take you to grade an essay??? That seems like a labor of love to me!
On Fleek says
I shop therefore I am.
Smile 86 says
no question sir, it is very clear and easily understand.
Koneru Gangadhara Rao says
Please bring out vide on use of “as to” and its synonyms and use in a sentence