Transitional Phrases

adverb used to indicate that a particular point in a narrative or argument has been passed or to suggest that the speaker is returning to a previous topic

preposition used to indicate a particular point in an argument or statement

• At any rate, the committee decided to proceed with the project as planned.
• At any rate, we're still going to the concert tonight no matter what.
• I don't care what happens, at any rate, I'm outta here.
• The storm was approaching quickly, but at any rate, we had to keep moving forward.

noun a noun is a person, place, thing, or idea; 'way' is a noun in 'by the way' referring to a method or manner of doing something

adverb an adverb modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb; in this case, 'by the way' is used as an adverb to introduce a new topic or add additional information in a conversation

preposition a preposition shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence; 'by' is a preposition in 'by the way' indicating the manner or method of something

• By the way, I wanted to remind you about the upcoming meeting scheduled for next Monday.
• Oh, by the way, did you hear about the new restaurant that just opened up downtown?
• By the way, have you seen the latest episode of that show everyone's talking about?
• By the way, the way you handled that situation was really impressive.

adverb a word that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, often indicating time, manner, place, or degree

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

• The company aimed to reduce costs, which in turn increased profitability.
• I helped her with her homework, and she in turn gave me a ride home.
• I shared my snacks with him, and he in turn hooked me up with some concert tickets.
• The butterfly flapped its wings, causing a breeze that in turn led to a chain reaction of events.

adverb used to introduce a further point or to emphasize or expand on a previous point

• Moreover, the study found that there was a significant correlation between the two variables.
• I heard that Sarah got the promotion. Moreover, she also got a raise!
• I don't want to go to the party. Moreover, it's going to be boring anyway.
• The painting was beautiful, and moreover, it seemed to capture the essence of the artist's emotions.