How do transitional phrases contribute to coherence in writing?

• A. They connect sentences and paragraphs to guide comprehension; coherence means ideas flow logically.
• B. They are optional and do not affect readability.
• C. They replace concrete details with abstract language.
• D. They interrupt flow by adding irrelevant phrases.

Answer: (B)

Transitional phrases contribute to coherence by signaling how ideas relate across sentences and across paragraphs. They guide readers through the writing, showing connections such as addition, contrast, sequence, and cause-and-effect. When you use them well, the ideas flow logically from one sentence to the next and from one paragraph to the next, making the overall message easier to follow. Because of that, transitional phrases improve readability and help the reader understand the progression of thoughts; leaving them out can make the writing feel choppy or disconnected.

So the idea that transitional phrases are optional is not accurate. They actually play a key role in keeping the writing smooth and the relationships between ideas clear. They should align with the concrete details and examples in the text, and they should avoid inserting irrelevant or filler phrases that disrupt the flow.