Maintain cohesion and flow across sentences in a short passage. | Transitions | SAT Reading and Writing

Core Idea

The right transition doesn't just connect two sentences—it preserves the overall direction and argument of the entire passage.

Understanding

SAT passages are short (usually 2–4 sentences), but they still have a through-line: an argument being built, a contrast being drawn, or a narrative unfolding. The best transition choice respects that through-line.

Here's a practical approach:

After reading the passage, summarize the overall direction in one phrase (e.g., "building a case for X," "showing a surprising exception," "tracing a chronological development").
Ask whether your transition choice keeps the passage moving in that direction or awkwardly derails it.

Sometimes two options might seem to work between the immediate sentences, but only one preserves the passage's coherence. The correct transition always serves the passage's larger logic, not just the local sentence pair.

Pay attention to earlier sentences that set up the context—they often contain the clue that distinguishes the right answer from a close runner-up.

Question

Worked Example

The coffee plant originated in Ethiopia, where it grew wild in highland forests for centuries before humans began cultivating it. Arab traders brought coffee to Yemen in the fifteenth century, establishing the world's first commercial coffee plantations. ______ European merchants encountered the beverage through Ottoman trade networks in the sixteenth century and quickly introduced it to Western markets.

Which choice completes the text with the most logical transition?

Select an answer to see the explanation