Where should a bridge sentence be placed in an essay?
A writer uses a bridge statement, or bridge sentence, to link one idea to another and create a smooth transition between ideas. John Trimble explains in "Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing" that essays should maintain a steady flow by "bridging" ideas for the reader. Instead of starting each paragraph with a topic sentence, you can use a bridge sentence to show how the previous idea relates to the idea your article is about to introduce.
Ultimately, the goal of these tools is to bring a sense of cohesion to your paper by showing the logical progression of your thoughts; they’re signposts telling your reader which bridge to cross and what the two islands linked by that bridge have to do with each other. These signposts ought to be everywhere within your paper, moving your reader between phrases and sentences in addition to paragraphs or larger chunks. Sometimes multiple signposts are needed to guide a reader across the bridge, because of the complex relationship of those two ideas. The primary goal to keep in mind, though, is to make sure your reader has a smooth trip. That’s how you make your paper flow. This is the simplest and most common type of bridge. These words help clarify the relationship between sentences and paragraphs, making your essay easier to follow. This will cause a bridge writing frame to appear and you can write as much as you would like in the box (although we recommend that you keep your bridges to one or two sentences).  One of the most important bridge statements in an essay, within the introductory paragraph, sets the scene for the reader. The opening statement usually functions as a "hook" or attention grabber to draw in the reader. After this comes your bridge statement, which explains how the opening is relevant to the thesis. The last sentence of the introductory paragraph contains the thesis statement, which demonstrates or sets the stage for what the reader can expect from the rest of your paper. Instead of starting with a topic sentence for each paragraph, the writer uses a bridge to make a smooth transition into a new paragraph. Also called a transition idea or transition sentence, it usually discusses the previous point and how it ties in to the new point. The goal is to weave words and ideas together to create a seamless rhetorical tapestry. Your essay should not be a patchwork quilt of jumbled ideas. Bridge sentences provide the chain link between one concept and the next. sentences that occur after the grabber / opener and lead the reader into the thesis. They provide a bridge from your directive, quote, rhetorical question, short narrative grabber / opener to the thesis. They usually fill in background information about the author, text, and subject matter.
 And what’s worse is…Type of essay: The prompt:
The words you use in your bridge sentences help define the relationship between the paragraphs or ideas you seek to connect. Words such as "consequentially," "therefore" or "accordingly" demonstrate a cause-effect relationship. Words like "whereas," "although" or "nevertheless" establish a contrast between concepts, while "furthermore," "in addition" or "similarly" help you further expand an idea.
And what’s worse is they seem to be getting away with it.
Keep in mind that these bridges do not require you to open a separate bridge writing frame because they are selected from the sentence starters that are accessed from the Type of essay: The prompt:
A good, conversational, initial bridge can help with all of this.
In a 300-500 word short essay, discuss whether you believe the Horizon Pharmaceutical Company is justified in selling the drug Vimovo at the price that they do.
("A Comparison of Bridges and Essay Structure.")
If you don’t know how exactly to improve your paper structure, we can give you a little jumpstart. In academic writing, using the right types of bridges can make a huge difference. So, let’s break down some of the key types you’ll want to use in your essays.
“But what does this mean for individual privacy?”
Using these different types of bridges in your essay can make your writing more fluid, logical, and easier to follow. Each type serves its own purpose, whether it’s guiding your reader through your argument, linking ideas together, or wrapping up a paragraph.
🔹 Transitional Sentences & Bridge Example
All is well when you talk about these things in theory, but what about practice? Let’s say you’re writing an essay about the benefits of exercise. You’ve just finished a paragraph about how exercise improves mental health, and now you’re moving on to discuss its impact on physical health. Here’s how you might write a good bridge: