eRe le 1 Sentence connectors and conjunctions: general enim ‘My mum used t0 come and collect me from college in the car and P'd drive home. What's more, she'd let me drive when ‘we went shopping. A sentence connector (e.g, what’s more) links one sentence with another. ‘My mum taught me 1o drive because I couldn't afford to pay for driving lessons. A conjunction (e.g. because) links clauses within a single sentence. (See Appendix 12.) To link two clauses, we use only one conjunction, not tw Although it’s expensive having driving lessons, I'd really recommend it. (not Alshough it’s expensive having driving lessons, but-Ld-really-recommend it.) We usually put a comma between clauses linked by a conjunction: As long as I didn’t do anything stupid, she stayed pretty calm. A When because or while (referring to time) begin the second clause in a sentence, we don’t need a comma. Sentence connectors usually come at the beginning of a sentence and less often at the end or in another position. The only ones that can’t come at the beginning are too and as well: You can spend a lot more time practising, as well. We usually put a comma after a sentence connector at the beginning or end of a sentence: My mum thought I was ready to take my driving test. However, | failed first time. There are lots of advantages in having your parents teach you. There's the cost, for instance. When a sentence connector comes elsewhere in a sentence, punctuation is more variable. A Sentence connectors can be used to link clauses in a sentence if the clauses are joined with and, but, or, so, or a semi-colon (;), colon (:), or dash (-): My instructor was very experienced and, as a result, he had lots of useful tips to pass on. Having a professional teach you to drive is best; however, it can be very expensive. 2 before, until (conjunctions) Sometimes we can use either before or until with little difference in meaning: She wouldn't let me drive on busy roads before/until I could control the car well. A We use until, not before, to highlight that an action continues to a particular time and then stops: I just carried on having lessons until my instructor said I was ready to take the driving tes gl3 hardly, no sooner, scarcely (conjunctions) After hardly and scarcely the second clause usually begins with when or before; after no sooner it begins with than or when: We'd hardly driven out of our road before we were shouting at each other. Td no sooner passed my test than / when my friends started asking me for lifts. We often use a past perfect in the clause with hardly, no sooner or scarcely and a past simple in the other. (> For word order in sentences with hardly, no sooner and scarcely, see Unit 21.) 4 first(ly), at first; last(ly), at last (sentence connectors) We use first or firstly to label the first point in a list and last or lastly to label the final point. We use at first to indicate that there is a contrast between two past situations, and at last to show that something happened later than hoped or expected. Often at last suggests annoyance or some inconvenience that results from the delay: Firstly, cars like the one I learnt in have dual controls. At first, I couldn't get the hang of this at all, T passed my driving test at last, after taking it five times. A We don’t use at last to label the last point in a list: First, had to practise starting on a hill ... Finally / Lastly, the instructor made me reverse around @ corner. (not Atlast, the instructor made-mereverse ... 5 however However is often a sentence connector, but can also be used: as an adverb when it is followed by an adjective, adverb or much / many: My instructor never got annoyed, however badly I was driving. (= despite how badly) @ as a conjunction when it means ‘in whatever way’: However I had the mirror positioned, I just couldn't judge where the back of the car was. 6 even so (sentence connector), even though (conjunction) Even so has a meaning similar to however. We use it to introduce a fact that is surprising given what has just been said: He was great and I didn’t want to be taught by anyone else. Even so, I always found the replacements very patient and helpful. ‘We use even though to say that a fact doesn’t make the rest of the sentence untrue: Even though she doesn't have a professional qualification, she's got lots of experience to pass on. 7 on the other hand, on the contrary (sentence connectors) We use on the other hand when we compare or contrast two statements. We sometimes introduce the first statement with on the one hand: It may be that the quality of the tuition is better with a professional driving instructor. On the other hand, it’s cheaper if your parents teach you. or On the one hand, it may be that the quality of the tuition is better with a professional driving instructor. On the other (hand), it's cheaper if your parents teach you. 155i On the contrary is used similarly, but emphasises that we reject the first statement and accept the second: Some people say that it’s more expensive to be taught by a driving instructor than a friend or relative. On the contrary, it works out cheaper. 8 Prepositions commonly confused with conjunctions and connectors A These are prepositions, and can’t be used as conjunctions or sentence connectors: As well as being calm and patient, he was always very encouraging. (not As-well-as-he-was-calm- Apart from the cost of insurance, I think its much better to be taught by your parents, (not Apart. I think there’s« lot af other good things about having your parents teach you, besides saving money. (not ... Td recommend professional driving lessons despite / in spite of the expense. (not ... despite-Lin- spite-of they-are-expensive The lesson was cancelled due to the heavy rain. (not ... We used to stop driving at some point during the lesson, and he would ask me how I felt Pd improved. (not ... ae-some-point-during-we-were-having-the lesson ...) E® Match the items, joining them with the conjunction or sentence connector given. Write either one or two sentences, as appropriate. There may be more than one way of joining the sentences. 1 Amy was on the phone for hours —— a it’s a public holiday 2 she always finds time to talk to students b such a move would be controversial 3 the restaurant’s closed next Monday we got onto the motorway 4 he’s a seismologist wl d noticed she'd been crying 5 tuition fees have been increased e he studies earthquakes 6 we travelled much faster f the number of applications has fallen 7 the government is being urged to build g his shoes were black more nuclear power stations 8 he was wearing the same clothes as me h how busy she is(later) (no matter) (because) ie (that is to say) .... (as a result) (once) (however) (except that) oose the correct word or phrase. Sometimes both are possible. She isn’t very interested in science subjects. On the contrary / On the other hand, she really loves studying history. 2 There are a number of problems with your suggestion. At first / Firstly, it’s very expensive. Then there is the question of getting planning permission. Thad hardly / scarcely stepped through the door when the telephone rang. He walked quickly down the corridor before / until he reached the last door. My aunt was followed into the room by my two nieces and three nephews. Lastly / At last came my uncle, carrying all the suitcases. I knew I had the right qualifications and experience for the job. Even though / Even so, I felt very nervous as I walked in to face the interview panel. Oo eae ae ore a waw x At college I had only two tutorials a week, but this didn’t mean I had nothing to do the rest of the time. On the contrary / On the other hand, | studied at least six days a week. I didn’t know anything about your illness before / until your mother mentioned it. Once he'd done the washing up and got the children to bed, Matt sat down in front of the fire. Lastly / At last he had some time to himself. 10 There was a loud bang. At first / Firstly, she thought it was thunder, Then she realised it must have been an explosion. .© 0 11 Even though / Even so the snow had stopped falling, it was still freezing cold. 12 We had no sooner / hardly started driving than the children said, ‘Are we there yet?”a EB complete the sentences using a word from box A and a phrase from box B. A B consequently incase _ she’s looking for a new flat _it isn’t very heavy in contrast meanwhile there's a power cut _ in Marketing they get an hour otherwise _ whereas the weather’s bad we'll have to walk miles to the bridge while unless I prefer Italian i i 1 I'm saving up to buy my own car. Meanwhile... my. parents. are. letting me. borrow theirs: 2 Lalways keep some candles in the house...... 3. My husband adores Chinese food, 4 The boat is made entirely of fibreglass. 5 6 7 We should be able to wade across the river; cece Your sister can stay with us . The lunch break in the Personnel Depariment i is 30 minutes. 8 We're planning on having a picnic in the park... GB complete these extracts from emails. Choose from the words and phrases in the boxes. A although at first because because of despite during evenso eventhough firstly while I'm in Jamaica for a week, (1)........Althaugh........ it’s a work visit, P've had a few days free, so I decided to have a go at windsurfing (2) soos Pm here. Pd never tried it before (3) ou. P'm not a very good swimmer. (4) cocccseonennsenne I found it really difficult to stay upright, but it wasn’t long until I was going quite fast. (5) » Ididn’t go far from the beach. aswell aswellas before even though _ hardly in addition in spite of no sooner __until_ what's more The weather here is terrible. (1) . heavy rain, we've had gale force winds. (2) cocccsssseenee the bad weather, we're doing a lot of walking. Yesterday was typical. When we got up it was wet ~ of course - and we decided to wait (3) ... the rain stopped. The sun came out by midday and we set off for Wicklow Hill. We had Qe . started to climb than it began pouring down! (5)... : the wind was so strong, we were almost blown over. But we still got to the top!