Mastering Conjunctions and Linking Words in English

1. What are they and how to use a common one: “and”.

2. How to use other words like “or”, “nor”, “but”, ”yet” and “so” and how they expand the sentences.

3. How to use the comma.

4. Using subordinate clauses to make sentences.

5. Using “because”, “although”, “when” and “while” and understand how they explain parts of the sentence.

6. Learn more formal and informal linking words.

They link sentences and clauses together.

“And” is a common linking word. It connects two sentences together to make it flow nicer.

I have a hat. I have a book.

I have a hat and a book.

I will go to the gym and biking.

They have to clean and renovate the house.

For lists with more than 2 things, we use a comma(,) instead of “and”.

They have to clean, renovate and sell the house.

We are going to walk, ride, swim and climb.

We use it when you have a choice between things.

We can go to Spain or Mexico.

I wanted to learn Spanish or German.

It can also talk about the results of an action.

Do not go there, or you will be lost.

Be careful while driving or you may get lost.

Two or more things are not true/did not happen.

I will go to the mountain and nor will you.

You have not been to Morocco? Nor have I.

We can join a negative sentence with a positive one.

There is a road but no petrol station.

I have some food but no cutlery.

It can also show how different some clauses are.

We went to the shop, but it was closed.

My friend has the book, but it is an old edition.

It talks about the results of actions.

It was a sunny, clear day, so I went for a bike ride.

I was working and had now time, so I went to the gym in the evening.

Soon I will be in Mexico, so I need to improve my Spanish.

If it is joining two sentences we add a comma.

It was raining, so there was fog.

If it is combining two items, then a comma is not needed.

I will take a book and a laptop with me.

With two or more items, we use a comma between each of them but not for the last one.

You will need a helmet, water, food and gloves.

Used to connect words and explain why, where or when something happened, hence they are subordinate (underneath) the main clause in terms of importance.

“So That” talks about why something happened. A model verb: can, could or would comes after it.

I was travelling so that I would have more experiences.

We wanted to take a break so that we could eat something.

“In Order To” is like “so that” but it then has a base verb after it.

I was travelling in order to see the world.

We were eating in order to relax.

“Because” talks about why something happened or the thought behind it.

I went to Spain because I wanted to travel.

We will explore Mexico because it is fun.

It is quiet because we are in a library.

The city is large because it is the capital.

“Although” talks about things that are true yet we did not expect that to be so.

Although you are learning English, you need to practice more with native speakers.

Although I can speak Spanish, I need to keep learning.

“Even though” is the same, but less common.

Even though I go to Spain, I need to learn more Spanish.

Even though Snowdonia is open, we cannot go there yet.

“When” talks about things that must happen first before other things happen.

They are spoken in the present simple tense.

When I go to Spain, I will then sort it out.

When I have finished, I will go to go the gym.

Sometimes we can flip the sentence and it still makes sense.

I will sort it out when I go to Spain.

I will go to the gym when I have finished.

“As soon as” means the same, but implies that the event will happen straight away after it.

I will go to the gym as soon as I can.

As soon as I arrive in Spain, I will be hot.

Future forms are not used with “when” or “as soon as”, even if the sentence is talking about the future.

We use present tense first and then future.

When it gets cold, then I will go to Mexico.ü

We do not use the future tense first.

When it will get cold, then I will go to Mexico.û

“While” connects to things that are happening at the same time.

We were preparing the lesson while they relaxed.

I was writing my novel while I listened to music.

Some more formal words used in speeches or for important writings.

Contrast

Whereas

Yet

Comparison

Similarly

Equally

Reason

Due to

Owing to

As a result of

Result

Hence

Therefore

Emphasis

Primarily

Notably

The informal ones are for more casual places and language.

Contrast

But

Though

Comparison

Like

Just as

Reason

Because

Thanks to

Cause

Because

Since

As

Effect

So

As a result

Emphasis

Especially

Particularly

Condition

If

In case

Unless

As long as

So long as

Even if

Time

After

Until

When

Before

While

As soon as

Contrast

Although

But

However

Even though

Whereas

Yet

Cause

As

Because

Since

Reason

In order to

In order that

So

So that

Since