Unit 17

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Unit 17

Conjunctions and connectors

Before, hardly, first(ly), etc.

Which of these do you think learner drivers find most difficult?

reversing around vorners

parking

getting into the correct lane

driving at night

overtaking

starting on a hill

changing gear

using the rear-view mirror

In what order do Sahar and Claudio mention the advantages?

Sahar:

1

2

3

4

Claudio:

1

2

3

4

Sahar:

Claudio:

he passed on useful tips

he was always encouraging

he used a dual-control car

he could tell when she was ready to take her test

she was calm most of the time

he got lots of time to practise

she knew a quiet place to practise

he didn't have to pay for lessons

Look at the sentences.
Which one is correct

1. Although it’s expensive having driving lessons, I’d really recommend it.
2. As long as it’s expensive having driving lessons, I’d really recommend it.
3. Apart from it’s expensive having driving lessons, I’d really recommend it.

Therefore..

• It is important to use the right connector or conjunction.
  
  
• They can change the meaning of a sentence!

Which words do you know that
can be used to connect clauses
and sentences to each other?

The list is quite extensive

(al)though, albeit, all in all, all the same, also, as, as a matter of fact, as a result of, as far as ... concerned, as for, as soon as, as well as, at first, at last, because, because of, besides, but, by the way, consequently, conversely, despite, due to, even if, even so, finally, first, first of all, first(ly), for example, for instance, for the most part, generally, however, if, in addition, in brief, in comparison with, in conclusion, in contrast, in fact, in general, in order to, in other words, in short, in spite of, in the end, in the first place, in the meantime/meanwhile, in the same way, in the second place, in the third place, indeed, instead, last of all, lastly, likewise, moreover, namely, nevertheless, next, nonetheless, on the contrary, on the one hand, on the other hand, on top of that, plus the fact that, put differently, regarding, second(ly), similarly, since, so (that), talking of, that is (to say), that's (the reason why), the reason why, then, therefore, third(ly), though, thus, till, to begin with, to illustrate, to sum up, until, whatever, what's more, whereas, whether, while, why, with regard to, yet

Do you need to know all of them?

• NO SILLY PANTS!!

The good thing is

You probably already know many of them and how to use them. 

However, there are some things you should be reminded of!

Before & Until

Sometimes we can use these words, with little meaning in difference.

• She wouldn’t let me drive before I could control the car well.
  
• She wouldn’t let me drive until I could control the car well.
  
  
• But: 
  We use until, not before, when an action continues to a particular time and then stops.

I have to go to school until I get my diploma.

Hardly, no sooner & scarcely

After hardly and scarcely we usually begin the second clause with when or before:

• We had hardly stepped out of the house when it began to rain.
  
• The city had scarcely changed in the past 20 years before it was renovated completely.
  

After no sooner we use than or when.

• I had no sooner passed my test than/when my friends started asking me for lifts.
  

• We often use the past perfect with hardly, scarcely and no sooner and the past simple in the other clause.

First(ly), at first, last(ly), at last

We use first or firstly to label the first point in a list:

• First(ly), I would like to talk about…
  

We end the list with last or lastly:

• Lastly, we should think about…
  
  

We use at first to indicate a contrast between two past situation:

• At first I thought there were no people in the room.
  

We use at last to show that something has finally happened:

• At last he arrived with the donuts.
  

To end a list we do not use at last, but finally or lastly:

• Finally/Lastly, this is really important because...
  

However

However can be used in three ways.

1. As a connector:
   I don’t know him. However, he still came sitting next to me.
   
   
2. As an adverb:
   My instructor never got annoyed, however bad I was driving.
   
   
3. As a conjunction when it means in ‘what ever way’

However I had the mirror positioned, I just couldn’t see the back of my car.

On the other hand & on the contrary

On the other hand is used to compare or contrast two statements.

• School is boring. On the other hand, it is quite useful.
  

On the contrary is used to reject a statement.

• Speaker A: School is boring.
  
• Speaker B: On the contrary, it is a lot of fun.

Synonyms

Sometimes you can use several linking words with the same meaning:

• School is boring, because / since / as I never learn anything new. That is (why) / Therefore, / So, I'd rather stay at home. I would miss some of my teacher, for example / for instance my English teacher.
• NOT!

Exercise 3.1 (page 122)

In pairs/groups of three:

Match the items joining them with the conjunction or sentence connector given between parentheses "()".

Answers

2. H: She always finds time to talk to students no matter how busy she is. / No matter how busy she is, she…

3. A: The restaurant’s closed next Monday because it’s… / Because it’s a public holiday…

4. E: He’s a seismologist. That is to say he studies earthquakes.

5. F: Tuition fees have been increased. As a result the number of applications have fallen.

6. C: We travelled much faster once we got to the motorway. / Once we got…

7. B: The government is being urged to build more nuclear power stations. However such a move would be controversial.

8. G: He was wearing the same clothes as me except that his shoes were black.

Continue

In pairs / groups of three:
Continue working on exercises 3.2 - 3.4 on page 122 & 123.

Check the answers with the key in the back of your book.