CONNECTORS

1 Examples: (making contrasts)

Although1 (neutral)/Even though (more emphatic)/Though (less formal) he had a sprained
ankle (or he had sprained his ankle/his ankle was sprained), he went out for a walk.
In spite of/Despite having a sprained ankle/having sprained his ankle, he went out for a walk.
In spite of/Despite2 his sprained ankle, he went out for a walk.
In spite of/Despite his ankle being sprained, he went out for a walk.
He had a sprained ankle, but he went out for a walk.
He had a sprained ankle/He had sprained his ankle/His ankle was sprained. However
(neutral)/Nevertheless (formal)/Nonetheless3 (formal)/All the same (less formal)/Yet (less
formal)/Still (less formal)/Even so (less formal), he went out for a walk.
He had a sprained ankle/He had sprained his ankle/His ankle was sprained. He went out for a
walk, though (informal)/however/ nevertheless/all the same/nonetheless.

2 Examples: (making contrasts)

However4 hard/No matter how hard (more formal) you try, you will never be able to do it.
Even though/Even if you try hard, you will never be able to do it.
It does not matter how hard you try, you will never be able to do it.
Although you try hard, you will never be able to do it.
Much (adverb) as/though I loved him, I had to leave him.
Although I loved him a lot, I had to leave him.
Angry (adjective) as/though I was, I did not tell them anything.
Although I was angry, I did not tell them anything.
Some people who are not happy with what they possess firmly believe in the American dream,
as it evokes the things they would like to have. Despite this, it is just a dream.
Some people who are not happy with what they possess firmly believe in the American dream,
as it evokes the things they would like to have. For all that, it is just a dream.

3 Examples: (adding)
I don’t feel like dancing, and I’m also very exhausted.
I don’t feel like dancing. Also, I’m very exhausted.
I don’t feel like dancing. Besides5, I’m very exhausted.
I don’t feel like dancing. In addition, I’m very exhausted.
I don’t feel like dancing, and what’s more I’m very exhausted. (informal)
She works at the bank around the corner. Besides, she does the household chores.
In addition to working at the bank around the corner, she does the household chores.
They not only fined him, but also withdrew his driving licence.
They fined him and, on top of that, they withdrew his driving licence.
In addition to being fined, his driving licence was withdrawn.
We must bear in mind both the costs and the benefits (that) we can obtain from them.
On the one hand, we must bear in mind the costs. On the other (hand), the benefits we can
obtain from them.
We must bear in mind the costs. On the other hand, the benefits we can obtain from them.

I submit it to you for your approval. I should like to add that I do not mind6 your carrying out
any changes that you consider necessary. (furthermore) 

1
{I submit it to you for your approval. Furthermore, you may/can
carry out any changes that you consider necessary}

4 Examples: (expressing the result or consequence of something)

As we know them through and through, they can’t deceive us.
We know them through and through, so they can’t deceive us.
Since the management of the company have been raising funds illegally during the last few
years, they will be taken to court.
The management of the company have been raising funds illegally during the last few years.
Therefore/ Consequently/For this reason/ As a result/As a consequence/In consequence, they
will be taken to court.
The management of the company have been raising funds illegally during the last few years.
They will therefore be taken to court.
The management of the company have been raising funds illegally during the last few years.
Thus (very formal)/ So (less formal)/Hence (very formal) they will be taken to court.
The management of the company have been raising funds illegally during the last few years,
with the result/ consequence that they will be taken to court.

5 Examples: (expressing the cause or reason of something)

She loves pasta, so she cooks it very often.
She cooks pasta very often, as/since/because/for (very formal) she loves it.
As/Since/Because she loves pasta, she cooks it very often.
She had an injured leg, so she could not walk properly.
She couldn’t walk properly because of/on account of (formal)/ owing to7 (formal) her injured
leg. (But She couldn’t walk properly because she had an injured leg.)
The cause of his illness was that he did not eat enough food.
His illness was due to8 malnutrition/lack of food.
The chairwoman has not come today, so we will have to put the meeting off.
Seeing (that/as9) the chairwoman has not come today, we will have to put the meeting off.
If they hadn’t helped us, we wouldn’t have finished painting the house in time for the wedding
day.
We finished painting the house in time for the wedding day thanks to their help.
We couldn’t contact you, so we left a message for you.
The reason10 (why/that) we left a message for you was that we couldn’t contact you.
We couldn’t contact you. This is (the reason) why we left a message for you.
We couldn’t contact you, which is why we left a message for you.
We left a message for you because we couldn’t contact you.
They were very negligent, so they had to shut down.
They had to shut down as a result of/through their negligence.
They had to shut down because they were very negligent.

6 Examples: (ways of expressing an opinion)

I think (that) the government should do something about inflation.
In my opinion/To my mind/In my view/To me (informal)/To my way of thinking/As far as I
am concerned/If you ask me (informal)/ From my point of view/From my viewpoint/As I see
it/The way I see it, the government should do something about inflation.
Personally/For my part, I think (that) the government should do something about inflation.
I think (that) the unemployment rate has fallen.
2
 As far as I know/As far as I am aware/To (the best of) my knowledge/For all I know, the
unemployment rate has fallen.

7 Examples: (reaching conclusions)

If we consider everything, this business is profitable.
Taking everything into account/consideration11, this business is profitable.
Taking account of everything, this business is profitable.
All in all, the business is profitable.
Briefly/In brief/In conclusion/In short/(To put it) in a nutshell/Summarising/Summing
up/To sum up, this business is profitable.
You shouldn’t talk ill about your wife. You must bear in mind that she is your wife.
You shouldn’t talk ill about your wife. After all, she’s your wife/She’s your wife(,) after all.

8 Examples: (organising the sequence of events, facts and so forth)

First (of all)/In the first place/Firstly,...
In the second place/Second(ly),...
In the third place/Third(ly),...
Then/Next/After that,...
Finally/Lastly/In the end/Last of all,...
To begin with/To start with/For a start,...
To end with/To finish with/To conclude with,...

9 Examples: (giving examples)

In this region, you can find cobras, vipers, etc. (full form: et cetera)
In this region, you can find cobras, vipers, and so on/forth12.
In this region, you can find cobras, vipers, and so on and so forth.
Some snakes in this region are poisonous. For example/ For instance13, cobras and vipers.
Some snakes in this region are poisonous, such as/like (less formal) cobras and vipers.
Some snakes in this region are poisonous. As a case in point, we can mention cobras and
vipers/We can mention cobras and vipers, as a case in point.
Some snakes in this region are poisonous. The cobra is a case in point/A case in point is the
cobra.
I like cakes, biscuits, sweets(,) and similar things.
I like cakes, biscuits, sweets(,) and the like14. (informal)
We will need, for example, a million pounds to carry out the project.
We will need, (let us) say, a million pounds to carry out the project.

10 Examples: (giving exceptions or saying that something is obvious)

Our trip was marvellous if we don’t take into account a couple of incidents.
Apart from a couple of incidents, our trip was marvellous/Our trip was marvellous, apart from
a couple of incidents/A couple of incidents apart, our trip was marvellous.
Except for a couple of incidents, our trip was marvellous/Our trip was marvellous, except for a
couple of incidents.
You were the only person to arrive on time.
Nobody but15/except you arrived on time.
I do not think it necessary to say that you will have to bring your own forks and spoons.
Needless to say, you will have to bring your own forks and spoons.
It goes without saying that you will have to bring your own forks and spoons.
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 We don’t have enough money to buy food; and as you can imagine, it is impossible for us to
pay the rent.
We don’t have enough money to buy food, let alone pay the rent.
Last night’s hailstorm ruined our fruit crop. But this is not all, it also caused a lot of damage to
the trees.
Last’s night hailstorm ruined our fruit crop, to say nothing of/not to mention the damage
caused to the trees.

11 Examples: (explaining something in other words)

Experience is a sine qua non to apply for this job. What we want to say is that those who have
no experience should not apply for it.
Experience is a sine qua non to apply for this job. To put it another way, those who have no
experience should not apply for it.
Experience is a sine qua non to apply for this job, that is16 (to say)(,) those who have no
experience should not apply for it.
‘I’m afraid we’re going through a crisis at the moment.’
‘In other words, you won’t lend me the money.’ (= I can infere from your words that you will
not lend me the money.)
Well, my life has changed a lot since I met him. What I want to say is that I love him deeply.
Well, my life has changed a lot since I met him. I mean17, I love him deeply.

12 Examples: (giving a general opinion and emphasizing the importance of something)

Everybody came to my party and enjoyed themselves very much. If we consider everything in
general terms, it was a great success.
Everybody came to my party and enjoyed themselves very much. On the whole/By and large
(informal)/Broadly speaking/Generally speaking/In general, it was a great success.
My sister is very intelligent, but her best attribute is that she is a hard-working girl.
My sister is very intelligent; but, above all (else)/first and foremost, she is a hard-working girl.

13 Examples: (giving more detailed information about something or disagreeing with something
mentioned previously)
The weather was bad. It rained all the time to be precise.
The weather was bad. In (actual) fact/In point of fact/As a matter of fact/Actually (spoken), it
rained all the time.
She told me that he was a little bit retarded, which was not exactly true, as he was very
retarded.
She told me that he was a little bit retarded; but, in (actual) fact/in point of fact/as a matter of
fact/ actually, he was very retarded.

14 Examples: (introducing a topic)

Something must be done about the drop in sales.
In connection with the drop in sales, something must be done about it.
As regards/Regarding/In regard to/With regard to/As for18/ Apropos (of) the drop in sales,
something must be done about it.
As far as the drop in sales is concerned, something must be done about it.
I have something to say about this.
In this regard/In this connection/On this score/In this respect/ On this matter/On this
subject/As regards this, etc., I have something to say.
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1
Although, even though and though are followed by a subject plus a verb; in spite of and
despite (more formal), by a noun, pronoun or gerund. In spite of the fact (or despite the fact) is
used in the same way as although: In spite of/Despite the fact (that) he had a sprained ankle/he
had sprained his ankle/his ankle was sprained, he went out for a walk. They may also come after
the main clause: He went out for a walk, although he had a sprained ankle.
2
Notwithstanding is a very formal alternative to despite (preposition) or however (adverb):
Notwithstanding the drop in sales, we should continue with the same policy/The drop in sales
notwithstanding, we should continue with the same policy.
He knew of the many dangers which were awaiting him, but he proceeded with the plan
notwithstanding.
3
Nonetheless may also be written none the less.
4
However and no matter how are followed by and adjective or an adverb.
5
Moreover and furthermore are formal alternatives to besides.
6
Omit I should like to add that I do not mind.
7
These words are followed by a noun, pronoun or gerund.
8
Grammars sometimes say that due to should be used after the verb be; but, in practice, some
people do not follow this rule: She hasn’t come today due to her bad cold.
9
As is colloquial.
10
See unit 20, section 13.
11
Note the following:
Taking into account/consideration that the business is profitable, we must invest in it.
We have to take your travelling expenses into account/ consideration.
We have to take into account/consideration your travelling expenses.
12
In spoken English, we sometimes use and/or whatever (else), and whatnot and and what
have you instead of and so on/forth: In this region, you can find cobras, vipers and whatever
(else)/and whatnot/and what have you.
13
Eg (from Latin exempli gratia) is another alternative to give examples, but it normally occurs
in written English:
Some snakes in this region are poisonous; eg/e.g., cobras and vipers.
14
A less usual alternative: I like cakes, biscuits, sweets, and such like.
15
Observe as well:
They were spies, not ambassadors.
They were not ambassadors, but (they were) spies.
See unit 10, section 8.
16
Another alternative to that is (to say) is ie (from Latin id est), but it is chiefly found in
written English: Experience is a sine qua non to apply for this job, ie/i.e. those who have no
experience should not apply for it.
17
This mainly occurs in a conversational style. If we add ‘to say’, we imply that we disapprove
of it: You can’t do that. I mean to say, you are over fifty. (= This is inappropriate for a man of
your age.)
18
As to is possible instead of as for to refer to things:
As to/As for the drop in sales,...
As for Peter, I must say he is a hard-working person.
(Miquel Molina i Diez)

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