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2022 - Grammar Notes - Connectives

This document provides a summary of different types of connectives in English grammar, including coordinating connectives (and, but, or), subordinating connectives (because, since, as, although, though), correlative connectives (either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also), and time connectives (before, after, until, till, as soon as, no sooner...than, hardly...when). Each connective is defined and examples of its use are provided.

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80 views4 pages

2022 - Grammar Notes - Connectives

This document provides a summary of different types of connectives in English grammar, including coordinating connectives (and, but, or), subordinating connectives (because, since, as, although, though), correlative connectives (either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also), and time connectives (before, after, until, till, as soon as, no sooner...than, hardly...when). Each connective is defined and examples of its use are provided.

Uploaded by

lanceli
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Primary 6 ( ) Grammar Note Name: _________________ ( )

Connectives
Coordinating Subordinating Correlative

1. Combination and (positive) both…and…


nor (negative) not only,,,but also…
2. Contrast Yet, but, while

3. Comparison than as…as

4. Choice or either…or…
neither…nor…
5. Reason for because, as, since

6. Result so, or so…that… (adj.)


such…that… (n.)
7. Purpose lest, so as to so that… may
in order that…may
8. Condition if, unless

9. Time when, while, as , before, no sooner…than…


after, until, till, since hardly…when…
10. Concession although, though, even if,
even though, despite
11. Noun Clauses if, that whether

A. Using and, but and or (refers to Unit 7A)

B. Connectives of reason: as, because and since


 We use the connectives because, as and since to give reasons for something.
As we’re already late, we have to walk faster. Tom is absent today because he has caught a cold.
Since it was a public holiday, there were many people in the shopping centre.

 Because, as and since introduce a clause, instead of a noun.


We ordered a lot of food as we were hungry. (✗as our hunger)
She refused to answer his calls because she was very angry. (✗because her anger)
They cancelled the outing since it was raining heavily. (✗since they heavy rain)

C. Using although/though and despite/in spite of


 We use the connectives although/though and despite/in spite of to join two opposing ideas.
 We use although/though to introduce a clause.
Although the robbers escaped, their faces have been captured on CCTV.
Though they managed to escape from the scene, we’re confident that they won’t be able to escape from
Hong Kong.

 We use despite/in spite of to introduce a noun or noun phrase.


Despite the thorough search for the suspects, they were nowhere to be seen.
In spite of the police’s effort, the robbers still have not been arrested.

D. Using so, so that and so as to


 We use the connectives so to talk about the results of something.
We felt hungry and tired, so we went to a café for some snacks.
I did not feel well yesterday, so I went to see the doctor.

 We use so that to talk about the purpose of doing something. We often use modal verbs such as can,
will, may, could, would, and might after it.
We have to get a taxi so that we can get to the airport on time.
She got up early so that she could listen to her favourite radio programme.

 We can also use so as to to talk about the purpose of doing something.


She got up early so as to listen to her favourite radio programme.
We have to take a taxi so as not to miss the flight.

E. Conjunction: lest
 The conjunction lest means (1) for fear that, or (2) in order to avoid. It is followed by something the
speaker thinks should be avoided.
I won’t waste your time responding point-by-point lest I give credence to unsubstantiated allegations
and tortured innuendo.
Don’t push people too hard, lest you damage close friendships unnecessarily.

F. until and till


 Until and till are used to indicate when something will happen, begin, or end. Until and till have the
same meaning.
I’ll be busy until 5:30 today.
Sunderland have signed free agent Victor Anichebe on a deal till the end of the season.

G. after
 After means ‘later than’. When after is used as a conjunction, it introduces a clause.
After I left him a message, he phoned me immediately.
She did voluntary work in a hospital after she graduated.
H. before
 Before means earlier than the time or event mentioned. We use before as a subordinating
conjunction. We commonly use before with the past simple tense. It suggests that the second event
happened soon after the first one.
Before she left, she had gave everyone a present.
Before I go to work, I jog for at least an hour.

I. as soon as
We use the subordinating conjunction as soon as…
 to introduce depending clause in sentence

 to indicate an action which immediately happens after the completion of first one
As soon as I reached the station, the train arrived.
The train arrived as soon as I reached the station.
I will call you as soon as I finish my work.

J. no sooner … than …
 We use the subordinating conjunction no sooner … than to indicate that one thing happens
immediately after another.
No sooner did I go to bed than I fell asleep.
No sooner had I arrived at the station than the train came.
No sooner does the bell ring than the students start to come out.

K. hardly … when …
 We use hardly … when… to indicate two things happened after one another. It means ‘almost not’,
‘certainly not’ or ‘only just’.
Hardly had I entered the garden when I saw a snake.
Hardly had John arrived school when his phone rang.
Hardly had Nancy reached the station when the train arrived.

As soon as No sooner … than


No sooner did I reach home than they
As soon as I reached home, they welcomed me.
welcomed me.
The baby started crying as soon as the mother No sooner did the mother finish cooking than
finished cooking. the baby started crying.
No sooner did she take the exam than she felt
As soon as she took the exam, she felt relieved.
relieved.

L. if, unless, if … not


 We often use if to introduce possible or impossible situations or conditions and their results. The
situations or conditions can be real, imagined or uncertain. For more details, please refer to the
grammar note about conditional tenses.
If you don’t book now, you won’t get good tickets. (real)
They’d have got the job done quicker if they’d had more people working on it. (imagined)
 Unless means except if or simply it means if...not.
You can't go on vacation unless you save some money.
If you don't save some money, you can't go on vacation.

Unless is good to use when it highlights an exception to what is generally true. In this example I only
have one reason why i may be late: traffic (vehicles on the road):
I'll arrive at 10am unless there is traffic.
I'll arrive at 10am if there isn't traffic.

This next example shows us that sometimes the context can change and unless is not exactly
interchangeable with if...not.
I'll be annoyed if I do not arrive at 10am. - Being late will annoy me.
I'll be annoyed unless I arrive at 10am. - The only thing that can stop me from being annoyed is
arriving at 10am.

M. Using either … or …, neither … nor …


 Use the either…or… and neither…nor… pairs to refer to the one or the other of two alternatives.
Either…or… affirms each of two alternatives, while neither…nor… simultaneously negates them.
Rita wants either a motorcycle or a water scooter for her birthday.
Neither the pizza nor the ice-cream is here.

 Either…or… and neither…nor… constructions act as conjunctions: they connect two things with
each other.
Either salad or soup will be served for lunch.
Maya is neither happy nor sad about this.

 Such constructions can also occur in relative clauses or be used to describe a noun.
Poco, who is neither qualified nor experienced, is now our manager.
Any bread, either white or brown, will do.

 As conjunctions, either…or… and neither…nor… can join clauses in a sentence.


Either you like chocolate, or you don’t.
Neither does she care, nor does she pretend to care.

N. not only … but also …


 Not only is used with but also to add emphasis when writing about two related things. The two
pieces of information must be expressed in parallel structures using the same part of speech.
He is not only tall but also strong.
The manager not only gave me a refund, but he also offered me a 50% discount on my next meal.

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