INDEX OF TODAY´S CLASS – Basic Level

1- The use of Linking words ……….…………………..…...…...2

2- Linking words to introduce examples ……………….….… 2

3- Linking words to add information ……………….. …2 and 3

4- Linking words to summarize…....………………………….…4

5- Linking words to show sequences.…………………….…….4

6- Linking words to give reasons ……………………………….5

7- Linking words to give results ………………………………...6

8-Linking words to show contrasting ideas ………….………...6

9- Exercises about linking words ……………………………... 9

10- Answers to the exercises of the previous class…10 and 11.

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 Linking Words
Linking words help you to connect ideas and sentences when you
speak or write English. We can use linking words to give examples,
add information, summarise, sequence information, give a reason or
result, or to contrast ideas.

Here’s a list of the most common linking words and phrases:

Giving examples:
For example
For instance
Namely

The most common way to give examples is by using for example or

for instance.

Namely refers to something by name.

“There are two problems: namely, the expense and the time.”

Adding information:
And
In addition
As well as
Also
Too
Furthermore
Moreover
Apart from
In addition to
Besides

Ideas are often linked by and. In a list, you put a comma between
each item, but not before and.

“We discussed training, education and the budget.”

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Also is used to add an extra idea or emphasis. “We also spoke
about marketing.”

You can use also with not only to give emphasis.

“We are concerned not only by the costs, but also by the
competition.”

We don’t usually start a sentence with also. If you want to start a

sentence with a phrase that means also, you can use In addition, or
In addition to this…

As well as can be used at the beginning or the middle of a

sentence.

“As well as the costs, we are concerned by the competition.”

“We are interested in costs as well as the competition.”

Too goes either at the end of the sentence, or after the subject, in
this case in between commas, and means as well.
“They were concerned too.”
“I, too, was concerned.”

Apart from and besides are often used to mean as well as, or in
addition to.
“Apart from Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer.”
“Besides Rover, we are the largest sports car manufacturer.”

Moreover and furthermore add extra information to the point you

are making.

“Marketing plans give us an idea of the potential market. Moreover,

they tell us about the competition.”

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Summarising:
In short
In brief
In summary
To summarise
In a nutshell
To conclude
In conclusion

We normally use these words at the beginning of the sentence to

give a summary of what we have said or written.

Sequencing ideas:
The former, … the latter
Firstly, secondly, finally
The first point is
Lastly
The following

The former and the latter are useful when you want to refer to one
of two points.

“Marketing and finance are both covered in the course. The former
is studied in the first term and the latter is studied in the final term.”

Firstly, … secondly, … finally (or lastly) are useful ways to list

ideas.

It’s rare to use “fourthly”, or “fifthly”. Instead, try the first point, the
second point, the third point and so on.

The following is a good way of starting a list.

“The following people have been chosen to go on the training

course: N Peters, C Jones and A Owen.”

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Giving a reason
Due to / due to the fact that
Owing to / owing to the fact that
Because
Because of
Since
As

Due to and owing to must be followed by a noun.

“Due to the rise in oil prices, the inflation rate rose by 1.25%.”

“Owing to the demand, we are unable to supply all items within 2

weeks.”

If you want to follow these words with a clause (a subject, verb and
object), you must follow the words with the fact that.

“Due to the fact that oil prices have risen, the inflation rate has gone
up by 1%25.”

“Owing to the fact that the workers have gone on strike, the
company has been unable to fulfill all its orders.”

Because / because of

Because of is followed by a noun.

“Because of bad weather, the football match was postponed.”

Because , without of, can be used at the beginning or in the middle

of a sentence. For example, “Because it was raining, the match was
postponed.”

“We believe in incentive schemes, because we want our employees

to be more productive.”

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Since / as

Since and as mean because.

“Since the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff.”

As the company is expanding, we need to hire more staff.”

Giving a result:
Therefore
So
Consequently
This means that
As a result

Therefore, so, consequently and as a resultare all used in a

similar way.

“The company are expanding. Therefore / So / Consequently / As a

result, they are taking on extra staff.”

So is more informal.

Note: If linking words start a sentence, they are followed by a comma ” ,” .

When they are used to connect two clauses, a semi-colon “ ;” is used at the
end of the first clause, and a comma is often used after the linking word(s).

Example:

Prices were reduced by 20%. As a result, sales increased.

Contrasting ideas:
But
However
Although / even though
Despite / despite the fact that
In spite of / in spite of the fact that
Nevertheless
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Nonetheless
While
Whereas
Unlike
In theory… in practice…

But is more informal than however. It is not normally used at the

beginning of a sentence.

“He works hard, but he doesn’t earn much.”

“He works hard. However, he doesn’t earn much.”

Although, despite and in spite of introduce an idea of contrast.

With these words, you must have two halves of a sentence.

“Although it was cold, she went out in shorts.”

“In spite of the cold, she went out in shorts.”

Despite and in spite of are used in the same way as due to and
owing to. They must be followed by a noun. If you want to follow
them with a noun and a verb, you must use the fact that.

“Despite the fact that the company was doing badly, they took on
extra employees.”

Nevertheless and nonetheless mean in spite of that or anyway.

“The sea was cold, but he went swimming nevertheless.” (In spite of
the fact that it was cold.)

“The company is doing well. Nonetheless, they aren’t going to

expand this year.”

While,whereas and unlike are used to show how two things are
different from each other.

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“While my sister has blue eyes, mine are brown.”

“Taxes have gone up, whereas social security contributions have

gone down.”

“Unlike in the UK, the USA has cheap petrol.”

In theory… in practice… show an unexpected result.

“In theory, teachers should prepare for lessons, but in practice, they
often don’t have enough time to do it.”

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Exercises: Complete the following sentences with lone of the
linking words studied above, more than one answer might be
possible.

1- _____________ the heavy rain, they were playing outside.

2- He got a major in Biology _____ another major in Medicine.

3- I really want to go. __________, Mary wants to stay home tonight.

4- ______________, the trip took us much longer than we expected

_________ to the accidents on the road.

5- ______________ I work hard, I never have any money.

6- _____________she wanted to go, her parents did not allow her.

7- We bought many things at the market. ____________, apples,

bananas, limes and oranges.

8- _____________ Mary, her sister is very tall.

9- ___________, we drove to Paris, ___________, we took a flight

to Madrid and ____________ we took another flight to Sao Paulo.

10- They study hard at school ______________ they want to get a

scholarship to go to college.

11- I do have the money to buy that house, ____I am going to do it.

12- We are worried about the road blocks _________ about the
coronavirus.

13- The idea of selling online at this time is perfect, ______we do

not have the necessary platform in our website to do it.

14- _____________ of the virus, we have to stay home.

15- _____________teacher was all right, but __________ was

terrible.

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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Answers to the Exercises Concerning Future

Exercises about the Future: Complete the following sentences

with the correct form of the given verbs with “ will “ or “ be
going to “, or the “ Present Continuous¨ with the Future
significance.

A: I’ve got a terrible stomache; I think it is a hangover.

B: Really, wait here and I will get ( to get ) you some “ ENGOVE “.

A: Look at the sky over there. I looks terrible.

B: Yeah, it looks like it´s going to rain ( to rain ).

A: Do you have any plans for this weekend?

B: Yep, I´m going to visit or am visiting ( to visit ) my parents.

A: I really don’t know how to use this camera.

B: That’s easy. I´ll show ( to show ) you.

A: What would you like to drink, Sir?

B: I think, I´ll have ( to have ) some coffee, please.

A: What is May doing after graduation?

B: She has everything planned, first she´s going to travel ( to travel )
for couple months and after that she´s going to start ( to start )
working in her father’s company.

A: What are you doing tonight?

B: I´m going to watch or am watching ( to watch ) the ball game on
TV.

A: Look, that guy is going to jump out of the building!

B: Oh, no, I´ll call ( to call ) the Police right away.

A: There are so many different things at this menu that I don’t know
what to order.

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B: I do*, I`m going to get ( to get) the steak.
* when the person said “ I do “ he meant that he had already
decided to have the steak, that´s why you use Be going to or I`m
having ( present continuous with a future significance )

A: Do you know what Susan will do after graduating from college.

B: Not really, I think she´ll start ( to start ) another course.

A: Do you know what Mary is doing on Saturday ?

B: Yes, She bought bus tickets to Rio for Saturday, so I think she´s
going to travel ( to travel ).

A: How about playing tennis on Sunday?

B: I am sorry, I can´t. I´m going to work or I´m working ( to work ) this
Sunday.

A:Look, that plane is totally out of control…

B: yes, it looks as though it´s going to fall ( to fall ) .

A: Do you have any plans for tonight?

B: Yes, I´m going to fall or I´m visiting ( to visit ) my parents.

A: This software is so strange….

B: Not really, it is easy. I´ll show ( to show ) you how to use it.

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