HANDOUTS FOR ENGLISH NUMBER 5

LINKERS AND CONNECTORS

1. STRUCTURE
To begin with
To start with
In the first place
Firstly

the writer tells us that city life is

dangerous .

Secondly
In the second
place
Next

he tells us how unhealthy it is.

Finally

he describes how cities cause families to

break up.

In conclusion
To sum up

he says that the days of the cities are

numbered.

2. SEQUENCE
First (of all)

he opened the door.

Then
After
that

he looked outside.

3. ADDING IDEAS
a.

Adding adjectives within a sentence.

London is (both) exciting and / as well as tiring

b.

Adding nouns within sentences

My brother

c.

, together with his friend, is

, as well as his friend, is
and his friend are

attending university in Scotland.

And CANNOT be used to join
sentences in formal English

Adding ideas in different sentences

My father was a
teacher.

Furthermore
In addition
Not only that,
Moreover

he was a very good one.

4. ALTERNATIVES
a.

Joining ideas within sentences:

You can have fish or meat tonight
I don't like (either) meat or fish.
I like neither meat nor fish

b.

Alternatives in two sentences:

I could write this text by hand. Alternatively, I could type it.

5. CONCESSION / CONTRAST
a.

Within sentences
Even though
Although
Whereas

my brother prefers country life, he lives in the city.

But joins main clauses, NEVER

sentences in formal English.

My brother prefers country life but he lives in the city.

In contrast to me,
Contrasting nouns and pronouns with ideas As opposed to me,
in clauses.
Unlike me,
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my brother prefers...

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HANDOUTS FOR ENGLISH NUMBER 5

b.

Linker + noun phrase + ~ing-form

In spite of
Despite

c.

living in the city, my brother prefers

Linking sentences
I live in the country

However
Nevertheless

I prefer city life.

On the one hand, country life is peaceful, on the other hand it can be very boring.

6. TIME (Introducing temporal clauses.)

a.

As soon as
The moment
When
Immediately
Once
Before
After

Bob gets home, I'll make his tea.

(THERE IS NO FUTURE TENSE IN THE TEMPORAL (= "TIME") CLAUSE!!)

b.

Whenever (= "always when") I'm with you I'm late.

c:

By the time he gets home, I'll

have made his tea.

d. Linker + noun phrase + ~ing-form

e.

(Future perfect tense in the main clause.)

Since living here, I've had nothing but trouble.
After living in London, I moved to Liverpool.
I won't do anything until I've heard from you. (Present perfect in the temporal
clause!)

"Bis" = "until"

7. CONDITION
a.

If
Provided that
As long as
Assuming that
Granted that
Given that

the good weather holds, the match will take place.

b.

Unless (= "if .... not")

Unless the good weather holds, the

match will not take place.

If the good weather does not hold,

the match will not take place.

c.

In case (= "Falls..." / "Fr den

Fall da...)

In case I'm not at home when you come, leave the parcel in the garage.

8. PURPOSE / INTENTION
a.

Affirmative sentences:
She left home

so as to become more independent.

in order to become more independent.
to become more independent.
She left home so that she could become more independent.

b.

Negative sentences.
She left home

so as not to be too dependent on her parents.

in order not to be too dependent on ......

9. REASON (CAUSE)
a.

Linker + noun:
She left home because of the quarrels her parents were always having.

b.

Linker + clause

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HANDOUTS FOR ENGLISH NUMBER 5

She left home

because her parents were always having rows.

since* her parents were always having rows.
as her parents were always having rows.
(cf. 6d above for other meanings of "since")

10. RESULT
a.

Within a sentence:
I haven't any money so I can't help you. (So CANNOT be used to join sentences in formal English.)

b.

Linking sentences:
Therefore,
Thus,
they should relax at the weekend.
Consequently
As a result of this,

Stress makes many students tired.

11. EXCEPTION
With the exception of
Apart from
Except for

an occasional cold, I've been healthy all winter.

12. EMPHASIS
a.

Within a sentence:
All leisure activities,

especially reading,
particularly reading,
even reading,

can cause tiredness.

13. RESTATEMENT
Good working habits are very important for learning vocabulary.
In other words,
That is to say,

working regularly and systematically will help you to learn vocabulary better and more
quickly.

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HANDOUTS FOR ENGLISH NUMBER 5

EXERCISES

CONNECTORS SHOWING ADDITION, ALTERNATIVES AND CONTRAST

Fill in the gaps with a suitable connector. Do not use the same connector more than once.

A.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

Setting realistic goals helps students to organise their work efficiently ... they provide the students with suitable
incentives.
Painters ... dramatists are taking part in the arts festival.
The first sentence of any text you read is most important because it attracts your attention. ... it will decide
whether you continue reading.
Books ... pencils, ... a lot of papers were lying untidily on the desk.
I don't care what you do. You can ... stay here ... go home.
If you can't get to the meeting on time, give me a ring tonight. ... leave a note with Mrs Smith.
... John ... Edward was able to help me. I don't know who else to ask.
It's going to rain. Shall we stay in ... go out?
We enjoyed ourselves ... the weather was bad.
... the weather was bad we enjoyed ourselves very much.
He wrote a book about New York ... he had never been there.
My father offered to lend me half the money towards the cost of the car. ... there was no way for me to raise the
other half so I didn't buy it.
He had never had a university education ... he became one of the most influential men in the country.
... the ... living at home can restrict one's personal freedom; ... the ... it can save a student a lot of money.

B. LINKAGE AND REFERENCE.

English food has a bad name abroad (although / because / if) foreigners visiting England
often meet it in the more 'popular' type of restaurant (which / it / one) is the easiest to
find. The food in (the / a / such) restaurants has to be served quickly (and / as well as / in
addition) being cheap. (Although / Nevertheless / Together with) the food is often badly
cooked (together with / as well as / and) presented without any imagination. This is
because some of the restaurants do not pay enough attention to what their customers
want.
(Together with / Moreover / Whereas) these restaurants do nothing for the reputation of
British food abroad, the foreigner who takes a little trouble and compares the restaurants
carefully, can eat well in Britain.

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HANDOUTS FOR ENGLISH NUMBER 5

C. LINKERS SHOWING CONDITION, PURPOSE (INTENTION) AND REASON (CAUSE).

Note: "If" / "Assuming that" can be used in all types of conditional sentences. Other linkers are restricted to probable
conditions.)
Fill in the gaps with suitable linkers. Do not use the same one twice.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

... you work hard, you will probably get good marks in the examination.
We wouldn't have missed the bus ... we'd left earlier.
... you change your working habits, you won't have any success.
Don't stand on that chair ... you'll fall over and hurt yourself.
... I were you, I'd stop work now.
... you don't make any noise, you can stay here.
He left at 7.30 a.m. ... could catch the bus.
He left at 7.30 a.m. ... catch the early bus.
He left at 7.30 a.m. ... catch the early bus.
I didn't say anything ... I didn't want to make him angry.
... there was not enough demand the course was cancelled.
I went into his room quietly ... I didn't want to wake him.

D.

WORK

To many people the word sounds awful, not necessarily (when / if /

because / alternatively) they are lazy. The man (which / who / what) hates his
job in the factory (either / neither / otherwise / or) in the office may work very
hard at the weekend, painting the house. ... he may spend a lot of his
weekend in the garden, digging and planting.
What, then, is the reason for this attitude? Often it is simply (because /
although / while) they do not like the job they are doing. (It / one / the same)
may be easy, like making cardboard boxes. ... it may be well-paid. ... the man
still finds the job boring.
Very often they have to do a job (where / which / who) is just a small part
of a much larger one, such as putting in the windows of a car. ... the part they
play is so small that they can never have the feeling that they have really
created something.
... in modern society, someone has to do these jobs ... that is the way society
is organised. What, therefore, can be done to make work more attractive?
Should the people get more pay (alternatively / neither / or / as well as) should
they be given more free time? ... if they are given more free time, how can
they be taught to enjoy their leisure?

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