Connectors in English

by Elblogdeidiomas.es · Published 04/05/2021 · Updated 25/05/2021

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What are connectors?

ÍNDICE DE CONTENIDOS

Copulative connectors in English
Disjunctive connectors in English
Conditional connectors in English
Concessive connectors in English
Conclusive connectors in English
Continuous connectors in English
Adversative connectors in English
Causal connectors in Spanish
Comparative connectors in English
Functional connectors in English
Sequencer connectors

Connectors are words or groups of words whose main function is to establish some kind of relationship between the sentences that are part of a text. Depending on the type of connector we use, we will give a certain meaning to our text. That is, if we change the connector, we will give it a totally different meaning.

Because they are important

It is an essential tool to be able to express yourself properly and fluently in your second language.

First, they help structure a written or spoken speech . This is vital for your readers or listeners. A text works as a kind of map, where the reader must know, at all times, where he is with respect to the global whole. Connectors can help you deliver that all-important structure.

On the other hand, they also work very well to give richness and fluidity to your writing or speeches . It is not the same to use simple, short, disconnected phrases, than to link them all in one using a connector.

Copulative connectors in English

The copulative connectors in English have the function of joining two events. These events do not have to always be at the same grammatical level, but one must be subordinate to another. In addition to adding ideas to those already mentioned in the previous sentence, copulative connectors can also serve to oppose them, as well as balance them at the level of importance.

And: y
Not only… but also: no solo…y también
Not only… but… as well: no solo…y…también..
Both… and: ambos…y
No sooner … than: apenas…cuando

Disjunctive connectors in English

Unlike copulative connectors, disjunctive connectors in English serve to give one or more alternatives to the idea proposed by the previous sentence. As in the case of most connectors in English, disjunctive connectors also have their employees for negation. In some cases they also express circumstance, that is, they mention the fact that it may occur if another event is not fulfilled.

Or: o
Either… or: o… o
Neither … nor: no … ni
Wether … or: si … o
Or else: or sino
Otherwise: deotro modo

Conditional connectors in English

As the name implies, conditional connectors in English are used to express a condition. They are used to join two ideas in such a way that one depends on the satisfactory result or not of the other. They can express specific cases or more general truths. Conditional connectors are used mostly in the four English conditionals.

If / whether: si
Unless: amenos que
Provided / providing / as long as: siempre que, mientras
In case: en caso de que

Concessive connectors in English

The concessive connectors English serve to express an objection to the main idea of the sentence. Normally this objection is presented as a negative event to the positive event expressed by the main sentence. It is important to pay attention to the use of each of the forms expressed here, because although they seem to mean the same thing, each concessive connector is used under specific conditions.

Although / though / even though: aunque
Even if: incluso si…
Not even if: ni siquiera si
Despite / in spite of: a pesar de
Regardless of: sin importar

Conclusive connectors in English

The conclusive connectors English are used to conclude and / or circumstance to the proposed event in the main clause. Unlike what happened with the concessive connectors, in the conclusive connectors the biggest problem that we can find is in the formality of each of the connectors. We must pay special attention to the registry used at all times in order to adapt to the situation.

Therefore: por lo tanto
Hence: de ahí
Thus: por lo tanto
So: entonces
Consequently: por lo tanto, en consecuencia

Continuous connectors in English

The c onectores English consecutives used to add an event related to the principal. It is also said that continuous connectors in English serve to give continuity to the main sentence, that is, to fill in the temporal gap after an event explained above.

Then: entonces
Moreover / furthermore / besides:además/ por otra parte/ para colmo
In addition to: además
Not only… but also: no solo…sino que también/incluso
What´s more: lo que es más
Parallel that: paralelamente, junto a eso

Adversative connectors in English

The adversative English connectors serve to oppose a difficulty to the situation presented above. These adversative connectors in English may present a specific inconvenience or a different alternative to the initial one. As with the conclusive connectors, greater attention must also be paid to the register used, as some turn out to be strongly more formal than others.

But: pero
However: sin embargo
Nonetheless / nevertheless: sin embargo
Yet / even so: y asi, sin embargo
Still: sin embargo
Instead: en su lugar
Whereas / while: mientras tanto
On the contrary: al contario
On the other hand: por otro lado
In other matters: por otro lado
Nor: ni
Notwithstanding: a pesar de que

Causal connectors in Spanish

The causal connectors English are used to give a reason for a fact. In the vast majority of cases the main sentence explains an event caused by the result of the secondary sentence. As with many types of connectors, causal connectors are also used according to the speaker’s speech register, so care must be taken not to be too formal or too vulgar.

Because: porque
Because of: debido a
For: para
Since: desde
As: puesto que
Due to / owing to: debido a
In order to: para / con tal de
By means of: por medio de
For lack of: por falta de

Comparative connectors in English

The comparative connectors English serve, as its name suggests, express a degree of equality or difference between two sentences. Many of these comparative connectors are not based only on one word, but are formed by two words separated by an adverb or adjective that establish the quality of differentiation of both sentences.

As: como
As … as: tan … como
Not as / so… as: no tan… como
As if: / as though: como si
Than: que

Functional connectors in English

The functional English connectors serve to express the cause or purpose of a sentence. The main sentence expresses a situation normally carried out for the second sentence to be possible. Functional connectors are possibly the most difficult types of connectors in English to learn, although they are not much of a problem at all.