Linkers and connectors
- 1. LINKERS AND CONNECTORS Contrast . In spite of / Despite Link two contrasting ideas. Followed by a noun phrase. (important: they do not introduce sentences) ‘He arrived on time despite / in spite of getting up late’ . Although / (Even) though Link two contrasting ideas. Followed by a sentence. ‘Although / though / even though the pupils had not studied, they all passed their exams’. . In spite of / Despite the fact that + sentence In spite of / Despite + noun phrase . However / Nevertheless / Still / Yet / Even so / On the contrary / In contrast. Introduce a new idea which marks a contrast with previously stated ideas. Introduced by a comma. . On the one hand ... On the other hand. Links two contrasting ideas / paragraphs. (por un lado/parte … por otro lado/parte) . In contrast to / Contrary to. Link two contrasting ideas. Followed by a noun phrase. . all the same (a pesar de todo) . Whereas / While. Link two contrasting ideas. Not separated by commas. Reason and cause . Because / As (como, ya que) / Since (ya que) / Seeing that Introduce a sentence. Subordinate sentences introduced by because always appear in final position. . Because of / On account of / Owing to / Due to. Introduce a noun phrase. (important: they do not introduce sentences) Purpose . In order to / So as to Introduce an infinitive of purpose. (important: they do not introduce sentences) . In order that / So that Introduce a sentence. Consequence . Consequently / As a consequence / As a result / Therefore . As a consequence of / As a result of. Followed by a noun phrase. (important: they do not introduce sentences) . So Introduces a sentence. No commas. Addition . Moreover / Furthermore / In addition / Besides / What's more Used after a strong pause and separated from the sentences. They are introduced by a comma. . Apart from / except for
- 2. . As well as / In addition to / Besides Used to add one more piece of information. Followed by a noun phrase. (important: they do not introduce sentences) Exemplification For example / For instance Introduces an example referring to previously stated ideas. . Such as (tales como). Introduces an example referring to the last idea. . That is (to say) (es decir) . In other words Succession . First of all (antes que nada) / Firstly (en primer lugar) / To begin with / First (primero)…. . Second / Secondly (en segundo lugar) / Then … . Third / Thirdly / After that... . The next stage … . Finally / in short / to sum up / in conclusion / lastly (por ultimo) / eventually ( finalmente) /last but not least / . Generally speaking / by and large (por lo general) . After that / Then / Next . Suddenly / all of a sudden (de repente) . In the end (al final) . In the meantime / meanwhile (mientras tanto) Expressing facts . Actually / really (en realidad) . As a matter of fact / in fact (de hecho) Expressing a personal opinion . As far as I am concerned / from my point of view / I agree / I disagree / in my opinion / in my view / it is true that es / personally / to be honest / to tell the truth. Explain . Above all ( sobre todo ) / Basically / Especially (especialmente, sobre todo) / Essentially (esencialmente) / In general / In particular / More or less / To a certain extent (hasta cierto punto) Similarities Similarly ( Igualmente, de forma similar) / Likewise (Asimismo, del mismo modo) / In the same way ( Del mismo modo) /In the same manner (De la misma manera) /In a similar way (De forma similar)