Conectivos
Relationships between ideas
CAUSE / EFFECT
• AS
• AS LONG AS
• BECAUSE
• INASMUCH AS
• NOW THAT
• SINCE
• SO ( THAT )
• SO
• THEREFORE
• THUS
• DUE TO
• FOR
• BECAUSE OF
• HENCE
OPPOSITION
• ALTHOUGH
• EVEN THOUGH
• THOUGH
• WHEREAS
• WHILE
• NEVERTHELESS
• NONETHELESS
• HOWEVER
• ON THE OTHER
HAND
• DESPITE
• IN SPITE OF
• BUT ... ANYWAY
• YET ... STILL
CONDITION
• IF
• UNLESS
• ONLY IF
• EVEN IF
• WHETHER OR NOT
• PROVIDED ( THAT )
• OTHERWISE
• OR ELSE
• IN CASE
• IN THE EVENT OF
AS
• Como, porque
• As she had nothing in particular to do, she
decided to go out for a walk.
• Before I became a teacher I worked as a
waiter.
• I’m tired. I’ve been working like a dog.
AS LONG AS
• Já que, como, visto que
• As long as you’re not busy, could you help me with this work ?
• There was extra time, so the football match lasted as long as the concert.
• You can leave early, as long as you finish the work.
BECAUSE
• Porque, por causa de
• He went to bed because he was sleepy.
• Because is used when the reason is the most important part of the sentence. The becauseclause usually comes at the end.
• I went to Spain last summer because I wanted the guarantee of sunshine on every day of my holiday.
INASMUCH AS
• Haja visto que, visto que, porquanto
• Inasmuch as the two government leaders could not
reach an agreement, the possibilities for peace are
still remote.
• Used to add a comment on something you have
just said and to say in what way it is true:
• He was a very unusual musician inasmuch as he
was totally deaf.
NOW THAT
• Agora que
• Now that the semester is finished, I’m going
to rest a few days.
• Used because the thing mentioned is
happening or has just happened:
• Now that the kids have left home we’ve got
a lot of extra space.
SINCE
• Já que, considerando que, porque
• Since he’s not interested in classical music, he decided not to go to the concert.
• Used when the reason is already well known and is therefore usually less important:
• Since John had already eaten, I made do with a sandwich.
SO ( THAT )
• Para que, para, de forma a
• I turned off the TV so that my roommate
could study in peace and quiet.
• Frequently used to talk about purpose:
• We’re going to leave by three so that we
don’t get stuck in the rush-hour traffic.
SO
• Portanto, por isso
• It was hot. So we went swimming.
• Used in informal English to connect two
ideas . It shows that what is about to be said
follows as a result of what was said before.:
• Judy had her purse snatched on the Tube, so
she had to borrow some money from me.
THEREFORE
• Por causa disso, por essa razão, assim sendo
• It was hot. Therefore, we went swimming.
• It means as a result and is used to introduce
the logical result of something that has just
been mentioned:
• He’s only 15 and therefore not eligible to
vote.
THUS
• Por causa disso, por essa razão, assim sendo
• It was hot. Thus we went swimming.
• It means as a result and is used to introduce
the logical result of something that has just
been mentioned:
• He is the eldest son and thus heir to the title.
DUE TO
• Devido a, por causa de
• We stayed home due to the cold weather.
• It is used to indicate that something happened as a result of something or introduce the reason for something happening:
• He was kept in after school due to his bad behavior.
FOR
• Porque
• We had better stay home for the weather was freezing.
• It suggests that the reason is given as an afterthought. It is never placed at the beginning of the sentence:
• I decided to stop the work I was doing – for it was late and I wanted to go to bed.
BECAUSE OF
• Por causa de, devido a
• We went swimming because of the hot weather.
• Used to indicate that something happened as a result of something or to introduce the reason for something happening:
• The new cruise liner returned immediately to port because of a broken propeller.
HENCE
• Por esta razão, por isso, daí então
• It is clear to us now that drug abuse can
never be beneficial to the user; hence we
seem to have got it wrong in suggesting that
it may sometimes be acceptable.
• So is similar in meaning to hence, though
hence is much more formal.
ALTHOUGH
• Apesar de, embora, ainda que
• Although it was cold, I went swimming.
• It introduces a subordinate clause of contrast with an idea that makes the statement in the main clause seem surprising:
• Although the sausages were past their sell-by date, I ate them and didn’t become ill.
EVEN THOUGH
• Apesar de, embora, ainda que
• Even though I wasn’t tired, I went to bed.
• Used as an alternative to though or although when
the ideas expressed appear more extreme or
surprising.
• Even though the earthquake occurred ten days
ago, the authorities believe it may still be possible
to find survivors under the rubble.
THOUGH
• Apesar de, embora, ainda que
• Though it was cold, I went swimming.
• As a conjunction it is a more informal alternative of although:
• Though I was late for the meeting, I decided to go nevertheless.
• As an adverb it has a meaning similar to however:
• Everyone played well. We still lost the game, though.
WHEREAS
• Ao passo que, enquanto que
• Mary is rich, whereas John is poor.
• It is used to balance two ideas that contrast
with, but do not contradict, each other.
• Some married couples argue all time,
whereas others never do.
WHILE
• Embora, ao passo que, ainda que
• While he was not rich, he was very generous.
• Used within sentences to contrast two ideas, it is similar to whereas.
• We would always choose somewhere in the mountains for a holiday, while our children always want the seaside.
NEVERTHELESS /
NONETHELESS• Mesmo assim, ainda assim, contudo
• Used to emphasize a contrast with what has been said before which may appear surprising to the listener:
• There is little chance that we will succeed in changing the law. Nevertheless, it is important that we try.
• The problems are not serious. Nonetheless we will need to tackle them soon.
HOWEVER
• Entretanto, embora, todavia
• Used when you are adding a comment which
contrasts with what has just been said:
• It was cold. However, I still went swimming.
• Careful:
She has the window open, however cold it is
outside.
Adverb meaning to whatever degree.
ON THE OTHER HAND
• Por outro lado
• Used to introduce different ideas, especially
when they are opposites:
• They’d love to have kids. On the other
hand, they don’t want to give up their
freedom.
DESPITE / IN SPITE OF
• Apesar de, a despeito de
• Used when you are mentioning circumstances
which surprisingly do not prevent something from
happening or being true:
• The morning air was still clear and fresh, in spite
of all the traffic and the crowd.
• Despite the differences in their ages they were
close friends.
BUT...ANYWAY
• Mas... mesmo assim
• It was cold, but I went swimming anyway.
• YET...STILL
• Entretanto...ainda assim
• It was cold, yet I still went swimming.