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.