Conjuctions and connectors

Conjuctions and connectors

Sentence connectors and conjunctions: general

My mum used to come and collect me from college in the car and I’d drive home. What’s more, she’d let me drive when we went shopping.

A sentence connector (e.g. What’s more) links one sentence with another.

My mum taught me to drive because I couldn’t afford to pay for driving lessons.

A conjunction (e.g. Because) links clauses within a single sentence.

Although its expensive having driving lessons, I’d really recommend it. (not Although iö eemiit having driving lessons, but I’d really rccommcnd it.) We usually put a comma between clauses linked by a conjunction:

As long as I didn’t do anything stupid, she stayed pretty calm.

However, when because or while (referring to time) begin the second clause in a sentence, we don’t need a comma.

Sentence connectors usually come at the beginning of a sentence and less often at the end or in another position. The only ones that can’t come at the beginning are too and as well:

You can spend a lot more time practising as welt We usually put a comma after a sentence connector at the beginning or end of a sentence My mum thought I was ready to take my driving test. However, I failed first time.

When a sentence connector comes elsewhere in a sentence, punctuation is more variable.

There are lots of advantages in having your parents teach you. There’s the cost, for instance …

Sentence connectors can be used to link clauses in a sentence if the clauses are joined with and, but, or, so, or a semi-colon (;), colon ( or dash (—):

My instructor was very experienced and, as a result, he had lots of useful tips to pass on.

• Having a professional teach you to drive is best; however, it can be very expensive.

Conjunctions: before, until

Sometimes we can use either before or until with little difference in meaning She wouldn’t let me drive on busy roads before/until I could control the car well.