Hello everyone! Welcome to today's lecture on connecting ideas in a sentence and between sentences. Mastering this is crucial for clear and cohesive writing, and it all comes down to understanding the difference between a conjunction and a sentence connector.
Conjunctions vs. Sentence Connectors
Think of it this way: conjunctions are like the internal plumbing of a single house. They join clauses and phrases within a single sentence to create a more complex idea. Words like although, because, and while are classic examples. For instance, in the sentence, "I put on the light even though it was midday," the conjunction "even though" seamlessly connects two related ideas into one smooth thought.
Sentence connectors, on the other hand, are like the roads that connect separate houses in a neighborhood. They link one complete sentence to the one before it, showing the relationship between them. Phrases like as a result, even so, and however belong in this category. For example, "It was midday. Even so, I put on the light" uses "even so" to bridge the two separate sentences, highlighting the surprising nature of the second fact.
The Versatile 'However'
However is a particularly interesting case because it can function in a few different ways. Most often, we use it as a sentence connector to introduce a contrasting idea: "She wanted to go to the party. However, she had to study for her exam."
However, it can also act as an adverb when it's followed by an adjective, adverb, or the words "much" or "many." For example, "We don't have the money to do the work, however necessary you think it is." In this case, "however" modifies the adjective "necessary." It can also be a conjunction meaning "in whatever way." For instance, "However she held the mirror, she couldn't see the back of her neck."
Common Connection Types and Their Words
To make things simpler, let's categorize some of the most common conjunctions and sentence connectors by the type of relationship they show.
| Type of Connection | Sentence Connectors | Conjunctions |
| Comparing & Contrasting | by contrast, however, on the other hand | although, even though, whereas, while |
| Reasons & Results | as a result, consequently, therefore | as, because, since, so that |
| Adding Information | in addition, furthermore, moreover | (No common conjunctions) |
| Condition | if so, otherwise | as long as, provided that, unless |
| Time | afterwards, meanwhile, then | after, before, as soon as, until |
Notice that some words, like after, before, and so, can be both connectors and conjunctions. This is why paying attention to how a word is used in a sentence is so important.
A Note on Punctuation
A key rule to remember is that you can't use a sentence connector with just a comma to connect two clauses within a single sentence. For example, you wouldn't say, "I expect to be promoted, if not I'll leave." The two clauses are separate ideas and need a stronger connection.
However, you can use a sentence connector within a single sentence if it's properly joined by a conjunction like and, but, or, so, or a semi-colon, colon, or dash. For instance, "The building was extremely well constructed and, as a result, difficult to demolish."
Understanding these distinctions will help you write with greater clarity and precision. Now, let's review a few examples together to solidify this concept.
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