Conjunctions

CHAPTER

3.5

Conjunctions are words or phrases which join parts of a sentence

together, or link a sentence to the next one. Effective reading
and writing requires clarity about their meaning. This unit
describes the different functions of conjunctions and practises
their use. Other ways of linking sections of text are explained in
Unit 2.3 Cohesion.

1 Types of conjunctions
■ Study the way conjunctions work in the following:

Demand for food is increasing because the population is

growing. (reason)
Mechanisation has increased crop yields, yet production is still
inadequate. (opposition)

■ Underline the conjunctions in the following sentences.

(a) A few inventions, for instance television, have had a major

impact on everyday life.
(b) Furthermore, many patients were treated in clinics and
surgeries.
(c) The definition of ‘special needs’ is important since it is the
cause of some disagreement.
 193 3.5 Conjunctions

1EEE (d) The technology allows consumers a choice, thus increasing

2 their sense of satisfaction.
3
(e) Four hundred people were interviewed for the survey, then the
4
results were analysed.
5
6 (f) However, another body of opinion associates globalisation
7 with unfavourable outcomes.
8
9 ■ There are six main types of conjunction. Match each of the types below
10
to one of the sentences above.
1
2 (i) Addition (b)
EEE3
(ii) Result ( )
4
5 (iii) Reason ( )
62222
(iv) Opposition ( )
7
82 (v) Example ( )
9
(vi) Time ( )
20
1
2 2 Practice A
3
4 When reading a text, conjunctions are a kind of signpost to help the reader
5EEE follow the ideas.
6
7 ■ Read the paragraph below and underline the conjunctions, then decide
8 what their functions are (i.e. types i – vi above).
9
30
1 2.1 BIOFUELS
2
3 Newly published research examines some important questions about the
4 growing use of biofuels, such as ethanol made from maize. The production of
5 these has increased sharply recently, but the replacement of food crops with fuel
6 crops has been heavily criticised. Although initially seen as a more
7 environmentally-friendly type of fuel, the research shows that producing some
8 biofuels, for instance biodiesel palm oil, is more polluting than using
9
conventional oil. The ethanol produced from sugar cane, however, can have
40
1 negative emissions, in other words taking carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
2 instead of adding it. Consequently, it can be seen that the situation is rather
36222 confused, and that biofuels are neither a magic solution to the energy problem,
nor are they the environmental disaster sometimes suggested.
194 Part 3 Accuracy in writing

Conjunction Type Conjunction Type

(a) such as example (f)

(b) (g)

(c) (h)

(d) (i)

(e) (j)

3 Common conjunctions
■ Complete the table with as many examples of conjunctions as possible.

Addition Result Reason Opposition Example Time

such as