Overview of Connectors
Connectors show logical relationships between clauses in a sentence, between sentences within a paragraph, or even
between paragraphs.
Examples
(a) Matt grew up in Kansas, but he now lives in San
Francisco.
(b) Bambang not only misses his family, but he also wishes
a few friends were in America with him.
Explanations
There are three categories of connectors:
Coordinating conjunctions connect two similar grammatical
structures, such as noun phrases, prepositional phrases or
independent clauses.
(c) Matt grew up in Kansas. However, he now lives in San Sentence connectors show the logical connection between
Francisco.
sentences.
(d) Bambang misses his family. In addition, he wishes that a
few friends were in America with him.
(e) Although Matt grew up in Kansas, he now lives in San Subordinating conjunctions connect a dependent noun
Francisco.
clause or a gerund phrase with the main clause.
(f) In addition to missing his family, Bambang wishes that a
few friends were in America with him.
The logical relationships that these connectors express can be divided into four general categories: additive, contrastive,
cause and effect, and sequence. See the next chart.
MEANING
ADDITIVE
CONTRASTIVE
FORM
Coordinating Conjunctions
Sentence Connectors
(a) Bambang misses his family, (b) Bambang misses his family,
and they miss him.
too. He also misses his friends. In
addition, he is having culture
shock. Besides, he’s homesick.
(d) Not only does Bambang miss (e) Furthermore, he’s not doing
his family, but he is also well in school. In fact, he failed
experiencing culture shock.
two midterms. Actually, he’s
quite depressed. Indeed, he’s
thinking about going home.
(g) Everyone experiences culture (h) Some people have severe
shock, but it eventually passes.
culture shock. Others, however,
just feel a mild depression.
Bambang’s culture shock is
almost over; yours, on the other
hand, may just be beginning.
Mild culture shock is a universal
experience. Deep depression, in
contrast, is not.
(j) The advisor told him culture (k) Bambang feels homesick.
shock can’t be avoided, yet it is Even so, he will stay until he
fortunately temporary.
finishes his studies. Bambang
studies hard. Nevertheless, he
isn’t getting good grades. In spite
of this, he is still trying to
improve.
Subordinating Conjunctions
(c) In addition to missing his
family, Bambang misses his
friends.
(f) Besides being depressed, he’s
having trouble in school, not to
mention feeling lonely all the
time.
(i) Some people have severe
culture shock, while others just
feel a mild depression. Whereas,
some people have severe culture
shock, others just feel a mild
depression.
(l) Although he feels homesick,
Bambang will stay until he
finishes his studies. He isn’t
getting good grades, even though
he studies hard. In spite of
experiencing culture shock / In
spite of the fact that he still
experiences
culture
shock,
Bambang has decided not to go
home.
(m) Bambang went to see his (n) Bambang was worried about (o) He found it difficult to
CAUSE AND EFFECT
SEQUENCE
advisor, for he was worried about his grades. With this in mind, he concentrate, due to being
his grades.
went to see his advisor.
depressed. Because / Since
Bambang was worried about his
grades, he went to see his advisor.
(p) He was depressed, so he went (q) Bambang was worried about (r) As a result of feeling
to see his advisor.
his grades. Accordingly, he went depressed, he decided to talk with
(s) The advisor told Bambang to to see his advisor. His advisor told his advisor. He made an
keep busy, or (else) he would him that culture shock is appointment so that he could find
become more depressed.
universal. He consequently felt out about leaving school early. In
much better about his depression. order to find out more about
As a result, he decided not to go culture shock, he decided to read
home early. He therefore some articles about it.
canceled his plane reservation.
(u) His advisor told him to get a
(t) Bambang didn’t want to go lot of exercise, providing / if he
home early. Then he would feel could do that without neglecting
that he had failed. Under such his studies.
circumstances, he might even
feel worse than he had in
America.
(v) He made an appointment, and (w) First, one must recognize (x) Bambang felt much better
he went directly to see his culture shock. Then one must after he talked with his advisor.
advisor.
deal with it. Eventually everyone When he found out about culture
gets over it. Soon they start to feel shock, he was glad he hadn’t
more comfortable in the new decided to leave before talking
culture.
with his advisor.
LARSEN-FREEMAN, D. Grammar Dimensions: form, meaning and use. Heinle & Heinle Publishers, 1997, 179-184.