Level 1 — Foundation · Sentence Accuracy
Task 8: Connecting Two Ideas With a Conjunction
Join two full sentences with and, but, because, and so — then upgrade one pair into its more formal cousin, however or therefore — the logical connectors Lesson 8 teaches you to read as an author's actual argument.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this task, you should be able to:
- Choose the correct connector for addition, contrast, reason, and result
- Rewrite a but-sentence using however, and a so-sentence using therefore
- Recognize the difference between 'because' (reason) and 'so' (result)
Introduction
A list of correct sentences isn't the same as writing that reasons. "I was tired. I went to work." is grammatically fine, but it doesn't tell the reader how those two facts relate. Lesson 8 showed you that and, but, because, so — and their more formal cousins however and therefore — are exactly the tool that fixes this.
Four Connectors, Then Their Formal Versions
Core Concept
And adds one idea to another. But shows contrast — and its formal twin however carries the identical logic in a separate sentence: "The task was difficult. However, we finished it." Because gives a reason, answering "why?" So shows a result — and its formal twin therefore works the same way: "We were behind schedule. Therefore, we worked through lunch." Pick the connector by asking which silent question your second idea is actually answering.
Common Mistake
The most common mix-up: using because when you mean so, or the reverse. Test it by asking which half is the cause. "I was tired because I worked late" — the cause comes after because. "I worked late, so I was tired" — the cause comes before so.
Your Turn
Your Turn
Write five sentences about a recent day at work or study: one using and, one using but, one using because, one using so, and then a fifth sentence that rewrites your but or so sentence using its formal cousin (however or therefore) as two separate sentences.
Vocabulary in Context
formaladjectiveneutral
suited to serious or professional writing, rather than everyday speech (আনুষ্ঠানিক)
Often with formal tone, formal register, formal writing
“A formal report says 'therefore', where a message to a friend might say 'so'.”
causenounneutral
the reason something happens (কারণ)
Often with root cause, cause of, cause and effect
“The report names a faulty sensor as the cause of the shutdown.”
Model Answer
Show a model answer
I checked the schedule and confirmed the vessel's arrival time.
The weather was bad, but the ship still arrived on schedule.
We finished the report early because the team worked well together.
The system went down for an hour, so we had to record everything by hand.
The weather was bad. However, the ship still arrived on schedule.
Self-Check
Self-Check
- Did you use all four basic connectors correctly, one per sentence?
- For "because" and "so," can you point to which half of the sentence is the cause?
- Does your formal rewrite (however/therefore) carry exactly the same logic as the original, just in two sentences?
Next: Writing 9 — describing something with precise adjectives and adverbs of degree, following Lesson 9.