Chapter 10 Conjunctions And Sentence Connectors Linkers
Read the following sentences:
- He said this to Ram and Shyam.
- He sat behind you but in front of me.
- As he was ill, he did not go to school.
- Do you know that she came here yesterday?
All the italicized words in the above sentences are called conjunctions because they join together words, and sometimes sentences.
Read And Learn More WBBSE Class 9 English Functional Grammar
Conjunctions are words or groups of words that are used to connect words, sentences, phrases, or clauses.
Modern grammarians also use the term linking words for some of the Conjunctions.
Conjunctions joining:
Word to word-
- Noun to Noun – Is that a tiger or a lion? Rathin and Papia will not come here.
- Pronoun to Pronoun – You and he are both young.
- Verb to Verb – The child sat down and cried.
- Adj. to Adj. – They are sad but hopeful.
- Adv. to Adv. – Slowly but steadily the tortoise won the race.
Sentence to sentence–
- First sentence -Conjunction – Second sentence
- The girl will dance – if- she is allowed to do so.
- You may go – as since – you desire.
- The boy ran fast- but- and- won the prize.
- Mrinal is clever – his sister is not.
- He closed the door – after- the clock struck nine.
- I could not go there – because- I was sick.
- He will go on singing – unless -you ask him to stop.
- Father could not come – for- he is not well.
- Look- before- you leap.
- He could not pass- though -he worked hard.
- Wait here -until- I come.
- Study how two sentences can be joined by conjunctions in different ways. -He worked hard. He failed. -He worked hard but he failed.
- He worked hard, still, he failed. Though he worked hard, he failed. Although he worked hard, he failed.
- Suman was ill. He could not come.- As Suman was ill, he could not come. Suman was ill, so he could not come. Suman could not come because he was ill. Suman could not come, for he was ill.
Conjunctions are divided into two main classes:
- Co-ordinating Conjunctions.
- Subordinating Conjunctions
Co-ordinating Conjunctions join words or phrases or clauses of equal rank:
- He said this to him and me.
- He sat behind you but in front of me.
- You may go, only make no noise.
Some of the important Co-ordinating Conjunctions and their uses are best described below:
- Co-ordinating Conjunctions
- Subordinating Conjunctions
Co-ordinating Conjunctions join words or phrases or clauses of equal rank
- He said this to him and me.
- He sat behind you but in front of me.
- You may go, only make no noise.
Some of the important co-ordinating conjunctions and uses are best described below:
Subordinating Conjunctions are those that join a subordinate or dependent clause to a principal clause:
- He said that he was ill. As I am ill, I cannot go. I shall go if you come.
Note the different Subordinating Conjunctions and their uses:
Lest expresses a negative purpose, and should not, therefore, be followed by a negative.
Thus, we cannot write, “He was afraid lest he should not pass”.
We must write instead, “He was afraid lest he should fail”. It is also to be noted that ‘lest’ is followed by ‘should’ or the present subjunctive, never by will or would: Lest we forget; lest he be angry.
In order that, so that, etc. are followed generally by may or might, in some context, by shall and should, but never by can or could, or will or would:
He encouraged me that (or, in order that) I might lose heart. He works hard that (in order that) he may pass.
I give you this advice so that you may succeed. He is making provisions for you so that you may not fall in want. I give you this advice in order that nothing should be forgotten. (MEU).
Generally, as is used in both positive and negative sentences, but so as is used in negative sentences.
But CO has under as ‘It is not so (or as) easy as you think.
The clause giving the reason in sentences containing expressions “the reason is” and “the reason why” is introduced by that, and not by because or due to or on account of:
- The reason why he failed is that (not, because) he did not work hard.
- The reason for his failure is that he did not work hard.
- But, the reason for his failure is (not, due to) his idleness.
Chapter 10 Conjunctions And Sentence Connectors Linkers Sentence Connectors Or Sentence Linkers
Read the passage carefully:
A lady paid Rs. 116.50 to Bowbazar Post Office for sending a parcel of some books to her friend in England. Unfortunately, all that her friend in England received was a half-torn packet containing only one book.
While writing to her friend in Calcutta, the addressee said. “I was baffled (f) on receiving the packet.
Even Mother Teresa was complaining in our (local) newspapers that the money sent to her from abroad had been taken away by postal thieves in India”. Actually, the problem is not as acute in the rest of India as it is in Calcutta.
But the Postal authorities seem to be callous to attend to this problem. As a matter of fact, the authorities don’t want to realize the seriousness of the problem.
In the above passage, you can see that the italicized words or groups of words provide some link with different sentences and facts to make a sensible passage.
These linking words are known as sentence linkers or sentence connectors.
Note that the sentences in the passage remain independent but the flow of expression through these sentences is best achieved by the use of the linkers.
(Sentence linkers দুটি sentence, এমনকি দুটি passage-এর মধ্যে যোগসূত্র স্থাপন করে। প্রথম passage-এ unfortunately, while, even এই wordগুলি তার পূর্ববর্তী sentence-এর সাথে যোগসূত্র স্থাপন করে passageটিকে শ্রুতিমধুর করেছে।
দ্বিতীয় passage-এ actually wordটির দ্বারা প্রথম passage-এর সাথে একটা সম্বন্ধ স্থাপন করা হয়েছে। এইরূপ but, as a matter of fact – ও sentence linker হিসাবে ব্যবহৃত হয়েছে।)
“You should remember that sentence linkers don’t necessarily always join two or more sentences into one. They only help to maintain the sequence of expression between one sentence and the next in a more sensible way”.
“Two unlinked clauses may be grammatically unlinked.; for example, they may be separated in writing by a full stop or a semicolon.
But that does not mean that there is no connection between them.
It means, rather, that the connection is implicit, and has to be inferred by the reader”. (Jan and Svartrik)
Conjunctions and Sentence Linkers should not be confused. Conjunctions join two or more sentences into one sentence:
He does not live in this house. His brother also does not live here:
Neither he nor his brother lives in this house.
Sentence Connectors or Sentence Linkers, on the other hand, help in maintaining links between different consecutive sentences to write connected ideas:
Ram is not in Calcutta now. His brother is not here: Both of them, however, will come here next month.
Note the uses of some of the most commonly used sentence connectors/linkers: He is a very strong man.
Actually, he broke a slab of stone with a single blow.
- He is very poor.
- Naturally, I often give him some money.
- Dr. Sen is known to me. In fact, we were in the same class at Presidency College.
- It rained heavily last night. As a result, all the streets have become waterlogged.
- He jumped over 6 meters today. Still, he could not break the existing record.
- He worked hard. Finally, he became successful.
- I allowed him to stay in my house. Furthermore, I helped him with some money also.
- Somen has gone to London. Also, his wife has accompanied him.
- It is late to go for a walk now. Besides, it is raining.
- My bus broke down on the way. However, I reached the office in time.
- I appreciate his argument with Sujan about equal pay for men and women. Indeed, I support the argument.
- I think so. In fact, I agree with you.
- You don’t want to be an engineer. Then, what do you want to be?
- He was found traveling without any ticket. Therefore, he was punished.
- I’m not going to help him with money. Moreover, he does not deserve my help.
- You told me about this. Otherwise, I would have gone there.
Chapter 10 Conjunctions And Sentence Connectors Linkers Examples Worked Out
Combine the following sentences in as many ways as you can by using the list of linkers given in the brackets. (so, as, yet, although, therefore, but)
1. We missed the last bus. We had to walk home.
- We missed the last bus, so I, therefore, we had to walk home.
- As we missed the last bus, we had to walk home.
- We had to walk home, as we missed the last bus.
2. The task was very difficult. We managed to complete it.
- Although the task was difficult, we managed to complete it.
- The task was very difficult, yet but we managed to complete it.
- We managed a complete the task although it was difficult.
3. It was a fine day. They decided to go for a walk.
- As it was a fine day, they decided to go for a walk.
- It was a fine day, so, therefore, they decided to go for a walk.
- They decided to go for a walk, as it was a fine day.
4. The train was late in arriving. I missed my appointment.
- As the train was late in arriving, I missed my appointment.
- The train was late in arriving, so I, therefore, missed my appointment.
- I missed my appointment as the train was late in arriving.
5. I warned him of danger. He took no notice.
- I warned him of danger, yet / but he took no notice.
- Although I warned him of danger, he took no notice.
- He took no notice although I warned him of danger.
6. He had finished his work. He left the office early.
- As he had finished his work, he left the office early.
- He left the office early as he had finished his work.
- He had finished his work, so I, therefore, he left the office early.
7. The ground was unfit to play on. The match had to be abandoned.
- The ground was unfit to play on, so I, therefore, the match was abandoned.
- As the ground was unfit to play on, the match was abandoned.
- The match was abandoned as the ground was unfit to play on.
8. No public transport was running. The employees were on strike.
- As the sport was running as the employees were on strike.
9. He tried repeatedly. He could not succeed.
- He tried repeatedly, yet/but he could not succeed.
- Although he tried repeatedly, he could not succeed.
- He could not succeed although he tried repeatedly.