Skill: Coordinate Connectors
Many sentence in
English have more than one clause. (A clause is a group of words containing a
subject and a verb). When you have two clauses in an English sentence, you must
connect the two clauses correctly. One way to connect two clauses is to use and,
but, or, or so between the clauses.
Then sun was shining, and the
sky was blue.
The sky was blue, but it was
very cold.
It may rain tonight, or it
may be clear.
It was raining outside, so I
took my umbrella.
In each of these
examples, there are two clauses that are correctly joined with a coordinate
connector -and, but, or, or so- and a comma (,).
The following
example shows how this sentence pattern could be tested in the structure
section of the TOEFL test.
Example:
I forgot my coat,
_____ I got very cold.
a.
Then
b.
So
c.
Later
d.
As a
result
In thie example, you should notice
quickly that there are two clauses, I forgot my coat and I got very
cold. This sentence needs a connector to join the two clauses. Then,
later, and, as a result are not connectors, so answer a, c, and d
are not correct. The best answer is answer b because so can connect two
clauses in thisn manner.
The following chart list the
coordinate connectors and the sentence pattern with them.
COORDINATE CONNECTORS
|
||||||
and
|
but
|
or
|
So
|
|||
S
|
V
|
,
|
Coordinate connector
|
S
|
V
|
|
It
|
was raining
|
,
|
but
|
Bill
|
went
|
out to play
|
Skill: Adverb Clause Cnnectors
Sentences with adverb
clause have two basic patterns in English. Study the clauses and connectors
in the following sentences.
He is
tired because he has been working so hard.
Because
he has been working so hard, he is tired.
In each of these
examples, there are two clauses: he is tired and he has been working
so hard. The clause he has been working so hard is an adverb clause
that is introduced with the connector because. In the first example, the
connector because comes in the middle of the sentence, and no comma (,)
is used. In the second example, the connector because comes at the
beginning of the sentences, a comma (,) is required in the middle of the
sentences.
The following examples shows how
this sentences pattern could be tested in the Structure section of the TOEFL
test.
Example:
____ arrived at the library, he
started to work immediately.
(A) The student
(B) When
(C) He
(D) After the student
In this example, you should
recognize easily that the verb arrived needs a subject. There is also
another clause, he started to work immediately. If you choose answer (A) or
answer (C), you will have a subject for the verb arrived but you will
not have a connector to join two clauses, answers (A) and (C) are incorrect. Answer
(B) is incorrect because there is no subject for the verb arrived. Answer
(D) is the best answer because there is a subject, student, for the
verb, arrived, and there is a connector, after, to join two
clauses.
The following chart list common
adverb connectors and the sentences patterns used with them.
ADVERB CLAUSE
CONNECTORS
|
|||
TIME
|
CAUSE
|
CONDITION
|
CONTRAST
|
after until
as when
before while
since
|
because
since
|
if
whether
|
although
even though
though
while
|
S V adverb connector S V
Matt felt
good because he passed.
|
|||
Adverb
connector S
V
, S V
Because Matt passed he felt good.
|
|||
Reference: Philips, Deborah.2004."Longman Introductory Course for the TOEFL Test: the Paper Test".USA.
