FluencyLab
GrammarHub
Use these basic conjunctions to join words and clauses and show addition, contrast, choice, result, and reason.
Overview
Use these basic conjunctions to join words and clauses and show addition, contrast, choice, result, and reason.
Form and rules
Use and to add similar information: I speak Portuguese and English.
Use but to connect contrasting ideas: It's small but comfortable.
Use or to give alternatives or choices: Tea or coffee?
Use so to introduce a result: I was tired, so I went home.
Use because to introduce a reason: I went home because I was tired. Do not normally use because and so together for the same reason-result pair.
A closer look
And adds information, but introduces contrast, and or presents alternatives. So introduces a result, while because introduces a reason.
Because answers why; so tells what happened as a consequence. Avoid using both because and so to connect the same two clauses in a simple sentence.
Examples
She works and studies.
It's expensive, but I like it.
Do you want rice or pasta?
It was late, so we took a taxi.
I stayed home because I was sick.
Common mistakes
Going home is the result, so use so.
In standard simple patterns, do not use because and so together for the same link.
Ready to practise?
The test combines multiple choice, gap completion, error correction, and sentence building so students have to recognise and produce the grammar, not simply reread the rule.