Violet Level

words used as transitions and conjunctions

Lessons may be completed in any order:
1 however
2 therefore
3 consequently
4 because / because of
5 due to
6 both
7 not only
8 so that
9 such that
10 although
11 even though
12 otherwise
13 on the other hand
14 in addition
15 furthermore
16 unless
17 even if
18 since
19 while
20 as long as
21 as
22 as soon as
23 instead
24 meanwhile
25 besides
26 nevertheless
27 whenever
28 wherever
29 now that
30 provided
 Violet Level
Lesson One

however
"However" is a transitional word that moves your ideas from one sentence
to another. It's very similar to "but." It's used to show contrasts and
differences. "However" is also referred to as a conjunctive adverb.

examples

Having a car can be very

convenient; however, it's
expensive to buy and maintain
one.
 Walter has a lot of work to do;
however, he's too tired to finish
it.

Jim is in love with Graciella;

however, he's not sure if she
loves him.
 However hard she tried, she
could not open the door to get
the office supplies.

However = No matter how

No matter how hard she tried, she ....

Bill doesn't mind working late;

however, he's a little scared of
walking home by himself at this
time of the night.

Beekeeping is an important
occupation; however, the
beekeeper must keep himself
covered at all times.
 Lesson Two

Therefore
"Therefore" is very similar to "as a result."
Something is a fact, and after thinking about this fact, you can make
a conclusion. It sounds a little formal in everyday speech but not
uncommon. It's very frequently used when writing.

examples

His skin burns very easily;

therefore, he's decided to stay
under an umbrella and wear lots of
sunscreen.
Our lives have become too
complicated; therefore, we've
decided to simplify things and
move to a log cabin in the country.

He spends too much time doing

office work--even when he's out
with his girlfriend; therefore, she's
thinking about ending the
relationship.
There were too many accidents on
this road when the speed limit was
55 miles per hour; therefore, the
city decided to lower it to 45 miles
per hour. The limit for
snowmobiles was also lowered.

(Do you see where the passive voice

is used in this sentence?

The birds in our backyard couldn't

find enough to eat; therefore, we
set up a bird feeder and now
they're okay.
This timberwolf was hunted almost
to the point of extinction;
therefore, the government put it on
an endangered species list and now
it's protected by law.
 Lesson Three

Consequently
"Consequently" is very similar to "so" and "therefore." Like
"therefore" it's a conjunctive adverb (the term is not important!).
It usually appears in the middle of sentence, but it may also be used
at the beginning of sentence. If you know what the word
"consequence" means, you shouldn't have any trouble with this.

examples
 Hector decided not to use a map;
consequently, he got lost and never
found his way out of the forest.
There he died.

Gas prices rose too high for Matt

to afford; consequently, he sold his
car and made his daily commute
by bike.
 Astronomy has been an interest of
human beings for centuries;
consequently, our curiousity has
led to a better undersanding of our
place in the solar system and
human space exploration.

Poachers have hunted and killed

too many elephants for their tusks;
consequently, they have become an
endangered species in some parts
of the world.
 An adequate water supply is
important to a farmer's success;
consequently, irrigation is used in
places where water is in short
supply.

Hector was a very good student

who studied constantly;
consequently, he found a very good
job after he graduated from
college.

The United States suffered terribly

under incompetent Republican
leadership during the 2000s;
consequently, the Democrats easily
won in the November 2008
elections.
 Lesson Four

because / because of

"Because" and "because of" are used to give reasons or to indicate the source of a situation.
They answer questions asked with the word "why."

"Because" is used with clauses.

"Because of" is used with phrases and, sometimes, single words.

examples
He's starting to get nervous because he has so much work to do
and not enough time to finish it all.

(A subject and a verb come after "because.")

He's feeling a lot of stress because of his job.

(A prepositional phrase comes after "because of.")

 The World Trade Center fell down because it was attacked by
terrorists.

("...it was attacked by terrorists" is a clause. Subject = it; verb = was attacked)

The World Trade Center fell down because of a terrorist attack.

("...of a terrorist attack" is a prepositional phrase.)

I make a lot of mistakes spending money in other countries because

the money is so different.
I'm not sure how to spend money in other countries because of the
value of the currency.

Because the world climate is changing, polar bears are in danger of

becoming extinct.

(It's okay to begin a sentence with

"because" if you are making a
complex sentence.)

Because of climate change, polar bears are facing extinction.

 Lesson Five

due to

"Due to" is very similar to "because of."

It gives a reason for why something is true. You can use "due to" with phrases and
single words, but you can't use "due to" with a clause.

examples

Traffic was very slow coming home today due to a heavy snowstorm.

(notice that after "due to" you can't use a verb. )

Due to a broken wing, this bird can't fly.

(This sentence begins with "due to" and is followed by a noun and a comma. It
explains why the bird can't fly.)

His weight problem is due to overeating.

(You may use gerunds after "due to." The word "overeating" in this example is a
gerund. Gerunds are similar to nouns and end in "ing.")
This woman lost her job due to the weak U.S. economy, and now she
has to beg in the street for money.

(Social problems are often explained with the use of "due to."

Due to rapid global warming, many polar bears are unable to adapt to
a new environment and now they are starving to death.

Their marriage ended due in large part to a lack of communication.

(Notice that "due to" is sometimes separable.)

 Lesson Six

both
"Both" means two (2).

You can use "both" to describe two things, two people, two ideas, etc.
Its use often helps to emphasize certain qualities or conditions.

It can be a pronoun, an adjective, or a conjunction.

examples
1. Both of these students attend
the same school.

2. These girls love Christmas.

Both of them are expecting to get
a lot of presents this year.

(Notice that "of them" comes after

"both. You can also say "Both are
expecting a lot of presents this year.")
3. Sunflowers are both beautiful
and edible.

(In this example, two adjectives come

after the word "both.")

4. Both men are fierce

competitors.
5. Many women have to choose
between raising a family or
advancing in a career. Some try
to do both.
 Lesson Seven

not only
"Not only" is similar to "both," but it can be used for more than two
things.

It's also similar to "in addition."

The second or third thing mentioned after "not only" is sometimes

the thing that the writer wants you to think of as being more
important.

examples

1. A horse is not only a beautiful

animal, it's also a useful animal
that can do a lot of work.

(This sentence underscores the

importance of a horse's usefulness.)
2. Dogs are not only good at
protecting your home, they're also
excellent companions.

3. A college education is not only

good for your personal
development, it's also important if
you want to get a good job.
4. Not only is Mount Rushmore an
important national landmark, it's
also located in a good place for
camping.

5. Military intervention is not only

ineffective in settling differences
between countries, it's also
expensive and it results in the
needless deaths of civilians.
6. Reading is not only relaxing; it's
also a very inexpensive activity.
 Lesson Eight

so that
"So that" is similar to "so" and "in order to."

It expresses reason, and it answers the question "why" something is

done.

"So that" also express to what extent (how much) something is true.

examples

1. She watches a lot of TV during

the day so that she doesn't feel so
lonely.

or...

She got so lonely that she decided

to watch TV. (This describes how
lonely she got)
2. Some weightlifters will drink or
eat anything so that they can
become bigger--even if it doesn't
really work.
3. Many smart countries are
learning how to develop solar
energy technology so that they can
be less reliant on fossil fuels.

Burning coal is so bad for the

environment that many companies
are starting to get their energy
from the sun.

4. She wrote his phone number on

her hand so that she wouldn't
forget it.

She likes him so much that she

decided to ask him out. (This
describes how much she likes him
and what she did as a result of her
feelings for him.)
5. So that they could save money
on plumbing costs and help the
environment, my neighbors built
an outhouse.

(notice that "so that" can go at the

beginning of a sentence -- but
usually it doesn't. )
An outhouse is a bathroom that is outside
of a house.
 Lesson Nine

such that

"Such +adj+noun+that+clause" is similar to "so"

It expresses a quality that is large or small in amount.

It's used with adjectives that come before nouns.

examples
 That house is such a scary place
that no one wants to go inside it.

(scary-Adjective)

2. New York City is such a big place

that it's easy to get lost.
3. The Statue of Liberty is such a
famous landmark that everyone
knows where it is and what it
represents.

4. They're such big fans of the team

that they never miss a game.
5. Bears are such powerful animals
that they can kill you with one swing
of an arm.
 Lesson Ten

although

"Although" is used to show limitations, differences, and contrasts in

situations.

It's similar to "even though" and "though."

examples

1. Although prescription medicine

can help cure a disease, it can hurt
you if you take too much.

("Although" usually appears at the

beginning of a sentence.)
2. Her cell phone doesn't work
although it's new.

3. Although it tastes good, candy is

really bad for your teeth and for
your body.
4. He's not as healthy as he looks
although he works out a lot and he's
very strong.

5. Although he's very careful when

riding a motorcycle, he still takes
many risks by not wearing a helmet.
6. I like to work on my website
although looking at images and text
on a computer screen for too long
makes me tired.
 Lesson Eleven

even though

"Even though" is similar to "although."

It's used to show contrasts and differences in things that are true.

examples

1. Even though the price of gas is

starting to come down, many
people are choosing to take the
bus or the train instead.
 2. They're very good friends even
though there are many
differences between them.

3. Even though the city is a

crowded place to live in, there are
days when you feel very alone.

4. I'm not going to go there even

though it's cheap.
5. The queen decided to have
him executed even though he
made a great speech in his own
defense.

6. Even though her English is

really good, Alice still feels a little
nervous whenever she uses it on
business trips.
 7. Even though most students
think that these kinds of
diagrams are boring, they're
necessary to study.
 Lesson Twelve

otherwise

"Otherwise" is used to offer an alternative situation.

It's very similar to "or " and "or else."

examples

1. Today is a holiday; otherwise, he

would be at work.
 2. In ancient times, it was necessary
for a man to learn how to defend
himself; otherwise, he was easily
killed by other men.

3. Traffic is really bad right now;

otherwise, she'd be at work already.
 4. Sometimes it's a good idea to
throw out food or beverages that
are really old or smell bad. You
might get sick otherwise.

5. It's important for children to get

a good early education; otherwise,
they might have problems in school
later on.

6. She makes a good living from

her artwork; otherwise, she would
have to work on her family's farm.
 7. Human beings have a
responsibility to protect animals
that are in danger of becoming
extinct. We can not do otherwise.
 Lesson Thirteen

on the other hand

"On the other hand" is used to show two sides of an issue.

It's similar to "conversely," but it doesn't always describe an

opposite situation.

examples

1. Living in a cold climate is

difficult for some people; on the
other hand, there are many fun
winter activities, such as sledding,
that you can't do in a warm climate.
 2. I'd love to own a horse and go
riding every day; on the other hand,
taking care of the animal is a very
big responsibility.

3. On one hand, the development of

new technology has made our lives
easier; on the other hand, it has also
resulted in the development of
weapons that can kill large
numbers of people.

4. On one hand, owning a

swimming pool is a great luxury; on
the other hand, it reduces the
amount of yard space available for
growing fruit and vegetables.
 5. Life in the United States is easy
compared to other parts of the
world; on the other hand, the stress
of daily American life makes one
wonder how easy it really is.

6. Nim could easily get a job as a

nurse if she moved to the United
States; on the other hand, she
would miss her family in Thailand
if she moved away.

7. Working long hours is one way

to succeed in business; on the other
hand, if that means you have to
sacrifice hours of sleep, that isn't
very healthy. So, is it worth it?
 Lesson Fourteen

in addition

"In addition" is similar to "and" and "also."

examples

1. Double-decker buses can move a

lot of people through dense urban
areas; in addition, they provide a
good view from which to see a city.
 2. In addition to making more
coffee, she'll have to clean up the
mess on the floor.

Alice
3. In addition to meeting with
clients, Alice and Diana like to go
sightseeing when they take business
trips.

Diana
4. Flowers provide food for birds
and other animals in addtion to
adding beauty to your yard.

5. In addition to being kind of

depressing, cemeteries can also be a
little scary.

6. In addition to providing safety in

the event of a flood, houses on stilts
prevent wild animals from entering
the house.
 7. He works as an artist in addition
to working as a magician.
 Lesson Fifteen

furthermore
"Furthermore" is similar to "in addition."

Use this to add more information in your sentence. It's a little formal,
but you can use it when speaking English.

Sometimes, the second part of the sentence that follows

"furthermore" contains information more pertinent (important)
than the first part.

examples

1. Reading is a good way to learn

new vocabulary words;
furthermore, it can improve your
ability to spell words correctly.
 2. Grilling makes meat taste really
good; furthermore, it allows fatty
juices to drain away from the meat.

3. Homelessness produces intense

feelings of despair in those who
don't have a place to live;
furthermore, it produces feelings of
guilt among people who are not
homeless.
 4. Religion offers people an
opportunity to reflect on their
personal existence; furthermore, it
brings communities together in a
spirit of peace and cooperation.

5. The use of fire by early

humankind made cold climates
more inhabitable; furthermore, it
made people more productive by
lengthening the number of hours
that people could do work.
6. Driving while distracted
increases your chances of getting
into an accident; furthermore, it
endangers the lives of other drivers.

7. Recycling is an easy way to

conserve natural resources;
furthermore, it can help reduce
garbage disposal costs.
"What's more" is an idiomatic form of "furthermore." In each of the
sentences above, you could substitute "what's more." The word
"moreover" is also similar to "furthermore," but it's not easy to use.
 Lesson Sixteen

unless
"Unless" is similar to "except" and "but."

It can be used as a conjunction. It's also similar to "if" + "not."

examples

Click for audio:

Unless she can control her anger,

she won't be able to keep her job.
He'll hurt himself unless he's very
careful.

If he isn't very careful, he'll hurt

himself.

He won't be able to go to the party

unless he can find a ride.

Nguyen will come to class early

tomorrow unless the bus is late.
 She'll continue to have problems
with her teeth unless she gives up
drinking sugary soft drinks and
eating candy.

Unless the restaurant can improve

its business, it will have to close.
 Water from the kitchen faucet can
be as good as bottled water unless it
really tastes bad.

Lesson Seventeen

even if
"Even if " is used to describe a situation that is true no matter what
the facts are.

It's similar to "despite."

examples
 1. They like to eat cotton candy
even if it's bad for the teeth.

2. Even if you use a lot of ketchup,

some meat (like liver) still tastes
terrible.

3. He'll be late to work today even

if the traffic starts to move faster.
4. Even if he quits smoking today,
he'll have a greater chance of
developing health problems than a
nonsmoker.

5. They're not going to finish their

harvest even if they work as many
hours as possible.

6. Even if he's not hungry, this dog

likes to eat a lot of dog food.
 7. She's likely to hurt herself with
that gun even if she's very, very
careful.
 Lesson Eighteen

since
"Since" is similar to "when."

This word identifies a particular time or starting point.

examples

1. She's been taking a lot of photographs since she got

her new camera.

Since she got her new camera, she's been taking a lot of
photographs.
 2. They've been very happy since they found out that
they are going to have a baby together.

3. Russell has felt more confident since learning how to

do karate.
4. East and West Germany have been united since 1990.

(in this example, "since" is used as a preposition, similar to "for."

You could also say, "East and West Germany have been united for
19 years," but "since" is often more useful because it identifies an
exact date.)

5. Women have made great gains in social, political, and

economic freedom since the Victorian times of the 1800s.
6. Since joining a health club, he's lost a lot of weight.

7. I've been feeling better since I started to take this new

medication.
 Lesson Nineteen

While

"While" expresses that something is happening at the same time as

something else; two things are happening at once.

examples

1. She likes to work on her laptop while she's on vacation.

2. This dog is sitting patiently and waiting while her owner
puts on her leash.

3. While he's a work, he wears a hardhat.

4. This police officer wears a uniform while he's on duty.

5. Many people around the world use chopsticks while

they eat.
 6. This barber likes to talk to his customers while he gives
them a haircut.

7. While I wait for my apple trees to produce apples, I

grow vegetables.
 as long as
"As long as " is used to describe a condition that must exist for
something else to happen.

It's similar to "if."

examples

1. He'll be able to stay in business

as long as the quality of his work
remains high.
2. As long as he practices every
day, he'll know how to play some
new songs on his guitar.

3. She'll be a successful radio

announcer as long as she can attract
and keep an audience.

4. As long as he's wearing his

helmet while he rides his bike, he'll
feel much safer.
 5. He'll continue to get good grades
in school as long as he studies.

6. As long as you know where to

put your fingers when you type and
practice, you'll learn how to type
very quickly.

7. He can take a break in his

hammock as long as he has time.
 Lesson Twenty-One

as
"As" is similar to "while."

When used as a conjunction, It indicates that two things happen at the

same time.

The word "as" is also used for comparisons and as a preposition.

examples

1. They talked about their future

together as they sat in the
restaurant and ate their lunch.
2. This baby started to cry as this
picture was taken.

3. As he was ice fishing, he suddenly

remembered he had forgotten to
bring his cell phone.

4. As they were walking together,

Fred's mother told him about an
upcoming operation she needed on
her knee.
5. A vampire tried to bite the neck
of this young woman as she was
sleeping.

6. As she was lying in the hammock,

she thought about how her life had
changed over the last ten years.

7. She pointed her finger at him as

she told him how disappointed she
was in his behavior.
 Lesson Twenty-Two

as soon as
"As soon as" is used with time.

You can use it in front of single words, phrases, and clauses.

It's very similar to some uses of "when."

examples

1. She will get a degree in

accounting, and she hopes to start
working as soon as she graduates.

You can also say...

She wants to start working as soon

as possible.
 2. As soon as he left the meeting, he
called his wife.

3. The snowman started to melt as

soon as the sun came out.

4. Their flight doesn't leave until 1

p.m., but they'll need to get to the
airport as soon as 10:30 a.m.
because they need to go through
security.
 5. Many young women from her
country get married as soon as they
turn 18.

6. As soon as he starts walking,

we'll have to watch him more
closely.
7. He started making money at his
new company as soon as he was
hired.
 Lesson Twenty-Three

instead
"Instead" is similar to "or."

It describes a substitution or an alternative situation.

"Instead" is often followed by the preposition "of."

examples

Candy tastes good, but it isn't good

for you to eat too much.
Instead, consider eating fruit if you
want something that's sweet.

Newspapers aren't as popular as

they used to be.

Instead, many people are going

online for their news.
Instead of entering a career as a
stockbroker, he decided to become a
professional skateboarder.

He should have gone to sleep. He

stayed awake all night instead.
Ron was supposed to leave at 5:00;
instead, he has to stay in the office
and finish some paperwork.
 Lesson Twenty-Four

meanwhile
The word "meanwhile" is a conjunctive adverb that joins two clauses
together.

It's similar to "as" and "while."

It's useful in describing two things happening at the same time.

examples
1. He's cleaning the house;
meanwhile, his wife is away at
work.

2. Kimlan is studying
Kimlan
engineering; meanwhile, her
friend Hoang is in the United
States studying English.

Hoang
 3. Sue is vacationing in
Hawaii; meanwhile, her
coworkers in Chicago are
hard at work inside their
offices.

4. The beekeeper checks his

hives to see how his bees are
doing; meanwhile, the bees
continue to do their work.
 5. A high school band
marches in a parade;
meanwhile, the truck behind Click here for a video clip.
them entertains the crowd
with a flame thrower.

6. Hanging clothes outside to

dry saves me money on
electricity; meanwhile, the
environmental benefits of not
using electricity for such a
simple task should be obvious.
 7. The tomatoes in this part of
ripe
the yard are almost ripe; tomatoes
meanwhile, the tomatoes in
the backyard aren't even close
to being ripe.

unripe
tomatoes
 Lesson Twenty-Five

besides
As an adverb, "besides" is similar to "in addition."

As a preposition, it's similar to "in addition to." Don't confuse this

word with the preposition "beside." The meaning for that word is
completely different.

examples

1. She doesn't want to move to San

Francisco because it's too expensive
to live there; besides, she likes living
in a cold-weather state.
 2. He doesn't mind being
unemployed right now; besides, it
gives him more time to ride his
skateboard.

* When used as a conjunctive adverb

"besides" often expresses a benefit in

contrast to a negative situation. The first

two sentences demonstrate this usage.)

3. Besides windsurfing, he likes

swimming and skiing.

(In this sentence "besides" is used as a

preposition.)
 4. Besides going to the state fair,
they've been to the zoo and the beach
this summer.

Notice the use of a gerund after

"besides." This is very common.

5. Thomas Jefferson was a great
philosopher and thinker besides
being the third President of the
United States.

6. Besides a headache, she also has a

cold.
 7. He likes to dance but not much
else besides that.

Next: Lesson Twenty-six

 nevertheless
This strange-looking conjunctive adverb is similar to "however,"
"yet" and "even so."

We use "nevertheless" to present a fact that is in contrast to some

other fact.

"Nevertheless" usually goes in front of an independent clause, but it

can also be used at the end of a clause. It's also frequently used
alongside "but."

examples

1. Owning a house can cost a lot of

money; nevertheless, home
ownership is a big part of living the
American dream.
2. Asparagus is an unusual but,
nevertheless, tasty vegetable.
or.....

Asparagus is an unusual vegetable

but tasty, nevertheless.

3. Prehistoric writing and drawings

reveal a simple but, nevertheless,
fascinating view of the world.

4. No one likes to feed parking

meters. Nevertheless, they are a low-
cost alternative to parking garages,
and they help keep city streets free
of abandoned vehicles.
 5. Kurtis was told not to go out
fishing before the storm;
nevertheless, the coast guard came to
his assistance when he called for
help.

6. It's important to be cautious

when using a chainsaw. Accidents
and injuries still happen,
nevertheless.

7. Her singing abilities aren't as good

as the others in the choir, but she
enjoys singing nevertheless.
 Lesson Twenty-Seven

whenever
The word "whenever" is a subordinating conjuction that goes before a
dependent clause.

It's very similar to "when."

We use "whenever" to mean "at any time" or "at the precise time."
You can also use "whenever" as a single word in a response to a
question.

examples
1. Her mother buys ice cream for
her whenever they go to the beach.

2. Whenever Barney goes golfing,

he brings his cell phone out onto the
golf course.
 3. People are amazed by the beauty
of the Taj Mahal whenever they see
it up close.

4. Whenever it's really cold outside,

he wears a hat, a scarf, boots,
mittens, and a heavy coat.

5. Maria gets very embarassed

whenever she makes a mistake.
 6. Whenever she's handling bees,
she very careful not to disturb them
too much.

7. Oxana calls her friends for help

whenever she has trouble
understanding her English
homework.
 Lesson Twenty-Nine

now that
"Now that" describes a situation that is true and allows for the
possibility of something else to happen.

It's often used to describe a cause and effect relationship.

examples

1. Kevin believes he's a more

responsible person now that he's a
parent.
 2. Now that Angie's English has
improved, she feels more confident at
work.

3. Tim's hands don't hurt him any

more now that he uses an electric
staple gun at work.

4. Now that I've gained over 20

pounds in the last year, I've started to
eat more fruit and less ice cream.
5. Hosni doesn't feel as lonely and
depressed now that he has a dog to
keep him company.

6. Now that gas prices are rising,

people are looking for less expensive
ways to get around town.
7. Wanda believes she's more
productive now that she has a laptop
computer.
 Lesson Thirty

provided
The word "provided" is very similar to "if."

Don't confuse this with the past tense of the verb "provide." This is a
subordinating conjunction that presents a condition that must exist for
somthing else to happen. It's not easy to use, but you will hear
"provided" in conversation. You can use a clause or a phrase after the
word "provided."

examples

1. Provided he gets enough love and

nurturing from his parents, he'll
grow up to be a successful person.
 2. These wind turbines can produce
a lot of energy provided there's
enough wind.

3. Provided enough air support from

N.A.T.O., the rebels in Libya might
be able to push back on the
government forces.

4. We're going to make a big batch

of salsa provided we get a good crop
of tomatoes.
 5. Provided adequate money for
research and development, doctors
may one day find a cure for cancer.

6. This horse could be a great

contender provided she gets enough
practice and training.

7. Provided there's enough interest

and support from the general public,
we may one day be able to set up a
permanent human colony on the
moon.