The compound sentence: Connectors

HOW TO EXPRESS A COMPLEX IDEA BY CONNECTING TWO MORE SIMPLE ONES

We can join two or more simple sentences to express a complex idea which
relates them. The resulting sentence is called a compound or complex sentence. A
compound sentence is made up by two or more simple sentences joined together
by connectors

I love you because you are so sweet

( main clause + connector + subordinated clause )

Very often, we can revert the normal order of the sentence placing the
subordinated clause first. In this case, we should put a comma separating both
sentences (when speaking, the intonation breaks too)

She wasn't there when I phoned

(m.c. + c. + s.c.)

When I phoned , she wasn't there

(s.c. comma m.c.)

NOTE: a few connectors, however, can't go before the main clause, especially:
AND, BUT, SO.
I phoned her but nobody answered (not: *But nobody answered, I phoned
her)
I went there and said hello (not: *And said hello, I went there)

KINDS OF CONNECTORS

There are two kinds of connectors: conjunctions and free connectors

CONJUNCTIONS are part of the subordinated clause. They take two simple
sentences and make one complex sentence:

She fell down after you turned off the light

I like it although it's very expensive
He was reading while she was watching TV

FREE CONNECTORS also connect two different sentences but they are not part of
any of them. They connect two simple sentences but don't join them.
Grammatically speaking, both sentences stay simple, but the relationship between
them is the same as in a compound sentence. Free connectors are separated
from both sentences by commas or a stop and a comma.
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 I turned off the light. Afterwards, she fell down
I like it. Nevertheless, it's very expensive
He was reading. Meanwhile, she was watching TV

Compare:

I went to bar before she phoned me = I went to the bar. Later, she phoned me
In that example BEFORE is a conjunction and LATER is a free connector. They have
same meaning but different grammar.

NOTE: In a normal conversation we don't normally use free connectors (but there
are a few which are common when speaking). Most free connectors are too
elegant, beautiful and formal for normal speech, but they are an excellent choice
for writing. So if you are writing a formal composition, do not forget to use some
free connectors and your writing will sound much more elegant. But careful, if you
use too many free connectors your composition may sound too pedantic and
overloaded, so use conjunctions and some free connectors here and there.

Some prepositions can express the same idea as a connector, but prepositions
work inside just one simple sentence (only one verb):

I'm late because there was a lot of traffic (connector, two sentences)
I'm late because of the traffic (preposition, one sentence)

NOTE: when we use a verb, prepositions and conjunctions are always followed by -
ing :
He slept in my house because sleeping outside was too cold
She cried after falling down
I'm thinking about buying a new car

How to express Sequence of Time

TO INTRODUCE THE FIRST OF TWO ACTIONS
BEFORE (c.) (f.c.) (p.)
Wake me up before you go (c.)
Enter the house, but before, you have to disconnect the alarm system (f.c.)
Don’t just open the door. Before that, ask who is knocking (f.c.)
I met Charles before lunch (p.)

WHEN (c.)
When I opened the door, the dog looked at me and went out (First I open the
door, then, the dog goes out).
If we want to emphasise that the second actions happens immediately after the
first one:
Fareed Sahi. DeepMind Academy 2
AS SOON AS (c.)
THE MOMENT (c.)
Phone me as soon as you see her
The moment I saw her, I lost control

TO INTRODUCE THE SECOND OF TWO ACTIONS

AFTER (c.) (p.)

After the bomb exploded, everything was quiet
I went out after work

AFTERWARDS (f.c.)
THEN (f.c.)
LATER (f.c.)

Later suggests an interval of time between both actions. Afterwards and then can
be used when there is an interval of time or when the second action takes place
immediately after the first one.

There was an explosion. Afterwards/Then,

fterwards/Then, everything was quiet
She had a shower. Later/Afterwards/Then, she went for a walk

If we want to show that the second action happens quickly and unexpectedly we
use:

SUDDENLY (f.c.)
I saw her. Suddenly, I lost control

TO INTRODUCE
DUCE THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF ACTIONS (2 or more)

FIRST (f.c.) often used with "then" or also with "second", "third", etc.
First, go into the house, then, go upstairs and wait for me
First, switch it on. Second, search for the channel, and las
last,
t, adjust the volume

TO EXPRESS SIMULTANEOUS ACTIONS

if both actions are long, we usually use:

WHILE (c.)
MEANWHILE (f.c.)

While Mary was studying, Peter was painting

Mary was studying. Meanwhile, Peter was painting

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 if one action is long and the other one is short or instantaneous:
AS (c.)
WHEN (c.)
WHILE (c.)

As / When / While I was walking down the street, I saw a rabbit.

Abbreviations: (c.)= conjunction (f.c.) = free connector (p.)= preposition

CONNECTERS OF CAUSE AND EFFECT

Wee use several different words to show cause and effect. Examples are: for,
because, as, since, therefore, hence, as a result, consequently, due to, because
of, as a result of etc.

 He must be asleep for there is no light in his room.

 I decided to call it a day – for I was feeling tired.
 I helped him because I liked him.
 Since he had not paid the rent, he was told to vacate the room.
 As it is raining again, we will have to stay at home.
 It was raining, so we stayed at home.

NOTE: “So” shows the effect. “As, since and because” show the cause.

Compare:

 As he hasn’t arrived yet, we will have to go without him.

 He hasn’t arrived yet, so we will have to go without him.
 The poor parents could not support the baby. Therefore they sent him to an
orphanage.
 We had to cancel the trip due to my daughter’s illness.
 Owing to bad weather the match was cancelled.
 We had to cancel the match because of bad weather.
 I was late owing to the fact that the train broke down.

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