Home · B2 Upper-Intermediate · Unit 15
Unit 15
Advanced Connectors
whereas, nevertheless, in spite of
Why Connectors Matter
Connectors (linking devices) join ideas, show relationships, and make writing flow logically. They are essential in academic essays, formal letters, reports, and speeches.
Connector Types at a Glance
| Function | Key connectors | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Contrast | although, though, even though, whereas, while, however, nevertheless | Although it was cold, they went swimming. |
| Concession | in spite of, despite | Despite working hard, he failed. |
| Cause/Reason | because, since, as, due to, owing to, because of | The game was canceled due to the weather. |
| Result | so, therefore, consequently, as a result, thus | He didn't study; therefore, he failed. |
| Condition | if, unless, as long as, provided that, on condition that | You can join provided that you're qualified. |
| Purpose | so that, in order to, for the purpose of | She left early in order to catch the train. |
| Addition | moreover, furthermore, in addition, what's more | Furthermore, the results were surprising. |
Contrast Connectors — Detail
- ⚠ Never combine "although" + "but": ❌ Although but he was tired → ✅ Although he was tired
- ⚠ "Despite" has no "of": ❌ Despite of the rain → ✅ Despite the rain
| Connector | Followed by | Example |
|---|---|---|
| although / even though | full clause | Although it was late, they continued. |
| in spite of / despite | noun or -ing | Despite working hard, he failed. |
| whereas / while | full clause (contrast between two) | She likes tea, whereas I prefer coffee. |
| however / nevertheless | start of new clause | He failed; however, he tried again. |
Cause vs Noun Connectors
| After clause | After noun / -ing |
|---|---|
| because, since, as | due to, owing to, because of |
| Because it rained, the match was postponed. | The match was postponed due to the rain. |
| Since she was ill, she stayed home. | Because of her illness, she stayed home. |
Condition & Purpose
| Function | Connector | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Condition | unless, as long as, provided that, on condition that | You can enter on condition that you have a ticket. |
| Purpose | in order to (formal), so that + clause | She spoke slowly so that everyone could understand. |
Sequence & Cohesion in Essays
| Stage | Connectors |
|---|---|
| Opening | Firstly, To begin with, Initially |
| Adding points | Moreover, Furthermore, In addition, What's more |
| Contrasting | However, On the other hand, In contrast, Nevertheless |
| Illustrating | For example, For instance, Such as |
| Concluding | In conclusion, To sum up, Overall, All in all |
Tricky Pairs
| Pair | Difference | Example |
|---|---|---|
| even though / even if | even though = it IS true · even if = whether or not it is true | Even though it's raining, we'll go. · Even if it rains, we'll go. |
| in case / if | in case = precaution · if = condition | Take a map in case you get lost. |
| on the other hand / on the contrary | other side of the argument / the opposite is true | It's cheap. On the other hand, it's slow. · "Is it boring?" "On the contrary, it's fascinating." |
| so as to / so as not to | formal purpose (+ base verb) | He left early so as not to miss the train. |
| though (at the end) | informal "however" | The hotel was great. The food was terrible, though. |
Common Mistakes
Despite he was tired.
→
Despite being tired. / Although he was tired.
"Despite" is followed by a noun or -ing, not a full clause.
Because of he was late.
→
Because he was late. / Due to his lateness.
"Because of" is followed by a noun, not a clause.
In spite he tried.
→
In spite of trying.
"In spite" always needs "of": in spite of.
Although but he was tired.
→
Although he was tired.
Never use "although" and "but" together.
However he studied hard, he failed.
→
He studied hard; however, he failed.
"However" goes at the start of the second clause, with a semicolon or comma.
We'll go even though it rains tomorrow.
→
We'll go even if it rains tomorrow.
Not known yet → even if.