Categorising linking devices

Teacher’s notes

1. Give pairs/small groups of students the cards (cut up) from the table below. Ask them to sort the cards into four groups. Monitor, question, but don’t give the answers just yet.

2. When the students have had a good think about it, ask them if anyone can name the four groups. Take ideas, and if necessary provide the desired answer (reason, time, contrast, condition). Record these three ideas in table format on the board.

3. Can students think good example sentences to show these in use? Teacher monitors progress.

4. Plenary feedback. Record good example sentences on the table on the board.

5. Students produce their own written record using Table 2 below.

Table 1

because before although if since

after though unless when why

while even though

during due to until

whenever as soon as

LSC 1103 Complex sentences

Table 2

Reason Time Contrast Condition

Practice Exercise

For questions 1-10, join the two halves together to make complex sentences. You need to choose an appropriate linking word from the table above.

(There might be more than one possible answer, and you can write the sentence either way – just remember to think about the comma).

e.g. can’t have desert / finish your vegetables

You can’t have any desert until you finish your vegetables

Or:

Until you have finished your vegetables, you can’t have any desert

1. stay up late / loads of homework to do

2. hurry up / miss the start of the film

3. mum told me to stay at home / went out

4. got my exam results / call my mother

5. brush your teeth / go to bed

6. finished my homework / watched a film

7. trousers fitted perfectly / didn’t like the colour

8. pouring with rain / went for a walk

9. anyone know / Shamsa didn’t come to class

10. the exam / switch off mobile phones