The document explains the importance of using connectives or conjunctions to link ideas in writing, enhancing clarity and coherence. It outlines different types of connectives—including adding, sequencing, emphasizing, comparing, cause and effect, qualifying, and illustrating—and provides examples and exercises to practice their usage. By employing these connectives effectively, writers can create more meaningful and powerful texts.

1. U
SIN
G
C
O
N
N
EC
TIVES
C
O
RREC
TLY
LO: To be able to link ideas using connectives or
conjunctions in my writing.

2. WHAT ARE CONNECTIVES?
Connectives are connecting adverbs that link ideas
which may be in different sentences or paragraphs.
They help to link your:
Ideas
Sentences
Paragraphs
Connectives are used between paragraphs or between
sentences in order to show a connection between
one part of your writing and another.
They make your writing more meaningful and powerful.

3. INVESTIGATING CONNECTIVES
• If used appropriately in your writing, you can
If used appropriately in your writing, you can
help the reader move smoothly from one
help the reader move smoothly from one
point to the next.
point to the next.
• Look at your reading book – what examples
Look at your reading book – what examples
of connectives can you see?
of connectives can you see?
• How are they used?
How are they used?
• Can you use them in a sentence or
Can you use them in a sentence or
discussion with confidence? Rehearse some
discussion with confidence? Rehearse some
sentences with your Talking Partner.
sentences with your Talking Partner.

4. D
IFFEREN
T
TYPES
O
F
C
O
N
N
EC
TIVES
LO: To recognise the effect of different connective types.

5. ADDING CONNECTIVES
and
moreover
too
also
as well as
• These add further information.
These add further information.
• e.g. He liked sausages
e.g. He liked sausages as well
as well
as ice cream.
as ice cream.
• Have a go at writing some of
Have a go at writing some of
your own sentences using these
your own sentences using these
connectives.
connectives.

6. SEQUENCING CONNECTIVES
before
next
first
after
then
second
third
eventually
meanwhile
finally
firstly
• These help to develop the logical
These help to develop the logical
sequence of you ideas.
sequence of you ideas.
• They enable you to show
They enable you to show
chronological order.
chronological order.
• e.g. He went into the bathroom
e.g. He went into the bathroom
before
before he went downstairs.
he went downstairs.
• Write two sentences in your book
Write two sentences in your book
that use a couple of these
that use a couple of these
connectives.
connectives.

7. EMPHASISING CONNECTIVES
• These help to highlight your
These help to highlight your
ideas.
ideas.
• e.g. He loved skating
e.g. He loved skating especially
especially
on a cold frosty day.
on a cold frosty day.
• Choose one of these
Choose one of these
connectives to write a really
connectives to write a really
interesting sentence with.
interesting sentence with.
above all
especially
indeed
in particular
notably
significantly

8. COMPARING CONNECTIVES
• We use these connectives to
We use these connectives to
compare two different ideas with
compare two different ideas with
each other.
each other.
• e.g. He cycles to school
e.g. He cycles to school in the
in the
same way
same way as a cheetah runs after
as a cheetah runs after
its prey.
its prey.
• Compare two ideas using one of
Compare two ideas using one of
these connectives.
these connectives.
likewise
similarly
in the same way
like
as with
equally

9. CAUSE AND EFFECT CONNECTIVES
so
because
thus
consequently
therefore
• These connectives help to explain
These connectives help to explain
why something happens.
why something happens.
• e.g. The boy missed his bus and
e.g. The boy missed his bus and
consequently
consequently was late for school.
was late for school.
• Try to explain why something
Try to explain why something
happened using one of these
happened using one of these
connectives.
connectives.

10. QUALIFYING CONNECTIVES
however
unless
although
as long as
if
except
• These connectives help to explain
These connectives help to explain
why something may change
why something may change
because of something else.
because of something else.
• e.g.
e.g. Although
Although the dog was very
the dog was very
small, he was still quite
small, he was still quite
aggressive.
aggressive.
• Have a go at writing a sentence
Have a go at writing a sentence
using one of these words at the
using one of these words at the
beginning to link two ideas
beginning to link two ideas
together.
together.

11. ILLUSTRATING CONNECTIVES
whereas
otherwise
instead of
unlike
alternatively
on the other
hand
• These connectives are used
These connectives are used
when we want to give an
when we want to give an
example of something.
example of something.
• e.g. The cat was small and
e.g. The cat was small and
quiet,
quiet, unlike
unlike the enormous
the enormous
barking dog.
barking dog.
• Have a go at writing a sentence
Have a go at writing a sentence
using one of these connectives.
using one of these connectives.