LINKING WORDS

LINKING WORDS

A "linking word" orin British English a "link word" is a word which connects, joins or combines other words, clauses or sentences. There are three main kinds: coordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. 

A coordinating conjunction connects either inidividual words, groups of words, phrases or clauses that perform  the same function in a sentence : "and", "but", "for", "nor", "or" and "yet".

1. During this autumn our weather has been cool, crisp and pleasant.
2. If someone telephones me, you can wake me up or take a message.   
3. The streets of the city are arranged in a confusing way, but I confess that I have never become lost. 

A correlative conjuction consists of two or more words that function together. They also connect word, phrases and even clauses that perform the same function in a sentence: "both ...and", "either...or", "neither...nor", "not only....but (also)" and "whether...or".

1. You should take either a raincoat or an umbrella to school today.
2. By tomorrow Coach Jackson must decide whether Debbie will swim in the freestyle competition or in the backstroke event at the state meet.   

Finally, a subordinating conjunction introduces a subordinate clause, which is a clause that cannot stand by itself  as a comple sentence. A subordinating conjunction links a subordinate clause to an independent clause. Subordinating conjunctions usually express relationships of time, manner, cause, condition, purpose, etc...

• Time: "after", "as", "as long as", "as soon as", "when", "before", "since", "while", "until" ....
• Manner: "as", "As if" , "as though"
• Cause: "because"   "since", "as"
• Condition: "if", "unless", "even if", "even though", "provided that" ...
• Comparison: "as". "more...than", "less... than",...
• Purpose: "in order to", "in order that", "to", "so that"...

Even if conjunctions in general are gramatically different to conjunctive adverbs, both of them share a similar function: to connect independent clauses. An important aspect to bear in mind, however, is that either  a semicolon or a period precedes an adverb, and a comma usually follows it. The most common adverbs are: "besides", "consequently", "furthermore" "finally", "eventually" ,"however", "therefore", "moreover", etc...

•  The flight that we were planning to take to Denver had been canceled because of the weather; consequently, we waited all night in the airport for another flight.