2020 ENGLISH FORM 4 GRAMMAR AND WRITING CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

2020 ENGLISH: GRAMMAR AND WRITING PRACTICE
CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

GRAMMAR: CONNECTORS.

Connectors are used to link ideas in writing and speaking so that the ideas

would be received as continuous and logical. There are two main types of connectors.

1) Logical connectors.

i) cause and -Lim is a hardworking man. He works as a factory operator in the day
effect
and watchman at night. Therefore, he is able to save enough money to

buy a house.
(The connector ‘therefore’ links cause and effect situation. The ‘effect’ of

working hard is the ability to save.)

ii) additional -The student did his homework and paid full attention to his teachers
information during class. As a result, he passed his examination with excellent
grades.
(The first sentence tells the process of action. The second sentence
shows the ‘result’ or ‘effect’ of this action.)

-He accepted the promotion because he worked very hard for it.
Besides, this new position would help him make more money for the
children’s education.
(Giving one reason for his acceptance of the promotion)

-To live a healthy life, we need to eat good food, exercise regularly, and
in addition take some vitamins.
(Giving additional reason to the first)

-There are many places to visit in Malaysia. You could get maps about
tourist attractions at Information Centre. Moreover, you could book your
tours at this centre.
(Giving additional reason to the first)

-I do not like to keep long hair because it takes a long time to wash. Long
hair is difficult to comb too. Furthermore, it makes me feel very hot and
uncomfortable.
(Giving additional reason to the first)

iii) contrast or -I had taken my dinner, but I was hungry in the middle of the night.
opposite effect
-Boys are usually playful and lazy when they are in primary school.
However, they grow up very quickly and become matured in secondary
school.

-Usually, girls like to play with dolls at home. Boys, on the other hand,
prefer to be outdoors.

2) Sequence connectors

Sequence connectors link ideas in a step-by-step sequence so that the ideas are in correct
order.

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2020 ENGLISH: GRAMMAR AND WRITING PRACTICE
CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

e.g.: a) Firstly, we must boil the water before putting in the meat. Next, when the water boils,
add the meat and vegetables. After that, you let the soup boil for another ten minutes. Finally,
serve the soup in deep bowls.

b) In the beginning, the world was a mass of gas. After millions of years, the gas cooled and
became a mass of hard rock called the Earth. Then, life began slowly. Later, huge animals
called dinosours lived on the Earth for a few million of years. Finally, human beings began to
live.

c) He gave three reasons for being late. Firstly, he woke up at 7 p.m. Secondly, he could not
find his books and thirdly, he missed the bus.

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EXERCISE

Task 1: Complete the following passages with correct connectors. Some may be used
more than once.

until finally then next firstly after after that

___________ you walk along this road ____________ you come to a petrol station on your
right. ____________ you turn right into Jalan Ipoh. _____________ you continue along this
road ____________ you come to traffic lights. ______________ you turn right at the traffic
lights. _____________ you will reach the Family Mart.

firstly therefore also on the other hand next moreover finally since

Reading is a good habit. ___________ it helps you in your language skills. ____________
through reading, you gain a lot of knowledge. ____________, you must ____________
encourage your friends to read ______________ watching television is harmful.
______________ you spend most of your time in front of the television, you will suffer from
eye strain. ______________ you also lack exercise. ________________ you lose a lot of
sleep. ________________ you should not spend too much time watching television.

Task 2: Rewrite the sentence correctly.
e.g.: I lost my books on the bus. My teacher was angry with me (cause and effect)

I lost my books on the bus.Thus, my teacher was angry with me.

1) Her mother likes durians very much. Her father does not like the strong smell. (contrast)
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2020 ENGLISH: GRAMMAR AND WRITING PRACTICE
CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

2) She is very close to her brothers and sisters. They all live very near her. (additional
information)
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3) Johan has six sisters. They all behave like boys. (unexpected effect)
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4) She changed her uniform. She took the bus to town. (time sequence)
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5) Heat some oil in the pan. Put in the chopped garlic. Add the vegetables. Stir fry and serve
the dish hot. (order of method)
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6) She waited at the bus stop from 4 p.m. It was 6 p.m. (time sequence)
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7) I will drink a cup of milk. I will eat a slice of bread. (order of action)
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8) He is poor and cannot buy nice clothes for himself. His children always have enough to eat.
(contrast)
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9) The cactus plant is lovely to look at. It has dangerous prickly thorns for leaves. (unexpected
effect)
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10) Every morning she boils water. She makes breakfast. She takes a bath. She changes into
working clothes. She takes the bus to work. (sequence of actions)
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2020 ENGLISH: GRAMMAR AND WRITING PRACTICE
CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

Task 3: Read the two different opinions in these paragraphs and underline all
connectors.

Opinion 1.

E-books are becoming more and more popular, and there are many reasons for this. Firstly,
e-books are more eco-friendly than paper books. By having electronic versions of books,
we save paper, trees and indirectly our planet. Besides, e-books are in many ways
convenient than paper books. For instance, you can store thousands of e-books in the same
space you would need for one paper book. Just think how convenient that can be for school
or when traveling. Furthermore, in addition to online bookshops, many lending libraries also
have e-book collections now. In other words, if you want to buy or borrow a book, you don’t
have to wait for opening hours or delivery. The way I see it, e-books are the future and will
eventually take place of paper books.

Opinion 2.

Many people are quick to say that e-books will soon replace paper books. I, however, am
not one of them. It may be true that e-books have certain advantages over paper books,
but paper books are not threatened by them. First of all, we must not forget that paper books
are part of our culture and heritage; our libraries hold great cultural and historical treasures.
Apart from that, there’s the reading experience; book lovers know that there’s nothing like
curling up on the sofa with a good book, feeling the touch of the pages and smelling the
paper. That’s something e-books cannot provide. Finally, e-books require expensive e-book
readers, which can be easily be damaged if you drop them. Also, their batteries need
charging regularly, which can be very inconvenient. Personally, I believe that paper books
will remain the main form of reading for most people.

Task 4: Using the connectors that you have underlined, complete the table below.
Listing/ Adding points:
_________________, _________________, to begin/ start with, secondly, ____________,
In addition, moreover, _________________, _________________,_________________,
_________________, lastly, last but not least, _________________.
Expressing contrast:
_________________, but, although, while, on the one hand, on the other hand.
Giving example:

_________________, for example, such as.

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2020 ENGLISH: GRAMMAR AND WRITING PRACTICE
CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

Giving opinion:
_________________, _________________,in my opinion/view, from my point of view.

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WRITING: GIVING OPINIONS.

 You must take a stand on the issue; state whether you agree or
disagree with the topic.

 Write out the points you have. Then, arrange them in a logical order.
 Give clear examples to support each point you make.
 If the question requires you to make a choice or discuss a topic, for example

‘Is it better to study in an all girls school or in a co-educational school?’ then you have
to compare the two. In this case, use phrases such as ‘better than’, ‘not as good as’,
‘more advantageous than’ in your composition.
 A composition giving opinions is usually written in the present tense.
 Give a clear title and begin by stating your stand.
 Finally, state your stand in your conclusion. Use the expression “In my opinion,…”
“I like/dislike”, “I approve/disapprove” or “I believe” to reiterate your stand.
 Here are some useful phrases that you can use in your writing:

To write in list: Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, In the first place, To begin with
To list arguments: First of all, To start with, To begin with, In addition to this, In the first place
To show examples: For instance, For example, To illustrate, As a result, An example of this is
To add on: In addition, Furthermore, Likewise, Another major reason, Apart from this, With respect to
To suggest: With this in mind, In my opinion, I think, In my view, I strongly believe
To express opposing arguments: An additional disadvantage of, The worst drawback of, On the other hand
To summarise: As a result, In conclusion, To conclude, As a conclusion, Taking all this into consideration

Sample question & essay.

Is it better to be an only child or part of a family with a few siblings? Write your
composition giving your opinion.

Only child Big family

 Quiet, lonely  Have siblings to do things with
 Undivided attention from parents  Attention divided
 Own bedroom- no need to share-  Share everything- learn to be

can become- selfish unselfish, tolerant
 No support from siblings  Support from siblings
 Depend on self  Wealth, benefits divided among
 No need to share benefits,
children
parents’ wealth  Too expensive to send children
 May afford better things- one child
overseas- further education
When writing your composition:

 You may use the notes given
 Give reasons for your choice
 Write in not less than 150 words

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2020 ENGLISH: GRAMMAR AND WRITING PRACTICE
CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

An Only Child or a Big Family? Word Power.

It is better to be part of a big family with a few siblings 1) outings
than to be an only child. We can do things together, such as -trips; excursions
play games, go on outings together and discuss problems if we
have brothers and sisters. 2) divided
-split and shared
Although sometimes attention from parents may be
divided, we learn to share things with our siblings. In doing so, 3) unselfish
we learn to be unselfish and tolerant; especially when wealth -sharing and
and benefits are divided among all the children. Besides, we can generous
always be assured of support from our siblings especially
when we are close to them. 4) tolerant
-understanding and
It may be true that when there are a few children in the patient
family, it may be too expensive to send all children overseas for
further education. I believe that children from families who are 5) assured
not too wealthy should learn to work hard so that they get -certain; guaranteed
scholarships or study grants to further their education.
6) support
In my opinion, it is better to have siblings to share your -help and strength
life with instead of being an only child. An only child will be lonely
and sometimes, spoilt and selfish. 7) grants
-scholarships

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EXERCISE

Malaysian teenagers should learn foreign languages. Do you agree with this
statement? Write a composition about this topic.

To gain cognitive benefits
Deepen your connection to other cultures

To see and understand the world
To boost your confidence
To become a polyglot

When writing your composition: 6
 You may use the notes given
 Give reasons for your opinion
 Write in not less than 150 words

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2020 ENGLISH: GRAMMAR AND WRITING PRACTICE
CONNECTORS AND GIVING OPINIONS

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CRITERIA MARKS OBTAINED
CONTENT / 20
COMMUNICATIVE
ACHIEVEMENT
ORGANISATION
LANGUAGE
TOTAL

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