REASON |
You can show reason in one of these ways: |
1. |
because / as /
since + clause |
► |
Young people often grow up without any firm idea about the difference between
right and wrong, because
/ as /
since parents are too busy working to guide their
children. |
2. |
because of +
noun |
► |
The punishment was severe because of the seriousness
of the crime. |
|
You can also use on account of
or owing to followed by a noun. These are more
formal expressions than
because of. |
► |
He resigned from the government
on account of
/
owing to his disagreement with the Prime Minister. |
3. |
to be +
due to + noun |
|
Due to can also be used to
show reason: |
► |
His illness
was due to food
poisoning when he was on holiday. |
RESULT |
You can show result in one of these ways: |
1. |
so / such ... that
+ clause |
► |
The crime is so serious that the local police cannot handle it. |
|
The relative pronoun that is often
omitted in these sentences:
The crime is so serious [ that ] the local
police cannot handle it. |
► |
Some parents work
so hard during the day
that they have no
energy in the evening. |
► |
They have so much work,
so many responsibilities,
so little
free time and so few holidays
that they do not talk much to
their children. |
► |
It is such a serious crime that the local police cannot handle it. |
► |
It was such bad weather that no one wanted to go out. |
► |
Some parents are
such busy people that they can't guide their
children. |
2. |
too ... to |
► |
Some parents are
too busy working
to guide their
children. |
► |
He spoke too quickly for me
to understand. |
► |
Some criminals are
not old enough to go to prison. |
3. |
Consequently... /
So... / Therefore... /
As a result... |
|
These connectors usually come at
the beginning of the sentence, followed by a comma.
They join ideas between two sentences: |
► |
The police often ignore minor crimes.
Consequently, many young people feel they
can get away with things like theft. |
► |
It is sunny.
So, it will
be very hot today. |
► |
You are too nice.
Therefore,
you tend to be exploited. |
► |
Some parents are very busy with their
jobs. As a result, they cannot guide their children. |
PURPOSE |
You can show purpose in one of these ways: |
1. |
to +
infinitive |
► |
Do you eat to live, or live
to eat? |
2. |
so as to / in order to
/ so as not to / in order not to |
|
The simple infinitive of purpose may not
be used with not. |
|
Therefore, it is
not possible to say 'Some homeless teenagers
steal not to starve'. In this case you must use so as
not to, or in order not to. These are more formal
than the simple infinitive: |
► |
Some homeless teenagers steal
so as not to starve.
|
► |
Some homeless teenagers steal
in order not to
starve. |
3. |
so that / in order
that + modal verb +
verb |
|
It is important to point out that in
order that is more formal than so that: |
► |
Young drug addicts commit crimes
so that they can
buy drugs. |
► |
The bank robbers wore masks so that they couldn't be
recognised. |
4. |
in case |
|
When you talk about taking a precaution (doing something because something bad
may happen), you use in case. |
|
The verb in the 'in case' clause is in the
present tense, even though you are talking about the future. Do not use will
after 'in case' : |
► |
Call 911 in
case of trouble at home. |
► |
Every President wears
a bullet-proof vest in case someone
shoots him. |
|
But you can use the 'in case' clause with a
past verb to say why someone did something in the
past: |
► |
We bought some more food in
case Tom came. (= because it was possible
that Tom would come) |
► |
I drew a map for Monica in
case she couldn't find our house. |
► |
We rang the bell twice in case
they hadn't heard it the first time. |