Structure Skill: Use Coordinate Connector Correctly (Skill 6)

Previous Skill: Be CAreful of Past Participle

When you have two clauses in an English sentence, you must connect the two clauses correctly. One way to connect two clauses is to use:

and, but, or, so, or yet

Example:

Tom is singing, mand Paul is dancing

Tom is tall, but Paul is short

Tom must write the letter, Paul will do it

Tom told a jpke, so Paul laughed

Tom is tored, yet he is not going to sleep

In each of these examples, there are two clauses that are correctly joined by a coordinate conjunction and, but, or, so or yet and a comma (,).

The following example show how this sentences patterns could be tested in the structure section of TOEFL Test.



Example:

A power failure occurred, ........... the lamps went out.

(A) then
(B) so
(C) later
(D) next

Analysis:

In this example we should notice quickly that there are two clauses, a power failure occurred and the lamps went out. This sentence needs a connector to join the two clauses. Then, later, and next not connectors, so answer (A), and (D) are nto correct. The best answer is answer (B) because so can connect two clauses.

The following chart lists the coordinate connectors and the sentence patterns used with them.

Exercise 6:

1. The software should be used on an IBM computer, and this computer is an IBM ( Correct)

2. The rain clouds can be seen in the distance, but no has fallen. (Incorrect)

   Analysis:

• 2nd clause has no Subject.
• It could be no rain has fallen

3. You should have finished the work yesterday, yet is not close to being finished. (Incorrect)

   Analysis:

• Second clause has no Subject.
• 2nd sentence should be yet it is not close to being finished.

4. They are trying to sell their home, it has been on the market for two months. (Incorrect)

Analysis:

• There are two clauses,. but there is no connector.
• It should be and it has been........

5. The phone rang again and again, so the receptionist was not able to get much work done. (Correct)