【HKDSE English】Advanced Linkers: avoiding and / but / because
【HKDSE English】Advanced Linkers: avoiding and / but / because
One of the main weaknesses for any language learner has to do with repetition. At times, repetition can be used for emphasis or style.
However in most cases, it has nothing to do with those benefits. Instead, it has everything to do with a limited ability to function with a wide range of language. Depending on your audience, repetition can be a very dangerous thing to employ, especially if you do it without purpose. It can cause boredom and therefore a lack of attention from the very people you are trying to communicate with.
One group of words that are very repetitive in the world of English are connectives or conjunctions.
There are varying terms but you certainly know the three most common: ‘And’, ‘but’, and ‘because’. ‘Flexible’, ‘quick and easy’ use are definitely the hallmarks of these words so you hear them often and repeatedly. Today, this article will focus on just one of them – ‘and’.
If you want to grab the attention of those reading your work or those listening to you when you speak, it would be a grand idea if one could minimize the use of this. The question is: How?
One of the banes of any English learner is the fact that English has so many words. This hardship though can be transformed into something beneficial. As there are so many words, this vocabulary can be utilized to impress others.
Firstly, we can look at ‘and’. The primary function is to join similar ideas or thoughts together so it becomes more cohesive and easier to understand.
As long as we use other words that have the same function, it can substitute well in the place of ‘and.’
- In addition
- Another thing is
- Furthermore
- Moreover
These words can all fill in the role of adding ideas that are comparable. Look at the sample paragraph below.
People like to buy many different things. These goods can be things that are for entertainment. It can also be for things that are deemed as necessities. Ultimately, the economy and what people want or need is a big part of that. Unfortunately, many people have changed and focus on buying things they don’t really need. There is a consumer culture where people buy so many things. Many of them are simply not needed. This has fuelled debt. This has also fuelled dysfunction in our private lives. Our economy is also diverting reasons to the wrong areas such as more products that we don’t need while defence or medicine are ignored.
How can we make it better?
People like to buy many different things and these goods can be things that are for entertainment and it can also be for things that are deemed as necessities. Ultimately, the economy and what people want or need is a big part of that. Unfortunately, many people have changed and focus on buying things they don’t really need and there is a consumer culture where people buy so many things and many of them are simply not needed. This has fuelled debt and this has also fuelled dysfunction in our private lives. Our economy is also diverting reasons to the wrong areas such as more products that we don’t need while defence or medicine are ignored.
We can clearly see how the word ‘and’, can make the ideas flow better together. Unluckily though, it makes it seem amateurish. So how can it be spiced up? Simply by using the alternatives that were presented before.
People like to buy many different things. Furthermore, these goods can be things that are for entertainment and it can also be for things that are deemed as necessities. Ultimately, the economy and what people want or need is a big part of that. Unfortunately, many people have changed and they focus on buying things they don’t really need. Moreover, there is a consumer culture where people buy so many things. Another aspect is that many of them are simply not needed. This has fuelled debt while also fuelling dysfunction in our private lives. Our economy is also diverting reasons to the wrong areas such as more products that we don’t need while defence or medicine are ignored.
Notice how by simply changing some of the “and” words into alternatives while keeping some of them still intact, can greatly affect the look and feel of your writing.
Author’s Profile 作者簡介
Mr. Walter Lam
Born in Canada, I’ve taught English for the last seven years in Hong Kong in-person and online. I currently have an IG following of over 5000 followers, and also do streams teaching English to students. In addition, I taught a lot in regards to TOEIC, the HKDSE, and IELTS.
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