Reading: Understanding Text Structure, Cohesion & Coherence (Basic): A2 Lesson 3: Recognizing Basic Connectors (and, but, so, because)

Reading: Understanding Text Structure

A2 Lesson 3: Recognizing Basic Connectors

Listen to the examples and story.

What you will learn: By the end of this lesson, you will be able to recognize and understand the four most common connectors (and, but, so, because) to follow the logic in a story.

Before You Read 🧠

Key Vocabulary (Click 🔊)

Let's learn one important word for this lesson.

Connector

| ពាក្យតភ្ជាប់

A "joining word." It connects two ideas or sentences together.

The Four Key Connectors

Connectors are the "glue" of English. They tell you the relationship between ideas. Let's learn the four most important ones.

+

and

Job: To add a similar idea.

I like mangoes and I like bananas.

≠

but

Job: To show a different idea.

I like mangoes, but I don't like durian.

→

so

Job: To show a result or consequence.

It was raining, so I took my umbrella.

←

because

Job: To give a reason or cause.

I took my umbrella because it was raining.

Reading Practice Story

Read the story. Pay attention to the highlighted connectors. Click 🔊 to hear each paragraph.

Sophea wanted to go to the market. She needed to buy mangoes and bananas.

But when she looked outside, it started to rain. She didn't have an umbrella, so she decided to wait inside.

She waited for one hour. She was happy to wait because she didn't want to get wet.

Practice What You Learned 🎯

Quiz: Choose the Correct Connector

Choose the best word to complete the sentence.

1. I am hungry, I will eat lunch.

• but
• so
• because

2. He likes mangoes, he does not like durian.

• but
• and
• so

3. She is tired she worked for 10 hours.

• so
• but
• because

4. We will go to the market the museum.

• because
• and
• but

Key Vocabulary Reference (Click 🔊)

• Connector (and) | (និង) - បន្ថែម
  Use 'and' to add one thing to another thing. (e.g., "I like rice and fish.")
• Connector (but) | (ប៉ុន្តែ) - ផ្ទុយ
  Use 'but' to show a difference or contrast. (e.g., "He is rich, but he is not happy.")
• Connector (so) | (ដូច្នេះ) - លទ្ធផល
  Use 'so' to show a result. (e.g., "I was sick, so I stayed home.")
• Connector (because) | (ដោយសារតែ) - ហេតុផល
  Use 'because' to show a reason. (e.g., "I stayed home because I was sick.")

Your Reading Mission ⭐

Use Your New Words!

1. Find a simple story in English (in a book or online).
2. Read the story and circle every and, but, so, and because you find.
3. Try to write three of your own sentences. Use and in one, but in another, and so in the last one.

Example: "I want to go to the beach, but I have to work."