Year 4 English: Connecting words between sentences: however, meanwhile, therefore, as a result
Part of the Year 4 English fronted adverbials and connecting words chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Connecting words between sentences: however, meanwhile, therefore, as a result
A connecting word links the idea in a new sentence to the sentence before it. Words such as however, meanwhile, therefore and as a result do this.
The connecting word comes after a full stop, starts the new sentence, and is followed by a comma. It works in the same way as a fronted adverbial. A comma alone cannot join two complete sentences.
| Connecting word | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| however | but; in spite of that | The sky was grey. However, the sun came out. |
| meanwhile | at the same time | Dad cooked lunch. Meanwhile, the children laid the table. |
| therefore | for this reason | It was very late. Therefore, we went to bed. |
| as a result | because of this | The river flooded. As a result, the road was closed. |
Key ideas
- A connecting word links a new sentence to the one before it.
- Put a full stop before the connecting word, and a capital letter for the connecting word.
- A comma follows the connecting word, before the main clause.
- Do not join two complete sentences with only a comma.
Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put one comma straight after it.
- Find the connecting word that starts the second sentence. It is the words at the start of the sentence.As a result
- Put the comma after it. A comma comes straight after the connecting word, before the main clause.As a result,
- Check the rest of the sentence. The main clause keeps its own words after the comma.The river flooded. As a result, the road was closed.
- Write the answer. The river flooded. As a result, the road was closed.
Check. Read it aloud and pause after the comma. ✓
Watch out. A connecting word is followed by a comma, and a full stop comes before it.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.Dad cooked lunch. ___, the children laid the table.
- Think about the meaning. Two things happened at the same time: Dad cooked, and the children laid the table.Dad cooked lunch. meanwhile, the children laid the table.
- Check the other choices. However would show a contrast, and that does not fit two jobs done together.Dad cooked lunch. meanwhile, the children laid the table.
- Write the answer. meanwhile
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with meanwhile in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.It was very late. ___, we went to bed.
- Think about the meaning. The late time is the reason we went to bed, so the second sentence is a result.It was very late. therefore, we went to bed.
- Check the other choices. However would show a contrast, which does not fit a result.It was very late. therefore, we went to bed.
- Write the answer. therefore
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with therefore in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Watch out
Watch out: The sky was grey, However the sun came out. is wrong. A comma cannot join two sentences here. Use a full stop: The sky was grey. However, the sun came out.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Read the two sentences aloud, with a full stop between them. Ask: is the second sentence a result, a contrast, or something at the same time? That answer chooses the connecting word.
Exercise 6F Practice: connecting words between sentences
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.Dan wanted to swim. ___, the water was cold.
- Think about the meaning. The second sentence is a contrast: Dan wanted to swim, but the water was cold.Dan wanted to swim. however, the water was cold.
- Check the other choices. Meanwhile shows two things at the same time, which does not fit a contrast.Dan wanted to swim. however, the water was cold.
- Write the answer. however
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with however in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.Ruby read her book. ___, Ben made a cup of tea.
- Think about the meaning. Two things happened at the same time: Ruby read, and Ben made tea.Ruby read her book. meanwhile, Ben made a cup of tea.
- Check the other choices. However would show a contrast, and that does not fit two things done together.Ruby read her book. meanwhile, Ben made a cup of tea.
- Write the answer. meanwhile
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with meanwhile in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.The bridge was closed. ___, the bus took a longer road.
- Think about the meaning. The closed bridge is the reason the bus took a longer road, so this is a result.The bridge was closed. therefore, the bus took a longer road.
- Check the other choices. However would show a contrast, and a longer road is not a contrast with a closed bridge.The bridge was closed. therefore, the bus took a longer road.
- Write the answer. therefore
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with therefore in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Find the fronted adverbial, then put one comma straight after it.
- Find the connecting word that starts the second sentence. It is the words at the start of the sentence.However
- Put the comma after it. A comma comes straight after the connecting word, before the main clause.However,
- Check the rest of the sentence. The main clause keeps its own words after the comma.The sky was grey. However, the sun came out.
- Write the answer. The sky was grey. However, the sun came out.
Check. Read it aloud and pause after the comma. ✓
Watch out. A connecting word is followed by a comma, and a full stop comes before it.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.The shop was closed. ___, we went to the park.
- Think about the meaning. The closed shop is the reason we went to the park, so this is a result.The shop was closed. therefore, we went to the park.
- Check the other choices. However would show a contrast, and that does not fit.The shop was closed. therefore, we went to the park.
- Write the answer. therefore
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with therefore in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Choose the connective by its meaning.
- Read the sentence with the gap. Find what the connective has to show: time, a reason, a contrast or a result.Ruby practised every day. ___, she won the race.
- Think about the meaning. Practising every day is the reason she won, so this is a result.Ruby practised every day. As a result, she won the race.
- Check the other choices. However would show a contrast, and that does not fit a reason.Ruby practised every day. As a result, she won the race.
- Write the answer. As a result
Check. Read the whole sentence aloud with As a result in the gap. ✓
Watch out. Put each choice in the gap and ask what the sentence means.
Method. Use a full stop, then the connecting word and a comma.
- Write the first sentence. It was a sunny day.It was a sunny day.
- Write the second sentence. However starts the new sentence, then a comma, then the main clause.However, the wind was strong.
- Write the answer. It was a sunny day. However, the wind was strong.
Check. Full stop, capital, comma. ✓
Watch out. The connecting word starts a new sentence, so it has a capital letter.
Method. Write a second sentence that happens at the same time.
- Choose the second action. It must happen at the same time as washing the dishes.Dan dried the plates
- Add meanwhile and a comma. Meanwhile starts the sentence, then a comma.Meanwhile, Dan dried the plates.
- Write the answer. Mia washed the dishes. Meanwhile, Dan dried the plates.
Check. Both actions happen together. ✓
Watch out. Check that the two actions could happen at the same time.
Method. Match the word to its meaning.
- Look at each word. However means but; therefore means for this reason.however; therefore
- Choose the word. Meanwhile means at the same time.meanwhile
- Write the answer. meanwhile
Check. Meanwhile means at the same time. ✓
Watch out. Meanwhile is the word for things happening together.
Method. Compare the sentence with the punctuation it should have.
- Read the sentence. Check the commas, the full stops and the capital letters.The sky was grey, However the sun came out.
- Find the mistake. A comma cannot join two complete sentences here; a full stop comes before However.replace the comma after grey with a full stop, and add a comma after However
- Write the correct sentence. Read it aloud. The pause now matches the punctuation.The sky was grey. However, the sun came out.
- Write the answer. No. The sky was grey. However, the sun came out.
Check. Read the corrected sentence aloud. ✓
Watch out. Read the sentence aloud, and pause where the comma goes.
Method. Think about the meaning of each word.
- Look at therefore. The rain is the reason the match was cancelled, so therefore shows a result.result
- Look at meanwhile. Meanwhile shows two things at the same time, and a cancelled match is not that.same time
- Write the answer. therefore shows the result of the rain; meanwhile means at the same time, so it does not fit
Check. Each word means something different. ✓
Watch out. Choose by meaning, not by the sound of the word.
Method. Think about what a contrast means.
- Look at however. However means but, so it shows a contrast.however: contrast
- Look at therefore. Therefore shows a result, not a contrast.therefore: result
- Write the answer. however
Check. However is the contrast word. ✓
Watch out. A contrast says that the second sentence is different.