He’s a very good teacher. And he’s good-looking.
I think it’s motor cycling. But I’m not sure.
It’s not improving their character. Nor their home life.
sentence connectors after and or but
10.56 Sentence connectors are often put after the conjunctions and or but at the beginning of a clause or sentence.
That will take a long time and besides you’d get it wrong.
They were familiar and therefore all right.
Her accent is not perfect. But still, it’s a marvellous performance.
If you are linking two negative sentences or clauses, you can put either at the end of the second one.
I can’t use it, but I can’t bear not to use it either.
Linking parts of a conversation together
10.57
The following adverbials are commonly used in this way:
actually
anyhow
anyway
by the way
incidentally
look
now
now then
okay
right
so
then
well
well now
well then
you know
They usually occur at the beginning of a clause. However, a few of them can be used in other places in the clause, when you want to pause or want to draw attention to the fact that you are introducing a new topic.
Actually, anyhow, anyway, by the way, incidentally, and you know can be used at the end of a clause. By the way, incidentally, and you know can be used after the subject or after the first word in a verb phrase.
Here are some examples showing sentence connectors being used to change the topic of a conversation:
Actually, Dan, before I forget, she asked me to tell you about my new job. Well now, we’ve got a very big task ahead of us.
Here are some examples showing sentence connectors being used to start talking about a different aspect of the same topic:
What do you sell there anyway?
This approach, incidentally, also has the advantage of being cheap.
Then by itself is not used at the beginning of a clause, only at the end.
That’s all right then.
Are you fond of her, then?
10.58 Some sentence connectors are used at the beginning of a clause to introduce a fact, often one that corrects the statement just made. They can also be used at the end of a clause, and elsewhere, to emphasize the fact.
actually
as a matter of fact
as it happens
I mean
indeed
in fact
Note that actually is used here to add information on the same topic, whereas in the previous paragraph it indicated a change of topic.
Actually, I do know why he wrote that letter.
He rather envies you actually.
I’m sure you’re right. In fact, I know you’re right.
There’s no reason to be disappointed. As a matter of fact, this could be rather amusing.
They cannot hop or jump. Indeed, they can barely manage even to run.
You see is used to introduce or point to an explanation.
‘Are you surprised?’ – ‘No. You see, I’ve known about it for a long time.’
He didn’t have anyone to talk to, you see.
After all is used to introduce or point to a reason or justification of what you have just said.
She did not regret accepting his offer. He was, after all, about the right age.
10.59 Prepositional phrases are sometimes used to introduce a new topic or a different aspect of the same topic. As to or as for can be used at the beginning of a sentence to introduce a slightly different topic.
As to what actually transpired at the headquarters, there are many differing accounts.
We will continue to expand our business. As for our competitors, they may well struggle.
With and in the case of are sometimes used to mention another thing that is involved in a type of situation that was previously mentioned.
With children, you have to plan a bit more carefully.
When the death was expected, the period of grief is usually shorter than in the case of an unexpected death.
Leaving words out
10.60 In English, people often leave words out rather than repeating them. Leaving words out is called ellipsis. This sometimes occurs in clauses that are linked by words like and, but or or, and coordinated groups of words. These are explained in paragraphs 8.152 to 8.176.
This section deals with how words can be left out in subordinate clauses and separate sentences as well as in coordinate clauses. The second clause or sentence could be said or written by the same person, or it could be part of a reply or comment by someone else. Omission of certain words in conversation is explained in paragraphs 10.74 to 10.81.
contrasting subjects
10.61 If you have just described an action or state and you want to introduce a new subject only, you do not need to repeat the rest of the sentence. Instead, you can just use an auxiliary.
There were 19- and 20-year-olds who were earning more than I was.
They can hear higher sounds than we can.
contrasting the verb form or the modal verb
10.62 If you want to change only the verb form or the modal, you use a new auxiliary, with a subject referring to the same person or thing.
They would stop it if they could.
Very few of us have that sort of enthusiasm, although we know we ought to.
I never went to Stratford, although I probably should have.
This topic should have attracted far more attention from the press than it has.
do
10.63 If you choose no other auxiliary verb, you usually use do, does, or did.