Sound More Fluent With Alternative English Conjunctions

Most English learners will always use the simple English conjunctions which we all learn from a beginner level, e.g. for, but, and, if, so etc…

But with just a few simple alternatives you could make your English sound much more fluency, formal, or even sophisticated. Check out this episode of RealLife TV to find out how. Remember, you can read along with the transcript below.

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Transcript

Hey what’s up guys welcome to another episode of RealLife TV where you are going to accelerate your fluency with these quick, fun, and convenient episodes. Today I’m going to teach you about conjunctions and how with just a few alternative words your English can sound more polite, more formal, or even a little more sophisticated. Aww yeah!!

What Are Conjunctions?

So conjunctions are words that join phrases together. You’re probably really familiar with simply ones like; so, if, but. But today I’m going to give you some alternatives to these words and these are ones that I’ve noticed aren’t so commonly used by many language learners.

As Long As

Let’s start with some alternatives to the word if. So, “if” is often used when you have a decision to make or it’s commonly used for negotiating. A great alternative is as long as. For example:

• I will go to the party as long as you can give me a ride home, I will go to the party as long as you can give me a ride home.

So I’m saying that the only way I’m going to go to the party is if that happens. I could substitute that and say I will go to the party if you give me a ride home. When I use as long as it sound like I am making a concession, or negotiating.

In Case You

In case you, or in case ya, is another common alternative for if, I can say for example if you are a guest in my house:

• hey, in case you get hungry there’s a cake in the oven
• In case you want to take a nap feel free to lay down on the couch

So it’s another way to say if you are tired, if you are hungry you can do that. Another cool alternative.

Though

Next some alternatives for the word but. As an alternative to but we have a few words, a really common one is though, though, it’s a little difficult to pronounce to, though. And though is literally another way to say but and we typically put it at the end of a phrase.

• I love to exercise, I’m really tired today though, I’m really tired today though.  
• I really want to go to the party, I don’t want to drive though.

Nevertheless

Another common alternative for but would be nevertheless, nevertheless. That’s right, one word, nevertheless. This is used to say that you are going to do something regardless of the negative aspect of that. For example maybe it’s raining really heavily and I could say:

• I’m going to go running nevertheless, I’m going nevertheless.

There’s nothing that will make me change my mind, I’m definitely going. I’m going nevertheless, or, nevertheless I’m going. I’m not going to change my mind.

On the Other Hand

Or lastly another alternative to but could be on the other hand, on the other hand. So on the other hand can be very similar to but, it’s generally to show two different perspectives of a particular subject or issue, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that one is negative. For example I could say:

• Australia is a really hot country, on the other hand the beaches are beautiful.

So it’s kind of negative saying that it’s hot, but on the other hand the beaches are beautiful, it’s great going to the beach in Australia, especially when it’s hot.

Therefore

And the last word I’m going to give you guys today is, therefore. Therefore could be an alternative to so, the word so. And therefore is used to say for that reason, that is why that happens, or that happened.

Now the word therefore does sound quite formal, that’s what I meant at the start of the video when I said some of these words can make your English sound more formal. This would be one of them. So an example for this could be, if there was a huge traffic jam on my way to work I could call my boss and say:

• There’s a huge traffic jam, therefore I’m going to be late.

Just like saying, for that reason, so I’m going to be late, therefore I’m going to be late.

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So that does it for today’s quick and convenient episode of RealLife TV, I hope you enjoyed it. Just remembering the words that you learnt today were: as long as, in case you, though, nevertheless, on the other hand, and therefore.

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Aww yeah, see you guys next time on RealLife TV.

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