4.3 Conjunctions & Discourse Connectors
Key Takeaways
- Y becomes e before a word starting with i- or hi-, and o becomes u before o- or ho-: madre e hija, siete u ocho.
- Pero contrasts, sino replaces a negated element, and sino que is required when a conjugated verb follows.
- Aunque takes the indicative for known facts and the subjunctive for concessions treated as hypothetical.
- Connectors of consequence (por lo tanto, por consiguiente) and contrast (sin embargo, no obstante) drive Part B cloze blanks.
- Porque introduces a clause, a causa de and debido a introduce a noun phrase, and por qué is the interrogative.
4.3 Conjunctions & Discourse Connectors
Part B cloze passages are explicitly built to test textual flow, and the fastest way to test flow is to blank a connector. Get the logic relationship right and the item collapses in seconds; guess by sound and you will be wrong roughly three times in four.
1. Coordinating Conjunctions and Their Sound Changes
| Conjunction | Becomes | When | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| y (and) | e | next word starts with i- or hi- | madre e hija, aguja e hilo |
| o (or) | u | next word starts with o- or ho- | siete u ocho, mujer u hombre |
Exceptions worth knowing: y stays before hie- and y- (agua y hielo, cobre y yodo), because those begin with a diphthong or consonant sound rather than a pure /i/.
2. Pero, Sino, Sino que: the Contrast Triangle
This is the highest-yield conjunction item on the exam.
| Conjunction | Condition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| pero | adds contrasting information; the first clause may be affirmative or negative | Es caro, pero vale la pena. |
| sino | first clause is negative; the second replaces the negated element (no conjugated verb follows) | No es azul sino verde. |
| sino que | first clause is negative and a conjugated verb follows | No llamó, sino que escribió. |
Diagnostic sequence:
- Is the first clause negated? If no -> pero.
- If yes, does the second part correct the negated element? If no (it just adds information) -> pero: No estudió mucho, pero aprobó.
- If it corrects, is there a conjugated verb after the conjunction? Yes -> sino que; no -> sino.
- No quiero café sino té. (replaces the noun)
- No quiero que vengas sino que llames. (conjugated verb -> sino que)
- No vino, pero avisó. (adds, does not replace)
3. Subordinating Conjunctions and Mood
| Conjunction | Meaning | Mood |
|---|---|---|
| porque | because | indicative |
| ya que, puesto que, dado que, como | since, given that | indicative |
| así que, de modo que (result) | so, therefore | indicative |
| aunque | although, even if | either — see below |
| si | if | indicative or imperfect/pluperfect subjunctive, never present subjunctive |
| mientras | while (time) / as long as (condition) | indicative / subjunctive |
Aunque: the Mood Switch
- Indicative = the speaker treats the fact as known and real: Aunque llueve, vamos a salir. (It is raining, and we are going anyway.)
- Subjunctive = the speaker treats it as hypothetical or as information not being asserted: Aunque llueva, vamos a salir. (Even if it rains.)
The same switch works with a pesar de que and aun cuando.
4. Written Discourse Connectors by Function
| Function | Connectors |
|---|---|
| Addition | además, asimismo, también, por otra parte, es más, igualmente |
| Contrast | sin embargo, no obstante, en cambio, por el contrario, ahora bien |
| Cause | porque, ya que, puesto que, debido a que, a causa de, gracias a |
| Consequence | por lo tanto, por consiguiente, en consecuencia, de ahí que, así pues |
| Sequence | en primer lugar, a continuación, luego, posteriormente, por último, finalmente |
| Exemplification | por ejemplo, es decir, o sea, en concreto, a saber |
| Summary | en resumen, en conclusión, en definitiva, en suma |
| Concession | aunque, a pesar de que, si bien, aun cuando |
| Condition | si, siempre que, con tal de que, a menos que |
Three Distinctions the Exam Uses
- Porque introduces a clause; a causa de and debido a introduce a noun phrase. Llegó tarde porque había tráfico / Llegó tarde debido al tráfico. A blank followed by a noun cannot be porque.
- Sin embargo and no obstante are adverbial and stand alone with commas; a pesar de is prepositional and must be followed by de + noun or infinitive. A blank followed directly by de las dificultades takes a pesar, not sin embargo.
- De ahí que and de modo que with purpose sense trigger the subjunctive: De ahí que sea necesario revisar el plan.
5. Reading a Cloze Blank for Logic
Work the sentences on either side of the blank and label the relationship before looking at the options.
"La empresa redujo su plantilla en un veinte por ciento.
________ , los beneficios del trimestre siguieron cayendo."
Left: an action was taken (cost cutting)
Right: the expected result did NOT follow
Label: CONTRAST / concession, not consequence
=> Sin embargo / No obstante (NOT por lo tanto)
Half of all connector items are decided by a single question: does the second clause go with the first (consequence, addition) or against it (contrast, concession)?
6. Worked Items
Item 1. En la reunión participaron representantes de siete ________ ocho países. (A) o (B) u (C) e (D) y
Reasoning: O becomes u before a word beginning with o-. (B).
Item 2. El museo no cerró por falta de fondos, ________ por obras de restauración. (A) pero (B) sino (C) sino que (D) aunque
Reasoning: The first clause is negated and the second replaces the negated cause; no conjugated verb follows, so sino. (B).
Item 3. ________ del mal tiempo, el festival se celebró al aire libre. (A) Sin embargo (B) No obstante (C) A pesar (D) Aunque
Reasoning: The blank is followed by del, so it must be the prepositional locution a pesar de. (C).
Complete the sentence: "El informe fue redactado por la directora ________ Isabel Moreno, jefa del departamento legal."
Complete the sentence: "El comité no rechazó la propuesta, ________ la devolvió para que la revisaran."
Read the excerpt: "La ciudad invirtió millones en ampliar la red de autobuses. ________, el número de pasajeros disminuyó por tercer año consecutivo." Which connector fits?