Grammar Spotlight

At the B1 level, learners expand their range of conjunctions beyond and, but and or.  So and then, for example, are used to combine more complex strings of clauses and sentences. So is a notable favourite among B1 and B2 learners, who use it to combine clauses with greater frequency than native speakers.

   I was scared and closed the window, but I couldn’t sleep, so a few minutes later I opened the window again, but they were gone. (Skills for Life 3; Portuguese)

   The food is not very expensive, so most tourists will be able to afford a visit to the restaurant.  (Cambridge English: First; Russian)

  I am from Mexico, so my first language is Spanish, and I wouldn't have any problem communicating in both English and Spanish. (Cambridge English: First; Spanish-Latin American)

Plus is also used with confidence starting at the B1 level and with great frequency at the B2 level. It is used in relation to numbers and to connect clauses and sentences, where learners often point out a positive addition or advantage.

   It cost me £2,500 plus the taxes. (Preliminary English Test for Schools; Spanish - Latin American)

   At the moment I pay 550 pounds monthly plus bills. (Skills for Life Entry 3; Spanish - European)

   It’s around 200 so it’s pretty cheap for a good game. Plus, it’s really addictive and fun! (Preliminary English Test for Schools; Tagalog)

At the B1 level, learners start to use correlative conjunctions. For example, learners can use both … and to combine noun phrases in order to give emphasis.

  I felt sorry for you because both friends and family are very important and having to pick one is very hard. (Preliminary English Test; Turkish)

   Argentina has both wonderful country landscapes and excellent towns to enjoy. (Preliminary English Test; Spanish - Latin American)

   As a result of our aggressive and successful expansion strategy, both our market share and the number of our staff are increasing tremendously. (Cambridge English: Business Preliminary ; Chinese)

At the B2 level, learners use both … and to combine a wider variety of phrase types and clauses.

   Next time we meet I'll show you the photos I took both at your place and during my trip back to Goteborg. (Cambridge English: First; Swedish)

  A lot of people think that television can both entertain and educate. (Cambridge English: First; Italian)

   Why not buy some extra beer and sell it on the beach so I could both get some enjoyment and make some money? So that was what I did. (Cambridge English: First; Portuguese)

   B1 learners can also use either … or to connect two words, phrases or clauses.
I’ll either write or phone you soon. (Preliminary English Test; Japanese)

   You can either go to the gym or attend some special classes, where you do gentle exercises. (Preliminary English Test; Ukrainian)

  The men wear suits, either white or black, and the bride and women wear special long dresses, usually the same colour. (Preliminary English Test; Serbian)

While either…or is used successfully at the B1 level, neither…nor is not frequently used until the B2 level.

  Neither you nor I would like that. (Cambridge English: First; Swedish)

   We can neither eat nor drink during the lessons. (Cambridge English: First; Polish)

   I have neither climbed nor surfed before, so that would be very exciting for me. (Cambridge English: First; Swedish)

So, at the B1 and B2 levels, learners begin to expand their range of conjunctions with a few correlative conjunctions being mastered by the B2 level. This movement towards the use of more complex conjunctions continues at the learners pass to the C1 and C2 levels, where the uses of correlative conjunctions and complex contexts are key to learner progress.