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KS3 · Grammar

Y8.8 Connectives and Discourse Markers

Calculators not allowed · about 50 minutes

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

Are the following statements about connectives and discourse markers TRUE or FALSE?

(a)Connectives are only ever used to join two single words together.(1)

True
False

(b)'However' signals a contrast between two ideas.(1)

True
False

(c)'Furthermore' introduces an idea that contradicts what has just been said.(1)

True
False

(d)Discourse markers can be used at the start of a paragraph to link it back to the paragraph before.(1)

True
False

(e)'As a result' and 'consequently' can both introduce a cause-and-effect relationship.(1)

True
False

(f)A connective must always be a single word; multi-word phrases such as 'on the other hand' cannot function as connectives.(1)

True
False

Identify the function of the connective or discourse marker shown in bold-quotes in each sentence below.

(a)'The museum has extended its opening hours. Furthermore, entry is now free for students.' Function of 'Furthermore':(1)

A) Addition
B) Contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Sequence/time
E) Illustration

(b)'Ali trained every day before the trials. However, he did not make the team.' Function of 'However':(1)

A) Addition
B) Contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Sequence/time
E) Illustration

(c)'It rained heavily overnight. As a result, the football pitch was waterlogged.' Function of 'As a result':(1)

A) Addition
B) Contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Sequence/time
E) Illustration

(d)'Firstly, collect your equipment. Secondly, put on your safety goggles.' Function of 'Firstly' and 'Secondly':(1)

A) Addition
B) Contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Sequence/time
E) Illustration

(e)'Many plants can survive without much water. Cacti, for example, store water in their thick stems.' Function of 'for example':(1)

A) Addition
B) Contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Sequence/time
E) Illustration

(f)'The bridge was closed for repairs. Meanwhile, traffic was diverted through the village.' Function of 'Meanwhile':(1)

A) Addition
B) Contrast
C) Cause and effect
D) Sequence/time
E) Illustration

Choose the connective that correctly completes each sentence.

(a)The show received excellent reviews. ___ ticket sales were disappointing.(1)

A) Moreover
B) However
C) Similarly

(b)Sofia forgot her lines halfway through the play. ___ she stayed calm and improvised the rest of the scene.(1)

A) Nevertheless
B) For example
C) Firstly

(c)The bakery uses only local ingredients. ___ all of its packaging is recyclable.(1)

A) In addition
B) On the other hand
C) Therefore

(d)The engine overheated on the final lap. ___ the car had to retire from the race.(1)

A) Similarly
B) Consequently
C) Whereas

Sort the word bank below into the correct column of the table. Each connective belongs in ONE column only.

Word bank: moreover, whereas, therefore, for instance, in addition, nevertheless, as a result, such as

Addition	Contrast	Cause and effect	Illustration

(8)

Join each pair of sentences into two sentences linked by the connective given, adding the correct punctuation.

(a)Connective: 'In contrast'. Sentences: 'The morning session was calm. The afternoon session was chaotic.'(2)

(b)Connective: 'Consequently'. Sentences: 'The council reduced funding for the youth club. Several activities had to be cancelled.'(2)

(c)Connective: 'For example'. Sentences: 'Many hobbies can improve concentration. Chess requires careful planning and patience.'(2)

Read this short extract: 'The weather forecast had promised heavy rain all weekend. Despite this, the charity fun run went ahead as planned, and hundreds of runners still turned up.' Explain the effect of the discourse marker 'Despite this' on the reader.

(2)

Read this short extract: 'Some people think that revising alone is the only effective way to learn. In fact, research shows that discussing ideas with others can improve memory significantly.' Explain the effect of the discourse marker 'In fact' on the reader.

(2)

Combine these two sentences into one, using a cause-and-effect connective of your choice (for example: therefore, consequently, as a result): 'The library extended its opening hours. More students used the study rooms in the evening.'

(2)

Combine these two sentences into one, using a contrast connective of your choice (for example: however, on the other hand, despite this): 'The instructions looked complicated. The device was simple to set up.'

(2)

Which connective would best signal that a writer is about to sum up their argument at the end of a piece of writing?

A) Firstly
B) For example
C) In conclusion
D) Moreover

Each sentence below uses a connective that does not match the relationship between its two ideas. Identify why the connective is wrong and rewrite the sentence with a more suitable one.

(a)'The team lost every match this season. Moreover, they were promoted to the top division.'(2)

(b)'The bridge was found to be unsafe. However, engineers closed it immediately.'(2)

(c)'Plastic pollution is harming sea life around the world. On the other hand, many countries have introduced bans on single-use plastic bags.'(2)

Read this paragraph: 'Our school cafe now sells more fresh fruit. Also, prices have been reduced for younger pupils. Also, staff have introduced a new recycling scheme in the kitchen. Also, feedback from parents has been positive.' The word 'also' is repeated three times, making the writing feel repetitive. Identify this pattern, then suggest a DIFFERENT addition connective to replace TWO of the three repeated instances, without changing the meaning.

(3)

Below is a paragraph with several connective, punctuation and grammar errors. Rewrite it correctly, correcting every error you can find.

'the school introduced a new litter-picking rota last month. however this was a good idea, the bins were emptied more regular. also the yard looked cleaner also pupils said they felt proud of they're school therefore the head teacher praised year 8 for there efforts.'

(6)

Write ONE original sentence pair for each connective below, using the connective accurately to link two clear ideas.

(a)Use 'Nevertheless' to link two ideas about a hobby, event or subject of your choice.(2)

(b)Use 'As a result' to show a clear cause and its effect.(2)

The paragraph below reads as a list of disconnected facts. Rewrite it, adding TWO different discourse markers to link the ideas more clearly. You may add a small amount of extra wording, but do not change the order of the sentences.

'Year 8 students visited the science museum on Tuesday. They tested model rockets in the workshop. Everyone enjoyed the trip. Some students want to return next year.'

(4)

Write a paragraph (approximately 70-100 words) giving your opinion on a topic of your choice (for example: whether the school day should start later, whether homework should be scrapped, or whether students should be allowed phones at break). Your paragraph must include at least ONE example each of an addition connective, a contrast connective and a cause-and-effect connective. Underline each of the three required connectives in your answer.

(8)

Continue the argument from Question 16 by writing TWO more sentences, each making sense as part of the same argument.

(a)Write a sentence beginning with 'Furthermore'.(2)

(b)Write a sentence beginning with 'In conclusion'.(2)

Mark scheme · Y8.8 Connectives and Discourse Markers

Question 1

(a) B1 False
(a) Answer: False
(b) B1 True
(b) Answer: True
(c) B1 False
(c) Answer: False
(d) B1 True
(d) Answer: True
(e) B1 True
(e) Answer: True
(f) B1 False
(f) Answer: False

Question 2

(a) B1 A) Addition
(a) Answer: A
(b) B1 B) Contrast
(b) Answer: B
(c) B1 C) Cause and effect
(c) Answer: C
(d) B1 D) Sequence/time
(d) Answer: D
(e) B1 E) Illustration
(e) Answer: E
(f) B1 D) Sequence/time
(f) Answer: D

Question 3

(a) B1 B) However
(a) Answer: B
(b) B1 A) Nevertheless
(b) Answer: A
(c) B1 A) In addition
(c) Answer: A
(d) B1 B) Consequently
(d) Answer: B

Question 4

B1 Addition: moreover
B1 Addition: in addition
B1 Contrast: whereas
B1 Contrast: nevertheless
B1 Cause and effect: therefore
B1 Cause and effect: as a result
B1 Illustration: for instance
B1 Illustration: such as
Answer: Addition: moreover, in addition | Contrast: whereas, nevertheless | Cause and effect: therefore, as a result | Illustration: for instance, such as

Question 5

(a) B1 'In contrast' placed at the start of the second sentence, oe
(a) B1 comma correctly placed after the connective, cao
(a) Answer: The morning session was calm. In contrast, the afternoon session was chaotic.
(b) B1 'Consequently' placed at the start of the second sentence, oe
(b) B1 comma correctly placed after the connective, cao
(b) Answer: The council reduced funding for the youth club. Consequently, several activities had to be cancelled.
(c) B1 'For example' placed at the start of the second sentence, oe
(c) B1 comma correctly placed after the connective, cao
(c) Answer: Many hobbies can improve concentration. For example, chess requires careful planning and patience.

Question 6

B1 identifies that 'Despite this' signals a contrast/concession between the poor forecast and what actually happened
B1 develops the effect, e.g. it emphasises the runners' determination and commitment, showing that bad weather could not stop the event (oe)
Answer: 'Despite this' signals a contrast between the threatening forecast and what actually happened, showing that the event went ahead anyway; this emphasises the runners' determination and commitment, since not even the promise of heavy rain could put them off.

Question 7

B1 identifies that 'In fact' signals emphasis, introducing evidence that challenges or goes beyond the previous claim
B1 develops the effect, e.g. it makes the writer's point feel more convincing or authoritative because it is backed up by research (oe)
Answer: 'In fact' signals emphasis, introducing evidence that goes further than, and partly challenges, the common belief just mentioned; this makes the writer's point feel more convincing and authoritative, since it is backed up by research rather than opinion.

Question 8

B1 an appropriate cause-and-effect connective used accurately (e.g. therefore, consequently, as a result), oe
B1 resulting sentence grammatically correct and correctly punctuated (comma after the connective), cao
Answer: The library extended its opening hours. As a result, more students used the study rooms in the evening.

Question 9

B1 an appropriate contrast connective used accurately (e.g. however, on the other hand, despite this), oe
B1 resulting sentence grammatically correct and correctly punctuated (comma after the connective), cao
Answer: The instructions looked complicated. However, the device was simple to set up.

Question 10

B1 C) In conclusion
Answer: C

Question 11

(a) B1 identifies that 'Moreover' wrongly signals addition/support, when the outcome is actually an unexpected contrast
(a) B1 correct replacement given, e.g. 'However'/'Nevertheless', with the rest of the sentence unchanged and correctly punctuated, oe
(a) Answer: The team lost every match this season. However, they were promoted to the top division.
(b) B1 identifies that 'However' wrongly signals contrast, when the second sentence is actually the consequence of the first
(b) B1 correct replacement given, e.g. 'Therefore'/'Consequently'/'As a result', with the rest of the sentence unchanged and correctly punctuated, oe
(b) Answer: The bridge was found to be unsafe. Therefore, engineers closed it immediately.
(c) B1 identifies that 'On the other hand' wrongly signals contrast, when the second sentence is actually a response to the problem described
(c) B1 correct replacement given, e.g. 'As a result'/'Consequently', with the rest of the sentence unchanged and correctly punctuated, oe
(c) Answer: Plastic pollution is harming sea life around the world. As a result, many countries have introduced bans on single-use plastic bags.

Question 12

B1 identifies that 'also' is repeated three times / overused across the paragraph
B1 first replacement is an accurate addition connective (e.g. Furthermore, In addition, Moreover), oe
B1 second replacement is a different, accurate addition connective from the first, oe
Answer: Our school cafe now sells more fresh fruit. In addition, prices have been reduced for younger pupils. Furthermore, staff have introduced a new recycling scheme in the kitchen. Also, feedback from parents has been positive.

Question 13

Level 0 (0): No accurate corrections made; errors remain uncorrected or new errors introduced.
Level 1 (1-2): One or two errors corrected (e.g. capitalisation or one homophone), with limited overall accuracy.
Level 2 (3-4): Most errors corrected, including at least one connective misuse and one homophone, with generally secure punctuation.
Level 3 (5-6): All errors corrected accurately, demonstrating secure control of connective choice, sentence demarcation and homophones throughout.
Indicative content:
- Capital letter added for 'The' at the start of the paragraph
- 'however' corrected to a connective that confirms/supports the idea (e.g. 'Indeed'), and the comma splice after it corrected (e.g. with a colon or full stop) instead of joining the clauses with a comma alone
- 'more regular' corrected to 'more regularly' (adverb form)
- The repeated 'also ... also' corrected by replacing one instance with a varied connective (e.g. 'In addition') so the ideas are joined fluently rather than repetitively
- 'they're' corrected to 'their' and 'there' corrected to 'their' (possessive homophones, not the contraction of 'they are' or the place adverb)
- Missing sentence boundary before 'therefore' corrected with a full stop and capital letter, and 'year 8' corrected to 'Year 8'

Question 14

(a) B1 'Nevertheless' used accurately at the start of the second idea, correctly signalling contrast/concession
(a) B1 sentence(s) grammatically complete and correctly punctuated (comma after 'Nevertheless'), cao
(a) Answer: Sample answer (indicative, not the only acceptable response): 'The hike was exhausting. Nevertheless, the view from the summit made every step worthwhile.'
(b) B1 'As a result' used accurately at the start of the effect, correctly signalling cause and effect
(b) B1 sentence(s) grammatically complete and correctly punctuated (comma after 'As a result'), cao
(b) Answer: Sample answer (indicative, not the only acceptable response): 'The team practised every evening for a month. As a result, they won the regional tournament.'

Question 15

B1 first discourse marker inserted with an appropriate function for its position (e.g. 'While there,' or 'For example,'), oe
B1 first insertion correctly punctuated (comma after the marker), cao
B1 second discourse marker inserted with a different, appropriate function (e.g. 'In fact,' or 'As a result,'), oe
B1 second insertion correctly punctuated and the original sentence order kept, cao
Answer: Year 8 students visited the science museum on Tuesday. While there, they tested model rockets in the workshop. Everyone enjoyed the trip; in fact, some students want to return next year.

Question 16

AO5: Content and organisation (AO5)
- Level 1 (1-2): Simple statement of opinion; little development or organisation.
- Level 2 (3): Some relevant reasoning to support the opinion; ideas mostly sequenced clearly.
- Level 3 (4-5): Clear, developed and convincing argument with a consistent viewpoint; well organised, with a clear opening and closing idea.
AO6: Technical accuracy (range of connectives) (AO6)
- Level 1 (1): Limited accuracy; the three required connective types are mostly missing or used incorrectly.
- Level 2 (2): Most of the three required connective types are present and mostly accurate, with occasional errors.
- Level 3 (3): All three required connective types are present, clearly marked and used accurately and appropriately, alongside a controlled range of other sentence forms.

Question 17

(a) B1 'Furthermore' correctly placed at the start of the sentence, followed by a comma
(a) B1 sentence is coherent, relevant to the ongoing argument and grammatically complete, cao
(a) Answer: Sample answer (indicative, not the only acceptable response): 'Furthermore, a later start would match the school day more closely with public transport timetables, reducing overcrowding on morning buses.'
(b) B1 'In conclusion' correctly placed at the start of the sentence, followed by a comma
(b) B1 sentence sums up the overall argument and is grammatically complete, cao
(b) Answer: Sample answer (indicative, not the only acceptable response): 'In conclusion, although the change would require careful planning, the benefits for pupils' wellbeing and concentration make a later start time worth trying.'

Connectives and Discourse Markers - Worksheets, Questions and Revision