Year 3 · English · Language
Joining ideas with conjunctions
Using 'and', 'but', 'so' and 'because' to join ideas and make longer, clearer sentences.
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These lessons were written around Australian Curriculum strands and matched to UK year groups by age (Year 1 is the year a child turns 6 in England). They are not mapped to the National Curriculum in England or the curricula of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, so check them against your own plans.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Use the conjunctions 'and', 'but', 'so' and 'because' to join two ideas.
- Choose the conjunction that shows how the ideas are linked.
- Write longer, clearer sentences instead of many short ones.
Success looks like
- I can join two ideas with 'and' or 'but'.
- I can use 'so' to show what happened next as a result.
- I can use 'because' to give a reason.
The big idea
Short sentences are clear, but lots of them in a row can sound choppy: 'I was hot. I had a drink.' Conjunctions are joining words that link ideas together to make longer, smoother sentences: 'I was hot, so I had a drink.'
Each conjunction shows a different link between ideas:
- and adds another idea: 'I fed the fish and I watered the plants.'
- but shows something different or unexpected: 'I like apples but I do not like pears.'
- so shows a result, what happened next because of the first idea: 'It was raining, so we took an umbrella.'
- because gives a reason, why something happened: 'We took an umbrella because it was raining.'
Notice that 'so' and 'because' can describe the same situation in opposite orders. With so, the cause comes first and the result second. With because, the result comes first and the reason second.
To choose a conjunction, ask: 'Am I adding, showing a difference, showing a result or giving a reason?' Then read the joined sentence aloud to check that it makes sense.
Worked examples
Joining with 'but'
Join: 'I wanted to play outside.' 'It was too windy.'
- Ask how the ideas are linked. The second idea stops the first from happening, so it is different from what we wanted.
- Choose 'but'.
- Take away the first full stop and the second capital letter: 'I wanted to play outside but it was too windy.'
Answer: I wanted to play outside but it was too windy.
Joining with 'because'
Join: 'Max was tired.' 'He had run a long way.'
- Ask: why was Max tired? Because he ran a long way. The second idea is a reason.
- Choose 'because'.
- 'Max was tired because he had run a long way.'
Answer: Max was tired because he had run a long way.
Same ideas, two ways
Write 'The ice cream melted because it was hot.' using 'so' instead.
- Find the cause: it was hot. Find the result: the ice cream melted.
- With 'so', the cause goes first.
- 'It was hot, so the ice cream melted.'
Answer: It was hot, so the ice cream melted.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Choose the best conjunction: 'I wore my coat ___ it was cold.'
because — Being cold is the reason for wearing a coat, so 'because' fits.
Choose the best conjunction: 'I like apples ___ I do not like pears.'
but — 'But' shows that the second idea is different from the first.
Choose the best conjunction: 'It was raining ___ we took an umbrella.'
so — Taking an umbrella is the result of the rain, so 'so' fits.
Which conjunction simply adds another idea?
and — 'And' adds more information.
Which sentence makes sense?
I was hungry so I ate a snack. — Eating a snack is a sensible result of being hungry.
Type the conjunction in this sentence: 'Tom smiled because he found his shoe.'
because — 'Because' joins the two ideas and gives the reason Tom smiled.
Fill the gap with a conjunction: 'We went to the park ___ played on the swings.'
and — 'And' adds the next thing we did.
Fill the gap with a conjunction that gives a reason: 'The ice cream melted ___ it was a hot day.'
because — A hot day is the reason the ice cream melted.
Watch out for
- Using 'and' for every join ('and then… and then…'). Encourage your child to ask how the ideas are linked.
- Mixing up 'so' and 'because' ('It was raining because we took an umbrella'). Ask, 'Which came first? Which is the reason?'
- Starting a new capital letter after the conjunction ('I ran but It rained'). The joined ideas are now one sentence.
Tips for parents
- Say a sentence starter such as 'I was happy because…' and let your child finish it aloud.
- Point out 'because' and 'so' when you hear them in everyday talk.
- When your child writes two short sentences, ask, 'Could you join these with a conjunction?'
Go further
- Play 'Because chain': one person says a sentence ending in 'because', the next gives a reason, then adds a new 'because'.
- Write a 'but' story where every sentence has a surprise: 'I planned a picnic, but…'
- Cut joined sentences in half, mix them up and match them again with conjunction cards.
About 30 minutes
You'll need
- Four cards with 'and', 'but', 'so' and 'because' written on them
- Sentence strips cut from paper
- Pencils and lined paper
Key words
- conjunction
- A joining word that links ideas, such as 'and', 'but', 'so' and 'because'.
- idea
- A thought. In a sentence, an idea usually has someone or something and what they do or are.
- reason
- Why something happens. 'Because' introduces a reason.
- result
- What happens next because of something. 'So' introduces a result.
Still tricky?
For parents
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