Connectors

 Grammar Check
Showing Cause-Effect vs. Purpose  with so-that, so that & so Framed | Unframed 

 

 

Read  & Contrast

Showing Cause-Effect  vs. Purpose Meteor Shower

SO (adjective/adverb) THAT SO (THAT) / IN ORDER TO
STATEMENT - CAUSE EFFECT STATEMENT PURPOSE
The meteor storm was beautiful.
 We stayed out all night watching it.
 		 We stayed out all night.
 We were watching the meteor storm.
 
The meteor storm was so beautiful that we stayed out all night watching it.  (adjective) We stayed out all night so that we could watch a meteor storm.
We stayed out all night so (that) we could watch a meteor storm.
The meteor shot across the sky so swiftly that we couldn't photograph it. (adverb) We stayed out all night in order to watch a meteor storm.
, SO  
STATEMENT - CAUSE EFFECT
The meteor storm was beautiful. We stayed out all night watching it.
The meteor storm was, so we stayed out all night watching it. 

 

Punctuation

Context and the comma determine meaning:

SO (THAT) - NO COMMA SO  - COMMA      
The baby pulled the lever so he could get some candy. The baby cried, so his mother gave him candy.
baby reaching for gumballPurpose baby cryingResult      more info

 

 

 
 

Practice

 

  1. Read the sentence and decide which "so" phrase should be used.  Note the punctuation.
  2. Select a connector.  *Indicates and incorrect answer.
  3. Use the <Reset> button to erase your answers and retest yourself.
 Comet

 

 

1. Scientists want to study such phenomena they can understand "bio-origins'.

so that , so

 

2. The sky was full of clouds many Leonid watchers couldn't see the sky.

so that      so -- that

 

3. A rainstorm was approaching the sky was overcast. (cloudy)

so that       , so

 

4. They went up in airplanes they could be above the cloud cover.

so that       , so

 

5. Leonid's trail is wide as it passes earth, it affects the upper atmosphere.

so -- that       so that

 

6. Because of the danger of "bullet particles", satellites are being repositioned they will be less likely to be damaged.

so that      so

 

7. Scientists over the past century have noticed that this Leonid storm occurs every 33 years they predicted it would return this year.

so that       , so

 

8. The best view is expected to be in Asia many scientists have flown there to make their observations.

so that       , so

 

9. A lot of people head for the mountains with warm sleeping bags they can sleep out and watch the stars.

so that       so -- that

 

10. In ancient times people were frightened by meteor storms because they didn't understand what was happening they believed the storms were bad "omens". (sign of bad luck to come)

so that       , so

 

11. Meteor showers are amazing they still cause people to gather and watch them.

so that       so - that

 

 

 

 
 


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Julie Sevastopoulos - ESL Department - College of San Mateo - San Mateo, CA 94402 USA