Connectors join your ideas: Connectors (los conectores, also called linking words) are the little words and phrases that glue your sentences together — «además», «sin embargo», «por eso», «por ejemplo». They show the reader or listener how one idea relates to the next: is it adding, contrasting, explaining a cause, or drawing a conclusion? Without them your writing reads like a shopping list; with them it flows as a single, connected argument.
- el conector
- the connector — a word/phrase that links ideas
- la cohesión
- cohesion — how well ideas hang together as one text
- añadir
- to add — to put one more idea alongside another
- el contraste
- contrast — showing two ideas pull in opposite directions
- la causa
- cause — the reason why something happens
- la consecuencia
- consequence — the result that follows from a cause
They lift your band: Examiners reward cohesion directly. A handful of well-placed connectors is one of the quickest ways to move from a list of simple sentences into the higher bands in both the written task and the oral. Aim to use two or three different ones in every paragraph.
Six jobs, six toolkits: Connectors come in families, grouped by the job they do. You don't need them all — pick one or two from each family and use them confidently. Here are the six jobs you meet most in Spanish B.
| Job (función) | Conectores | Qué señala |
|---|---|---|
| Adición | además, también, asimismo | adds another idea (furthermore, also) |
| Contraste | pero, sin embargo, aunque, no obstante | two ideas pull apart (but, however, although) |
| Causa | porque, ya que, debido a | gives the reason (because, since, due to) |
| Consecuencia | por eso, así que, por lo tanto | gives the result (so, therefore) |
| Secuencia | primero, luego, después, finalmente | orders steps (first, then, after, finally) |
| Ejemplificar | por ejemplo, es decir | gives an example / rephrases (for example, that is) |
Cómo usarlos
- Adición — «Me gusta el cine. Además, voy al teatro a menudo.» (I like the cinema. Furthermore, I often go to the theatre.)
- Contraste — «Es caro, pero vale la pena.» (It's expensive, but it's worth it.)
- Causa — «No salgo porque llueve.» (I'm not going out because it's raining.)
- Consecuencia — «Llueve, por eso me quedo en casa.» (It's raining, so I'm staying home.)
Match the connector to the job: Before you write a connector, ask what relationship you mean: adding, contrasting, explaining why, or showing a result. Picking from the right family is what makes your text read smoothly. «sin embargo» = contrast; «por eso» = result — never swap them.
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Where connectors earn marks: Connectors aren't decoration — they do real work in the exam. Here are the moments where reaching for one lifts your cohesion and pushes you into a higher band, each with a Spanish example.
Cuándo usarlos
- Building an argument in writing — «Es importante reciclar. Por lo tanto, separo la basura en casa.» (It's important to recycle. Therefore, I separate the rubbish at home.)
- Adding a second reason — «Me gusta viajar. Asimismo, así practico idiomas.» (I like travelling. Likewise, that way I practise languages.)
- Conceding a point in a discussion — «Aunque es difícil, lo intento.» (Although it's hard, I try.)
- Ordering ideas in the oral — «Primero hablaré del problema y luego de la solución.» (First I'll talk about the problem and then about the solution.)
- Illustrating with an example — «Hay muchos hobbies; por ejemplo, la música.» (There are many hobbies; for example, music.)
Two or three per paragraph: You don't need a connector in every sentence — that sounds forced. Aim for two or three well-chosen ones per paragraph, and vary them. A text that only ever uses «y» to join ideas stays in the lower bands.
One paragraph, ideas strung together: Here's a short paragraph that uses a connector from a different family in almost every sentence — adding, exemplifying, contrasting, showing cause and result, sequencing and concluding. Read it once for meaning, then tap Ver traducción or 🔊 to hear it. Notice how the connectors carry you from one idea to the next.
Los conectores en acción
Un párrafo, idea tras idea
- En mi opinión, aprender idiomas es muy útil. Además, abre muchas puertas en el futuro.
- Por ejemplo, una persona bilingüe puede trabajar en el extranjero o estudiar fuera.
- Sin embargo, estudiar un idioma requiere tiempo, ya que hay mucho vocabulario nuevo.
- Por eso, practico todos los días; primero repaso las palabras y luego escribo un texto corto.
- En conclusión, aunque cuesta esfuerzo, vale la pena aprender otra lengua.
Steal this skeleton: The shape is reusable: opinion + «Además» (add) + «Por ejemplo» (illustrate) + «Sin embargo» (contrast) + «Por eso» (result) + «En conclusión» (close). Drop your own topic into it and you have a connected paragraph for any discursive task.
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The slips to watch for: Most connector mistakes are about picking the wrong family or overusing one word. The classic one: starting a sentence with «porque» as if it could stand alone — it links a cause inside a sentence, so for a new sentence showing a result you want «por eso». Compare the right version with the typical mistake.
Correcto
- Llueve. Por eso me quedo en casa.
- Me gusta leer y también escribir.
- Es caro, sin embargo lo compro.
Error común
- Llueve. Porque me quedo en casa.
- Me gusta leer y escribir y ver la tele y salir.
- Es caro, por eso lo compro pero no me gusta.
Check the relationship, not just the word: Before writing a connector, name the relationship: am I adding, contrasting or showing a result? If a sentence starts with «Porque…» on its own, it's almost always wrong — turn the cause into a result with «Por eso…», and stop stringing everything together with «y».