Study the rules, look at the examples, then do the exercises.
At A2 you joined ideas with a few basic words: and, but, so, because. That is enough for short sentences, but real B1 writing and speaking need more. To sound natural, you must show contrast (two ideas that clash), give a reason, and describe a result — all inside longer, connected sentences.
This unit gives you the tools for that. The most important skill is knowing what comes after each linking word: some need a full clause (subject + verb), while others need only a noun or an -ing form. Choosing the wrong one is the most common B1 mistake, so we will focus on it carefully.
Use although, even though or though to connect two ideas that are surprising together. The key rule: each of these is followed by a full clause (a subject and a verb). Even though is a stronger, more emphatic version of although; though is more informal and can also go at the end of a sentence.
| Linker | What follows | Example |
|---|---|---|
| although | subject + verb (a clause) | Although he was tired, he kept working. |
| even though | subject + verb (stronger contrast) | Even though it was expensive, she bought it. |
| though | subject + verb (informal; also end position) | It was a good film. I did not like the ending, though. |
Despite and in spite of mean exactly the same as although, but the grammar is different: they are followed by a noun, a pronoun, or an -ing form — never a full clause. This is the single most important table in the unit.
| Structure | Correct form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| despite / in spite of + noun | a noun phrase | Despite the noise, I slept well. |
| despite / in spite of + -ing | verb + -ing | In spite of feeling ill, she came to work. |
| despite / in spite of + the fact that + clause | the only way to use a clause | Despite the fact that it was late, we continued. |
Both give a reason, and again the difference is only in the grammar. Because is followed by a clause; because of is followed by a noun.
| Linker | What follows | Example |
|---|---|---|
| because | subject + verb (a clause) | We stayed in because it was raining. |
| because of | a noun / noun phrase | We stayed in because of the rain. |
To show that something is so extreme that it causes a result, English uses two patterns. The choice depends on whether an adjective stands alone or comes with a noun.
| Pattern | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| so ... that | so + adjective + that | The soup was so hot that I burned my mouth. |
| such ... that | such + (a/an) + adjective + noun + that | It was such a hot day that we stayed inside. |
However is a connecting adverb. Unlike but, it usually joins two separate sentences and shows a contrast between them. Punctuation matters: put a full stop (or a semicolon) before it, and a comma after it.
| Word | Position & punctuation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| but | joins two clauses inside one sentence | It was cheap, but it was very good. |
| however | starts a new sentence + comma | It was cheap. However, it was very good. |
These are the errors B1 students make most often with linking words. Almost all of them come from putting the wrong thing (a clause or a noun) after the linker.
| Wrong ✗ | Right ✓ | Why? |
|---|---|---|
| Although the bad weather, we went out. | Despite the bad weather, we went out. | a noun follows → use despite / in spite of. |
| Despite it was raining, we went out. | Although it was raining, we went out. | a clause follows → use although / even though. |
| The match stopped because of it rained. | The match stopped because it rained. | a clause follows → use because, not because of. |
| It was so nice weather that we walked. | It was such nice weather that we walked. | an adjective + noun follows → use such. |
| It was cheap, however it was good. | It was cheap. However, it was good. | however needs a full stop before it and a comma after. |
Two friends talk about a marathon. Read it twice and notice how each linking word is followed by the right structure — a clause after although / because, a noun after despite / because of, and the so/such ... that pattern for results.
Choose the correct answer. — 10 questions, each one is marked instantly. Questions get harder as you go.
Learn the words, then use them — with linking words — to talk about a real challenge.
Write 8 sentences about a challenge you have faced and how you dealt with it. Use at least 8 of the words above.
Sentence starters (you can begin with these):
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will review your task.)
Read the text, then answer the questions.
Good readers prepare before they start. Before you read, think about these three questions (you do not need to write the answers):
Words to spot (from the Speaking section): challenge · overcome · effort · patience · determined · succeed · difficulty · improve
Maria owns one of the most popular restaurants in her town, but her success did not come easily. Although she always loved cooking, she never studied at a famous cooking school, because her family did not have much money. Despite this difficult start, she never gave up on her dream.
Maria grew up in a small house near the edge of her town. Her parents worked very long hours, so she often spent her afternoons in the kitchen with her grandmother. Together they made simple meals from cheap vegetables, fresh bread and a little meat. Her grandmother used to say that good food does not need to be expensive; it only needs care and time. Maria listened carefully and remembered every word. Even as a young girl, she loved the smell of onions cooking slowly in a pan and the sound of plates and spoons in a busy kitchen. She dreamed of a place full of happy people, warm plates and the noise of friends talking and laughing. She did not know yet how she would build it, but the dream stayed with her for many years.
When she was nineteen, Maria got a job as a kitchen assistant. The work was so hard that she often wanted to quit. However, she stayed because she wanted to learn everything about running a kitchen. In spite of the long hours, she practised new recipes at home every night, while her friends were out having fun.
During those early years, Maria did almost every job in the kitchen. She washed dishes, cut vegetables, cleaned the floor and carried heavy boxes from the back door. At first, the head chef did not pay much attention to her. However, he slowly noticed that she was always the first to arrive and the last to leave. One evening he stopped her and said, "You work harder than anyone here. If you keep learning like this, one day you will have your own kitchen." Maria never forgot those words. She began to ask him many questions about flavours, timing and how to plan a menu. She wrote everything in a small notebook, which she still keeps today. Little by little, she learned not only how to cook, but also how to lead a team and how to stay calm when the restaurant was completely full.
After eight years, Maria decided to open her own restaurant. It was such a big risk that her friends were worried. The first year was extremely difficult. Because of a slow start, she almost lost all her savings. Even though the restaurant was nearly empty for months, Maria kept improving her menu with patience and effort.
That first winter was the hardest time of her life. On many cold nights, only one or two tables were full, and sometimes nobody came at all. Maria would stand by the window, look at the empty street and wonder if she had made a terrible mistake. She could not afford to pay for advertisements, so she tried other ideas instead. She offered small free dishes to people who passed by, and she asked every guest what they liked and what she could do better. Some days she felt like crying, but she reminded herself of her grandmother's words and her old notebook full of dreams. Slowly, a few customers began to return, and they brought their families and friends with them. Each new face gave Maria a little more hope.
Slowly, things changed. Local newspapers wrote about her fresh, creative food, and more customers arrived. Although she was still tired every day, she felt proud, because she had overcome so many difficulties. Her restaurant became so well known that people now travel from other cities to eat there.
One of her first regular customers was an old man named Mr Kaya, who lived alone nearby. He came every Friday and always ordered the same warm soup. "Your food tastes like home," he told her once, and Maria almost cried with happiness. Stories like this spread quickly around the town. People liked not only the food but also the friendly, patient way that Maria treated everyone. She learned the names of her guests and remembered their favourite dishes. As the months passed, the small dining room was often completely full, and Maria had to hire more cooks and waiters to help her. She trained each new worker with the same patience that the old chef had once shown to her.
As her restaurant grew, Maria decided to keep it simple and honest, just like the meals her grandmother had taught her to make. She bought most of her vegetables from small farms near the town, because the food was fresher and she wanted to help the local farmers. Her most famous dish was still that same warm soup, made from an old family recipe. Many visitors said they had never tasted anything like it. Maria was proud that her success also helped other people in her community. She often gave free meals to families who were going through hard times, because she remembered clearly how difficult her own start had been. For her, a good restaurant was not only about money; it was about kindness too.
Today, Maria still works long hours, but she is happy. She often tells young cooks that talent is important; however, hard work and patience matter even more. Despite all the challenges, she believes that anyone can succeed if they stay determined and never stop trying.
When young cooks ask her for advice, Maria always gives the same answer. She tells them to be patient, to listen to their customers, and to treat every small job as an important one. "Nobody starts at the top," she says with a smile. "I began by washing dishes, and I learned something new every single day." She also reminds them that mistakes are not the end; they are simply lessons that make you better. For Maria, the empty tables of that first winter now feel like a distant memory, yet she never forgets how hard those early days were. That memory keeps her humble and grateful, and it is the real secret behind the warm, busy restaurant that so many people love today.
Choose the correct answer.
Are these sentences true or false, according to the text?
Complete each sentence with ONE linking word from the text. Mind the grammar (a clause or a noun follows).
Write your answer in your own words. These questions are not marked automatically.
1. Why did Maria stay in her first kitchen job even though the work was very hard?
2. How did Maria behave during the difficult first year of her own restaurant?
3. What is Maria's main message to young cooks about success?
Find these connectors in the text — each one appears at least once: although, even though, despite, in spite of, because, because of, so ... that, such ... that, however. (You will use these same connectors in the Writing section.) Note them down, then check.
Sarah and Todd talk about all the computers and phones they own.
You will hear two friends, Sarah and Todd, talking about the many computers and phones they own and why they keep so many. You will listen TWICE. First listen: answer questions 1-5. Second listen: answer questions 6-10. (Kaydı İKİ kez dinleyeceksin: ilk dinlemede 1-5, ikinci dinlemede 6-10.)
Write and submit your paragraph; your teacher will review it.
A list of short, separate sentences is not strong B1 writing. What makes writing mature is the connections between ideas. This unit gives you a full set of linkers for contrast, reason and result. Use them — and remember the golden rule: put the right structure after each one.
| Connector | Use it to... | Example |
|---|---|---|
| although / even though | show contrast (+ clause) | Although it was hard, I finished. |
| despite / in spite of | show contrast (+ noun / -ing) | Despite the difficulty, I finished. |
| because | give a reason (+ clause) | I stayed because I wanted to learn. |
| because of | give a reason (+ noun) | We stopped because of the rain. |
| so ... that | show a result (+ adjective) | It was so hard that I nearly quit. |
| such ... that | show a result (+ noun phrase) | It was such a challenge that I grew stronger. |
| however | contrast between two sentences | I failed once. However, I tried again. |
See the difference — the same facts, written two ways:
| Separate sentences ✗ | Connected, fluent writing ✓ |
|---|---|
| I wanted to learn to drive. I was nervous. I failed the first test. I did not give up. I passed later. | Although I wanted to learn to drive, I was very nervous. Because of my nerves, I failed the first test. However, I did not give up, and I passed later. |
A "challenge" paragraph has three parts. The skeleton stays the same every time — you change the content, not the structure:
| Part | What to write | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Opening | Name the challenge in one general sentence | Learning to drive was one of the biggest challenges of my life. |
| 2. Body | The difficulties and how you dealt with them. Use contrast (although / despite), reason (because / because of) and result (so / such ... that). | Although I was nervous, I practised every weekend. Because of my effort, I slowly improved. |
| 3. Closing | What you learned, or how you feel now | However, I never gave up, and today I feel proud. |
Write about a challenge you have faced and how you dealt with it. Show contrast, give reasons and describe results with linking words.
Değerlendirme öğretmenin tarafından yapılacak. (Your teacher will evaluate your writing.)
Mixed questions from the whole unit, then check what you can do.
14 questions: grammar + vocabulary + reading + listening. Each question is marked instantly.
Tick what you can do now. Honest answers help your teacher.
İşaretlemediğin madde varsa ilgili bölüme dönüp tekrar çalış — soldaki menüden her bölüme geri dönebilirsin.
Oturum kontrol ediliyor...