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Study in the app →English · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 45
It was late, so I went home Era tarde, así que me fui a casa
Este es el último capítulo del Band 1 — un repaso que une tus oraciones. Vocabulario: and, but, or, so, because, also, then, again, together, everyone, finally, really. Gramática clave: cuatro palabritas que UNEN ideas. "and" añade una idea parecida: "I like tea and coffee". "but" muestra un contraste: "I like tea but not coffee". "so" muestra un RESULTADO: "It was late, so I went home". "because" da una RAZÓN: "I went home because it was late". Fíjate en que "so" y "because" son imágenes reflejadas: con "so", la causa va primero y el resultado después (causa, so resultado); con "because", el resultado va primero y la razón después (resultado because razón). Usa solo UN conector por enlace. Nota: algunos aprendices marcan la razón y el resultado a la vez — "Because I was tired, so I slept" ✗ → "I slept because I was tired" ✓ o "I was tired, so I slept" ✓. Elige uno. Rincón de pronunciación: los conectores débiles "and" /ən/, "but" /bət/ y "because" /bɪˈkəz/. ¡Bien hecho — con esto terminas el Band 1!
Dialogue
Why are you tired? — ¿Por qué estás cansado?
- Emma Minsu, you look tired today. Why? Minsu, hoy pareces cansado. ¿Por qué?
- Minsu Because I studied all night, so I am sleepy. Porque estudié toda la noche, así que tengo sueño. (desliz: usa un solo conector: I studied all night, so I am sleepy)
- Emma Use just one — say "I studied all night, so I am sleepy", or "I am sleepy because I studied all night". Usa solo uno — di "I studied all night, so I am sleepy", o "I am sleepy because I studied all night".
- Minsu Ah! I am sleepy because I studied all night. But the test was easy! ¡Ah! Tengo sueño porque estudié toda la noche. ¡Pero el examen fue fácil!
- Emma Good! So you can relax now and rest. ¡Bien! Así que ahora puedes relajarte y descansar.
- Minsu Yes. I will sleep, and then I will celebrate! Sí. Voy a dormir, y luego voy a celebrar.
Dialogue
We finished the course! — ¡Terminamos el curso!
- Jack Emma, we finished the English course! Are you happy? Emma, ¡terminamos el curso de inglés! ¿Estás contenta?
- Emma Yes, really happy! It was hard, but I learned a lot. Sí, ¡de verdad contenta! Fue difícil, pero aprendí mucho.
- Jack Me too. So let's celebrate together this weekend. Yo también. Así que celebremos juntos este fin de semana.
- Emma Great idea! We can go to the beach or watch a film. ¡Buena idea! Podemos ir a la playa o ver una película.
- Jack The beach, because the weather is nice. And then we can eat dinner. A la playa, porque hace buen tiempo. Y luego podemos cenar.
- Emma Perfect. Finally, we can relax. Well done, everyone! Perfecto. Por fin podemos relajarnos. ¡Bien hecho, todos!
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| and | conj. | y | |
| but | conj. | pero | |
| or | conj. | o | |
| so | conj. | así que | |
| because | conj. | porque | |
| also | adv. | también | |
| then | adv. | entonces, luego | |
| again | adv. | otra vez, de nuevo | |
| together | adv. | juntos | |
| everyone | pron. | todos | |
| finally | adv. | finalmente, por fin | |
| really | adv. | de verdad, realmente |
Grammar
Joining sentences: and, but, so, because Unir oraciones: and, but, so, because
Four little words let you join two ideas into one sentence. "and" ADDS a similar idea: "I like tea and coffee", "She reads and writes". "but" shows a CONTRAST: "I like tea but not coffee", "It is small but comfortable". "or" gives a CHOICE: "Tea or coffee?", "We can walk or take the bus". "so" shows a RESULT — it goes between the cause and the result: "It was late, so I went home" (cause + so + result). "because" gives a REASON — it goes before the reason: "I went home because it was late" (result + because + cause). So "so" and "because" describe the SAME situation from opposite ends: you can say "I was tired, so I slept" OR "I slept because I was tired", and the order of cause and result flips. Two rules: (1) use only ONE connector per link — do not use "because" and "so" together; (2) in writing, we usually put a comma before "but" and "so" when they join two full sentences. Note: many learners mark both the cause and the result at once, copying their first language: "Because I was tired, so I slept" ✗. Keep just one: "I slept because I was tired" ✓ or "I was tired, so I slept" ✓.
Cuatro palabritas te permiten unir dos ideas en una oración. "and" AÑADE una idea parecida: "I like tea and coffee", "She reads and writes". "but" muestra un CONTRASTE: "I like tea but not coffee", "It is small but comfortable". "or" da una ELECCIÓN: "Tea or coffee?", "We can walk or take the bus". "so" muestra un RESULTADO — va entre la causa y el resultado: "It was late, so I went home" (causa + so + resultado). "because" da una RAZÓN — va antes de la razón: "I went home because it was late" (resultado + because + causa). Así "so" y "because" describen la MISMA situación desde extremos opuestos: puedes decir "I was tired, so I slept" O "I slept because I was tired", y el orden de causa y resultado se invierte. Dos reglas: (1) usa solo UN conector por enlace — no uses "because" y "so" juntos; (2) al escribir, solemos poner una coma antes de "but" y "so" cuando unen dos oraciones completas. Nota: muchos aprendices marcan la causa y el resultado a la vez, copiando su lengua materna: "Because I was tired, so I slept" ✗. Deja solo uno: "I slept because I was tired" ✓ o "I was tired, so I slept" ✓.
- I like tea and coffee. Me gusta el té y el café.
- I like tea but not coffee. Me gusta el té pero no el café.
- It was late, so I went home. Era tarde, así que me fui a casa.
- I went home because it was late. Me fui a casa porque era tarde.
- Do you want tea or coffee? ¿Quieres té o café?
pronunciation
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