表示原因和对比的连接词（because, so, although）

句子稍微变长之后，就需要一些词把不同的意思连接起来——解释某件事为什么发生、导致了什么结果，或者两个想法不太一致的地方。英语里正好有一小套连接词专门做这件事，难点不在意思本身，而在于每个词要求的语法结构：有些后面接一个从句（有主语和谓语），有些只接一个名词。

速记窍门： 用来连接两个意思时，because、since、as、although、even though、though 后面都接一个从句（有主语和谓语）：because it was raining。而 because of、despite、in spite of 后面接名词或 -ing 形式，绝不接从句：because of the rain、despite being tired。

说明原因：because、because of、since、as

Because 引出某件事的原因，后面接一个从句：

• I stayed home because it was raining.
• Because she was tired, she went to bed early.（表示原因的句子也可以放在前面）

Because of 表达类似的原因，但语法结构不同——后面接名词短语或 -ing 形式，而不是从句：

• ✅ I stayed home because of the rain. ——绝不说 ❌ because of it was raining。
• The match was cancelled because of the storm.

Since 和 as 也可以引出原因，后面同样接一个从句，用法和 because 一样。它们听起来更正式一些，通常放在句子开头，用来引出听话人多半已经知道或能猜到的背景信息。有一点要留意：since 和 as 还有完全不同的、和时间有关的意思（since 表示“从某个时间点开始”，as 表示“与此同时”），具体是哪种意思要看上下文：

• Since you're already here, let's start the meeting.
• As it was getting late, we decided to leave.

表达结果：so

So 引出某件事的结果——它的方向和 because 正好相反。当它这样连接两个分句时，前面通常要加逗号：

• It was raining, so we stayed home.（原因，so，结果）
• 对比：We stayed home because it was raining.（结果，because，原因）——同样的事实，顺序相反。

这里的 so 和用于加强语气的 so...that 结构（so tired that I fell asleep）是完全不同的词——如果也想了解那个结构，可以参考 So / such。

中文里“因为……所以……”成对出现很自然，但英语通常不能把 because 和 so 放在同一个句子里对应使用：❌ Because it was raining, so we stayed home. 选一个就够了：✅ Because it was raining, we stayed home. / ✅ It was raining, so we stayed home.

表达对比：although、even though、though，以及 despite、in spite of

Although、even though、though 都引出一个和主要意思相对比的从句。Even though 的语气比 although 更强、更强调；though 意思相同，但更口语化，还可以移到句子末尾：

• Although it was raining, we went for a walk.
• Even though she was exhausted, she finished the race.
• We went for a walk, though it was raining. / We went for a walk. It was raining, though.

Despite 和 in spite of 意思相同，但和 because of 一样，后面接名词或 -ing 形式，绝不接从句：

• ✅ We went for a walk despite the rain. ——绝不说 ❌ despite it was raining。
• ✅ She finished the race despite being exhausted. / …in spite of being exhausted.
• 如果真的需要在 despite/in spite of 后面接一个从句，可以加上 the fact that：despite the fact that it was raining.

But 和 however

But 常常在一个句子内部连接两个相对比的意思，放在两部分之间（在非正式或中性的书面语中，它也可以用来开始一个新句子）：

• It was raining, but we went for a walk anyway.

However 是一个副词，不是像 but 那样的连接词——它不能像 but 那样直接连接两个独立分句，因此需要自己的标点：前面要有句号（或分号），后面通常还要加逗号：

• It was raining. However, we went for a walk anyway.
• It was raining; however, we went for a walk anyway.
• ❌ It was raining, however we went for a walk.（一个逗号没办法这样连接两个完整分句——要么用 but，要么用 however 另起一句）

常见错误

• ❌ I stayed home because of it was raining. → ✅ I stayed home because it was raining. / …because of the rain.（because of 后面要接名词，不能接从句）
• ❌ Despite it was raining, we went out. → ✅ Despite the rain, we went out. / …although it was raining, …（despite 后面要接名词/-ing 形式，不能接从句）
• ❌ It was raining, however we went out. → ✅ It was raining. However, we went out.（however 前面要有句号或分号，不能只用逗号）
• ❌ Because she was tired, so she stayed home. → ✅ Because she was tired, she stayed home. / ✅ She was tired, so she stayed home.（because 和 so 各自都已经表示了这层关系——两个一起用就多余了）
• ❌ Although she was tired, but she kept working. → ✅ Although she was tired, she kept working.（英语通常只用 although 或 but 中的一个，不会两个一起用）

小测验

每个空该填哪个连接词？

1. We arrived late ____ the traffic. (because / because of)
2. ____ it was cold, they went swimming. (despite / although)
3. He passed the exam ____ he barely studied. (even though / because)
4. The shop was busy. ____, we found a table quickly. (However / But)
5. She left early ____ being the last to arrive. (despite / because)

要点总结

• Because、since、as 用来说明原因，后面接从句；because of 说明同样的原因，但后面接名词或 -ing 形式。
• So 引出结果，用逗号和表示原因的句子连接：原因，so 结果。
• Although、even though、though 引出表示对比的从句；despite 和 in spite of 意思相同，但后面接名词或 -ing 形式，绝不接从句。
• But 在一个句子里连接两个相对比的部分；however 在两个独立的句子之间表达同样的对比，前面需要句号或分号。
• Although 和 but 不会在同一个句子里一起使用——两者只需要一个。