6 WRITING EXTRA

ELEMENTARY UNIT 6 4 Read the profile below. Choose so or because.

because and so
WRITING TIP
We use because to explain why we do something.
We drank a lot of water because it was hot.
She looked for a new job because she wasn’t happy in her
old job.
We use so to describe what the result is.
It was hot, so we drank a lot of water.
She wasn’t happy in her job, so she looked for a new job.
We use a comma before so but not before because.
1 Match the sentences halves.
1 I missed breakfast yesterday, …
2 Ken studied very hard, …
3 I studied history at university …
4 Jack is very fit …
5 It was raining yesterday, …
6 Sarah’s really happy …
7 I love cooking, …
8 Sam was late to class …
a) because he goes to the gym every day.
b) so I drove to work.
c) because his alarm clock didn’t go off.
d) so I was hungry all morning.
e) so he passed all his exams.
f) so I’m now a chef.
g) because she passed all her exams.
h) because it was my favourite subject at school.
Mike Jenkins was born in
Hong Kong in 1983. His
parents were British, but
they lived in Hong Kong
1
because/so they worked
for an Asian bank there.
In 1989, Mike’s dad got a
new job, 2because/so they
moved back to the UK. Mike started at my school when he
was five and we became best friends 3because/so we both
loved drawing and painting.
When we were seventeen, Mike’s mother died 4because/so
she was very ill. Mike and his father were very, very sad,
5
because/so Mike didn’t come to school for a few weeks.
When he came back, he was still very sad, but he said he
wanted to make his mother happy and help other ill people.
Mike studied art at university and he was the best student
in his class. The local hospital asked him to paint some
pictures 6because/so they wanted to make the hospital
patients feel happy. The hospital wanted to pay him, but
he said he didn’t want any money. When people saw
his paintings in the hospital they wanted to buy them,
7
because/so Mike had an idea.
Mike helps a lot of ill people now 8because/so he gives all
the money he makes from his paintings to charity. I admire
Mike 9because/so he uses his talent for painting to help
people, and he loves his work, 10because/so he is always
happy too.
5 Write a profile of somebody you admire. It can be a
friend, someone you know or a famous person. Write
about what they do/did and why you admire them.

2 Complete the sentences with so or because. Add a

comma where needed.
1 Tom was fat he ate a lot.
2 We were happy she was so kind.
3 It was cold I wore a coat.
4 You’re late you need to run.
5 Tom takes the bus he can’t drive.
6 John was tired he went to bed early.

3 Join each pair of sentences with so or because.

1 At school I liked art. I had a very good teacher. Plan you writing
• Think about the person you admire.
2 I moved to Madrid. I got a job in Spain. • Who is he/she? What is he/she like?
• What happened in his/her early life?
3 It rained all weekend. I stayed inside. • What did he/she do?
• Why do you admire him/her?
4 Sandro didn’t go to the party. He was sick. Check your writing
• Did you use because and so to describe reason and
5 I broke my phone. I had to buy a new one. result?
• Did you check your grammar and spelling?
6 Kate wanted to help people. She became a doctor. • Did you find any mistakes?

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