Using “But,” Yet,” “And Yet,” and “For” | (A-Level, Basic) Page 4
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"But" — Showing a Contrast or Difference
We use the coordinating conjunction “but" to combine two sentences or ideas and express a contrast or difference between the ideas.
In the following example, Mila and Jack want different things:
Mila wants to stay home.
Jack wants to go to the movies.
You can combine the ideas and show the contrast by using “but.”
Mila wants to stay home, but Jack wants to go to the movies.
Examples using “but”
Mila wants to live in an apartment, but Jack prefers living in a house.
It’s cold in New York, but it’s warm in Miami.
I can read French, but I can’t speak it very well.
John needs to buy a new car, but he doesn’t have the money.
John works hard, but he doesn’t make a lot of money.
”Yet” — Showing a Contrast
When you use the coordinating conjunction “yet” to combine two sentences or ideas, you show that the second sentence is the reason for the first. You show that the second sentence is a surprise or something that you would not expect. For example, examine the following ideas:
Jack lives in France.
Jack does not speak any French.
Jack lives in France, so you expect that he speaks French. It is surprising that he does not speak it. You can combine these sentences in
Jack lives in France, yet he does not speak any French.
Examples using “yet”
Matt has a lot of money, yet he lives in a small apartment.
These students study very hard every day, yet they are not doing very well in the course.
Paul says he is vegan, yet I see him eating cheese all the time.
Matt’s apartment is very small.
Difference between ”yet,” “and yet," and “but”
”Yet” and “but” have very similar meanings. Especially in everyday, conversational English, you would probably say,
Jack lives in France, but he does not speak any French.
“Yet” shows more of a surprise, and it is often used in formal English. When people use it in everyday English, they often say “and yet" as in,
Jack lives in France, and yet he does not speak any French.
It is surprising or unexpected that Jack cannot speak French because he lives in France.
Compare
They never practice English, but they speak very well.
(that is unexpected)
They never practice English, yet they speak very well.
(that is unexpected and surprising; used in formal English)
They never practice English, and yet they speak very well.
(that is unexpected and surprising; used in formal and informal English)
“For” — Showing the Reason
When you use the coordinating conjunction “for" to combine two sentences or ideas, you show that the second sentence is the reason for the first. The second sentence is an explanation. For example, examine the following ideas:
Mark isn’t going to the party.
He must study for a test.
You can put both ideas together into one sentence using “for.”
Mark isn’t going to the party, for he must study for a test.
Examples using “for”
Susanne is going to take a course in Paris this summer, for she wants to learn French.
You must review this lesson again, for your test score is very low.
Germans travel to Span in the winter, for the weather is warm there.