Unit 4 - Peace of Mind
Conjunctions
Use purpose and precaution conjunctions to explain why actions are taken.
1. Connecting Purpose vs. Precaution
- so that → explains a purpose or desired result.
- in case → explains a precaution for a possible situation.
Compare with the familiar conditional sentence from B1: If it rains, we will stay at home. Both patterns explain consequences, but the conjunctions above highlight intention.
2. Form and Examples
| Conjunction | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
| so that | Action + so that + clause with can/could/will/would | We left early so that we could get good seats. |
| in case | Action + in case + clause | Take an umbrella in case it rains later. |
3. Notes on Usage
- so that often pairs with modal verbs (can, could, will, would) to show purpose.
- in case describes precautions for events that may or may not happen.
- Negative forms: Take a snack so that you don’t get hungry. / I saved the file twice in case the system crashed.
so that vs. so
Use so that for purpose. Use so on its own for result: It was raining, so we stayed home.
4. Practice
- Rewrite a conditional sentence such as If you leave now, you will catch the bus into one using so that.
- Make three precaution sentences with in case related to work or study.
- Combine both conjunctions in a short paragraph.
Quick Review
- so that = show intention.
- in case = show precaution.
- Keep modal verbs after so that and past reference after in case when necessary.