ABSTRACT
The fluent use of Italian – or any language – involves the ability to connect sentences and parts of sentences using ‘joining words’ – or connectives (i connettivi). Connectives can be coordinating (simple words or phrases such as and, or, but, also) and also subordinating (more complex words or phrases such as because, although, even if, all the same, etc.). Connectives are essential to construct coherent and cohesive speech or text; they are vital linguistic building blocks which make it possible to develop more fluent, precise and complex language. Their many uses include adding or clarifying information; giving alternatives or reasons; expressing contrast, conditions or exceptions and defining temporal relationships.
