A.     (Excerpt from a conversation between a lecturer and a student)

Lecturer:	Quite frankly, I’m a bit disappointed with your attitude this term.
Student:	Er… what do you mean?
Lecturer:	Well, I’m afraid you’ve not put in much effort and er… how can I put this… it’s had a bad effect on the others.
Student:	Oh.
Lecturer:	Actually, what I’m trying to say is you’ve failed this course.

Function: Indicates a sequence of steps to be taken Indicates an alternative point of view Indicates that critical remarks (or a negative opinion) will follow Indicates a change of topic

B.    (Magazine article giving dietary advice)

Make sure you eat at least 5 portions of fruit and vedge a day. Apart from the antioxidants they contain, their high fibre helps protect against bowel disease. You should also include more red fruit in your diet as it contains lycopene, which protects against heart disease. Another key antioxidant is the mineral selenium, found in shellfish and offal. Finally, to keep your brain sharp, take Omega 3 fish oils.

Function: Indicates a sequence of steps to be taken Indicates an alternative point of view Indicates that critical remarks (or a negative opinion) will follow Indicates a change of topic

C.    (This extract comes from an article about buying property.)

Most experts advise adding 10% to your budget to cover taxes, fees and unexpected expenses. However, making generalized assumptions of the cost is dangerous. Underestimating the costs could mean you have to find extra money once you are committed. You might well get carried away by the estate agents’ patter, but rather you should be realistic. Broad percentage figures are simply not good enough and aren’t actually necessary, because a good agent should give you an accurate breakdown of the costs involved.

Function: Indicates a sequence of steps to be taken Indicates an alternative point of view Indicates that critical remarks (or a negative opinion) will follow Indicates a change of topic