Technology Discourse markers BE - Exercise Worksheet

Business English · TechnologyHassabis Steps Back, AI Race Steps Upclassplan.aiGrammar

GrammarTechnology · Discourse markers

Discourse markers

Article excerpt · target grammar marked

Hassabis co-founded DeepMind in 2010 and sold it to Google four years later. Furthermore, his work led to a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2024. Nevertheless, investors reacted cautiously, sending Alphabet's share price down four percent.

Grammar Reference · Discourse markers

Adding a point

Use furthermore or in addition to stack a second argument. Hassabis will chair DeepMind. Furthermore, he becomes chief scientist at Alphabet.

Showing contrast

Use nevertheless or even so when the second point is surprising. Google leads in research. Nevertheless, rivals are closing the gap.

Giving a result

Use as a result or therefore to signal consequence. Hassabis believes AGI is near. As a result, he is stepping back from operations.

Common error

Despite he is leaving... ✗ → Despite leaving... ✓ — despite takes a noun or gerund, never a clause

01Exercise 1 — Form · Write the Correct Form

Discourse markers

1.Hassabis is stepping down. , Kavukcuoglu will lead the lab.

2.Google is a major AI player. , its rivals are gaining ground quickly.

3. investor concerns, Google has not issued a formal strategic response.

4.Jeff Dean is leaving Google. , Sanjay Ghemawat is also departing.

5. his operational move, Hassabis will remain CEO of Isomorphic Labs.

6.The share price fell four percent. , Alphabet remains valued at 4.4 trillion dollars.

02Exercise 2 — Transform

rewrite with the new structure

1.Hassabis is leaving his CEO role. He will stay as chair.

2.Google's share price fell. Investors were already worried.

3.Kavukcuoglu was CTO. He was a natural choice to lead.

4.AGI may be close. Hassabis wants more time to think about it.

03Exercise 3 — About You

in your notebook

Personalise: complete five sentences about yourself using the target grammar.

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