Explaining the purpose. Linkers. I. Meaning

Lesson 10: Explaining the purpose. Linkers.

I. Meaning
We use certain clauses to show why somebody does something. These are called clauses of purpose. They are introduced with the following words or expressions:
to + infinitive– used to express purpose; David went out to buy a bottle of wine.
in order to/so as to + infinitive (formal); We were asked to say over in order to finish the project.
so that + can/will – used for a present or future reference; Here’s my number so that you can call me if you have a problem.
so that +could/would – used for a past reference; We left early so that we would be able to park close to the stadium.
in case + present tense – present or future reference; Take your hat in case it gets too hot.
in case + past tense – used for past reference; We took an umbrella in case it rained.
for + noun – used to express purpose; We went out for a pizza.
for + -ing – used to express purpose and/or function of something; This function on the air conditioner is for reducing humidity.
Negatives
For negative purpose we use:
in order not to/so as not to + infinitive; We walked in quietly so as not to wake up the children.

To sum up, to explain the reason why we want to do something we use …

to
in order to
so as to



for

+ infinitive and +gerund/noun to speak about what we want to achieve.

not to
in order not to
so as not to

+ Infintive to speak about what we want to avoid.

so that

+subject+ can/could/will/would +base form to say what we want us or other people to get.

in case

+subject + verb to show a reason for a possible future scenario.

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