Cornell-Style Flashcards (Age 13): Marking Concessive and Causal Connectors in Augustine’s City of God Excerpt

Clear Cornell-note flashcards (age 13) that mark concessive subordinators in blue and causal/inferential connectors in green, with Ally McBeal-style cadence annotations and a trace to decide whether the concession becomes evidence later (turn) or is dropped (pivot).

PDF

Quick kid-friendly explanation (step-by-step)

  1. What are subordinators and connectors? Short words or phrases that join ideas: concessive subordinators show limits or an exception (like "although" or "so far as") and causal/inferential connectors give reasons or show purpose (like "because," "since," "in order that").
  2. Why color-code? Color helps you spot the speaker’s moves — when they admit something (concede) vs when they give reasons or explain consequences.
  3. Turn vs Pivot: If a conceded point later returns as evidence that helps the main argument, it’s a turn. If the conceded point is only mentioned then pushed aside or ignored, it’s a pivot.

The sentence, marked and read with "Ally McBeal" cadence notes

'As' (light rise, quick) I see that I have still to discuss the fit destinies of the two cities, the earthly and the heavenly, 'so far as' 'the limits of this work allow me' (soft pause), I must first explain, 'in order that' it may be evident, not only from divine authority, but also from such reasons 'as can be adduced to unbelievers', how the empty dreams of the philosophers differ from the hope which God gives to us, and from the substantial fulfillment of it which He will give us as our blessedness.

Cadence guide (Ally McBeal style): imagine short musical rises for the green reason-phrases (they announce purpose or cause), quiet, conceding tone for the blue phrase (it’s a limitation or exception). Pause at commas to show structure.

What I marked and why (simple list)

  • As — marked green: here it works like a reason/seeing-that; Augustine is giving a ground for what follows (causal/inferential).
  • so far as the limits of this work allow me — marked blue: a concessive/limiting phrase. He admits a boundary: he may not be able to do everything. This is a concession.
  • in order that — marked green: a purpose connector (why he will explain).
  • as can be adduced to unbelievers — marked green: shows the kind of reasons he will give (inferential / evidential).

Cornell-style flashcards (Cue | Notes) — printable/usable

Cue: What is a concessive subordinator? Give the example from the sentence.
Notes: A concessive subordinator shows a limit or exception (often means "although/to the extent that"). Example here: "so far as the limits of this work allow me". That phrase admits Augustine can’t cover everything — it qualifies his promise.
Cue: What are causal/inferential connectors? Point to each in the sentence.
Notes: They give reasons or purposes. In the sentence: 'As' (seeing that / because), "in order that" (purpose), and "as can be adduced to unbelievers" (showing the kind of evidence he will use).
Cue: What is a "turn" vs a "pivot" when someone concedes a point?
Notes: Turn = the conceded point later returns and helps the main case (it becomes evidence). Pivot = the conceded point is mentioned and then dropped or merely set aside.
Cue: In this excerpt, identify the concession and decide: is it a turn or a pivot? Why?
Notes: Concession: "so far as the limits of this work allow me" — he admits limits to what he can do. In this single sentence the concession is a setup (it qualifies how much he will do) but it is not used later here as evidence for his main claim. That means, by the rule you were given, this reads like a pivot (the concession is acknowledged but not brought back as supporting evidence in the passage we have). If you read farther in the chapter, you should watch: if Augustine returns to that limit and uses it as proof or shows how it matters, then it becomes a turn.

How to use this on any sentence — 3 quick steps

  1. Underline subordinating words/phrases. Ask: Is it limiting/excusing (concession) or giving a reason/purpose (causal)? Color-code them.
  2. Read the sentence aloud with small pauses at commas. Mark where your voice rises (lead-in reasons) or softens (concessions). That helps you see the author’s move.
  3. Trace the concession: when it appears, put a tiny note \(C\). When you see it again later as evidence, put a check \(✓\). If it never returns, mark it as dropped (pivot). This tells you whether the writer turned the concession into support or just moved past it.

One last tip: When you make your own Cornell flashcards, write the short cue question on the left and the colored clipped quotation and one-sentence explanation on the right. That makes reviewing fast and visual.

If you want, I can make printable cards (PDF-style layout) or give a 5-card quiz to practice identifying turns vs pivots.

Ask a followup question