Conjunctions are used to link sentences, clauses or words. The most familiar are terms like ‘and’, ‘but’ and ‘so’, but there are lots of conjunctions used for different things, so it helps to know as many possible, including subordinate conjunctions like as far as, since, and even though.
Being able to use a variety of conjunctions will help you express specific relationships between clauses in your writing, while also preventing excessive repetition of common words, thus improving the quality of your prose.
As Far As (To the Extent That)
The expression ‘as far as’ is a subordinate conjunction meaning ‘to the extent that’. It is used to qualify a statement as only applying in particular conditions:
As far as we know, there have been no verifiable sightings of Bigfoot.
Here, ‘as far as we know’ indicates that the statement is based upon the speaker’s current understanding, so it only applies to that extent.
A common informal phrase in which this term is heard is ‘as far as I’m concerned’, which people say when they’re expressing a personal opinion.
Since (Time and Justification)
The word ‘since’ has two main uses as a conjunction. The first is to show that something applies to (or after) a particular period of time:
Since buying my new hat, I have received many admiring looks.
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Here, ‘since’ indicates that it was only after buying my new hat that I started receiving admiring looks.
The second sense of ‘since’ is as a synonym for ‘because’, used when introducing a justification for something:
Since it makes me look dashing, I will wear my new hat to the party.
In this example, ‘since’ suggests that my reason for wearing the hat is that it makes me look dashing.
Even Though (An Emphatic ‘Though’)
The term ‘even though’ is almost identical in meaning to the conjunctions ‘though’ and ‘although’, making it equivalent to saying ‘despite the fact that’:
Even though people laughed at him, David sang with all his heart.
The difference between ‘even though’ and plain ‘although’ is that ‘even though’ is more emphatic. It therefore indicates a stronger contrast between the two clauses it connects.