Conjunctions

They may be small words, but conjunctions are highly functional and very important for constructing sentences. As you can see in the first sentence the coordinating conjunction “and” was used to link different parts of the sentence. This is the main job of conjunctions. Basically, conjunctions join words, phrases and clauses together.

Conjunctions Are Linking Words

The chart shown is a list of some of the most commonly-used conjunctions.

YourDictionary also has articles describing each of the different types of conjunctions:

• Coordinating conjunctions
• Subordinating conjunctions
• Correlative conjunctions

Remember, the main job of a conjunction is to link together different parts of a sentence.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are what come to most people’s minds when they hear the word “conjunction,” and they do exactly what their name implies – they make things go together. They can join together words, phrases and independent clauses. If you’ve ever heard the classic Schoolhouse Rock song, “Conjunction Junction,” then you are already somewhat familiar with coordinating conjunctions.

The Coordinating Conjunctions

The English language has seven coordinating conjunctions, and they’re easy to remember if you can just remember FANBOYS:

·         For - Explains reason or purpose (just like “because”) 
I go to the park every Sunday, for I love to watch the ducks on the lake.

·         And - Adds one thing to another 
I go to the park every Sunday to watch the ducks on the lake and the shirtless men playing soccer.

·         Nor - Used to present an alternative negative idea to an already stated negative idea
I don’t go for the fresh air nor really for the ducks. Honestly, I just like the soccer.

·         But - Shows contrast 
The soccer in the park is entertaining in the winter, but it’s better in the heat of summer.

·         Or - Presents an alternative or a choice 
The men play on teams: shirts or skins.

·         Yet - Introduces a contrasting idea that follows the preceding idea logically (similar to “but”)
I always take a book to read, yet I never seem to turn a single page.

·         So - Indicates effect, result or consequence
I’ve started dating one of the soccer players, so now I have an excuse to watch the game each week.

Using Commas with Coordinating Conjunctions

You’ll notice that in the example sentences, some of the coordinating conjunctions are preceded by a comma while others are not. There is a very simple reason for this.

If a coordinating conjunction is joining together two independent clauses (things that could feasibly stand alone as complete sentences), it needs to have a comma with it.

Example: The soccer in the park is entertaining in the winter (independent clause) + it’s better in the heat of summer (independent clause) – Because these are two independent clauses, they must be joined together by a comma and a coordinating conjunction.

If the conjunction is connecting a phrase with two independent clauses, the two independent clauses should be separated with the coordinating conjunction "and." If a phrase is added to a short independent clause it does not need a comma.

Example: I go to the park every Sunday (independent clause), and I watch the ducks on the lake (independent clause) and the shirtless men playing soccer (phrase).

Some people will tell you that in a list of three or more items or phrases, you need a comma and a conjunction before the final item or phrase. The truth is, you don’t have to use a comma there, but you can if you want to, and if you think a comma will clear up any possible confusion, go ahead and use it. Otherwise, it’s really not necessary (see Comma Rules for more information on comma usage). The only coordinating conjunction that doesn’t seem to be able to connect sentence fragments (words and phrases) is “for.” When “for” comes between words or short phrases, it is typically acting not as a coordinating conjunction, but as a preposition.

Can You Begin a Sentence With a Coordinating Conjunction?

Another rule you’ll often hear is that it is incorrect to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction, and while this is a good rule of thumb, it is not a hard and fast law of grammar. You should try to limit how often you begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction, but it is not incorrect to do so, especially if it will break up a particularly long sentence into more easily understandable chunks. Coordinating conjunctions are the simplest of all the conjunctions to recognize and master, and knowing how they work will improve the quality and complexity of your writing, so if that’s what you’re after, you are now fully equipped! Happy writing!

Subordinating Conjunctions

Out of the three different kinds of conjunctions (coordinating, correlative and subordinating), subordinating conjunctions are the most difficult to recognize, but they are not that hard to master. In fact, you probably use them all the time without even noticing, but let’s take a closer look at them to see what’s going on.

A subordinating conjunction always introduces a dependent clause, tying it to an independent clause. The clauses can go in any order; that is, the independent or the dependent clause can come first in the sentence, but in either order, the first word of the dependent (or subordinate) clause will be the subordinating conjunction.

Using Subordinating Conjunctions

In English, there are lots of subordinating conjunctions, but the most common ones, along with a few examples of how subordinating conjunctions are used, are as follows:

·         after - “Your heart will break like mine, and you’ll want only me after you’ve gone” (Ella Fitzgerald).

·         although - “Although I’ve been here before, he’s just too hard to ignore” (Amy Winehouse).

·         as - “As I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I take a look at my life and realize there’s nothing left” (Coolio).

·         as long as - “I don’t care who you are, where you’re from or what you did as long as you love me” (Backstreet Boys).

·         because - “I’m everything I am because you loved me” (Celine Dion).

·         before - “Just call me angel of the morning, angel. Just touch my cheek before you leave me, baby” (Juice Newton).

·         even if - “Even if the sky is falling down, you’ll be my only” (Jay Sean).

·         if - “If you leave me now, you’ll take away the biggest part of me” (Peter Cetera/Chicago).

·         once - “Once you pop, you can’t stop” (Pringles commercials).

·         now that - “Baby, now that I’ve found you, I won’t let you go” (Tony Macaulay/John MacLeod).

·         since - “I guess I’ll never be the same since I fell for you” (B.B. King).

·         though - “Walk on through the wind, walk on through the rain though your dreams be tossed and blown” (Rodgers and Hammerstein).

·         unless - “We’re never going to survive unless we get a little crazy” (Seal).

·         until - “[You] don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone” (Cinderella).

·         when - “When I see you smile, I can face the world” (Bad English).

·         where - “There’s a light burning bright, showing me the way, but I know where I’ve been” (Scott Wittman).

·         while - “I look at the world, and I notice it’s turning while my guitar gently weeps” (The Beatles).

You’ll notice that when a dependent clause precedes an independent clause, there is a comma between the two, indicating the beginning of the main (independent) clause. However, when the independent clause comes first, there is no need to separate the two clauses with a comma.

Subordinating Conjunctions vs. Relative Pronouns

There is another group of words that sometimes introduce dependent clauses. These are called relative pronouns, and although they look and act very similar to coordinating conjunctions, they are different. True relative pronouns are “that,” “who” and “which,” and they differ from subordinating conjunctions in that they act as the subject of a dependent clause whereas subordinating conjunctions do not. Subordinating conjunctions are followed by the subject of their clause. Consider a few examples:

·         John is the guy who came over for dinner last week. - Here, we have two clauses. “John is the guy” is the main clause, and “who came over for dinner last week” gives us more information about John. The word “who” acts as the subject of the dependent clause.

·         We talked about music and movies while we ate. - Again, we have two clauses. “We talked about music and movies” is the main clause, and “while we ate” gives us more information. However, in this example, both clauses have the subject “we.” The word “while” does not act as the subject of the dependent clause.

Now that you know what subordinating conjunctions are, you can continue to use them, but now with new purpose and vigor!

Correlative Conjunctions

You know what a conjunction is, you’ve mastered coordinating conjunctions, and you’re pretty sure you understand subordinating conjunctions; there’s only one more hurdle now between you and total conjunction domination: correlative conjunctions. Well fear not, Grammar Conquistador. You are about to be victorious.

What Are Correlative Conjunctions?

Correlative conjunctions are sort of like tag-team conjunctions. They come in pairs, and you have to use both of them in different places in a sentence to make them work. They get their name from the fact that they work together (co-) and relate one sentence element to another. Correlative conjunctions include pairs like “both/and,” “whether/or,” “either/or,” “neither/nor,” “not/but” and “not only/but also.”

·         I want either the cheesecake or the frozen hot chocolate.

·         I’ll have both the cheesecake and the frozen hot chocolate.

·         I didn’t know whether you’d want the cheesecake or the frozen hot chocolate, so I got you both.

·         Oh, you want neither the cheesecake nor the frozen hot chocolate? No problem.

·         I’ll eat them both - not only the cheesecake but also the frozen hot chocolate.

·         I see you’re in the mood not for dessert but appetizers. I’ll help you with those too.

Here are some more pairs of correlative conjunctions:

·         as/as - Bowling isn’t as fun as skeet shooting.

·         such/that - Such was the nature of their relationship that they never would have made it even if they’d wanted to.

·         scarcely/when - I had scarcely walked in the door when I got the call and had to run right back out again.

·         as many/as - There are as many curtains as there are windows.

·         no sooner/than - I’d no sooner lie to you than strangle a puppy.

·         rather/than - She’d rather play the drums than sing.

Correlative Conjunctions Hook It Up

Correlative conjunctions are more similar to coordinating conjunctions than to subordinating conjunctions in that the sentence fragments they connect are fairly equal. Subordinating conjunctions connect independent and dependent clauses, which have totally different functions. Coordinating conjunctions and correlative conjunctions, on the other hand, connect words and phrases that carry equal weight in the sentence.

For example, “both/and” connects either two subjects or two objects:

·         Both Jon and Lauren enjoyed the movie. (subjects)

·         Jon enjoyed both the movie and the popcorn. (objects)

“As/as” compares nouns using an adjective or an adverb:

·         Peter is as tall as Jeff.

·         A lion can’t run as fast as a cheetah.

“Not only/but also” can connect nouns or entire clauses:

·         I’m going not only to the concert, but also backstage!

·         Not only will I see your ten, but I’ll also raise you twenty.

Congratulations! You now know everything there is to know about correlative conjunctions. You are now ready to take on the world!