5. What to Remember when Using Conjunctions

When using conjunctions, remember the following: Choosing the right conjunction is important to make the meaning clear. EXAMPLE: I have always been weak in mathematics, and I have never failed a test. I have always been weak in mathematics, but I have never failed a test. (Because the two sentences have opposite ideas, 'but' is more appropriately used.) When and is used to connect two words or phrases within a sentence, no comma is used. Commas are used only when and connects three or more items within a sentence. EXAMPLE: I ate a pizza and a toast. (No comma) I ate a pizza, a toast, and an apple. (Commas) Some conjunctions with accompanying words can be placed at the beginning or the end of a sentence. EXAMPLE: I have a glass of milk before I go to bed. / Before I go to bed, I have a glass of milk. When we use the conjunctions, we avoid repeating unnecessary words. EXAMPLE: You need to know what rights you have. You also need to know how to use them. You need to know what rights you have, and how to use them. This is an expensive machine. It is an immensely useful machine. This is an expensive but immensely useful machine. The store has branches in Birmingham. It has branches in Manchester. The store has branches in Birmingham and Manchester. We didn't believe a word he said. We didn't believe his excuses. We didn't believe a word he said, nor his excuses. I have been to London. I have also been to Paris. I have been to London and Paris You can choose the white one. You can choose the black one. You can choose the white one or the black one. We can start a sentence with a conjunction or place it in the middle of a sentence. EXAMPLE: If he is not here soon, we shall leave without him. We shall leave without him if he is not here soon. When you see him, please talk to him about it. Please talk to him about it when you see him. Although she is my colleague, we hardly talk to each other. We hardly talk to each other although she is my colleague. Because the weather is bad, we decide not to go out. We decide not to go out because the weather is bad. Before I left, I cooked for them. I cooked for them before I left. After the accident, he decided to give up his job. He decided to give up his job after the accident. (We often use commas in sentences with conjunctions, especially in longer sentences and when we start the sentence with the conjunction.) It is important to remember that the verb must agree with the subject. If both the subjects are singular, the verb which follows either ... or, neither ... nor must be in the singular. EXAMPLE: Either his daughter or his son is going out with him. ('Son' is a singular subject; so the singular verb 'is' is used.) EXAMPLE: Neither the boy nor his brother plays football. ('brother' is a singular subject; 'plays' is singular verb) If both subjects are plural, then the conjunctions either ... or and neither ... nor must be followed by a plural verb. EXAMPLE: Either the boys or the girls have to do it first. ('girls' is plural subject; 'have' is plural verb) EXAMPLE: Neither you nor your parents are interested. ('parents' is plural subject; 'are' is plural verb) If one subject is singular and the other is plural, the verb has to agree with the noun that immediately precedes it. EXAMPLE: Either she or they have borrowed the book. ('they' is plural subject; 'have' is plural verb) EXAMPLE: Neither she nor her sisters are reading the newspaper. ('sisters' is plural subject; 'are' is plural verb) EXAMPLE: Either the camels or the giraffe is the main attraction. ('giraffe' is singular subject; 'is' is singular verb) EXAMPLE: Neither the dogs nor the cat has an owner. ('cat' is singular subject, 'has' is singular verb