CONJUNCTIONS

CONJUNCTIONS

Conjunction DEFINITION: A conjunction connects nouns, noun phrases, clauses or sentences together. Example: Julie love chocolate and chips. She loves pasta, but she hates pizza. Conjunctions are words that join words, phrases, and clauses together. There are three types of conjunctions: Coordinating Conjunctions; Correlative Conjunctions; and Subordinating Conjunctions. Let’s go step by step: Coordinating Conjunctions Correlative Conjunctions Subordinating Conjunctions Using conjunctions to join words and phrases What to remember when using conjunctions Using conjunctions to join nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverb

1. Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions join words, phrases, or clauses, and are words such as: and, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet. Joining words, phrases and clauses. Conjunctions join words: EXAMPLE: Five and five is ten. Conjunctions join phrases: EXAMPLE: The fisherman is happy walking along the beach and carrying a bucket full of fish. They went up to receive the awards, full of smile and happy together. Conjunctions join clauses: EXAMPLE: He walked to his car. He got into it.. He walked to his car and got into it. Tom is 1.6 meters tall. Tom weighs 70 kilograms. Tom is 1.6 meters tall and weighs 70 kilograms. She is tired. She cannot sleep. She is tired but she cannot sleep. Using some coordinating conjunctions EXAMPLE: I missed the ending part and I'm guessing who the murderer is. I'd like to go but I'm too busy. He finds it difficult to see clearly, for he is born partially blind. The audience wasn't very impressed by his performance, nor his jokes. He doesn't have a sister or a wife. The rain got heavier, so the match had to be abandoned. He's only a little boy and yet he is able to carry such a heavy load.

2. Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions come in the form of pairs of words: either ... or; neither ... nor; both ... and; not only ... but also, and whether ... or.                                                 EXAMPLE: You can have either this one or that one. They are neither our friend nor our ally. Pepe can both juggle and perform magic tricks. He has not only been reprimanded but also faces possible expulsion. I couldn't decide whether to marry her or her sister.

3. Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are used to join a dependent clause - that is a clause that cannot stand alone - to one that can, an independent clause. EXAMPLE: a) The whole project will fail unless we put in more money. b) The tiger must be captured before it killed more villagers. c) We still feel a bit hungry though we have eaten a lot. In (a), unless we put in more money is a dependent clause; it cannot stand alone. It depends on the independent clause: The whole project will fail. Here, the subordinating conjunction unless is used to join the clauses. In (b), the dependent clause is before it killed more villagers. In (c), though we have eaten a lot is the dependent clause.

4. Using Conjunctions to Join Words and Phrases

In using conjunctions to join words and phrases, some of the words are left out. EXAMPLE: Will you have brandy? Will you have whiskey? Will you have brandy or whiskey? 'Or' joins the words 'brandy' and 'whiskey'. EXAMPLE: I have a car. I have a house. I have a car and a house. 'And' joins the phrases 'a car' and 'a house'. In both sentences some of the words are left out.

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

6. Using Conjunctions to Join Nouns, Verbs, Adjectives and Adverbs

We can use conjunctions to join nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs: EXAMPLE: I have a pen and a book. (joining two nouns: pen, book) We joked and laughed. (joining two verbs: joked, laughed) She is tall and beautiful. (joining two adjectives: tall, beautiful) He eats quickly and noisily. (joining two adverbs: quickly, noisily)