Conjunctions in English: Connecting Words, Phrases, and Clauses
Conjunctions in English
What is a Conjunction?
A conjunction is a part of speech that connects words, sentences, phrases, or clauses. They express relationships like result, reason, purpose, and contrast.
Types of Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions, also known as coordinators, join elements of equal syntactic importance. Examples include:
- For: Presents a reason (e.g., “He is gambling with his health, for he has been smoking far too long.”)
- And: Presents non-contrasting items or ideas (e.g., “They gamble, and they smoke.”)
- Nor: Presents a non-contrasting negative idea (e.g., “They do not gamble, nor do they smoke.”)
- But: Presents a contrast or exception (e.g., “They gamble, but they don’t smoke.”)
- Or: Presents an alternative (e.g., “Every day they gamble, or they smoke.”)
- Yet: Presents a contrast or exception (e.g., “They gamble, yet they don’t smoke.”)
- So: Presents a consequence (e.g., “He gambled well last night, so he smoked a cigar to celebrate.”)
Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to join elements of equal weight. Examples include:
- Either…or
- Not only…but (also)
- Neither…nor
- Both…and
- Whether…or
- Just as…so
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions, also known as subordinators, connect an independent clause and a dependent clause. Common examples include: after, although, as, because, before, if, since, so that, than, though, unless, until, when, where, while.
Functions of Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions can connect clauses, phrases, and words, indicating relationships such as:
- Addition
- Sequence
- Contrast
- Condition
- Similarity
- Comment
- Alternatives
- Consequence
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions typically link clauses and introduce different types, such as:
- Time
- Place
- Manner
- Result
- Condition
- Contrast
- Reason
- Purpose