WRITING CENTER
Conjunctions
Last edited: 05/03/2021 DRR 1
CONTENTS
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COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS .................................................................................... 1
CORRELATIVE COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS ............................................................... 2
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS ................................................................................... 2
SUBORDINATING CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS ............................................................. 3
ADVERBIAL CONJUNCTIONS ........................................................................................... 4
PRACTICE ...................................................................................................................... 5
Conjunctions are connecting words that link words, phrases, or clauses.
Conjunctions function to:
• Assert more than one action or tell about more than one person or thing
• Economize and vary sentence structures
• Connect ideas
Conjunctions do not have inflection and can be identified by their function in the sentence.
COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
These connect words, phrases, and clauses of equal rank or similar grammatical function:
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.
Note: The acronym FANBOYS is useful to remember the coordinating conjunctions.
PUNCTUATION WHEN USING COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
• When joining two independent clauses, a comma is placed before the conjunction.
Example:
Mary went to the Writing Center, but John went home.
NOTE: If the independent clauses are very short, the comma might be eliminated.
• When joining two words, phrases, or subordinate clauses, no comma is used.
Examples:
WORDS: Mary and Jane came to the Writing Center often.
PHRASES: Mary corrected her essay and handed it in.
SUBORDINATE CLAUSES: The teacher asked Mary what help she
received and why she received it.
WRITING CENTER
Conjunctions
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• When joining more than two words, phrases, or subordinate clauses, use a comma
between each section of the series. A comma may or may not be used before the
coordinating conjunction.
Example:
Mary asked questions, received answers, and did well on her essay.
Mary asked questions, received answers, took notes and did well on
her essay.
CORRELATIVE COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
These function like coordinating conjunctions but are used in pairs. One part appears in the
first section being connected, and the other part appears before the second section.
Examples:
The more you visit the Writing Center, the more your writing will
improve.
Neither Mary nor John received good grades on their essays.
COMMON CORRELATIVE COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS:
as...as
(just) as...so
the more...the less
both...and
neither...nor
the more...the more
either...or
no (or not)...or
whether...or
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
These connect dependent clauses to independent clauses, introducing the dependent clause
and showing the relationship between the two clauses.
Examples:
When John received a poor grade, he went to the Writing Center.
Mary did well on her essay because she visited the Writing Center.
THE FIVE MEANINGS CONVEYED BY SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
• condition (unless)
• cause (because)
• time (after)
• manner (as)
• contrast (although)
WRITING CENTER
Conjunctions
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SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
after
although (though)
as
as if
as long as
as though
because
before
even though
if
if only
in as much as
in case
insofar
unless
until
when
whenever
where
while
SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS ENDING IN
THAT
assuming that
given that
save that
except that
in order that
seeing that
for fear that
in the hope that
so that
Example:
Now that you are doing better, I hope you will come by.
PUNCTUATING THE SUBORDINATE CLAUSE
• A comma should follow an introductory adverb clause
• If the subordinate/dependent clause is nonessential, commas should be placed before
and after the clause
Examples:
Before the curtain fell, the actors bowed.
Mary, who is a senior, is the lead in the school play.
SUBORDINATING CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTIONS
Subordinating conjunctions come in pairs. The subordinating correlative conjunctions are:
• and such. . . that
• if. . . then
• no sooner. . . than
• scarcely. . . when
• so. . . that
Examples:
If Mary is not going, then neither am I.
No sooner had John left than Susie arrived.
WRITING CENTER
Conjunctions
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ADVERBIAL CONJUNCTIONS
These serve as a link between two independent clauses. They differ from the coordinating
conjunction because they are not limited to one position, and they are punctuated differently.
Note: The writer has several choices when using adverbial conjunctions. Note the
punctuation in each sentence in the examples below.
Examples:
COORDINATING CONJUNCTION: Mary is funny, but Suzie is funnier.
ADVERBIAL
CONJUNCTION:
Mary is funny; however, Suzie is funnier.
Mary is funny. However, Suzie is funnier.
Mary is funny. Suzie is funnier, however.
Mary is funny; Suzie, however, is funnier.
PRIMARY ADVERBIAL CONJUNCTIONS AND THEIR MEANINGS
Note: As with other words, these conjunctions can function as other parts of speech.
Remember to identify any word by its function in the sentence, rather than its classification
out of text.
ILLUSTRATION
ADDITION
CONTRAST
QUALIFICATION
for example
incidentally
namely
that it
after all
also
besides
further (more)
likewise
moreover
second
similarly
alternatively
however
in contrast
instead
nevertheless
otherwise
on the other hand
still
certainly
indeed
in fact
perhaps
possibly
undoubtedly
RESULT
ATTITUDE
SUMMARY
TIME
accordingly
as a result
consequently
hence
therefore
thus
frankly
happily
unfortunately
luckily
in other words
in summary to
conclude
at first
finally
meanwhile
now
then
thereafter
WRITING CENTER
Conjunctions
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PRACTICE
PRACTICE EXERCISE A
Underline the coordinating and correlative coordinating conjunctions in the following
sentences.
Example:
Mary likes to work in the Writing Center, but John does not.
1. Susie and Jane did their research in the library, but John did not.
2. Procrastinating over his studies, John not only turns in his papers late, but also gets poor
grades.
3. Neither Jane nor Mary wants to see John again.
4. Use dictionaries, the sources, and grammar handbooks when you are writing your essays.
5. The more John procrastinates, the less enthusiasm he has for his homework.
PRACTICE EXERCISE B
Underline all the subordinating and correlative subordinating conjunctions in the following
sentences.
Example:
When Mary was finished, she handed her paper to the teacher.
1. Mary does not know if her paper will be finished in time.
2. It is as though he does not even care.
3. No sooner had Mary put her paper down than the teacher had read it.
4. After she had learned to write, Mary felt confident.
PRACTICE EXERCISE C
Punctuate the following sentences with the necessary commas; not all require punctuation.
Example:
Neither Bob nor John could find his paper. Correct.
1. The sandwiches were hamburgers and hot dogs and the drinks were beer and pop.
2. When we arrived at the party Suzie was already there.
3. Mary greeted the guests and took their coats.