Conjuntions

Conjunctions

A conjunction is a word that

connectsEach conjunction defines a

specific relationship between the parts it

connects.

phrases

words

clauses

COORDINATING

A coordinating conjunction joins sentence parts that have the same grammatical form.

a) And indicates similarity.

The skirt and blouse are yellow.

Sally was singing and dancing.

David worked slowly and carefully.

The skirt is yellow. The blouse is yellow,

Sally was singing. Sally was dancing.

David worked slowly. David worked carefully.

b) Or indicates a necessary choice

I want an apple or an orange.

She is from Chicago or New York.

I want only one piece of fruit.

She is from one of these cities.

c) But indicates difference

Jane went to the movies, but I didn’t (go).

I like oranges, but not grapefruit.

I like oranges, but he likes grapefruit.

David worked slowly, but not carefully.

Jane went to the movies.I didn't go to the movies.

I like oranges.I don’t like grapefruit.

I like oranges.He likes grapefruit.

David worked slowly. David did not work carefully.

Note: Use a comma before but:

d) Yet indicates difference that is not logical

Jane was tired, yet happy.

I dieted, yet lost no weight.

David worked hard, yet he didn’t receive payment.

Jane was tired.Jane was happy.

I dieted.I didn’t lose weight.

David worked hard. David did not receive payment.

Note: Use a comma before yet:

e) For connects a fact with its cause

Mary went home, for she was sick.

I am sure Bob was there, for I saw him.

They are late, for they got lost.

Mary went home, (fact) Mary was sick, (reason)

I am sure Bob was there, (fact)I saw him. (reason)

They are late, (fact) They got lost, (reason)

Note: Use a comma before for:

f) So indicates a result

Mary was sick, so she went home.

They got lost, so they were late.

Mary was sick, (fact) Mary went home, (result)

They got lost, (fact) They were late, (result)

Note: Use a comma before so:

JOINING INDEPENDENT CLAUSESConjuntions

a) A coordinating conjunction can join two independent clauses to make one sentence

John is my brother, and Mary is my sister.

I sold my house yesterday, but I didn’t sell my car.

EXAMPLES

b) Use too, so, either, and neither with coordinating conjunctions for emphasis

and + subject + verb + too or and so + verb + subject.

1) To join two affirmative clauses, use:

John is tall. Bob is tall.John is tall, and Bob is too.

Mary is singing. Carol is singing.Mary is singing, and Carol is too.

Ted drives to work. Joe drives to work.Ted drives to work, and Joe does too.

or

John is tall, and so is Bob.

Mary is singing, and so is Carol.

Ted drives to work, and so does Joe.

b) Use too, so, either, and neither with coordinating conjunctions for emphasis

and + subject + verb or and neither + verb + subject+ not either + subject

2) To join two negative clauses, use:

John isn’t tall. I am not tall.John isn’t tall, and I’m not either.

Mary isn’t singing. Carol isn’t singing.Mary isn’t singing, and Carol isn’t either.

Ted didn’t drive to work. Joe didn’t drive to work.Ted didn’t drive to work, and Joe didn’t either.

or

John isn’t tall, and neither am I.

Mary isn’t singing, and neither is Carol.

Ted didn’t drive to won and neither did Joe.

b) Use too, so, either, and neither with coordinating conjunctions for emphasis

but + subject + be or auxiliary very + not

3)To join one affirmative clause and one negative clause, use:

Mary is short. Donna isn’t short.Mary is short, but Donna isn’t.

He lives here. I don’t live here. He lives here, but I don’t.

Carol was singing. Joe wasn’t singing.Carol was singing, but Joe wasn’t.

Joe drove to work. Ted didn’t drive to work.Joe drove to work, but Ted didn’t.

b) Use too, so, either, and neither with coordinating conjunctions for emphasis

but + subject + be or auxiliary verb

4) To join one negative clause and one affirmative clause, use:

Donna isn’t short. Mary is short.Donna isn’t short, but Mary is.

I don’t live here. He lives here.I don’t live here, but he does.

Joe wasn’t singing. Carol was singing.Joe wasn’t singing, but Carol was.

Ted didn’t drive to work. Joe drove to work.Ted didn’t drive to work, but Joe did.

CORRELATIVE CONJUNTIONS

Are pairs of conjuntions. The firts conjuntions emphasizes the meaning of the second.

a) Both … and emphasizes the equality of two items:

She wants both ice cream and cake.

EXAMPLES

b) not only...but also emphasizes the equal importance of the second item:

She wants not only ice cream, but also cake.

EXAMPLES

c) either.. or emphasizes the need to choose only one item:

She wants either ice cream or cake.

EXAMPLES

d) Neither...nor emphasizes that both items are negative:

She wants neither ice cream nor cake.

EXAMPLES

e) Whether...or not emphasizes that the first item is more important than the second:

She will eat ice cream whether or not she eats cake,

or

She will eat ice cream whether she eats cake or not.

EXAMPLES

SUBORDINATING CONJUNTIONS

Begins a subordinate clause and shows its relationship with the main clause..

a) Time relationships

before earlier actionafter later actionuntil a limited time of actionwhen a specific time of actionwhile action at the same time

a) Time relationshipsThe subordinate clause can come first, followed by a comma:

Before we went home, we washed the dishes.After I went to bed, I fell asleep.Until he gets here, I am going to stay.When he gets here, I am going to leave.While she sleeps, he watches the baby.

The main clause can come first, and there is no comma:

We washed the dishes before we went home.I fell asleep after I went to bed.I am going to stay until he gets here.I am going to leave when he gets here.He watches the baby while she sleeps.

b) Causal relationships

.

As you are here, we can start the party.Since you are here, we can start the party. Because you are here, we can start the party.We can start the party as you are here, (awkward We can start the party since you are here.We can start the party because you are here.

as a reason for action

because a reason for action

since a reason for action

c) Resulting relationships:

.

So that she can read, she wears glasses.She wears glasses so that she can read.

so that to make action possible

d) Conditional relationships:

.

If you come early, I will dance with you.Unless you come early, I won’t dance with you. Whether you come early or not, I won’t dance with you.

I will dance with you if you come early.I won’t dance with you unless you come early.I won’t dance with you whether or not you come early.

if action dependent on other action

unless required action to avoid negative action

whether (or not) action on any condition

e) Unexpected relationships:

.

Though he was afraid, he didn’t cry.Although he was afraid, he didn’t cry.Even though he was afraid, he didn’t cry.

He didn’t cry though he was afraid.He didn’t cry although he was afraid.He didn’t cry even though he was afraid.

though an illogical factalthough an illogical facteven though an illogical fact

e) Other relationships:

.Where you live, there is a lot of traffic.As if they weren’t scared, they got on the plane. Rather than upset her mother, she stayed home. That she is a genius is certain.Whether he went to work I don’t know, (awkward) There is a lot of traffic where you live.They got on the plane as if they weren’t scared. She stayed home rather than upset her mother.It is certain that she is a genius.I don’t know whether he went to work.

where a specific placeas if in an untrue mannerrather than preferable actionthat a factwhether unknown information

CONJUNTIVE ADVERBS

Are transition words that define the relationship between independent clauses.

Conjuntive adverbs

They may begin a new sentence, and are followed by a comma.They may follow a semicolon, and are followed by a comma

Time relationships

meanwhile at the same timethen after thatnext after thatsubsequently after thatfinally last in order

A conjunctive adverb can indicate a time relationship:

Time relationships

He fell asleep on the couch. Meanwhile, she continued to read.

He fell asleep on the couch; meanwhile, she continued to read.

She finished her magazine. Then she went into the kitchen.

She finished her magazine; then she went into the kitchen.

She finished her magazine. Next, she went into the kitchen.

She finished her magazine; next, she went into the kitchen.

She finished her magazine. Subsequently, she went into the kitchen.

She finished her magazine; subsequently, she went r the kitchen.

She ate a sandwich. Finally, she went to bed.

She ate a sandwich; finally, she went to bed.

Emphasizing a Fact

indeed emphasizes the truth of a statementthat is defines a statement in other wordslikewise gives reinforcing informationsimilarly gives reinforcing informationaccordingly gives reinforcing informationspecifically introduces one or more examplesfor example introduces one or more examples

A conjunctive adverb can emphasize a fact:

Emphasizing a FactHe even lets me use his car. Indeed, he is a wonderful brother.He even lets me use his car; indeed, he is a wonderful brother.Of course, I am willing to help him, too. That is, I am there when he needs me.Of course, I am willing to help him, too; that is, I am there when he needs me.He laughs when I laugh. Likewise, he cries when I cry.He laughs when I laugh; likewise, he cries when I cry.He laughs when I laugh. Similarly, he cries when I cry.He laughs when I laugh; similarly, he cries when I cry.He is there when I need him. Accordingly, he doesn’t complain when I borrow money.He is there when I need him; accordingly, he doesn’t complain when I borrow money.Sometimes I do nice things for him. Specifically, I wash his car on weekends, and I fill it up with gas.Sometimes I do nice things for him; specifically, I wash his car on weekends, and I fill it up with gas.Sometimes I do nice things for him. For example, I wash his car on weekends, and I fill it up with gas.Sometimes I do nice things for him; for example, I wash his car on weekends, and I fill it up with gas.

Emphasizing a Fact

also additionallybesides similarlyfurthermore plus

A conjunctive adverb can introduce additional positive information:

Emphasizing a Fact

He is my brother. Also, he is my best friend. He is my brother; also, he is my

best friend.

He is my brother. Besides, he is my best friend.

He is my brother; besides, he is my best friend.

He is my brother. Furthermore, he is my best friend. He is my brother;

furthermore, he is my best friend.

TheConsequence of a Statement

consequently indicates a resulttherefore indicates a resultthus indicates a result

A conjunctive adverb can tell the consequence of a statement:

TheConsequence of a Statement

I wasn’t having fun. Consequently, I went home.

I wasn’t having fun; consequently, I went home.

She ate too many cookies. Therefore, she got a stom-achache.

She ate too many cookies; therefore, she got a stom-achache.

All his relatives moved to another place. Thus, he is alone here.

All his relatives moved to another place; thus, he is alone here.

Anyway indicates an illogical consequence. It is placed at the end of the

sentence:

She didn’t eat many cookies. She got a stomachache anyway.

Opposite Information

however introduces contrasting informationconversely introduces contrasting informationStill indicates unexpected informationnevertheless indicates unexpected informationinstead suggests alternative actionotherwise suggests alternative action

A conjunctive adverb can introduce opposite information:

Opposite Information

He has little formal education; however, he is a wise man. He has little formal

education; conversely, he is an exper in his field.

He has little formal education; still, he is considered an intellectual.

He has little formal education; nevertheless, he is considered an intellectual.

He didn’t go to college; instead, he learned by reading.

He will be promoted this year; otherwise, he will move to another company.