Conjunctions
Without using conjunctions, you will have to express every complex idea in a series of short, simple sentences: I like playing. I like cooking. I don’t like washing dishes afterwards. So, It’s very important to know how to make proper use of conjunction.
What Are Conjunctions?
Conjunctions are words that are used to link other words, phrases, or clauses together.
Ram likes cooking and eating, but he doesn’t like washing dishes afterwards. Sohan is clearly exhausted, yet he insists on dancing till dawn.
By using conjunctions, you can form complex, elegant sentences and avoid the choppiness of multiple short sentences. Make sure that the phrases joined by conjunctions are sharing the same structure.
I eat quickly and I am careful.
I eat quickly and carefully.
Coordinating Conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions help you to join words, phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank in a sentence. The most common coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so; you can remember them by remembering this- FANBOYS.
He’d like pizza or a salad for lunch. I needed a place to concentrate, so I packed up my things and went to the library. Jesica didn’t have much money, but she got by.
Try to observe the use of the comma when a coordinating conjunction is joining two independent clauses.
Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together in a sentence. Some examples of Correlative Conjunctions are either/or, neither/nor, and not only/but also.
Not only am I finished studying for Hindi, but I’m also finished writing my English essay. I am finished with both my Hindi essay and my English essay.
Subordinating Conjunctions
Subordinating conjunctions allow us to join independent and dependent clauses. Subordinating conjunction are used in cases of a cause-and-effect relationship, a contrast, or some other kind of relationship between the clauses.
Some common subordinating conjunctions are because, since, as, although, though, while, and whereas. Sometimes an adverb, such as until, after, or before also function as conjunction.
She can stay out until the clock strikes twelve.
In this example, the adverb until functions as a coordinating conjunction to connect two ideas. She can stay out (the independent clause) and the clock strikes twelve (the dependent clause). In a sentence, the independent clause could stand alone as a sentence; the dependent clause depends on the independent clause to make sense.
It’s not that the subordinating conjunction needs to go in the middle of the sentence. It has to be part of the dependent clause, but the dependent clause can come before the independent clause easily.
Before she leaves, make sure her room is clean.
If the dependent clause comes first, don’t forget to use a comma before the independent clause.
I drank a glass of cold drink because I was thirsty. Because I was thirsty, I drank a glass of cold drink.
Starting a Sentence with a Conjunction
Many of you were taught in school that it is an error to begin a sentence with a conjunction, but that rule is a myth.
As mentioned above, subordinating conjunction can be used to begin a sentence if the dependent clause comes before the independent clause.
It’s also grammatically correct to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. Often, it’s a better way to add emphasis. Starting too many sentences with conjunctions will cause the device to lose its force in one or the other way, however, so use this technique sparingly.
Have a safe ride. And don’t forget to call when you get your office. Richa flung open the door. But there was no one on another side.
List of Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunctions
for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so
Correlative Conjunctions
both/and, either/or, neither/nor, not only/but, whether/or
Some Subordinating Conjunctions
These are some of the Subordinating Conjunctions – after, although, as, as if, as long as, as much as, as soon as, as though, because, before, by the time,
And also- even if, even though, if, in order that, in case, in the event that, lest , now that, once, only, only if, provided that, since, so, supposing, that, than, though, till, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether or not, while
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