WHAT IS A CONJUNCTION?

A conjunction connects words, phrases, and clauses (both dependent and independent). 

TYPES OF CONJUNCTION

There are three types of conjunctions: coordinating, subordinating, and correlative, each with its own function but all functioning to connect words.

Coordinating Conjunction

These conjunctions link words, sentences, and independent clauses together. They combine short sentences to make longer ones. These comprise but, and, for, or, nor, so, yet. The acronym for all these examples of conjunction is FANBOYS.

Example:

• She always goes to school, yet she does not bring her books.
• They don’t go to the club nor to the church.

Subordinating Conjunction

Subordinating conjunction starts a dependent clause, connecting to an independent clause. A subordinate (dependent) clause is a set of words that cannot stand on its own and does not make complete sense. By contrast, an main (independent) clause stands alone as a complete sentence. These consists of because, as, although, if, how, before, than, since, once, until, though, that, where, whenever, when, while, while, whether.

Example:

• They will like to know whether you will be around.
• I will do that once I get home.

Correlative Conjunction

Correlative conjunctions come in pairs as both appear in different locations in a phrase. These conjunctions operate jointly (co-) to connect two sentences. Correlative conjunctions link two grammatical concepts that are of comparable importance. So, if a noun comes after “both,” it should also come after “and.” They include whether/or, both/and, neither/nor, either/or, not only/but also, not/but.

Example:

• She will eat both turkey and chicken.
• Gerald will go neither to school nor to church today.