Conjunctions and Their Functions
Conjunctions
Conjunctions link words, phrases, and/or clauses
together.
Bonnie
and
Clyde
In rain
and
wind
He jumped
and
screamed.
Over the river
and
through the woods
Do you want coffee
or
tea?
Over
or
under
He wanted to leave
but
couldn’t.
He wanted to leave,
so
he did.
Consider the different items that are linked together:
2 nouns: Bonnie
and
Clyde
In rain
and
wind
Do you want coffee
or
tea?
2 verbs: He jumped
and
screamed.
He wanted to leave
but
couldn’t.
2 prepositional phrases: Over the river
and
through the woods
2 adverbs: Over
or
under
2 clauses (sentences): He wanted to leave,
so
he did.
There are 7 conjunctions that can link together
anything: phrases, clauses, nouns, verbs, etc.
and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet
The popular order these days is
f
or,
a
nd,
n
or,
b
ut,
o
r,
y
et,
s
o
because the initials spell “fanboys.”
Remember that, as always, some of these can
function as some other part of speech :
You should listen to your father,
for
he is a wise man. –
conjunction
that joins 2 clauses (sentences)
This gift is
for
you. –
preposition
He is sick,
so
he can’t go to the party. –
conjunction
that
joins 2 clauses (sentences)
He is
so
sick. –
adverb
A conjunction links two parts of speech, phrases, etc.,
so when you see a “fanboys,” you just need to see if it
links two of those. If not, you need to determine
what other part of speech it is.
For, and, nor, but, or, yet,
&
so
are called
COORDINATING conjunctions. They link things that
are equal. For example, in the sentence
John and Susan are going to church
neither “John” nor “Susan” is more important than
the other. In
John laughed and cried
neither “laughed” nor “cried” is more important than
the other .
There’s another set of conjunctions: subordinating
conjunctions. There are far more than seven of
them, and they can’t link just anything; they can
only link clauses.
We haven’t talked about clauses yet, because
we’re going through the 8 parts of speech before
doing anything else. To understand clauses, you
need to understand subjects & verbs, but we
haven’t discussed subjects yet. Chances are great
that you know what a subject is, but if you don’t,
you need to leave this slide show until we discuss
clauses and then come back
Let’s take a quick look at subjects & verbs:
Dogs bark.
Babies cry.
Drunks vomit.
Alex shouts.
Janet cheers.
John plays.
In all of the above sentences, the first word, which is a noun, is the
subject. It is doing an action. The second word is that action. So all of
the sentences above consist of a subject & a verb.
A clause, very simply, is a group of words containing a subject & a verb.
A sentence is therefore a clause, because a sentence always has at
least one subject & one verb, but a clause isn’t necessarily a sentence.
Let’s combine two of the sentences above:
Alex shouts, and Janet cheers.
We’ve combined the two sentences with a coordinating conjunction
(“fanboys”). So what we have is a single sentence with two clauses
(subject + verb and subject + verb). Because we’ve used a
coordinating conjunction, the two clauses are equally important, &
both are called INDEPENDENT clauses.
Now let’s combine those same two sentences
with a word that is NOT a coordinating
conjunction:
Alex shouts
while
Janet cheers.
“While” is not a coordinating conjunction; it is a
subordinating conjunction. The two clauses are
no longer equally important. Because “while” is
a subordinating conjunction, the clause that
comes after it is subordinate to (less important
than) the other clause.
A subordinating conjunction is a word that precedes a clause
(subject + verb, remember) & ties it to another clause:
I
cried
because
I
was
sad.
She
eats
whenever
she
is
hungry.
We
read
before
we
go
to bed.
If
you
want
more money,
you
need
a job.
The
subordinating conjunctions
are in red;
the
subjects
are in blue;
the
verbs
are in green.
You’ll notice that the less important clause can come at the
end (as it does in the first three sentences) or at the beginning
(as it does in the last sentence). It’s always the subject + verb
that comes after the subordinating conjunction that is the less
important (called “subordinate” or “dependent”) clause.
Following are some common (and not-so-common) subordinating conjunctions, but
don’t consider the list complete.
after
since
when
although
so that
whenever
as
who
no matter
until
why
how
what
even though
As always, many of these words can function as something besides a subordinating
conjunction. You ran into “before” in the slide show on prepositions. Let’s look at
that one again.
s
u
p
p
o
s
i
n
g
w
h
e
r
e
b
e
c
a
u
s
e
t
h
a
n
w
h
e
r
e
a
s
b
e
f
o
r
e
t
h
a
t
w
h
e
r
e
v
e
r
b
u
t
t
h
a
t
t
h
o
u
g
h
w
h
e
t
h
e
r
i
f
t
h
o
u
g
h
w
h
i
c
h
i
n
o
r
d
e
r
t
h
a
t
t
i
l
l
w
h
i
l
e
l
e
s
t
u
n
l
e
s
s
I was here before.
I was here before the movie.
I was here before the movie started.
In the first sentence, “before” is an adverb, answering the question
“when.” In the second sentence, it’s a preposition because it’s
followed by a noun. In the third, it’s a subordinating conjunction
because it’s followed by a subject + verb.
By definition, a subordinating conjunction has to precede a subject +
verb.
Just watch out for the question words: why, where, when, how. If
they’re asking a question, they’re adverbs, not conjunctions:
When are you leaving? – “When” is an adverb. (Easier to see when you
put the question in statement form: “You are leaving when.”)
I’ll leave when I’m ready. – “When” is a conjunction; it subordinates
the subject + verb “I + (a)m.”
Have you ever heard someone talk about his subordinates at
work? Those are people who are under him. If someone is a
“subordinate,” that means there’s someone in a position above
him.
By the same token, a subordinating conjunction makes a clause
subordinate to another clause. As we noted, the clause with the
subordinating conjunction is less important than the other clause.
The point here is that you can’t have just a clause with a
subordinating conjunction. That clause has to be subordinate to
another one.
*
When I leave
. – We say this in conversation, but it’s not a
correct sentence. It’s a fragment, incomplete because it needs a
clause to which it can be subordinate.
When I leave, you can sell my car.
– NOW it’s a complete, correct
sentence, because “when I leave” is subordinate to “you can sell
my car.”
Remember: it’s only a subordinating conjunction
if it’s followed by a subject + verb.
In summary, there are 2 types of conjunctions:
coordinating
(“fanboys”), which make
words/phrases/etc. equal when they link them,
&
subordinating
, which can link only clauses &
which make one clause subordinate to another.
Identify the conjunctions in the following paragraph.
You need to indicate whether each conjunction is
COORDINATING or SUBORDINATING.
I looked for some novel excerpts to give you for this exercise,
but clauses are complicated, and you need something simple
for clause identification at this point. You need to look for
subject + verb to see if they are independent or if they have a
subordinating conjunction in front of them. Coordinating
conjunctions are fairly easy, but subordinating conjunctions
are much harder because there are so many of them and
because you have to find subject + verb. The lesson on
clauses is quite a bit further down the road, and after you’ve
done that lesson, if you come back here,
you’ll find this
exercise very simple.
For now I want to keep this as
straightforward as I can. Until you have a little more
experience with phrases and clauses, I want to keep your
attention focused on how the parts of speech work.
Coordinating conjunctions are red, & subordinating
conjunctions are green.
I looked for some novel excerpts to give you for this exercise,
but
clauses are complicated,
and
you need something simple
for clause identification at this point. You need to look for
subject+ verb to see
if
they are independent
or
if
they have a
subordinating conjunction in front of them. Coordinating
conjunctions are fairly easy,
but
subordinating conjunctions
are much harder
because
there are so many of them
and
because
you have to find subject + verb. The lesson on
clauses is quite a bit further down the road,
and
after
you’ve
done that lesson,
if
you come back here, you’ll find this
exercise very simple. For now I want to keep this as
straightforward
as
I can.
Until
you have a little more
experience with phrases
and
clauses, I want to keep your
attention focused on
how
the parts of speech work.
Exercises
http://www.education.com/study-help/article/conjunctions_answer1/
(Do just the top exercise, 1-10. Answers are at the bottom.)
http://www.perfectyourenglish.com/grammar/identifying-conjunctions.htm
(Answers are at the bottom.)
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/conjunct/ex1.htm
http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/conjunctions.htm
Exercise written for this slide show
Learn about conjunctions, including how they link words, phrases, and clauses together. Discover the different types of conjunctions, such as coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, and understand their roles in connecting various elements of a sentence. Explore examples and grasp the importance of conjunctions in forming cohesive and coherent sentences.
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Presentation Transcript
Conjunctions link words, phrases, and/or clauses together. Bonnie and Clyde In rain and wind He jumped and screamed. Over the river and through the woods Do you want coffee or tea? Over or under He wanted to leave but couldn t. He wanted to leave, so he did.
Consider the different items that are linked together: 2 nouns: Bonnie and Clyde In rain and wind Do you want coffee or tea? 2 verbs: He jumped and screamed. He wanted to leave but couldn t. 2 prepositional phrases: Over the river and through the woods 2 adverbs: Over or under 2 clauses (sentences): He wanted to leave, so he did.
There are 7 conjunctions that can link together anything: phrases, clauses, nouns, verbs, etc. and, but, or, nor, for, so, yet The popular order these days is for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so because the initials spell fanboys.
Remember that, as always, some of these can function as some other part of speech : You should listen to your father, for he is a wise man. conjunction that joins 2 clauses (sentences) This gift is for you. preposition He is sick, so he can t go to the party. conjunction that joins 2 clauses (sentences) He is so sick. adverb A conjunction links two parts of speech, phrases, etc., so when you see a fanboys, you just need to see if it links two of those. If not, you need to determine what other part of speech it is.
For, and, nor, but, or, yet, & so are called COORDINATING conjunctions. They link things that are equal. For example, in the sentence John and Susan are going to church neither John nor Susan is more important than the other. In John laughed and cried neither laughed nor cried is more important than the other .
Theres another set of conjunctions: subordinating conjunctions. There are far more than seven of them, and they can t link just anything; they can only link clauses. We haven t talked about clauses yet, because we re going through the 8 parts of speech before doing anything else. To understand clauses, you need to understand subjects & verbs, but we haven t discussed subjects yet. Chances are great that you know what a subject is, but if you don t, you need to leave this slide show until we discuss clauses and then come back
Lets take a quick look at subjects & verbs: Dogs bark. Drunks vomit. Janet cheers. Babies cry. Alex shouts. John plays. In all of the above sentences, the first word, which is a noun, is the subject. It is doing an action. The second word is that action. So all of the sentences above consist of a subject & a verb. A clause, very simply, is a group of words containing a subject & a verb. A sentence is therefore a clause, because a sentence always has at least one subject & one verb, but a clause isn t necessarily a sentence. Let s combine two of the sentences above: Alex shouts, and Janet cheers. We ve combined the two sentences with a coordinating conjunction ( fanboys ). So what we have is a single sentence with two clauses (subject + verb and subject + verb). Because we ve used a coordinating conjunction, the two clauses are equally important, & both are called INDEPENDENT clauses.
Now lets combine those same two sentences with a word that is NOT a coordinating conjunction: Alex shouts while Janet cheers. While is not a coordinating conjunction; it is a subordinating conjunction. The two clauses are no longer equally important. Because while is a subordinating conjunction, the clause that comes after it is subordinate to (less important than) the other clause.
A subordinating conjunction is a word that precedes a clause (subject + verb, remember) & ties it to another clause: I cried because I was sad. She eats whenever she is hungry. We read before we go to bed. If you want more money, you need a job. The subordinating conjunctions are in red; the subjects are in blue; the verbs are in green. You ll notice that the less important clause can come at the end (as it does in the first three sentences) or at the beginning (as it does in the last sentence). It s always the subject + verb that comes after the subordinating conjunction that is the less important (called subordinate or dependent ) clause.
Following are some common (and not-so-common) subordinating conjunctions, but don t consider the list complete. supposing where because than whereas before that wherever but that though whether if though after since when although so that whenever as which in order that till while lest unless who no matter until why how what even though As always, many of these words can function as something besides a subordinating conjunction. You ran into before in the slide show on prepositions. Let s look at that one again.
I was here before. I was here before the movie. I was here before the movie started. In the first sentence, before is an adverb, answering the question when. In the second sentence, it s a preposition because it s followed by a noun. In the third, it s a subordinating conjunction because it s followed by a subject + verb. By definition, a subordinating conjunction has to precede a subject + verb. Just watch out for the question words: why, where, when, how. If they re asking a question, they re adverbs, not conjunctions: When are you leaving? When is an adverb. (Easier to see when you put the question in statement form: You are leaving when. ) I ll leave when I m ready. When is a conjunction; it subordinates the subject + verb I + (a)m.
Have you ever heard someone talk about his subordinates at work? Those are people who are under him. If someone is a subordinate, that means there s someone in a position above him. By the same token, a subordinating conjunction makes a clause subordinate to another clause. As we noted, the clause with the subordinating conjunction is less important than the other clause. The point here is that you can t have just a clause with a subordinating conjunction. That clause has to be subordinate to another one. *When I leave. We say this in conversation, but it s not a correct sentence. It s a fragment, incomplete because it needs a clause to which it can be subordinate. When I leave, you can sell my car. NOW it s a complete, correct sentence, because when I leave is subordinate to you can sell my car.
Remember: its only a subordinating conjunction if it s followed by a subject + verb. In summary, there are 2 types of conjunctions: coordinating( fanboys ), which make words/phrases/etc. equal when they link them, & subordinating, which can link only clauses & which make one clause subordinate to another.
Identify the conjunctions in the following paragraph. You need to indicate whether each conjunction is COORDINATING or SUBORDINATING. I looked for some novel excerpts to give you for this exercise, but clauses are complicated, and you need something simple for clause identification at this point. You need to look for subject + verb to see if they are independent or if they have a subordinating conjunction in front of them. Coordinating conjunctions are fairly easy, but subordinating conjunctions are much harder because there are so many of them and because you have to find subject + verb. The lesson on clauses is quite a bit further down the road, and after you ve done that lesson, if you come back here, you ll find this exercise very simple. For now I want to keep this as straightforward as I can. Until you have a little more experience with phrases and clauses, I want to keep your attention focused on how the parts of speech work.
Coordinating conjunctions are red, & subordinating conjunctions are green. I looked for some novel excerpts to give you for this exercise, but clauses are complicated, and you need something simple for clause identification at this point. You need to look for subject+ verb to see if they are independent or if they have a subordinating conjunction in front of them. Coordinating conjunctions are fairly easy, but subordinating conjunctions are much harder because there are so many of them and because you have to find subject + verb. The lesson on clauses is quite a bit further down the road, and after you ve done that lesson, if you come back here, you ll find this exercise very simple. For now I want to keep this as straightforward as I can. Until you have a little more experience with phrases and clauses, I want to keep your attention focused on how the parts of speech work.
Exercises http://www.education.com/study-help/article/conjunctions_answer1/ (Do just the top exercise, 1-10. Answers are at the bottom.) http://www.perfectyourenglish.com/grammar/identifying-conjunctions.htm (Answers are at the bottom.) http://www.ucl.ac.uk/internet-grammar/conjunct/ex1.htm http://www.grammar-monster.com/lessons/conjunctions.htm Exercise written for this slide show
