Let’s welcome to Conjunctions!
In this post, we are going to look at the basics of conjunctions, its definition, meaning, examples words list, along with different types of conjunction, their functionality, and their suitable examples for you to have a clear understanding.
Believe it or not, conjunction plays a vital role in the context of English grammar. The conjunction is a small word that helps connect or join –
They can also be used to coordinate words in a sentence.
There can be no doubt that conjunctions are very important words used in the English language. Basically, we use them every day, and without them, our conversation will not be complete. If we try to define this element, we can say that conjunction is a word that essentially joins parts of sentences, phrases, or other words together.
Sometimes they can be used as single words or in pairs. Some examples of conjunctions are: and, but, or are. They are used by themselves; on the other hand, neither/nor, either/or are conjunction pairs.
Some conjunction words that we use every day like –
As per English grammatical rules, there are three types of conjunctions which are,
Coordinating conjunctions:
These are basically some single words that join similar words or phrases or elements.
Subordinating conjunctions:
These conjunctions can also join similar words, phrases, or elements but exist in pairs.
Correlative conjunctions:
Primarily, these are adverbs that are used as conjunctions. Now, we are going to look at all these different types of conjunctions in detail, along with their suitable examples.
Let’s learn Conjunction types one by one!
The conjunction is one of the eight parts of speech in English grammar, and it is used as a joiner for words, phrases, or clauses in a particular sentence. The way it links words or a group of words together forms a certain relationship, and the thoughts conveyed through the sentence also get connected.
Let’s look at the three different types of conjunction: the coordinating conjunctions, the subordinating conjunctions, and the correlative conjunctions.
The first one we have is the coordinating conjunction. This is perhaps the most common one among all the three types. So what’s the main function of coordinating conjunctions?
Well, they help to join words, phrases, and clauses together, which are more or less grammatically equal.
Apart from that, these conjunctions are often used in between the words or groups of words that it links together.
But always remember that you cannot use them at the beginning or the end.
In this sentence mentioned above, ‘and’ is the conjunction since it links the two drinking items together.
Let’s look at another example:
Here, this example proves that the coordinating conjunctions can join together two (or more) phrases. In this sentence, the coordinating conjunction “or” links “in the outhouse” and “in the attic.”
Here also, in this sentence, the same coordinating conjunction “and” is used to link clauses together instead of just single words.
Now, when you are joining two words, phrases, or dependent clauses together, you won’t have to add a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Like for example:
Now, on the other hand, if you are linking more than two words, phrases, and dependent clauses together, you need to put a series of commas in between the distinct elements. Examples
Also, last but not the least, if you are joining together two independent clauses, you need to put a comma before placing the coordinating conjunction.
If you wish to easily recall all the different coordinating conjunctions that you can use, there is a trick for that. You just have to remember the word “FANBOYS,” which stands for:
The next we have on the list is the subordinating conjunction. These are used to link two clauses together. Apart from being used to introduce a dependent clause, the subordinating conjunctions can also describe the dependent clause and independent clause relationship in the sentence.
There are many subordinating conjunctions used in our daily life, let’s see the list of commonly used subordinating conjunctions –
Now, let’s look at some of the examples with this type of conjunctions to have a better understanding.
If you examine or analyze each of the sentences above, you can easily see that most of the subordinating conjunction is placed either at the beginning of the sentence or between the clauses that it links together.
Apart from that, you need to add a comma between the two clauses (independent clause and dependent clause) of the sentence.
Lastly, we have correlative conjunctions. These are simply pairs of conjunctions that are used to join identical sentence elements together. These are unique ones and can help you express your thoughts much clearer. Let’s look at some of the commonly used correlative conjunctions.
There are many correlative conjunctions used in our daily life, let’s see the list of commonly used correlative conjunctions –
Now, let’s look at some of the examples with this type of conjunctions to have a better understanding.
Check out worksheets of conjunction for practice.
We have got a basic idea about the types of conjunctions, now, have you heard about conjunctive adverbs? Or do you any idea about it or the relationships!
Let’s get into it to get a basic concept!
This is another interesting grammatical element that is directly related to the conjunctions.
Although it is not real conjunction, this kind of word functions as a conjunction in a sentence. That’s why it is important to know them. Some examples of conjunctive adverbs are:
So there you go. I believe, now, with the above discussion, you can now easily understand that conjunctions are very essential in English speech and writing. The main reason to use conjunction in English Grammar,
You should always choose the appropriate conjunction and follow all the rules to avoid grammatical mistakes.
The more you practice, the better you will get at using a conjunction. So, whenever you read something, try to analyze the conjunction uses. Should you have any other queries regarding conjunction, their rules, uses, and examples, feel free to drop them in the comment section below.
Also, if you have any suggestions for our readers, do let us know. Either way, we shall indeed get back to you with the correct answers as soon as we can.
Till then, happy learning English grammar and conjunction.