Conjunctions

A conjunction is a word which joins or connects two words, phrases, clauses or sentences and shows the relation between
them.
They are used to avoid making the text seem like bullet points and to make the text flow.

Example:
 Jai saw a dog on the road. He decided to adopt the dog. Jai brought the dog home.
 Jai saw a dog on the road and decided to adopt the dog, so he brought the dog home.
Here ‘and’ and ‘so’ are conjunctions which are used to join the sentences and show the relation between them.

Types of Conjunctions
There are 3 main categories of conjunctions. Apart from these, there are also Adverbs of Conjunctions.

1. Coordinating Conjunctions
These conjunctions are used to link or join two words or phrases that are equally important and complete in terms of
grammar when compared with each other. They do not depend on anything to give them meaning.

There are seven main coordinating conjunctions -

 For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So (FAN BOYS)

They are always placed between the two clauses or words that they are joining.

Examples of the coordinating conjunctions -

 Nikhil does not want tea. Nikhil does not want coffee.
Nikhil does not want tea or coffee.
Here ‘or’ is used to combine the two words and make a cohesive sentence using them.

 Pizza is my favourite snacks. Burger is also my favourite snacks.

Pizza and burger are my favourite snacks.
Here, ‘and’ acts as a coordinating conjunction that links two words together (pizza + burger).

 I scored 60% in the exams. Anita scored 7% more than me.

I scored 60% in the exams but Anita scored 7% more than me.
Here ‘but’ is used to combine and show relation between two sentences that are equally important and cohesive by
themselves.

2. Subordinating Conjunctions
These conjunctions are used to join an independent and complete clause with a dependent clause that relies on the main
clause for meaning and relevance. The dependent clause cannot exist on its own as a sentence and often does not make
sense without the main clause.
The subordinating conjunction always comes before the dependent clause but the dependent clause itself can be
placed either ahead of or following the independent clause.

List of examples of Common Subordinating Conjunctions:

So, Since, So that, Though, While, as soon as, although, because, when, until, unless, if, in case, as far as, now that, as

Examples:
 It is very cold outside, so I brought you a jacket.
 Because it is very cold outside, I brought you a jacket.
In the sentences above, a subordinating conjunction can be found either at the beginning of the sentence or between the
clauses that it links together. A comma should also be placed in between the two clauses.

 Since they had misbehaved, the boys were given one week suspension from school.
In this sentence, the clause, ‘they had misbehaved’ is the dependent clause which is not a valid sentence by itself.
And ‘the boys were given one week suspensions from school’ is the independent main clause.
They are joined by the subordinating conjunction ‘since’.
 He was fond of playing basketball because it was his father’s favourite game.
In this sentence, because is the subordinating conjunction as it introduces the dependent clause ‘it was his father’s
favourite game’
Here, ‘he was fond of playing basketball’ is the main clause, as it is the sentence which can be saidindependently and still
be grammatically correct.

Other subordinating conjunctions are - Although, As, Before, Once, Though, Until, Whether, etc.

3. Correlative Conjunctions
Correlative Conjunctions are simply pairs of conjunctions used in a sentence to join different words or groups of words in
a sentence together.
They are generally not used to link sentences themselves, instead they link two or more words of equal importance within
the sentence itself.

Some of the more commonly used correlative conjunctions are -

Both the shoes and the dress were completely overpriced.
 This is an example of using the correlative conjunctions ‘both/and’ in a sentence. In this sentence, the ‘shoes’
and the ‘dress’ were equally important elements that needed to be given the same importance.

They should either change their strategy or just forfeit the game.
 The ‘either/or’ conjunctions are used to suggest a choice between two options. Here the choice being suggested
is between - ‘change their strategy’ or ‘forfeit the game’.

Just as she loves hiking so she enjoys travelling as well.

 The correlative conjunctions ‘just as/so’ are used to link two phrases that have a similar theme or are referring to
a similar thing together. This conjunction is used to show the correspondence between two phrases or words.

He neither helps around the house nor does he look for a job.
 ‘Neither/nor’ are conjunctions that are used to deny or negate words and phrases. In the case of ‘neither’, it
gives two options that are both negated. ‘Nor’ is the negative form of ‘or’.

Not only does he play the lead guitar but he is also the band’s songwriter.
 The correlative conjunctions ‘not only/but’ are used to show an additional and important element in the sentence
that is used to indicate excess when combined with the first element. In this sentence the fact that he is a guitarist
and a song writer are equally important but when shown together, they indicate an excess of talent in the person.

It doesn’t matter whether the roses are fresh or if they are drooping, just buy them.
 ‘Whether/or’ is used as a conjunction to show two different options in the sentence. The conjunction can be used
both in a manner of negation and confirmation.

3. Correlative Conjunction
The correlative conjunctions are simply pairs of conjunctions which are used to join equal sentence elements together.
List of Common Correlative Conjunctions:
 either… or neither… nor not only… but also
 both… and whether… or so… as

S. N o . Id ea to be co nv ey e d Co njunctio ns that can be use d

1 Tim e When, Befo re, As so o n as, As lo ng as, Whenever
2 Place Where, Wherever
3 Cause o r Reaso n As, Because, In o rd er to , Therefo re
4 Co nd itio n If, Unless, In case, Whether, Pro vid ed that
5 Purp o se That, So , Lest, In o rd er to
6 Co ncession o r Co ntrast Altho ugh, Tho ugh, Ho wever
7 Co m p ariso n As, As m uch as, Than, No less than
8 Manner As, Acco rd ing to

What is a Conjunctive Adverb?
Although a conjunctive adverb is not a real conjunction, this kind of words functions as conjunctions in a sentence.
Some examples of conjunctive adverbs are:
 in addition, for example, however, therefore, on the contrary, hence, in fact, otherwise, as a result, still, thus, on the
other hand, instead, incidentally, after all, finally, likewise, meanwhile, consequently
1. Conjunctions that just add one fact to another:
a. And Now sit down and enjoy the movie.
b. Both ….. and The movie is both entertaining and educational.
 c. Not only ….. but also Ram not only plays good cricket but also studies well.
d. As well as Sonu is a singer as well as a dancer.

2. Conjunctions that express contrast:

a. But I like tea but I don’t like coffee.
b. Still, Yet He is rich, still (yet) he is not proud.
c. Nevertheless Everyone stopped him, nevertheless he married that girl.
d. Whereas Raj is dumb whereas his brother is very smart.

3. Conjunctions that express a choice between two options:

a. Or What will you take, tea or coffee?
b. Either ….. or I will either go to Delhi or Mumbai.
c. Neither ….. nor Neither Ram nor Shyam will help you.
d. Otherwise, Else Don’t damage the book otherwise (else) teacher will scold you.

4. Conjunctions that express an inference:

a. For Don’t take tension, for all problems have a solution.
b. So, Therefore I was having fever; so (therefore) I did not go to party.

Some Conjunctions join subordinate or dependent clauses to principle clauses.

1. Conjunctions that express time.
a. It started raining after I have reached home.
b. Don’t go until I tell you.
c. The thief ran away as soon as the police arrived.

2. Conjunctions that express cause or reason.

a. As he was not feeling well, he did not go to school.
b. You will fall in trouble because you spoke a lie.
c. Radha left her job since her father did not like it.

3. Conjunctions that express condition.

a. You will succeed if you work hard.
b. Unless you complete your work, you will not go to play.
c. I will gift you a bike provided you score good marks.

4. Conjunctions that express result or effect.

a. I am so tired that I cannot walk.
b. This is such a tough question that no one could solve it.

5. Conjunctions that express contrast or concession.

a. He is honest though he is poor.
b. However we may try, we cannot repay our teachers.

6. Conjunctions that express comparison.

a. He is smarter than his brother.
b. Mother likes me no less than you.