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7 Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

The document discusses coordinating conjunctions and provides examples of their uses. It introduces the seven main coordinating conjunctions - for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so - which are remembered using the mnemonic FANBOYS. Each conjunction indicates a specific relationship between clauses, such as reason, addition, opposition, or alternatives. The document also gives five ways coordinating conjunctions can be used in writing, such as to indicate reason, link ideas, contrast things, present alternatives, or connect main clauses. Used properly, coordinating conjunctions can improve writing flow and reduce choppy sentences.

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74 views

7 Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

The document discusses coordinating conjunctions and provides examples of their uses. It introduces the seven main coordinating conjunctions - for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so - which are remembered using the mnemonic FANBOYS. Each conjunction indicates a specific relationship between clauses, such as reason, addition, opposition, or alternatives. The document also gives five ways coordinating conjunctions can be used in writing, such as to indicate reason, link ideas, contrast things, present alternatives, or connect main clauses. Used properly, coordinating conjunctions can improve writing flow and reduce choppy sentences.

Uploaded by

Helen
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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7 Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

The most common coordinating conjunctions are summed up in the acronym


FANBOYS. Here are the seven types of conjunctions in this category, using this
particular mnemonic.

1. 1. For: Using the conjunction “for” indicates a relationship between two main
clauses by indicating that one clause is the reason that the other is happening.
For example, you could say: “I want to go to the pizza parlor, for it is my
birthday.
2. 2. And: Using “and” indicates additional information of equal weight to the
information provided in the first clause. For example, you could say “I went to
the grocery store and bought snacks for the party.”
3. 3. Nor: “Nor” connects two clauses that have negative modifiers. For example,
it would be correct to say “I don’t get enough sleep, nor do I try.”
4. 4. But: The conjunction “but” precedes information that opposes the first main
clause in some way. For example, you could say: “I want to go outside, but I
don’t have any sunblock.”
5. 5. Or: “Or” indicates a difference between two equal options. For example, you
could say “I can’t decide whether I want chocolate or vanilla.”
6. 6. Yet: “Yet” introduces a new idea that contradicts the main clause. For
example, you could say “I’m always eating, yet I’m always hungry.”
7. 7. So: “So” joins two equally-weighted thoughts that imply cause and effect. For
example, you could say, “There wasn’t a wait at the DMV, so I decided to go
this morning.”

5 Ways to Use Coordinating Conjunctions


Coordinating conjunctions link thoughts and ideas of equal grammatical rank to form
complete sentences. These types of conjunctions can help make your writing flow
better by eliminating choppy, short sentences, and cutting down on sentence
fragments. Here are five ways that you can use coordinating conjunctions.

1. 1. To indicate a reason for an action. “For” and “so” are coordinating
conjunctions that function similarly to the word “because.” When you need
further explanation for an action you can end it with a comma and follow it up
with “for” or “so” along with the second clause.
2. 2. To link two ideas. The word “and” is often placed between two ideas or
between the second-to-last and last item in a series (with or without an Oxford
comma). The word “and” connects two equal parts of the same sentence. When
you link negative statements, the word “nor” is sometimes used in place of
“and.”
3. 3. To contrast things. Conjunctions like “but” and “yet” help to contrast two ideas
of equal importance in a sentence. “But” is used to show a divergence between
two thoughts when it is a conjunction, though it can also function as a
preposition. The difference between “but” and “yet” is a matter of the tone you
wish to establish.
4. 4. To present an alternative. “Or” is a coordinating conjunction that provides a
second idea or option. “Either” can precede the word “or” is sometimes used
following the word “either” when linking two positive ideas.
5. 5. To connect main clauses. The independent clauses in a compound sentence
connect with coordinating conjunctions like “for” and “yet,” or conjunctive
adverbs, such as “however” and “nevertheless.” Many compound sentences
begin with an independent clause, followed by a comma (unless the clauses are
short), the coordinating conjunction, and then the second independent clause.

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