Conjunctions: Coordinating & Correlative

Introduction

The conjunction is highly utilized to create a link with clauses that are present in a sentence and is found in the end parts of a sentence. The ideas that are complex cannot be explained without conjunctions. Conjunctions help to describe the meaning of a series of short and simplistic sentences. Several major types of conjunctions rules are explained below to form complete sentences with appropriate meaning.

What is Conjunction?

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, it can be stated that conjunctions are denoted as a word that helps to connect sentences including and, but, while, although, and many more. On the other side, The Merriam-Webster Dictionary highlights that conjunctions are the form of an uninflected linguistic that builds up a relation between 2 or more clauses, phrases, words and sentences.

The three major types of conjunctions that are utilised to form meaningful and less complex sentences include coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions. In Collins Dictionary, it has been found that the term conjunctions refer to any group of words or words that may or may not be determined as a relative pronoun that links words, phrases, and clauses present in sentences.

The words that help to link or build up the relation between 2 or more sentences, clauses, words, and phrases are referred to as conjunctions. In English, it is important to understand the general rules of connections as it helps to form an elegant, complex, sentence. The choppiness of several short sentences can be removed by using correct projections during the formation of sentences. In this case, the phrases that are used to join through appropriate conjunctions share a parallel or the same structure.

Examples −

• The boy like playing and eating, but does not like studying.

• Lily got exhausted, yet she continued dancing till evening.

The phrases that are linked through conjunction must have a parallel structure.

Examples −

• The girl writes quickly and creatively.

• He is too tired and exhausted after the match.

Coordinating Conjunctions

The major types of conjunctions that allow the learners to connect words, phrases, and clauses that have an equivalent grammatical rank are determined as the coordinating conjunctions. The major examples of coordinating conjunction include for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. The effective mnemonic device that can be utilized for choosing appropriate conjunction for linking 2 or more clauses or sentences is FANBOYS.

Examples of coordinating conjunction are stated below.

• Flowers and chocolate are my favourites.

• I will not play today because I am too tired.

• He will be going to school tomorrow so he is trying to finish all his homework today.

• Rita did not like the food yet she ate them.

• The boy is hardworking but rude.

• Mom and dad will go to my school the day after tomorrow.

Correlative Conjunctions

The pairs of conjunctions that are often utilized to link 2 or more words, phrases, sentences, and clauses are referred to as correlative conjunctions. Some common examples of these correlative conjunctions include either/or, neither/nor, not only/but also and many more. The phrase of sentences that have equal importance is generally joined with types of conjunctions.

Examples of correlative conjunction are stated below.

• Either you or I will go shopping tomorrow.

• No sooner has the mentor entered the room than the learners kept quiet.

• She would rather prepare food at home than go outside for lunch.

• Nila was very confused about whether to wear red or blue for the party.

Subordinating Conjunctions

The joining of several dependent adverbial clauses with independent clauses are made with these subordinating conjunctions. Some common examples of these subordinating conjunctions include because, since, as, although, though, while, and whereas. These Subordinating conjunctions generally signal a cause-and-effect relationship, a contrast or other types of relationships between the 2 or more sentences, clauses, words, and phrases. In some cases, an adverb including until, after, or before can also function as conjunction.

Example − The child will drink juice after having her lunch. [The child will drink juice is determined as an independent clause whereas after having her lunch is the dependent adverb clause].

Some other examples of subordinating conjunction are stated below.

• Before she moves to another room, make sure her room is tidy and clean.

• He was thirsty, so he drank a glass of juice.

• She can stay out until the clock strikes twelve.

• The delivery boy arrived after we left for the office.

Conclusion

The rules of utilizing correct conjunctions for phrases, clauses, or a sentence must be understood well to form error-free sentences. Complexity and choppiness of a sentence can be avoided by including correct conjunction by keeping the structure of phrases parallel. The three major types of conjunction that are often used to connect 2 or more sentences, phrases and clauses include coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions.

FAQs

Q1. What are serious rules that need to follow while using conjunction in a sentence?

Ans. The error will occur if the sentence is started with conjunction. This rule is often determined as the myth of conjunction use. Subordinating conjunction can sometimes start a sentence if a dependent clause comes before an independent clause in a sentence. Some examples of subordinating conduction that can be used to join words, phrases, or clauses include unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether or not.

Q2. What is the rule of subordinating conjunctions?

Ans. The subordinating conjunction can be utilised both at the beginning and in the middle of a sentence. These types of conjunctions need to be part of the dependent clause where the dependent clause must be applied before the independent clause. Some examples of these subordinating conjunctions include after, although, as, as if, as long as, as much as, as soon as, as though, because, before, by the time, even if, even though, if, in order that, in case.