CONJUNCTION WHAT IS A CONJUNCTION? A conjunction is a joiner, a word that connects (conjoins) parts of a sentence.

ce. The part of speech (or word class) that serves to connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. The common conjunctions--and, but, for, or, nor, yet, and so--join the elements of a coordinate structure.

COORDINATING CONJUNCTION co-ordinating conjunction ("and," "but," "or," "nor," "for," "so," or "yet") are used to join individual words, phrases, and independent clauses. Conjunctions "but" and "for" also can be use as prepositions. The simple, little conjunctions are called coordinating conjunctions It may help you remember these conjunctions by recalling that they all have fewer than four letters. Also, remember the acronym FANBOYS: For-And-Nor-But-Or-Yet-So. For And Nor But Or Yet So

When a coordinating conjunction connects two independent clauses, it is often (but not always) accompanied by a comma: Ali wants to play football, but his friends are still having classes.

This is a useful rule, but difficult to remember. (expressing a contrast)

EXAMPLES : "There was a time when a fool and his money were soon parted, but now it happens to everybody." (Adlai Stevenson) "There's a dark side to each and every human soul. We wish we were Obi-Wan Kenobi, andfor the most part we are, but there's a little Darth Vadar in all of us." (Chris Stevens, Northern Exposure) "I am living at the Villa Borghese. There is not a crumb of dirt anywhere, nor a chair misplaced. We are all alone here and we are dead." (Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, 1934) Joey lost a fortune in the stock market, but he still seems able to live quite comfortably.

Juanita is brilliant and a pleasant personality. Tashonda sent in her applications and waited by the phone for a response.

SUBORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS
A subordinating conjunction introduces a dependent clause and indicates the nature of the relationship among the independent clause(s) and the dependent clause(s). It also turns the clause into something

that depends on the rest of the sentence for its meaning.

The most common subordinating conjunctions are "after," "although," "as," "because," "before," "how," "if," "once," "since," "than," "that," "though," "till," "until," "when," "where," "whether," and "while." EXAMPLE : After she had learned to drive, Alice felt more independent.

The subordinating conjunction "after" introduces the dependent clause "After she had learned to drive." If the paperwork arrives on time, your cheque will be mailed on Tuesday.

Similarly, the subordinating conjunction "if" introduces the dependent clause "If the paperwork arrives on time." Gerald had to begin his thesis over again when his computer crashed.

The subordinating conjunction "when" introduces the dependent clause "when his computer crashed." Midwifery advocates argue that home births are safer because the mother and baby are exposed to fewer people and fewer germs.

In this sentence, the dependent clause "because the mother and baby are exposed to fewer people and fewer germs" is introduced by the subordinating conjunction "because." CORRELATIVE CONJUNCTION Correlative conjunctions always appear in pairs -- you use them to link equivalent sentence elements. The most common correlative conjunctions are "both...and," "either...or," "neither...nor,", "not only...but also," "so...as," and "whether...or." (Technically correlative conjunctions consist simply of a co-ordinating conjunction linked to an adjective or adverb.) Both my grandfather and my father worked in the steel plant.

In this sentence, the correlative conjunction "both...and" is used to link the two noun phrases that act as the compound subject of the sentence: "my grandfather" and "my father". Bring either a Jello salad or a potato scallop.

Here the correlative conjunction "either...or" links two noun phrases: "a Jello salad" and "a potato scallop." Corinne is trying to decide whether to go to medical school or to go to law school.

Similarly, the correlative conjunction "whether ... or" links the twoinfinitive phrases "to go to medical school" and "to go to law school." The explosion destroyed not only the school but also the neighbouring pub.

In this example the correlative conjunction "not only ... but also" links the two noun phrases ("the school" and "neighbouring pub") which act as direct objects.