Conjunctions

You hear the song dont you? (Whats that function?). Conjunctions are connecting words that join
words or groups of words. Seriously, Google the song, it explains it much better. There are three
different types of conjunctions: coordinating, correlative and subordinating.

Coordinating Conjunctions

A coordinating conjunction is a single word that joins words or a group of words. The most common
ones are:

For and nor but or yet so

Yes, thats right, take the first letters and you have FANBOYS (decent movie about Star Wars fans). As
most geeks are called Fanboys (or fangirls but that does not work for our purposes) it works well for this
guide. Coordinating conjunctions always join items of the same part of speech:

Hes dead Jim; I got his tricorder and wallet.

Tricorder and wallet are both nouns and the coordinating conjunction and
joins them.

The Redshirt gasped and fell when the phaser beam came near him.

Gasped and fell are both verbs and the coordinating conjunction and joins
them.

Anakin Skywalker refused to go near an active volcano or next to an open

flame ever again.

Near an active volcano and next to an open flame are both prepositional
phrases with the coordinating conjunction or joining them.

Correlative conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are almost the same as coordinating conjunctions but they come in pairs (like
Vulcan ears). Some common ones are:

Both/and either/or Neither/nor not only/but also whether/or

Raising shields not only protects the crew but also the ship as well.
RED ALERT

Certain words might act as conjunctions in some sentences and prepositions in others.

Adama was a good commander, but was a hell raiser when he was younger.

In this case but is a conjunction because it connects two separate sentences.

Kirk forgave every Klingon but Kruge.

In this sentence but is a preposition, the prepositional phrase being but Kruge.

Subordinating conjunctions

The subordinate conjunction has two jobs. First, it provides a necessary transition between the two
ideas in the sentence. This transition will indicate a time, place, or cause and effect relationship. You will
only find these in complex sentences which have both an independent clause and a dependent clause
(more on clauses later, but not the Santa kind). Common subordinating clauses are:

After although as because before even if even though if in order that once provided that

rather than since so that than that though unless until when whenever where whereas

wherever whether while why

Dr. McCoy will find the cure to that disease in the nick of time once Spock stops lecturing him for being
emotional.

In this sentence the subordinating conjunction, once, shows a time linking the two ideas.

The second job of the subordinate conjunction is to reduce the importance of one clause so
that a reader understands which of the two ideas is more important. The more important idea
belongs in the main clause, the less important in the clause introduced by the subordinate
conjunction. The main clause does not have to begin the sentence however.

As he turned off his targeting computer, Luke destroyed the Death Star.

In this sentence the less important clause, as he turned off his targeting computer, leads the
sentence with the main clause, he destroyed the Death Star following.

Vader cut off Lukes hand after a flick of his lightsaber.

In this sentence the main clause, Vader cut off Lukes hand, precedes the lesser clause of after a flick of
his lightsaber.
Do or do not be too confused. As stated earlier we will be talking more about clauses (but not sanity
clauses) later.

A friendly Bat-reminder If you link a list of items together with conjunctions, you dont need to separate
the items with a comma.

Batman has a Bat Plane and a Bat Boat and a Batmobile and a Bat Snowmobile and a Bat Chopper.

No commas needed.

Interjections!

Yippee! Like the squeal of young Anakin Skywalker interjections are simply words that express emotions.
Generally these words are separated from the sentence with an exclamation point.

Frak! This is not good.

If the emotion being expressed is not as strong it is set off from the sentence by a comma.

(As George Takei) Oh my, the internet is an exciting place.

Conjunction function find that junction

Its time to play Wheres Waldo conjunction style. See how many conjunctions
you can find in the following sentences. Just for laughs label them correlative or
coordinating.

1. Wesley will be a starship captain or an interdimensional transcendent being

of immense power.
2. Ron wanted to be either an auror or work in his brothers joke shop.
3. Venkman thought dogs and cats living together would equal mass hysteria.
4. Shields not only protect the ship from weapons but also the occasional
floating hand.
5. I like Transformers but not as much as Gobots.
6. Neither a Gorn nor a Visitor would do well on
Hoth.
7. Data loves Spot but very few others do.
8. Codex loved the game a lot so she started
working for the company that made it.
9. Picard didnt know which was worse, the Borg
or Q.
10. Archer had a hard time trusting any Vulcan but
Tpol.
Conjunction fever

Below you will find some sentence ideas. Use your positronic neural net and turn
them into sentences adding details and
conjunctions.

1. Worfs eating habits at the embassy dinner.

2. Joseph working as a lawyer on Caprica.
3. Slimer making a mess.
4. Wash piloted the ship for the first time.
5. Jon Snow met the White Walker.
6. Gollum liked riddles.
7. Willow wanted to be a sorcerer.
8. Alex escaped the destruction of the
Starfighters.
9. Joel liked cheesey movies.
10. Elvira hosted horror movies.
Directions: Read each sentence below. Underline the conjunction that connects
the two phrases.
Example A: Stephen loves to play seeker, for he is very fast.
Answer: for

1. Kirk loves to go skydiving, yet he has a fear of heights.

2. Troi ate all her dinner, so she was able to have her chocolate.
3.Rocket Racoon must pull the pins, or else his grenades wont go off.
4. Diggory loves to play Quidditch, but he does not like to be the keeper.
5. There is no sentence five for I could not think of one.
6. Keiko loves to cook, for she has a special talent for it.
7. Kirk has to wake up early, so he can climb the mountain.
8. Sophia ate a lot, yet she is still a hungry zombie.
9. The man is fast, but the Flash is faster.
10. Solo went to the black market, so he could shop.
11. Sisko loves to cook, but he needs a new stove.
12. Stephen King loves to watch baseball, for he is good at
writing about it.
13. We are going to the Toshi Station, once my friends get
here.
14. Im having a great time, while you are at home
watching Babylon Five.
15. Were going to win the Dom-jot championship, since
you guys are not prepared.

Directions: Write 10 simple sentences. Then create one compound sentence from
the two
simple sentences by using a conjunction.

Example A: John loves Star Wars. John loves Star Trek.

A: John loves Star Wars and Star Trek.
B: John loves both Star Wars and Star Trek.
Interjections (is a big word that you cant spell) (thank you MADtv)

Add interjections to the following sentences

to express emotions.

1. Shatners toupee blew off.

2. You stunned me!
3. Holobands are cool!
4. He lost the quaffle.
5. Baby Groot is adorable.
6. Luke lost his hand.
7. The Falcon is fast!
8. Wesley won the young pilots award!
9. Lucius dropped the prophecy.
10. Lucius Fox made all Batmans toys.
Conjunction function find that junction

Its time to play Wheres Waldo conjunction style. See how many conjunctions you can find in the
following sentences. Just for laughs label them correlative or coordinating.

1. Wesley will be a starship captain or an interdimensional transcendent being of immense power.

(coordinating)
2. Ron wanted to be either an auror or work in his brothers joke shop. (correlative)
3. Venkman thought dogs and cats living together would equal mass hysteria. (coordinating)
4. Shields not only protect the ship from weapons but also the occasional floating hand.
(correlative)
5. I like Transformers but not as much as Gobots. (coordinating)
6. Neither a Gorn nor a Visitor would do well on Hoth. (correlative)
7. Data loves Spot but very few others do. (coordinating)
8. Codex loved the game a lot so she started working for the company that made it. (coordinating)
9. Picard didnt know which was worse, the Borg or Q. (coordinating)
10. Archer had a hard time trusting any Vulcan but Tpol. (coordinating)

Conjunction fever

Below you will find some sentence ideas. Use your positronic neural net and turn them into sentences
adding details and conjunctions. Answers will vary.

1. Worfs eating habits at the embassy dinner.

2. Joseph working as a lawyer on Caprica.
3. Slimer making a mess.
4. Wash piloted the ship for the first time.
5. Jon Snow met the White Walker.
6. Gollum liked riddles.
7. Willow wanted to be a sorcerer.
8. Alex escaped the destruction of the Starfighters.
9. Joel liked cheesey movies.
10. Elvira hosted horror movies.

Directions: Read each sentence below. Underline the conjunction that connects the two phrases.
Example A: Stephen loves to play seeker, for he is very fast.
Answer: for

1. Kirk loves to go skydiving, yet he has a fear of heights.

2. Troi ate all her dinner, so she was able to have her chocolate.
3.Rocket Racoon must pull the pins, or else his grenades wont go off.
 4. Diggory loves to play Quidditch, but he does not like to be the keeper.
5. There is no sentence five for I could not think of one.
6. Keiko loves to cook, for she has a special talent for it.
7. Kirk has to wake up early, so he can climb the mountain.
8. Sophia ate a lot, yet she is still a hungry zombie.
9. The man is fast, but the Flash is faster.
10. Solo went to the black market, so he could shop.
11. Sisko loves to cook, but he needs a new stove.
12. Stephen King loves to watch baseball, for he is good at writing about it.
13. We are going to the Toshi Station, once my friends get here.
14. Im having a great time, while you are at home watching Babylon Five.
15. Were going to win the Dom-jot championship, since you guys are not prepared.

Directions: Write 10 simple sentences. Then create one compound sentence from the two
simple sentences by using a conjunction.

Example A: John loves Star Wars. John loves Star Trek.

A: John loves Star Wars and Star Trek.
B: John loves both Star Wars and Star Trek.
Answers will vary.

Interjections (is a big word that you cant spell) (thank you MADtv)

Add interjections to the following sentences to express emotions. Answers will vary.

1. Shatners toupee blew off.

2. You stunned me!
3. Holobands are cool!
4. He lost the quaffle.
5. Baby Groot is adorable.
6. Luke lost his hand.
7. The Falcon is fast!
8. Wesley won the young pilots award!
9. Lucius dropped the prophecy.
10. Lucius Fox made all Batmans toys.