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Conjunctions

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What is a conjunction?

  • Words that connect other words or groups of words in a sentence are called conjunctions.
  • Conjunctions can connect two subjects, two predicates, or two sentences.
    • Gulls and puffins are sea birds.
    • They swim and dive well.
    • Gulls soar, and puffins swim gracefully.

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Conjunctions continued

  • Conjunctions can also connect other words in a sentence.
    • Sam walked quickly but quietly.
    • He looked on the cliff and near the shore.
    • He did not see any puffins or gulls.

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Coordinating Conjunctions

  • You can remember F.A.N.B.O.Y.S. in order to identify the conjunctions in a sentence.
    • F = For
    • A = And
    • N = Nor
    • B = But
    • O = Or
    • Y = Yet
    • S = So
  • Be careful not to mistake a preposition for a conjunction!

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Coordinating Conjunctions (Hints)

  • You can remember F.A.N.B.O.Y.S. in order to identify the conjunctions in a sentence.
    • F = For (formal speaking and can be substituted with because)
    • A = And
    • N = Nor
    • B = But
    • O = Or
    • Y = Yet (formal speaking and can be substituted with but)
    • S = So
  • Be careful not to mistake a preposition for a conjunction!

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Common Conjunctions

Conjunction

Use

Example

And

Joins together

An addition

Swans and penguins swim.

But

Shows contrast

Swans live on ponds, but penguins do not.

Or

Shows positive choice

Penguins slide or waddle

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Common Conjunctions

Conjunction

Use

Example

For

To show reason

I wore my blue dress for everyone was dressing up

Nor

Shows negative choice

Neither penguins nor ostriches can fly.

Yet

Shows contrast

Brian hurried, yet time was running out.

So

Shows results

I wanted to stay home, so I told my mom I was sick.

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Identify the conjunction in each of these sentences.

  1. Parrots live in wild places or in zoos.
  2. Their beaks and feet are good for climbing.
  3. Tame parrots are friendly and loyal to their owners.
  4. Most parrots live in jungles, but some live in grasslands.
  5. They eat seeds and drink at water holes.

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Subordinating Conjunctions

  • Sometimes the ideas in two separate sentences are related. You combine these sentences by using a special conjunction called a subordinating conjunction. The subordinating conjunction will help show the relationship between the two sentences.

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Subordinating Conjunctions

  • Also known as AAAWWUBBIS words
    • A: After
    • A: Although
    • A: As
    • W: When
    • W: While
    • U: Until
    • B: Because
    • B: Before
    • I: If
    • S: Since

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Subordinating Conjunctions

  • Also known as AAAWWUBBIS words
  • If the sentence begins with a subordinating conjunction, you must have a comma after the clause.
  • However, when the subordinating conjunctions is in the middle of the sentence, there is no comma.

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Subordinating Conjunction

Conjunction

Use

Example

After

Following

After we eat, we will go watch a movie.

Although

Even though

I washed the clothes although I forgot to put them in the dryer.

As

In comparison with

As we headed out the door, the phone rang.

When

At that time

I will meet you by the fountain when I get to the mall.

While

At the same time

While we ate dinner, the band played.

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Subordinating Conjunction

Conjunction

Use

Example

Until

To the time when

Until last night, we really needed rain.

Because

For a reason

We were late because we had a flat tire.

Before

Earlier

Before you leave, please make sure to turn off the light.

If

Something that depends on something else to occur first

Grandma will take us to the park if we help her rake the yard.

Since

For a reason during the period following the time

Since you came to town, I always have a friend.

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Identify the conjunction in each of these sentences.

  • We are practicing every afternoon because our marching band is playing in the Rose City Parade.
  • Although we are all learning to march, We all can play our instruments well.
  • The woodwind section marched and played while everyone clapped and whistled.
  • As the whole band began to play, the crowd went crazy!

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Correlative Conjunctions

  • Pairs of conjunctions that work together to connect ideas.

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Conjunction

Example

both/and

Both apples and oranges are grown on trees

either/or

Either my mom or my dad will pick me up after the party.

neither/nor

Neither my sister nor my brother eat broccoli.

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Identify the conjunctions in each of these sentences.

  1. I want either the cheesecake or the frozen hot chocolate.

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B. Both Jon and Lauren enjoyed the movie.

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C. Neither Peter nor Andrew has passed the test.