Conjunctions

What Are Conjunctions?

Conjunctions are words that join other words, phrases, or clauses together. They are essential for creating varied, flowing sentences and for showing the logical relationships between ideas — such as cause and effect, contrast, or condition.

Key Terms

Term	Definition	Example
Conjunction	A word that connects words, phrases, or clauses	and, but, because
Coordinating conjunction	Joins two equal elements	She ran and jumped.
Subordinating conjunction	Joins a dependent clause to an independent clause	He left because he was tired.
Correlative conjunction	Pairs of conjunctions that work together	either...or, both...and
FANBOYS	Acronym for the 7 coordinating conjunctions	For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So

The Three Types of Conjunctions

1. Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS)

These join two equal grammatical elements — two nouns, two phrases, or two independent clauses.

Conjunction	Use	Example
For	Reason (formal)	She left, for she was tired.
And	Addition	He sings and dances.
Nor	Negative alternative	She doesn't eat meat, nor does she eat fish.
But	Contrast	I tried, but I failed.
Or	Alternative	Tea or coffee?
Yet	Contrast (surprising)	She was tired, yet she kept going.
So	Result	It rained, so we stayed in.

Comma rule: When joining two independent clauses, place a comma before the coordinating conjunction: She studied hard, but she needed more time.

2. Subordinating Conjunctions

These introduce a dependent (subordinate) clause and connect it to the main clause. They show relationships such as time, cause, condition, and contrast.

Relationship	Examples
Time	when, while, after, before, until, since
Cause/Reason	because, since, as
Condition	if, unless, provided that
Contrast	although, though, even though, whereas
Purpose	so that, in order that

Examples:

• She stayed inside because it was raining.
• Although he was nervous, he gave a great speech.
• I will help you if you ask nicely.

Comma rule: When the dependent clause comes first, use a comma after it: Before she left, she said goodbye.

3. Correlative Conjunctions

These are pairs of conjunctions that work together to connect balanced elements.

Pair	Example
both ... and	Both the cat and the dog are friendly.
either ... or	Either she wins or she learns.
neither ... nor	Neither snow nor rain stopped them.
not only ... but also	She is not only smart but also kind.
whether ... or	I don't know whether to stay or go.

Agreement rule: With either/or and neither/nor, the verb agrees with the nearest subject: Either the students or the teacher is responsible.

Worked Examples

Combining sentences using conjunctions:

Original: She was tired. She finished the project.

• Coordinating: She was tired, yet she finished the project.
• Subordinating: Although she was tired, she finished the project.

Original: He did not eat breakfast. He did not eat lunch.

• Correlative: He ate neither breakfast nor lunch.

Common Mistakes

• Comma splice: Joining two independent clauses with only a comma: "I was late, I missed the bus" — add a conjunction or use a full stop.
• Starting sentences with and/but: Acceptable in modern writing, but avoid it in formal essays.
• Neither/nor confusion: "Neither the cat or the dog" is wrong — use "neither ... nor."
• Missing comma before coordinating conjunctions when joining independent clauses.

Tips and Tricks

• Use FANBOYS to remember the 7 coordinating conjunctions: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.
• Subordinating conjunctions make your writing more sophisticated — use them to show cause (because), contrast (although), and condition (if/unless).
• Correlative conjunctions must be parallel: "She is both talented and hardworking" — both elements are adjectives.
• Vary your conjunctions: overusing and makes writing feel flat.

Using Conjunctions to Vary Your Writing

Skilled writers use all three types of conjunction to create varied, sophisticated sentences. Here is how to upgrade simple writing with conjunctions:

Simple (no conjunctions): She was nervous. She gave a speech. The audience clapped.

With coordinating conjunction: She was nervous, but she gave a speech, and the audience clapped.

With subordinating conjunction: Although she was nervous, she gave a speech. Because she spoke clearly, the audience clapped.

With correlative conjunction: Not only did she overcome her nerves, but she also delivered a compelling speech.

Using a mix of conjunction types creates rhythm and shows the relationships between ideas clearly — essential for strong essay and creative writing.

Quick Reference

Type	Function	Examples	Comma Rule
Coordinating	Join equal elements	for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so	Comma before when joining two independent clauses
Subordinating	Join dependent to main clause	because, although, if, when, unless	Comma after dependent clause when it comes first
Correlative	Pair-based connectors	both...and, either...or, neither...nor	Follow parallelism rule