In the vast realm of language, there exists a small but mighty word that plays a crucial role in our everyday communication: the Conjunction. While often overlooked, conjunctions hold the power to link words, phrases, and ideas, forming the building blocks of coherent and meaningful sentences. This article discusses the meaning, definition, types, and usage of conjunctions.

Table of Content

• What is a Conjunction
• Conjunction Definition
• Conjunction Examples
• Types of Conjunctions
• Coordinating Conjunction
• Subordinating Conjunction
• Correlative Conjunction Words
• Conjunctive Adverbs
• Conjunctions List: Usage
• List of Most Commonly Used Conjunctions
• Rules of Conjunction with Examples
• Conjunction Exercises

What is a Conjunction

A conjunction is a word that connects clauses, sentences, or other words. The usage of conjunctions is crucial for linking clauses, phrases, and words. Understanding the proper use of conjunctions improves the clarity and effectiveness of our writing, whether we’re using coordinating conjunctions to combine comparable elements, subordinating conjunctions to establish dependent clauses, or correlative conjunctions to communicate contrasting thoughts. Conjunctions can be used alone or in groups of two. For example – and, but, or are used alone but neither/nor, either/or etc are used in pairs. By interlinking different elements together, conjunctions enable us to express relationships and convey complex thoughts effectively.

Conjunction Definition

Conjunctions are phrases or words that join together different sentences, clauses, and other words together. Conjunctions play an important role in interconnecting clauses, sentences, and words. Whether using coordinating conjunctions to join similar elements, subordinating conjunctions to introduce dependent clauses, or correlatives conjunctions to express different ideas, understanding the appropriate usage of conjunctions enhances the clarity and effectiveness of our writing. Conjunctions are very helpful in both spoken communication and writing as they allow us to group similar ideas together and simplify, shorten, or clarify our sentences.

Conjunction Examples

Here are some examples to understand how conjunctions are used in sentences:

• Seeta and Geeta went to market.
• Give me chocolate or toffee.
• Ridhi and Sidhi have come
• Mrs. Parul is hospitalized therefore she had not come to the office.

Types of Conjunctions

Conjunctions are mainly of four types:

1. Coordinating Conjunction
2. Subordinating Conjunction
3. Correlative Conjunction Words
4. Conjunctive Adverbs

Coordinating Conjunction

And, but, or, nor, so, as well as, either _ or, neither _ nor, not only _ but also, only, then, therefore, are called Coordinating Conjunctions. Coordinating means “equal in ranks”. One can say that coordinating conjunctions are always used to add two equally ranked phrases, clauses, and sentences

Examples

• Bheem and Chutki were playing Carrom.
• You and I are students of Youtube marketing.
• My family is poor but honest.

Coordinating Conjunctions are of four types:

Subordinating Conjunction

As, because, since, if, though, although, that, before, after, till, until, as long as, when, where, why, etc are known as Subordinating Conjunctions.

Examples

• Sudheer was fined as he drink alcohol.
• If she comes, I shall go.
• I don’t know where he lives.

Subordinating Conjunctions are of Eight types

Correlative Conjunction Words

A pair of correlative conjunctions are used to join similar parts of a sentence. However, correlative conjunctions don’t just join nouns. We can connect verbs, adjectives, adverbs, prepositional phrases, and even clauses depending on which ones we use. Commas are typically not used with correlative conjunctions:

For examples:

• Sudhir kept talking in class; therefore, he got in trouble.

Conjunctions List: Usage

Here is the list of Conjunction which is used in our daily English usage:

List of Most Commonly Used Conjunctions

Rules of Conjunction with Examples

Rule 1: Either ... or is used to show a choice of two things.

For example:

• She is either intelligent or honest.
• Either you or your principal was present in the school.

Rule 2: Neither ... nor is used to show that a negative statement is true of two things.

For example:

• My friend is neither good nor intelligent.
• Neither Rishi nor Rahul was playing this game.

Rule 3: Both ... and is used in the sense of ‘and also’ or not only…..’ but also’.

For example:

• Varun is both tall and healthy.
• Both his friend and his girlfriend will be there.

Rule 4: Nor is also used after not adding more than two words with neither……….nor.

For example:

• His friend is neither intelligent nor honest nor good.

Rule 5: ‘Yet’ is used after ‘although’ / ‘though’ but the conjunction – ‘but’ is not used after ‘although’ / ‘though’.

For example:

• She is poor, yet She is honest.

Conjunction Exercises

Find the errors in the following questions

Q1. (a) Sudheer put all his / (b) energy into achieving the / (c) deadlines and / (d) Pradeep could not do so.

Solution:

• There is an error in part c.
• Replace “and” with “but”.

Q2. The major reason for (a) / her downfall is (b) because she did not work hard (c) / neither does she believes in her team (d).

Solution:

• There is an error in part c.
• Replace “because” with “that”.

Q3. She didn’t like (a) / the way that (b) / you speak to (c) / others in the class (d).

Solution:

• The error is in part b.
• Remove “that” by “in which”.

Q4. Sheetal has (a) / lived in Delhi (b) / when I were (c) / very young (d).

Solution:

• The error is in part (c).
• Replace “when” with “since”.

Q5. Not only he offered (a) / them some (b) / food but also he (c) / offered them clothes to wear (d).

Solution:

• There was an error in part (a).
• One should replace the first part with Not only did he offer.

Fill in the Blanks

Conjunctions- FAQs