Conjunctions

Conjunctions

A conjunction is a word that connects other words or groups of words.

The most common conjunctions are and, but, and or.

What Kinds of Work Do Conjunctions Do?

1. A conjunction connects nouns:

Milk and cheese are dairy products.

N. CONJ. N.

(The conjunction and connects the nouns milk and cheese.)

Jennifer, Joe, or Jamal will lead the discussion.

N. N. CONJ. N.

(The conjunction or connects the nouns Jennifer, Joe, and Jamal.)

2. A conjunction connects adjectives:

The winners were tired but happy.

ADJ. CONJ. ADJ.

(The conjunction but connects the adjectives tired and happy.)

3. A conjunction connects verbs:

I do not care if I win or lose.

V. CONJ. V.

(The conjunction or connects the verbs win and lose.)

4. A conjunction connects pronouns, or a noun and a pronoun:

You and she are always on time.

PRON. CONJ. PRON.

(The conjunction and connects the pronouns You and she.)

Alex and I are neighbors.

N. CONJ. PRON.

(The conjunction and connects the noun Alex and the pronoun I.)

5. A conjunction connects adverbs:

It rained gently but steadily.

ADV. CONJ. ADV.

(The conjunction but connects the adverbs gently and steadily.)

6. A conjunction connects prepositional phrases:

Park on Washington Street or on the driveway.

PREP. PHR. CONJ. PREP. PHR.

(The conjunction or connects the prepositional phrases on Washington

Street and on the driveway.)

In addition to the above, conjunctions can make still other connections, as we shall see

later.

Composition Hint

The conjunctions and, or, and but connect words or expressions of equal rank:

two nouns, two adjectives, two adverbs, two prepositional phrases, etc.

POOR: They worked quickly and with care.

(The words connected are not of equal rank: quickly is an adverb, and

with care is a prepositional phrase.)

BETTER: They worked quickly and carefully.

(The words connected are of equal rank: quickly and carefully are

adverbs.)

However, as we have seen on page 102, a conjunction can connect a noun and a

pronoun.

CORRECT: Mary and I will help.

N. PRON.

Whenever you write, watch your use of the conjunctions and, or, and but; make sure

they connect words or expressions of equal rank.

Combining Simple Sentences

Another use for the conjunctions and, but, and or is to combine simple sentences into

compound sentences.

A simple sentence has only one subject and one verb.

Paul scraped the dishes. I loaded them into the dishwasher.              (simple. sentences)

     S.           V.                              S.     V

A compound sentence consists of two or more simple sentences joined by and, but, or or.

Paul scraped the dishes, and I loaded them into the dishwasher.       (compound sentence)

    simple sentence                        CONJ.           simple sentence

Punctuation: A comma [,] usually precedes the conjunction.

Use the conjunction but to combine simple sentences that contrast with each other.

The boat overturned. Nobody was injured.                                    (simple sentences)

            S.              V.                    S.           V.

The boat overturned, but nobody was injured.                            (compound sentence)

          simple sentence           CONJ. simple sentence

Use the conjunction or to combine simple sentences expressing a choice between two

or more possibilities.

I will bring my basketball. We can use yours.                              (simple sentences)

S. V.                                                   S.       V.

I will bring my basketball, or we can use yours.                       (compound sentence)

          simple sentence                    CONJ. simple sentence