Conjunction (grammar)

Conjunctions are words or phrases that connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. They show a relationship between the elements they connect. Conjunctions are a crucial part of sentence structure, enabling writers to express complex ideas and relationships clearly.

Types of Conjunctions

Conjunctions are typically categorized into several types, based on the type of relationship they express:

• Coordinating Conjunctions: These connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank. The most common coordinating conjunctions are often remembered by the acronym FANBOYS: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.

• Subordinating Conjunctions: These connect a dependent clause (a clause that cannot stand alone as a complete sentence) to an independent clause (a clause that can stand alone). Examples include: because, although, since, if, unless, while, after, before, until, etc. Subordinating conjunctions indicate the relationship between the clauses (e.g., cause and effect, time, condition).

• Correlative Conjunctions: These conjunctions work in pairs to connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank. Examples include: both...and, either...or, neither...nor, not only...but also, whether...or.

• Conjunctive Adverbs: These adverbs connect independent clauses. They often function similarly to coordinating conjunctions, but they require a semicolon before them and a comma after them. Examples include: however, therefore, moreover, nevertheless, consequently, furthermore, etc.

Function of Conjunctions

The primary function of conjunctions is to create relationships between different parts of a sentence or between sentences. These relationships can be additive (and), contrastive (but), causal (because), temporal (after), conditional (if), etc. The choice of conjunction significantly affects the meaning and flow of the writing.

Distinguishing Conjunctions from Other Word Classes

It's important to distinguish conjunctions from other word classes that might appear similar. Prepositions, for instance, also connect words or phrases, but they introduce prepositional phrases, while conjunctions connect clauses or sentences. Similarly, some adverbs might seem to function like conjunctions, but their primary role is to modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs.