Conjunctions
Conjunctions are used to connect words in a sentence, or to connect complete sentences. When conjunctions are used,
the result is a compound structure. A comma is used before the conjunction to separate the clauses.
Three common conjunctions are and, but and or.
Haley reads books, and she also writes them.
Alan tried hard, but he still lost the match.
We will take a walk, or we will go for a swim.
1. Mark ate pizza. Jim ate pasta. (but)
2. Will we wait? Will we go? (or)
3. Frank rode his bike. Jim walked. (and)
4. Ann has a pet dog. Kim has a pet turtle. (but)
5. I will eat a sandwich. I will drink water. (and)
6. Don wrote the letter. Millie mailed the letter. (but)
7. George is sick. George still has an appetite. (but)
8. Do you want to go a movie? Do you want to stay home? (or)
ANSWERS
1. Mark ate pizza, but Jim ate pasta.
2. Will we wait, or will we go?
3. Frank rode his bike, and Jim walked
4. Ann has a pet dog, but Kim has a pet turtle.
5. I will eat a sandwich, and I will drink water.
6. Dan wrote the letter, but Millie mailed it.
7. George is sick, but he still has an appetite.
8. Do you want to go to a movie, or do you want to stay home?
Conjunctions and logical connectors – Notes and activities
Connecting words that join sentences, words, phrases or clauses
Types of conjunctions
Coordinating
The main function of coordinating conjunctions is to join words, phrases, and clauses together, which are usually
grammatically equal. Aside from that, this type of conjunctions is placed in between the words or groups of words that
it links together, and not at the beginning or at the end.
To easily remember the different coordinating conjunctions, remember FANBOYS. For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So
Subordinating
This type of conjunctions is used in linking two clauses together. Aside from the fact that they introduce a dependent
clause, subordinating conjunctions also describe the relationship between the dependent clause and the independent
clause in the sentence.
Common subordinating conjunctions
while even if wherever as if as soon as because when how although no matter how until if before whether after
provided in that once while though supposing unless in case as far as now that as so that since
It is so cold outside, so I brought you a jacket.
Because it is so cold outside, I brought you a jacket.
Correlative Conjunction
The correlative conjunctions are simply pairs of conjunctions which are used to join equal sentence elements together.
List of Common Correlative Conjunctions:
▪ either… or
▪ neither… nor
▪ not only… but also
▪ both… and
▪ whether… or
▪ so… as
Sample Sentences:
▪ Both my brother and my father are lawyers.
▪ I can’t decide whether I’ll take Chemical Engineering or take Medical
Technology in college.
Activity 1
Join the following pairs of sentences with the conjunction in brackets:
Write the full sentence with the conjunction.
1.1 I was sorry.
I didn’t tell him. (but)
1.2 Bertie played on the slide.
He nearly fell off. (and)
1.3 He tripped over the guy rope of the tent.
He did not hurt himself. (yet)
1.4 Caroline had to do her homework.
Caroline would not fail. (so)
1.5 My life’s a lot less complicated now.
We’ve tried this before. (but)
1.6 Khezi could see she still could not do the maths problem.
Khezi did not try to help her. (yet)
1.7 Esmeralda is good at Scrabble.
She is good at Bridge. (both, and)
1.8 The Springbok rugby player is not seriously injured.
He will not play. (although)
Activity 2
Choose the most suitable conjunction/relative pronoun to complete the following sentences:
whom therefore although but and whether wherever however whatever unless which either or
2.1 Leslie blushes ___ he compliments her.
2.2 You have to _____ accept that your ideas will not always be accepted, ____
continue to feel angry, hurt _____ frustrated when people reject your ideas.
2.3 _______ she always practised random acts of kindness, she did not tolerate
rudeness.
2.4 One often forgets to show gratitude; __________ to express gratitude will enable one to become more loving and
kind.