Coordinating Conjunctions (FANBOYS) Review

Front

Acronym for coordinating conjunctions:

Back

FANBOYS

Front

Identify the FANBOYS in: 'The students were cold and tired.'

Back

and

Front

Identify the FANBOYS in: 'She thinks soccer is fun, so she went to the game.'

Back

so

Front

Identify the FANBOYS in: 'I love to ski in the cold, but I also love to sit on the beach.'

Back

but

Front

Identify the FANBOYS in: 'She wanted to go to work, yet she still felt sick.'

Back

yet

Front

Determine if a comma is needed: She believed that having kids and having pets was the same thing.

Back

no comma

Answer explanation

This sentence does not need a comma because the FANBOYS, in this case, "and" is joining verbs. It is not joining two complete sentences.

Front

Determine if a comma is needed: He could buy a brand new charger or borrow one from his sister.

Back

comma

Answer explanation

This sentence requires a comma BEFORE the FANBOYS- in this case "or". It is joining two complete sentences. I have underlined the complete sentences below.

He could buy a brand new charger, OR he could borrow a charger from his sister.

Front

Determine if a comma is needed: I forgot my lunch so I had to buy food at school.

Back

comma

Answer explanation

This sentence requires a comma BEFORE the FANBOYS- in this case "so". It is joining two complete sentences. I have underlined the complete sentences below.

I forgot my lunch, SO I had to buy food at school.

Front

Determine if a comma is needed: Her poem was really long but not complicated.

Back

no comma

Answer explanation

This sentence does not require a comma because the FANBOYS- "but"- is not connecting two complete sentences. I have underlined the complete sentence.

Her poem was really long BUT not complicated.

Front

Determine if a comma is needed: The teacher spoke to her gently yet clearly.

Back

no comma

Answer explanation

This sentence does not require a comma because the FANBOYS- "yet"- is not connecting two complete sentences. Instead, it is connecting two adverbs. I have underlined the complete sentence.

The teacher spoke to her gently YET clearly.