Conjunctions

Conjunctions

The words that link words to other words or phrases.

What are conjunctions?

• You might already be familiar with a lot of them:

• FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO are all conjunctions.

What are conjunctions for?

• Conjunctions link words, phrases, or clauses together.

• Without conjunctions: I didn't eat in the morning. I'm going to devour as many hamburgers as I can.

• With conjunctions: I didn't eat in the morning, so I'm going to devour as many hamburgers as I can.

• Do you see how the conjunction 'SO' links the two independent clauses?

There are three types of conjunctions:

• Coordinating Conjunctions

• Correlative Conjunctions

• Subordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions

• FOR, AND, NOT, BUT, OR, YET, SO are all coordinating conjunctions.

• We use coordinating conjunctions to join words, phrases, and clauses of equal grammatical rank in a sentence.

• Think of it as combining more than one complete sentences into a single sentence.

Coordinating Conjunctions Examples

• Without coordinating conjunctions:

• I would like pizza for lunch. I would like salad for lunch.

• With coordinating conjunctions:

• I would like pizza OR a salad for lunch.

Coordinating Conjunctions Examples

• Without coordinating conjunctions:

• We needed a quiet place to study. We packed our things. Then we went to the library.

• With coordinating conjunctions:

• We needed a quiet place to study, SO we packed up our things AND went to the library.

Now let's practice using coordinating conjunctions!

Any questions before we start?

You can ask me anything during practice!

Open Ended

Combine these two clauses into one, using the correct coordinating conjunction!

(FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO)

I stayed up late last night. I am now feeling very tired and sleepy.

Open Ended

Combine these two clauses into one, using the correct coordinating conjunction!

(FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO)

We could go to the movies. We could just stay home.

Open Ended

Combine these two clauses into one, using the correct coordinating conjunction!

(FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO)

Tomorrow's science test is going to be really hard. I'm not worried about it since I've spent the last week studying.

Open Ended

Combine these two clauses into one, using the correct coordinating conjunction!

(FOR, AND, NOR, BUT, OR, YET, SO)

I love Mimi. I love Nero.

How was it?

Any questions?

What about correlative conjunctions?

• Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together.

• EITHER / OR

• NEITHER / NOR

• NOT ONLY / BUT ALSO

More correlative conjunctions:

• BOTH / AND

• WHETHER / OR

• NOT / BUT

Example of correlative conjunctions:

• Without correlative conjunctions:

• I am finished studying for English. I'm also finished with my social studies homework.

• With correlative conjunctions:

• Not only am I finished studying for English, but I’m also finished with my social studies homework.

Example of correlative conjunctions:

• Without correlative conjunctions:

• I could play Roblox. I could do my chores.

• With correlative conjunctions:

• I could either play Roblox or do my chores.

• Either I play Roblox or do my chores.

Let's try using correlative conjunctions!

Any questions before we begin?

You can also ask questions during practice!

Open Ended

Use the correlative conjunction BOTH / AND to link these two clauses!

I want the cheese cake. I want the chocolate cake.

Open Ended

Use the correlative conjunction EITHER / OR to link these two clauses!

Mimi will catch a rat. Mimi will catch a bat.

Open Ended

Use the correlative conjunction NOT / BUT to link these two clauses!

I do not like hamsters. Somehow I ended up liking Hambo.

Open Ended

Use the correlative conjunction NOT ONLY / BUT ALSO to link these two sentences!

Mimi stole my fried chicken. Mimi also stole some of my fries.

Too easy?

Any questions before we continue?

Time to learn about subordinating conjunctions!

• Subordinating conjunctions join independent clauses (complete sentences) with dependent clauses (incomplete sentences).

• We use subordinating conjuctions to:

• 1.  Show cause-and-effect

• 2. Show contrast

• 3. Show other kinds of relationship between the clauses.

Cause-and-effect (subordinating conjunctions)

• With subordinating conjunctions:

• I drank a glass of water because I was thirsty.

• The conjunction 'because' shows that the subject drank water (effect) because he was thirsty (cause).

• Without subordinating conjunctions:

• I drank a glass of water. I was thirsty.

Contrast (subordinating conjunctions)

• With subordinating conjunctions:

• My teacher is nice but she is a little strict.

• The subordinating conjunction 'but' shows us that even though the teacher is nice she can also be strict.

• Without subordinating conjunctions:

• My teacher is nice. She is a little strict.

Other relationships between clauses (subordinating conjunctions)

• With subordinating conjunctions:

• I can keep playing until Mom gets home.

• The subordinating conjunction 'until' shows us that the subject can only play before his Mom gets home.

• Without subordinating conjunctions:

• I can keep playing (independent clause).

• Mom gets home (dependent clause).

What words can be used as subordinating conjunctions?

• There are way too many words for me to list them all.

• Here are the most common ones:

• after, although, as, as if, as long as, as much as, as soon as, as though, because, before, by the time, even if, even though, if, in order that, in case, in the event that, lest , now that, once, only, only if, provided that, since, so, supposing, that, than, though, till, unless, until, when, whenever, where, whereas, wherever, whether or not, while

Subordinating conjunctions

• Did you remember all of them?

• Well, you don't have to.

• Just keep using the conjunctions in the sentences you make, and one day you won't even have to try to remember them.

• All of them will already be in your brain.

Alright, subordinating conjunctions practice time!

Any questions?

Remember, you can ask me anything while answering the questions.

Open Ended

Use the subordinating conjunction 'AFTER' to link these two clauses!

I will go to bed (independent clause)

I finish my homework (dependent clause)

Open Ended

Use the subordinating conjunction 'ONLY IF' to link these two clauses!

I will continue the lesson (independent clause)

you put down your cellphone (dependent clause)

Open Ended

Use the subordinating conjunction 'WHILE' to link these two clauses!

I am allowed to ask questions (indpendent clause)

taking the test (dependent clause)

Open Ended

Use the subordinating conjunction 'THAN' to link these two clauses!

my hamster is fatter (independent clause)

any other hamster I've ever seen (dependent clause)

Was it confusing?

Any questions?

Remember:

• Conjunctions link words to other words, phrases, or clauses.

• Coordinating conjunctions link two clauses of equal grammatical rank (independent clause with another independent clause).

• Correlative conjunctions are pairs of conjunctions that work together.

• Subordinating conjunctions link independent clauses (complete sentences) with dependent clauses (incomplete sentences).

One last practice round!

Don't worry, you won't have to write anything. This one only has multiple choice questions.

Oh, and feel free to ask questions!

Multiple Choice

What type of conjunction is being used in this sentence?

My dog enjoys being bathed but hates getting his nails trimmed.

• coordinating

• correlative

• subordinating

Multiple Choice

What type of conjunction is being used in this sentence?

Oh, you want neither the cheesecake nor the chocolate cake?

• coordinating

• correlative

• subordinating

Multiple Choice

What type of conjunction is being used in this sentence?

He will always support me whether I succeed or not.

• coordinating

• correlative

• subordinating

Multiple Choice

Which conjunction should fill in the blanks?

You can eat your cake with a spoon _____ fork.

• because (subordinating)

• either / or (correlative)

• or (coordinating)

Multiple Choice

Which conjunction should fill in the blanks?

There are _____ curtains _____ there are windows.

• as many / as (correlative)

• as / as (correlative)

• such / that (correlative)

Multiple Choice

Which conjunction should fill in the blanks?

No one could tell me _____ I could get some biscuits.

• nor (coordinating)

• where (subordinating)

• not/but (correlative)

Now that wasn't too hard, was it?

Any questions?

Well, that's all for today!

Good job :)

Remember, you can always contact me if you have questions.