E6 - Coordinating Conjunctions

E6 - Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions

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Coordinating Conjunctions

• words that link words, phrases, or clauses of equal importance

• FOR

• AND

• NOR

• BUT

• OR

• YET and SO

When do we use coordinating conjunctions?

link words: I could have a cheeseburger or pizza for lunch.

link phrases: He was nervous for the audition but excited for the possibilities.

link clauses: My cousins got bored, so they went to the park.

1. FOR

• When used as a conjunction, it loosely means because or seeing as.

• Do not walk through the neighborhood alone, for it is not safe after dark.

More examples:

1. I will overcome this obstacle, for I am not weak.

2. John thought he had a good chance to get the job, for his father was on the company's board of trustees.

2.1. AND

• “And” is used to join two sentences together in order to avoid repeating words that appear in both, and to link ideas.

• There's a library. There's a restaurant.

• There's a library and a restaurant.

More examples:

1. Jasmine's sister lives and works in Paris.

2. My father and mother are both engineers.

3. My sister called earlier, and she said she passed the bar exam.

2.2. Using a comma instead of "and"

• For lists of more than two items, a comma can replace “and.”

• There's a library, a store, and a cafe.

More examples:

1. I like vanilla, mint, and chocolate ice cream.

2. My teacher teaches Science, Math, and Social Studies.

3. We went to the mall, park, and supermarket last Thursday.

3. NOR

• “Nor” shows that two or more things are not true or do not happen. After “nor,” use a positive form of the verb, and invert the verb as for a question.

• I've never eaten a lobster, nor do I want to.

More examples:

1. He can't play the piano, nor can he sing.

2. Gina didn't turn up to dinner, nor did she answer my calls.

4. BUT

• “But” is used to join a positive statement to a negative statement, or to show a contrast between two clauses.

• There's a hotel. There isn't a store.

• There's a hotel, but there isn't a store.

More examples:

1. I'm on a diet, but I find it hard to avoid chocolate.

2. I went to the supermarket, but I forgot my wallet.

5. OR

• “Or” is most often used to list two or more

  choices or alternatives.

• Do you want to go to Spain or Italy.

• “Or” can also be used to talk about the

  consequences (usually negative) of an action.

• Don't be late, or you will miss the train.

More examples:

1. Should I paint my walls purple or blue?

2. Be careful when cooking, or you might burn yourself.

6. YET

• “Yet” has a similar meaning to “but.” It is used when something happens in spite of something else, or when something is true,

  even though it seems to contradict something else.

• It's a warm day, yet Brian is wearing a coat.

More examples:

1. Marco lives in the countryside, yet he works in a nearby city.

2. John plays basketball well, yet his favorite sport is badminton.

7. SO

• It is used to show that something happens as a consequence of something else.

• It was a lovely day, so I went for a walk.

More examples:

1. My room was a messy, so I spent the whole day cleaning.

2. The museum is very famous, so it attracts a lot of tourists.

Using commas with coordinating conjunctions

• If a coordinating conjunction is joining two main clauses, a comma usually goes before the conjunction.

• Example: It was raining, and there was lightning.

• If a coordinating conjunction is joining two items, there is no need for a comma.

• Example: I'm going to wear jeans and shirt.

Using commas with coordinating conjunctions

• If “and” or “or” is joining three or more items, a comma is usually added between each item and before the conjunction.

• Example 1: I need eggs, flour, and milk.

• Example 2: Would you like tea, coffee, or milk?