Conjunctions

Conjunctions are parts of speech that connect words, phrases, clauses, or sentences. There are three kinds of conjunctions: coordinating, paired, and subordinating. Conjunctions are called joining words. 

What are the Types of Conjunctions?

There are four categories of conjunctions:

• Coordinating conjunctions (or, and, but)
• Correlative conjunctions (and/or, not only/but also)
• Subordinating conjunctions (since, because, when)
• Conjunctive adverbs or transition words (however, therefore)

Coordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect words or phrases that serve the same grammatical purpose in a sentence. These join the elements that are the same, or of the same importance. There are seven main coordinating conjunctions in English, which form the acronym FANBOYS:

F: for: The teachers were frustrated, for the school had cut funding for all enrichment programs.*
A: and: In this course, I will write a literature review, a case study, and a final paper.**
N: nor: The students did not complete their homework, nor did they pass the test.
B: but: The study is several years old but still valuable to this study.
O: or: At the end of the class, the students can choose to write an essay or take a test.
Y: yet: The patient complained of chronic pain, yet she refused treatment.
S: so: I have only been a nurse for one year, so I have little experience with paper charting.

* “For” is rarely used as a conjunction in modern English.
** When the conjunctions “and” and “or” connect three or more words or phrases, use a serial comma to separate items in the series.

How do you use commas in fanboys?

The fanboys operate under two basic rules: (1) when the fanboys connect two ideas that could each be a sentence on its own, then we put a comma in front of the fanboys, and (2) when the fanboys do not connect two ideas that could each be a sentence, then we do not put a comma in front of the fanboys.

• I would go for a walk, but it is snowing outside.
• I bow to man, for I am not sheep.
• I wanted to learn English, and I didn’t want to live in the cold, so I chose Miami instead of New York for my student exchange program.

Paired Conjunctions

Paired conjunctions consist of two words or phrases that help make a point or establish alternatives. Although paired conjunctions can be helpful in structuring a sentence, they can also make sentences wordier than necessary, so use these conjunctions sparingly.

• both…and
  • The project will require significant investments of both time and money.
  • Both the students and the teachers were satisfied with the pilot program.
    • Note: When two subjects are connected by “both…and,” use a plural verb (such as “are” or “were”).
• not only…but also
  • Students who did not complete the assignment received not only a poor grade but also a warning from the teacher.
  • Not only did the student include full sentences from the source without using quotation marks, but he also failed to properly cite paraphrased material.
• either…or
  • Either the students were unprepared or the assessment was poorly written.
  • Participants in the survey could either choose from a list of possible answers or write in their own responses.
• neither…nor
  • Students who did not complete the project received neither praise nor rewards.
  • The staff neither followed the new policy nor asked for clarification.

Conjunctive Adverbs

These are also called transition words. They join sentences or words or phrases just like words on the standard conjunction list can. A few examples of such type include; in addition, as a result, however, hence, etc.

Transitional words such as “however” and “therefore” can also function as conjunctions:

• The authors agreed on the prevalence of the problem; however, they disagreed on the problem’s cause.
• Several employees complained about the new policies, and therefore, the manager held an all-staff meeting to address their concerns.