For me, a conjunction is a connector because it is that part of speech that connects words, clauses, phrases, or sentences.
See an example below,
- I think, Sarah is going to bring laptop and books.
In the above example, ‘and’ is the conjunction that is used to join the words ‘laptop’ and ‘books.’
Now, I want to tell you more about conjunctions. There are three different types of conjunctions. Each type has the same function i.e. connects words, clauses, phrases, or sentences.
Let us discuss each of these types one by one.
1. Coordinating Conjunctions:
There are seven coordinating conjunctions that are used to join words, phrases, and independent clauses. They are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.
There is a very famous acronym to remember the list of coordinating conjunctions. The acronym is ‘FANBOYS.’ See below,
F > for
A > and
N > nor
B > but
O > or
Y > yet
S > so
Example sentences
- You may go to a school or a library to get the book.
- I was not ready to go out but I managed to get ready in five minutes.
In the above sentences, the clauses that are joined by coordinating conjunctions (‘or’ and ‘but’) are brief and carry equal weight. That is why; you do not need to put a comma.
However, when the clauses that are joined by a coordinating conjunction are long, then you can use a comma just before the conjunction. For example,
- I wanted to do something, so I decided to go out and join the party.
Note: Coordinating conjunctions are placed in between the clauses or words that are linked together.
2. Subordinating Conjunctions
A subordinating conjunction is the type of conjunctions that connects a dependent clause to an independent clause. In this, a dependent clause starts with a subordinating conjunction.
Below is the list of a few subordinating conjunctions.
- Even though
- Since
- When
- After
- Although
- Whether
- Although
- Why
- Rather than
- If
Example sentences
- If I take the extra classes, I’ll get more information about our project.
In the above example sentence, the dependent clause, ‘if I take the extra classes,’ is the beginning clause. This is the reason for placing a comma after the dependent clause. However, if the whole sentence starts with an independent clause, there is no need to place a comma. See the example below,
- I’ll get more information about our project if I take the extra classes.
3. Correlative Conjunctions
For me, correlative conjunctions can be known as paired conjunctions, for instance, either… or, neither… nor, both… and, etc.
They have the same usage as coordinating conjunctions. It means that they are used to join clauses that are of equal weight.
Example sentences
- I am not only a good photographer but also a professional teacher.
- Both ‘discreet’ and ‘discrete’ are known as homophones.
Conclusion
Hence, the use of a conjunction is very much obvious. It helps a writer to make interesting as well as complex sentences. It is such part of a speech that connects words, clauses, or phrases.