What Are Conjunctions? Joining Words For Stronger Writing And Communication!

Conjunctions are like the glue that holds sentences together, helping us create clear, meaningful, and powerful communication. Within this article, we are going to learn everything about conjunctions (joining words) in English grammar. We will discuss the key points: “What are conjunctions“, and “Different types of conjunctions with examples.”  Moreover, we will learn how they work their magic to make our writing super strong.

What are Conjunctions?

Conjunctions are one of the important parts of speech that act as connectors, joining different parts of a sentence. They help us express relationships between ideas, show contrast, add information, and more. For instance, look at this sentence: “I wanted to go to the park, but it started raining.” In this case, the word “but” is a conjunction that connects the two ideas and shows the contrast between wanting to go to the park and the unexpected rain.

List of Conjunctions

Let’s take a look at a bunch of these awesome joining words that help us connect ideas and create fantastic sentences!

Here’s a list of conjunctions along with examples:

• And: I love ice cream, and I also enjoy cake.
• But: She wanted to go to the park, but it started raining.
• Or: You can choose pizza or pasta for dinner.
• So: I studied hard, so I aced the test.
• For: He bought a gift for his friend’s birthday.
• Although: Although it was late, I stayed up to finish the book.
• Because: She brought an umbrella because it might rain.
• Unless: I won’t go outside unless the sun comes out.
• Since: Since it’s your birthday, let’s have a party.
• While: I read a book while waiting for the bus.
• Either…or: You can either choose tea or coffee.
• Neither…nor: Neither the cat nor the dog liked the noise.
• Both…and: She enjoys both singing and dancing.
• Not only…but also: Not only does he play guitar, but he also paints.
• Whether…or: Whether it’s sunny or rainy, we’ll have fun.

Types of Conjunctions

Now, let us look at the different types of conjunctions to increase your grasp on conjunctions.

Coordinating Conjunctions:

Coordinating conjunctions are the conjunctions that join similar sentence elements, such as words, phrases, or clauses. They’re like the bridge between two equal ideas, making sure they work together seamlessly. Here are some common coordinating conjunctions: “and,” “but,” “or,” “so,” “for,” etc.

For example:

• I love both pizza and pasta.
• Emma wanted to go to the party, but she had to study.

Coordinating conjunctions add balance and variety to your writing. Remember, when using them, make sure the subjects and verbs agree in number.

Subordinating Conjunctions:

Subordinating conjunctions introduce a dependent clause that can’t stand alone as a complete sentence. Instead, it relies on an independent clause to make sense. These conjunctions give depth and complexity to your writing by showing cause-and-effect relationships, time, condition, and more. Common subordinating conjunctions include “although,” “because,” “unless,” “since,” etc.

For example:

• Because it was raining, we had to stay indoors.
• Although John was tired, he continued working.

Subordinating conjunctions help you create complex sentences, enhancing the coherence of your writing. Just remember, when a dependent clause comes before an independent clause, use a comma to separate them.

Correlative Conjunctions:

Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to connect sentence elements. They’re like two friends holding hands, ensuring balance and equality in your writing. These conjunctions emphasize the relationships between ideas and maintain parallel structure. Common examples of correlative conjunctions are: “either/or,” “neither/nor,” “both/and,” etc.

For example:

• Either you come with us, or stay here alone.
• Neither the cat nor the dog likes water.

Correlative conjunctions add rhythm and style to your writing. When using them, keep the structure consistent to create a harmonious flow.

Using Conjunctions in Sentences

Incorporating conjunctions into your writing not only enhances your language skills but also makes your communication more effective. Let’s see how you can use conjunctions in sentences.

Combining Two Independent Clauses

When you have two complete sentences that can stand alone, you can join them using a coordinating conjunction. Remember to use a comma before the coordinating conjunction when joining two complete sentences. 

For example:

• “Adam wanted to go to the park, but it started raining.”
• “She loves dancing, and she’s great at playing the piano.”
• “Mona wanted to go shopping, and I needed new shoes.”

Joining Dependent and Independent Clauses:

Subordinating conjunctions help connect a main sentence (independent clause) with a supporting sentence (dependent clause). You don’t need a comma when the dependent clause comes after the independent clause. However, you’ll need to add a comma after the dependent clause if it comes before the independent clause.

For example:

• “Unless I clean my room, I won’t be able to watch TV later.”
• “Because the weather was terrible, we decided to stay home.”

Coordinating Ideas with Correlative Conjunctions:

Correlative conjunctions create symmetry in your writing. They ensure that both parts are similar and balanced.

For example:

• “Either…or”: We can have either spaghetti or pizza for dinner tonight.
• “Neither…nor”: Neither the cat nor the dog wants to go outside in the rain.
• “Not only…but also”: Not only did they visit the museum, but they also explored the zoo.

Common Mistakes with Conjunctions

Now that we understand conjunctions well, let’s make sure we don’t fall into some tricky traps when we write. Sometimes, we might make mistakes, but don’t worry! We’re here to help you learn how to avoid them.  

Subject-Verb Agreement Errors:

1. How to avoid subject-verb agreement mistakes when using conjunctions:

Sometimes, when conjunctions introduce multiple subjects in a sentence, we can stumble upon subject-verb agreement errors. That’s because the verb needs to match the subject in both number and person. Remember, when two subjects are joined by “and,” the verb should be plural. When joined by “or” or “nor,” the verb agrees with the closest subject.

2. Examples of incorrect and corrected sentences:

• Incorrect: The dog and the cat doesn’t get along.
• Corrected: The dog and the cat don’t get along.
• Incorrect: Either she or her friends is coming to the party.
• Corrected: Either she or her friends are coming to the party.

Misplaced Modifiers:

1. Understanding the importance of proper word placement: Misplaced modifiers can twist the meaning of your sentence in funny ways. When you use conjunctions, make sure the words that the modifier describes are right next to it. This way, your sentences will be clear and easy to understand.
2. How conjunctions can affect the meaning of sentences: Conjunctions play tag with your modifiers, so if you place a modifier next to the wrong word, it can cause confusion. Look at this example:

• Misplaced: I saw a raccoon on the way to the store driving my car.
• Corrected: Driving my car, I saw a raccoon on the way to the store.

By keeping an eye out for these common mistakes, you’re not just becoming a better writer but also a more confident communicator.

Tips for Using Conjunctions Effectively

Using conjunctions in creative ways not only makes your writing interesting but also helps people understand your ideas better. So, let’s level up our writing game with some awesome tips! These tips will help us use conjunctions in cool ways, making our writing super interesting and easy to follow.

Mix and Match for Variety:

To make your writing interesting, use different types of conjunctions. Try combining coordinating conjunctions, like “and” and “but,” with subordinating conjunctions, such as “although” and “because.” This mix adds a fun rhythm to your sentences.

Imagine your writing as a colorful painting. By using different types of conjunctions, you can add various shades to your sentences.

For instance:

1. Coordinating + Subordinating: “I wanted to go to the park, but it started raining because the weather changed suddenly.”
2. Subordinating + Coordinating: “Since it’s a sunny day, we can go to the beach and enjoy the waves.”

Choose the Right Conjunction:

Every conjunction has a special job. Use “and” when you want to add similar ideas, “but” when you want to show a difference, and “because” when you want to explain a reason. Picking the right conjunction helps your ideas flow smoothly.

1. “And” for Addition: “She loves swimming and dancing.”
2. “But” for Contrast: “He’s quiet, but he’s also very funny.”
3. “Because” for Reason: “I brought my umbrella because the sky looked cloudy.”

Create Clear Relationships:

When you use conjunctions, you’re building bridges between ideas. Make sure these bridges are strong and clear. If you’re showing contrast, use “although” or “but.” If you’re giving a reason, go for “since” or “because.”

1. “Although” for Contrast: “Although it was raining, we had a great picnic.”
2. “Since” for Reason: “Since she loves animals, she volunteered at the animal shelter.”

Keep it Balanced:

Correlative conjunctions work best when you keep both parts of your sentence balanced. For example, “either…or” or “neither…nor” should have similar elements on both sides. This adds a sense of harmony to your writing.

1. “Either…or”: “For lunch, you can pick either a sandwich or a salad.”
2. “Neither…nor”: “Neither the pen nor the pencil works, so I need a new writing tool.”

Read Aloud for Flow:

After you write a sentence with a conjunction, read it aloud. Does it sound smooth? Does it make sense? If not, try tweaking your conjunction or rearranging your words until it flows well.