{"id":143,"date":"2024-01-31T17:43:02","date_gmt":"2024-01-31T22:43:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/grammarbasics\/?post_type=chapter&p=143"},"modified":"2026-01-26T12:54:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-26T17:54:39","slug":"conjunctions","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.bccampus.ca\/grammarbasics\/chapter\/conjunctions\/","title":{"raw":"Conjunctions","rendered":"Conjunctions"},"content":{"raw":"When I want to remember what conjunctions do, I think of the word\u00a0junction<\/em>, which is a place where things meet or join together (in my mind, I think of trains). That's what conjunctions do -- they join things together.\r\n\r\nSometimes conjunctions just join a few words together, like when I say I want \"ham and pineapple\" on my pizza. The word\u00a0and<\/em> is a conjunction that links the two words in that list: ham<\/em> and pineapple<\/em>.\u00a0 Other times, though, conjunctions connect larger parts of a sentence, like phrases<\/strong> and clauses<\/strong>, as in the examples below.\r\n

Tintoo enjoyed swimming lessons but<\/span> hated getting wet.\r\n<\/em>(conjunction connects phrases \"enjoyed swimming lessons\" and \"hated getting wet\")<\/p>\r\n

Karla wanted chocolate, so<\/span> she walked to the store.\r\n<\/em>(conjunction connects two clauses: \"Karla wanted chocolate\" and \"she walked to the store\")<\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\nWe're going to focus on two types of conjunction in this chapter: coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.\r\n

Coordinating Conjunctions<\/h5>\r\nYou might know these ones already; I used them in the sentences above. Coordinating conjunctions connect parts of a sentence that are equal (ie., none of the parts is more important to the message of the sentence than the others).\r\n\r\nThere aren't many coordinating conjunctions out there, and there's a handy acronym to remember them:\u00a0FANBOYS<\/strong>.\r\n
    \r\n \t
  • F<\/strong>or<\/li>\r\n \t
  • A<\/strong>nd<\/li>\r\n \t
  • N<\/strong>or<\/li>\r\n \t
  • B<\/strong>ut<\/li>\r\n \t
  • O<\/strong>r<\/li>\r\n \t
  • Y<\/strong>et<\/li>\r\n \t
  • S<\/strong>o<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>\r\n \r\n
    Subordinating Conjunctions<\/h5>\r\nSubordinating conjunctions are different from coordination conjunctions in two ways:\r\n
      \r\n \t
    1. They connect only clauses<\/strong>.<\/li>\r\n \t
    2. While coordinating conjunctions connect things that are equally important, subordinating conjunctions connect clauses<\/span> in a way that makes one of the clauses more important than the other. When two clauses are connected like this, we call one the <\/span>main clause<\/strong> and the other the <\/span>subordinate clause <\/strong>or dependent clause<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\nWe can use subordinate clauses to make more complex, interesting sentences. Mixing up sentence structures and lengths makes writing more engaging for readers.\r\n\r\nThe example below illustrates how subordinating clauses are used. Let's begin with two separate clauses (ie., two separate ideas).\r\n\r\n \r\n

      We consulted a map. We weren't familiar with the area.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\nThis sounds a little choppy and strange to me, and if I look closely at the two clauses I can see that they are related. The writer looked at the map because<\/span> they didn't know the area. So I'm going to connect these clauses together into one sentence, using the subordinating conjunction\u00a0because<\/em>.\r\n\r\n \r\n

      We consulted a map because<\/span> we weren't familiar with the area<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\nI've added the word because<\/em> to the front of the second clause. When I do that, I turn it into the subordinate clause. The other clause, the one that isn't underlined, is the main clause. It's the main idea in the sentence. Notice that it's an independent clause; it could stand as a sentence on its own.\r\n\r\nIf you don't like the order of ideas in that sentence above, that's okay! You can flip the order of the clauses like this:\r\n\r\n \r\n

      Because<\/span> we weren't familiar with the area<\/span>, we consulted a map.<\/em><\/p>\r\n \r\n\r\nNotice that I moved the subordinating conjunction (it must be placed at the start of the subordinating clause) and added a comma. When the subordinating clause comes first, you should place a comma between the two clauses.\r\n\r\n \r\n

      \r\n

      Big List of Subordinating Conjunctions<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/header>\r\n

      \r\n\r\nafter, <\/em>although,\u00a0<\/em>as, <\/em>as if, <\/em>as long as, <\/em>as soon as, <\/em>as though, <\/em>because, <\/em>before, <\/em>even if, <\/em>even though, <\/em>if, <\/em>inasmuch as,<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>lest, <\/em>now that, <\/em>once, <\/em>provided (that), <\/em>rather than, <\/em>since, <\/em>so that, <\/em>supposing (that), <\/em>than, <\/em>that, <\/em>though, <\/em>till, <\/em>unless, <\/em>until, <\/em>when, <\/em>whenever, <\/em>where, whereas, <\/em>wherever, whether or not, <\/em>while<\/em>\r\n\r\n \r\n\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>","rendered":"

      When I want to remember what conjunctions do, I think of the word\u00a0junction<\/em>, which is a place where things meet or join together (in my mind, I think of trains). That’s what conjunctions do — they join things together.<\/p>\n

      Sometimes conjunctions just join a few words together, like when I say I want “ham and pineapple” on my pizza. The word\u00a0and<\/em> is a conjunction that links the two words in that list: ham<\/em> and pineapple<\/em>.\u00a0 Other times, though, conjunctions connect larger parts of a sentence, like phrases<\/strong> and clauses<\/strong>, as in the examples below.<\/p>\n

      Tintoo enjoyed swimming lessons but<\/span> hated getting wet.
      \n<\/em>(conjunction connects phrases “enjoyed swimming lessons” and “hated getting wet”)<\/p>\n

      Karla wanted chocolate, so<\/span> she walked to the store.
      \n<\/em>(conjunction connects two clauses: “Karla wanted chocolate” and “she walked to the store”)<\/p>\n

       <\/p>\n

      We’re going to focus on two types of conjunction in this chapter: coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.<\/p>\n

      Coordinating Conjunctions<\/h5>\n

      You might know these ones already; I used them in the sentences above. Coordinating conjunctions connect parts of a sentence that are equal (ie., none of the parts is more important to the message of the sentence than the others).<\/p>\n

      There aren’t many coordinating conjunctions out there, and there’s a handy acronym to remember them:\u00a0FANBOYS<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

        \n
      • F<\/strong>or<\/li>\n
      • A<\/strong>nd<\/li>\n
      • N<\/strong>or<\/li>\n
      • B<\/strong>ut<\/li>\n
      • O<\/strong>r<\/li>\n
      • Y<\/strong>et<\/li>\n
      • S<\/strong>o<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

         <\/p>\n

        Subordinating Conjunctions<\/h5>\n

        Subordinating conjunctions are different from coordination conjunctions in two ways:<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. They connect only clauses<\/strong>.<\/li>\n
        2. While coordinating conjunctions connect things that are equally important, subordinating conjunctions connect clauses<\/span> in a way that makes one of the clauses more important than the other. When two clauses are connected like this, we call one the <\/span>main clause<\/strong> and the other the <\/span>subordinate clause <\/strong>or dependent clause<\/strong>.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          We can use subordinate clauses to make more complex, interesting sentences. Mixing up sentence structures and lengths makes writing more engaging for readers.<\/p>\n

          The example below illustrates how subordinating clauses are used. Let’s begin with two separate clauses (ie., two separate ideas).<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          We consulted a map. We weren’t familiar with the area.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          This sounds a little choppy and strange to me, and if I look closely at the two clauses I can see that they are related. The writer looked at the map because<\/span> they didn’t know the area. So I’m going to connect these clauses together into one sentence, using the subordinating conjunction\u00a0because<\/em>.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          We consulted a map because<\/span> we weren’t familiar with the area<\/span>.<\/em><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          I’ve added the word because<\/em> to the front of the second clause. When I do that, I turn it into the subordinate clause. The other clause, the one that isn’t underlined, is the main clause. It’s the main idea in the sentence. Notice that it’s an independent clause; it could stand as a sentence on its own.<\/p>\n

          If you don’t like the order of ideas in that sentence above, that’s okay! You can flip the order of the clauses like this:<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Because<\/span> we weren’t familiar with the area<\/span>, we consulted a map.<\/em><\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          Notice that I moved the subordinating conjunction (it must be placed at the start of the subordinating clause) and added a comma. When the subordinating clause comes first, you should place a comma between the two clauses.<\/p>\n

           <\/p>\n

          \n
          \n

          Big List of Subordinating Conjunctions<\/p>\n<\/header>\n

          \n

          after, <\/em>although,\u00a0<\/em>as, <\/em>as if, <\/em>as long as, <\/em>as soon as, <\/em>as though, <\/em>because, <\/em>before, <\/em>even if, <\/em>even though, <\/em>if, <\/em>inasmuch as,<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>lest, <\/em>now that, <\/em>once, <\/em>provided (that), <\/em>rather than, <\/em>since, <\/em>so that, <\/em>supposing (that), <\/em>than, <\/em>that, <\/em>though, <\/em>till, <\/em>unless, <\/em>until, <\/em>when, <\/em>whenever, <\/em>where, whereas, <\/em>wherever, whether or not, <\/em>while<\/em><\/p>\n

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