Conjunction

There isn’t a specific set rule for conjunctions because there are four different types and they each do their own thing.  The main things conjunctions do, is combine two ideas. Conjunction is an easy word to remember, both con and junct are latin words. Con means together and junct mean join. The four types of conjunctions are coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions and adverbial conjunctions. Coordinating conjunctions are used to join words or groups of words that are of equal importance. For example, Popsicles are good, but ice cream sandwiches are much better. “But” would be the correlative conjunction because it is combining “popsicles are good” and “ice cream sandwiches are much better”. Both of which are of equal importance. Subordinating conjunctions are used to join something of lesser importance to something of greater importance. For example: A Blizzard tastes best when it is full of broken cookie pieces. “When” would be the subordinating conjunctions because it is joining “a blizzard taste best” which is the thing of lesser importance because it cannot stand on its own, to “it is full of broken cookie pieces” which is the thing of greater importance because it could stand on its own. Correlative conjunctions are a little different. They use two words to join two ideas. For example: I prefer neither chocolate nor strawberry ice cream. Neither/nor would be the conjunction. This type of conjunction is a little different, usually it is one word use to join two ideas, but these owns are two words, they get separated to fit to your idea. And last are adverbial conjunctions. They can be used as either an adverb or a conjunction. For example:  Ice cream bars are good; however, they are better dipped in chocolate. “However” would be the conjunction. It is joining the two ideas, “ice cream bars are good” and “they are better dipped in chocolate”.  Conjunctions are something we used so often; we don’t always notice. If you want to elevate your writing you might consider using these four types of conjunctions.

Test questions:

1) What is the purpose of a conjunction?
a – to make a sentence descriptive
b – To cut down on words
c – to join two idea
d – to separate two clauses

2) In the sentence “ You can have either your phone or your headphones” what type of conjunction is used.
a – adverbial
b -correlative
c -coordinating
d –english

3) what are the four types of conjunctions?
a – adverbial, correlative, subordinating, english
b – adverbial, subordinating, french, coordinating
c – coordinating, subordinating, correlative, adverbial
d – subordinating, correlative, conjunctial, adverbial

4) what is the use of coordinating conjunctions?
a – join something of lesser importance to something of greater importance
b -using two words to join the clauses
c -joining words or groups of words that are equally important.
d – act as adverbs or conjunctions

5) in the sentence “Annie’s getting groceries, but George is getting a haircut.
a – french
b -correlative
c -coordinating
d –subordinating

Answer key:

1. c
2. b
3. c
4. c
5. c