Coordinating
Conjunction
Coordinating conjunctions connect two words, phrases, and clauses of equal rank.
- He is poor, but (he is) honest.
- Though he is poor, he is honest.
“But”
is a coordinating conjunction. Here, the coordinating conjunction “but” has
connected two independent clauses— “He is poor” and “he is honest.”
Coordinating conjunction connects two phrases of the same rank.
- Yesterday, I came across one good person and one bad person.
“One good person” and “one bad person” are the two phrases. Both phrases are noun phrases, and they have been connected by the conjunction “and”.
Coordinating conjunctions join two words.
- Sakib or Tamim deserves it.
“Sakib” and “Tamim” are the two words, and both of them are nouns. They have been connected by the conjunction “or”.
Keep in mind that conjunctions do not connect sentences. The words which connect sentences are called connectors.
- Karim is a good boy. Moreover, he is a meritorious one.
Here, “moreover” is a connector because it connects two sentences.
Coordinating
conjunctions with punctuation
Rule one: When we use a coordinating conjunction to join two words or phrases, we should not use a comma (,).
- My car is expensive and beautiful.
- I want to buy a beautiful house and a luxurious car.
Rule two: If we have more than two items, we need to put a comma after each item.
- I am going to buy a pen, a pencil, and a calculator.
- I need a beautiful car, a beautiful house, and an expensive laptop.
Rule three: When you connect two independent clauses, usage of conjunction is mandatory after the first clause.
- He is a poor person, but he is honest.
- She has worked hard, yet she has received a better payment.
- He works hard, so he deserves a good result.
Rule four: Do not use commas when there is only one clause. Look at a couple of examples and see how two phrases have been connected by conjunction in a clause without putting a comma.
- He has worked hard and received the payment. (Two verb phrases joined by “and”)
- She has worked hard but has not been tired.
Here,
the two sentences are single-clause sentences. Each sentence consists of two
verb phrases connected by a conjunction. We know that connecting two phrases
require no comma. That is why you should not put any comma after the first
clause.
Coordinating conjunction can be classified into four types:
(a) copulative coordinating conjunction, (b) alternative coordinating
conjunction, (c) adversative coordinating conjunction, and (d) Illative
coordinating conjunction.
1. A.
Cumulative/Copulative coordinating conjunction
Copulative coordinating conjunctions connect one statement with another and enhance meaning. Copulative coordinating conjunction includes “and,” “as well as,” “not only ...but also,” “plus”, “moreover”, and “no less”.
- I went to the market and bought a pencil.
- He is not only a good student but also a good human.
- Karim as well as Rahim did that.
- I will buy a laptop, an iPhone, and a microphone.
- John is a good boy; moreover, he is a brilliant student.
- I will pay you no less because of what you have done.
1. B. Disjunctive/Alternative coordinating conjunction
Alternative coordinating conjunction chooses any one of the two options. Alternative coordinating conjunction includes “either...or,” “neither...nor,” “or,” “nor,” else, and “otherwise.”
- Either you or your friend has done it.
- Either you or your friends have done it.
- Neither you nor your friend has done it.
- Neither you nor your friends have done it.
- We need to be better humans; otherwise, we will lead a hectic society.
- Work hard; otherwise, you will not succeed in life.
- Think seriously, or else you will fail to make sense of this text.
- She was incapable to buy it, nor did she want to.
- She has no experience in driving, nor does driving interest her.
1. C.
Adversative coordinating conjunctions
Adversative coordinating conjunctions are used to introduce two opposite ideas.' “But,” “however,” “yet,” “on the other hand,” “on the contrary,” “still,” and “only” are adversative coordinating conjunctions.
- Kamal is a good boy, but he is a chain smoker.
- He worked hard; however, he failed the exam.
So, adversative coordinating conjunctions connect two
opposite thoughts
1. D.
Illative coordinating conjunction
We use an illative coordinating conjunction to establish a cause-effect relationship in our sentence.
- I work hard; so, I can expect a good result.
- He does not work hard; thus, he cannot expect a good result.
“Thus,” “so,” “therefore,” “as a result,” “consequently”
etc. are Illative coordinating conjunction. they are used to establish a
cause-effect relationship in the sentence.
Important Note:
Asyndeton and Polysyndeton
Asyndeton
Commas, semicolons, or colons can replace any of the coordinating conjunctions except “or” and “nor”.
- “I came, I saw, I conquered”.
- Slowly, deliberately, A poet captures the images.
Here, conjoins have been coordinated though there is no
usage of coordinating conjunction. The omission of conjunction is technically
called asyndeton. This technique speeds up the rhythm of a text and helps a
single idea to be more memorable.
Aristotle in his Rhetoric says that this technique
works better in our speech than in our writing.
However, it is considered a stylistic device used purposefully to omit conjunction between words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. It helps to decrease the unintended meaning of the phrase. It also helps us present the idea or the sentence in a concise manner. Look at some more examples:
- I spend my days reading books, taking classes, writing books, writing articles for my website, watching movies, and taking exercises.
- I saw her laughing, dancing, and singing.
So, you can see that asyndeton will help you make a list without any conjunction. You just need to put comma/s all the way.
Polysyndeton
Polysyndeton is another device through which you make a list by using conjunctions all the way.
- I spend my days reading books and taking classes and writing books and writing articles for my website and watching movies and taking exercise.
- I saw her laughing and dancing and singing.
- You can eat meat or fish or vegetable or salad.
The repetition of conjunction creates attention toward each item. Moreover, reading a text going beyond the boundary of the established norms will give readers a test.
2
Subordinating Conjunction
Subordinating conjunctions are used to make subordinating clauses. Look at a couple of examples below:
- As I was sick.
- Though they work hard
“As” and “though” are the two subordinating conjunctions. If you remove these two subordinating conjunctions from these two clauses, the two clauses can express the clear sense, and they can behave like complete sentences. However, their inclusion in those clauses has made the clauses incomplete as far as thoughts are concerned. So, a clause with subordinating conjunction cannot generate a clear thought. This type of clause is called a dependent clause. To complete the meaning of a dependent clause, you have to connect it with an independent clause. How can you connect it? You can connect it by putting a comma after the dependent clause. Look at a couple of examples below.
- As I was sick, I could not go to college.
- Though they work hard, they are not paid enough.
Here, you can see the usage of commas after the dependent clauses— “As I was sick” and “Though they work hard”.
However, you should keep in mind that if you use subordinating/dependent clause after the independent clause, you should not use a comma. The example below will clarify your conception.
- I could not go to college as I was sick.
- They are not paid enough though they work hard.
Subordinating conjunctions can be classified into many parts. They can be:
1. subordinating conjunction of time
2. subordinating conjunction of cause
3. subordinating conjunction of reason
4. subordinating conjunction of purpose
5. subordinating conjunction of comparison
6. subordinating conjunction of contrast
7. subordinating conjunction of condition
8. subordinating conjunction of introductory sense
9. subordinating conjunction of effect.
2. A. Subordinating Conjunction of Time
When we go to talk about subordinating conjunction of time, some words automatically come to our mind: “when,” “while,” “till,” “until,” “since,” “before”
- I will not go until he comes.
- I have been writing since morning.
- I have been writing for two days.
- Wait here till I finish my lecture.
- He came to my room when I was writing.
- I went to the field while my friends were playing cricket.
2. B. Subordinating Conjunction of Cause
Subordinating conjunctions of cause include “because,” “as" and ,” “since”.
- I could not go to university because I was sick.
- As I was sick, I could not go to university.
- Since he is poor, he cannot feed his family properly.
2. C. Subordinating Conjunction of Purpose
“So that,” “in order that,” “that” “lest” belong to subordinating conjunction of purpose.
- I work hard so that I can succeed in life.
- Walk fast lest you should fail to join the first class.
2. D. Subordinating Conjunction of Comparison
Subordinating comparison includes “as....as,” “so......as,” and “than”. The conjunctions used in pairs are called correlative conjunction. However, correlative conjunctions cannot exist as their own. Some correlative conjunctions are used as subordinating conjunction, and some are used as alternative coordinating conjunctions. “So...so,” and “so...as” are called subordinating conjunctions of compare. They are used to make comparisons.
- No other batsman in the world is as good as Sakib Al Hasan.
- No other player in the world is so efficient as AB D’Villiars.
“Than” is also subordinating conjunction of comparison. It is used to make a comparative degree.
- Nasima is more intelligent than Hena.
- Dhaka is bigger than any other city in Bangladesh.
2. E. Subordinating Conjunction of Contrast
“Though,” “although” are the conjunctions used for contrast.
- Though he worked hard, he could not make a brilliant result.
- Although he is happy, he is poor.
2. F. Subordinating Conjunction of Introduction
“That” is the subordinating conjunction of introduction.
- That he is a brilliant student is known to all.
Here, “that” has been used at the very beginning of the sentence, and, that is why we call it subordinating conjunction of introductory sense.
2. G. Subordinating Conjunction of Effect
“So... that,” is the subordinating conjunction of effect. A sense of effect is generated after “that.”
- He is so poor that he cannot feed his family properly.
- He is so good at math that he can solve any difficult math easily.
2. G. Subordinating Conjunction of Manner
“As....so,” “according as” are subordinating conjunction of manner.
- I will spend according as I earn. (“According as” means “depending on how”.)
- As you sow so you reap.
- As you will study so you will be graded.
- As you work so will you get.
Exercise:
- Which conjunction can you use to connect to join two independent clauses?
a. and b. or c. but d. all
2. Identify the coordinating conjunction.
a. if b. though c. or d. when
3. Choose the correlative
conjunction.
a. moreover b. however c. similarly d. not only...but also
4. Correlative conjunction is one of
the
a. coordinating
conjunctions c. subordinating conjunction
b. Illative coordinating conjunction d. a and c
5. Which one is adversative
coordinating conjunction?
a. either...or
c. neither....not
b. not d. however
6. Which one is alternative
coordinating conjunction?
a. either...or
c. neither .... nor
b. otherwise d. all
7. Choose the subordinate conjunction
of time.
a. till b. until c. while d. all
8. Identify
the subordinate conjunction of comparison.
a. as....as b. so....as c. than d. all
9. Choose
the subordinate conjunction of contrast.
a. though b. although c. so that d. a and b
10. Find out subordinating conjunction of manner.
a. so...as b. according as c. so...that d. a and b
11. Find out subordinating conjunction of effect.
a. so...as b. according as c. so...that d. if
12. Identify the incorrect usage of punctuation.
a. Though he is poor, he is honest c. He has worked hard and become Homepage
b. He is poor though he is honest d. He is a good boy but his friend is bad.