Connect language

AND, OR, BUT, EITHER, SOME, BOTH

Types Of Conjunctions

There are three main types of conjunctions:

Coordinating conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions are a sub-category of conjunctions. They introduce subordinate clauses, also called dependent clauses. Examples of subordinating conjunctions include: “because,” “if,” “when,” “although,” “while,” “since,” “until,” and “before.”

When: She will call you when she arrives.

Since: He has been working from home since last March.

Where: Please put the keys where you found them

There are various types of subordinating Conjunctions:

Subordinating conjunctions indicating time:

when: It refers to a specific point in time.

I will call you when I arrive home.

while: It indicates something happening during the same time as something else.

She likes to listen to music while she works.

after: It indicates something happening following another event.

He went to bed after he finished his homework.

before: It indicates something happening prior to another event.

Please wash your hands before you eat.

since: It indicates something happening from a specific time until the present.

She has been working from home since last March.

until: It indicates something happening up to a certain point in time.

You can stay up until midnight.

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions are used in pairs. 

I didn’t know that she can neither read nor write.

You can either walk to school or take the bus.

Both Sara and James are invited to the party.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions, also called subordinators, are conjunctions that join a dependent (or subordinating) clause to an independent (or main) clause.

Subordinating Vs. independent clauses:

1. An independent clause is a complete sentence that can stand alone and express a complete idea.

Example: Sarah bought some milk.

2. A subordinating clause (also called a dependent clause), on the other hand, is not a complete sentence and cannot stand alone as a sentence.

Example: When Sarah went to the store, she bought wine and some milk.

And

We use and for adding similar information or ideas; it means ‘too’ or ‘in addition’.

My brother is a plumber, and my sister is a teacher. 

But

We use but for adding contrasting information, i.e. information that is different.

I studied a lot, but I failed the exam. 

He is good but not the best.  

Or

We use or to connect different possibilities.

Would you like to go to the swimming pool or to the beach?

He can go to a hotel or stay with us.

We use or (NOT and) in negative sentences to mean ‘not one thing and not another thing’.

I don’t like oranges and lemons. ×

I don’t like oranges or lemons. ✓

Use and, but, or to connect similar words or phrases.

The items that we connect with and, but, or should be the same grammar type. Check these common mistakes:

I like dancing and sing. ×

I like dancing and singing.✓  (-ing verb and -ing verb)

Would you like to go to the beach or having an ice cream in the park? ×

Would you like to go to the beach or to have an ice cream in the park? ✓ (to-infinitive and to-infinitive)

So

We use so to introduce the consequence or the result of something. The second part of the sentence is the result of the first part of the sentence.

It was cold, so I turned on the heating. 

I spent three hours at the gym, so I’m really tired now.

Because

We use because to introduce the reason for something.

I turned on the heating because it was cold. 

I’m speaking quietly because I don’t want to wake up the baby.