The ultimate list of conjunctions and conjunction words in English. The English language would be vastly different without a multitude of conjunctions to bring complex thoughts together. After all, people use conjunctions in their verbal and written communications daily.
Conjunction Words Examples
What is a Conjunction Word?
Conjunctions are not glamorous, but they do serve an important function. You can think of them as joining words. Conjunctions labor to bring words and phrases together. They help the writer create longer, more complex sentences. Only using simple sentences would limit the richness of a writer’s text.
Examples of Simple Sentences
- The girl hit the ball.
- He loathed her.
- The girl has blue eyes.
Including complex sentences alongside simple sentences makes for stronger prose.
You can break conjunctions down into three subgroups: correlative conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and coordinating conjunctions. Each subgroup is distinct and follows its own rules.
Conjunctions can bring two clauses together. They can begin or operate in the middle of sentences. Conjunctions can also help strengthen the structure of a sentence.
Conjunction Word Examples
- I love Monica and Raquelle.
- I spent three hours fishing, but I never caught anything.
- I want a dog or a llama.
- I went to see the doctor because I thought I was dying.
The first and third examples show conjunctions joining dependent clauses. The second example shows the conjunction “but” joining two independent clauses. The fourth sentence uses the word “because” to join two simple sentences.
List of Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunction Words
Most people think of coordinating conjunctions when they hear the word conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions consist of seven words. These words connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical importance.
Coordinating Conjunctions List
There are seven coordinating conjunctions. You can use the mnemonic FANBOYS to help you remember them.
- F is for “for“
- A is for “and“
- N is for “nor“
- B is for “but“
- O is for “or“
- Y is for “yet“
- S is for “so“
Each coordinating conjunction serves different purposes when used. For instance, “or” introduces change while “so” emphasizes a word, phrase, or clause. So” can also indicate a result or consequence will be forthcoming.
You utilize “and” when you wish to link two things together. “But” introduces contrast into a sentence. “Nor”, on the other hand, brings forth an alternative negative idea. “Nor” responds to an already presented negative concept.
Finally, the word “yet” introduces a contrasting thought. It follows logically after an alternative idea.
How to Use Coordinating Conjunctions
These examples show you how to use these conjunctions in a sentence.
- I visit the planetarium every Tuesday afternoon, for I enjoy viewing the stars.
- I visit my mother and the ice cream man in central park.
- I don’t go for the ambiance or the stir-fried rice.
Correlative Conjunction Words
Correlative conjunctions work in pairs. Each word of the couple resides in a different area of the sentence. For correlative conjunctions to function properly, you must introduce both terms into the sentence.
The word couples connect equal sentence parts. For instance, if you use a noun after the word “both” you will need to place a noun after “and” as well. This helps add structure to a sentence.
Correlative Conjunctions List
Below are some correlative pairs you can use to structure your sentences. Some of these pairs are more common than others.
- both/and
- whether/or
- not only/but also
- either/or
- neither/nor
- no sooner/than
- such/that
- so/that
How to Use Correlating Conjunctions
Listed below are examples of how correlating conjunctions function. Note how these pairs work together to shape the meaning of the sentence.
- I didn’t know whether you’d like sea bass or lobster.
- She is not thinking as logically as she can.
- I bought not only the book but also the magazine.
Subordinating Conjunction Words
Subordinating conjunctions link dependent clauses to independent clauses. A dependent clause cannot operate as a complete sentence: however, an independent clause can. Hence, dependent clauses add extra information to a sentence.
Subordinating conjunctions establish a relationship between two clauses. You can use these conjunctions to suggest cause and effect or to set up a contrast. “Because” is one conjunction that demonstrates a cause and effect relationship. The words “although” and “though” introduce a contrast of ideas.
These conjunctions can appear at the beginning of a sentence when a dependent clause appears before an independent clause. You can find “because” at the beginning of a sentence in a dependent clause.
Teachers often tell their students that sentences cannot begin with words like “because”. Teachers do this to prevent young students from writing incomplete sentences. It leads some students in later life to think starting a sentence with a conjunction like “because” is wrong; however, subordinate conjunctions like “because” can successfully begin a sentence.
Subordinating Conjunctions List
Many subordinating conjunctions exist. Listed below are some of the many.
- after
- although
- as
- as if
- as long as
- as much as
- as soon as
- as far as
- as though
- by the time
- inasmuch as
- in order that
- in case
- lest
- though
- now that
- even if
- even though
- provided (that)
- if
- if only
- just as
- where
- wherever
- whereas
- whether
- since
- because
- whose
- whoever
- unless
- while
- before
- why
- so that
- until
- how
- than
- till
- whenever
- supposing
- when
- what
How to Use Subordinating Conjunctions
Find examples of how to use some of the subordinating conjunctions below.
- Because of the dog bite, I always feared being next to canines.
- This will make sense if you read the first chapter
- Until you wear a silk dress, you’ll never know what you are missing.
- I grab a coffee when I go running.
- As I climb the mountain, I know my legs will hurt tomorrow.
In the above example sentences the subordinating conjunctions “because”, “until”, and “as” sit at the beginning of their respective sentences. This proves the myth about subordinating clauses being unable to start sentences false.
These conjunctions do not have to function solely at the beginning of the sentence. In the examples above the words “when” and “if” find themselves in the middle of a sentence.