Conjunctions are a part of speech that help link sentences, and without them, our sentences would be very bland and short. Conjunction rules for words such as "and, because, and therefore," are easy to understand but can be confusing to follow, so let's delve into them now.
Conjunctions are words that connect and link clauses. They help us join our brilliant ideas, thoughts, and actions in everyday speech and written work. There are three main types of conjunctions, coordinating, correlative, and subordinating conjunctions.
There are three main conjunctions types, each with a slightly different purpose.
Unless you want to write simple sentences, it's always a good idea to utilize conjunctions to vary the sentence structures you apply to your work.
Grammar rules for using commas with conjunctions are fairly simple, regardless of the type of conjunction you use.
How to use commas with conjunctions.
My teacher explained the assignment, but I still didn't understand it.
It was a long journey, so I'm super tired now.
My teacher explained the assignment and handed out the worksheet.
The sun is out but it's chilly.
Common conjunctions that are used as introductory words are after, although, as, if, while, since, and when.
While I was eating, my dog sat patiently.
If you're ill, you should go to the doctor.
We've spoken a little bit about what conjunction rules are and the different types; now, we're going to talk about how conjunctions function.
In English, there are 7 coordinating conjunctions.
You can use these coordinating conjunctions to link words of the same part of speech.
We also use coordinating conjunctions to connect independent clauses; they are sentences that can work by themselves. When we do this, we create compound sentences.
If we didn't use conjunctions in the sentences above, they would look like this;
Though the sentences above are grammatically correct, they sound unfinished and strained.
Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions create new parts of speech. Correlative conjunctions, on the other hand, don't. They work to connect two sentence parts or statements with equal significance.
Subordinating conjunctions connect a dependent clause with an independent clause. Basically, without the subordinating conjunction, the dependent sentence is lacking or nonsensical. These conjunctions form complex phrases, making your work sound way more interesting than just simple sentences full of periods or commas.
There are many conjunctions of this type, but here are some examples.
Subordinating conjunctions add extra information to compare and give a time frame, reason, or condition.
You can also play around with complex sentences by putting the subordinating conjunction at the beginning of the clause. Changing the structure around can make the clauses sound more formal. If you're doing this, make sure you put a comma after the subordinating conjunction.
As you can see, we've switched a few words around, especially in the second sentence. We did this because it sounds better, so have a play around and see what works for you.
Occasionally, you'll see adverbs acting as conjunctions. That's because some adverbs are actually conjunctive adverbs.
Conjunctive adverbs join complete thoughts within sentences, and we typically use periods or semicolons as punctuation before introducing them.
Think you've got it? Check out these conjunction flashcards.
There are many ways to practice conjunctions, so let's look into a few now.
1) Read
Reading is an important life skill, and if you're not an avid reader, having a purpose might help you. We recommend checking out various sources, both fictional and fictional. Highlight all of the conjunctions you see!
2) Song Lyrics
What's your favorite song? Well, it might just contain conjunctions. See if you can spot any!
3) List
Write down as many words as possible; you can use a mixture of nouns, verbs, adverbs, etc. Then write down some conjunctions, and try constructing complex and independent clauses using the correct punctuation. Gaining both confidence and comfort will allow you to create your own sentences in no time!
In summary, conjunctions are a significant part of speech in your word arsenal. They can help your work sound richer and flow better; nevertheless, they're an essential part of English.