Definition
A conjunction is a **joining word**. Its primary job is to connect words, phrases, and clauses to build longer, more complex sentences. Conjunctions help text to flow smoothly instead of sounding like a list of bullet points.
Example of flow:
- Without Conjunction: Jai saw a dog on the road. He decided to adopt the dog. Jai brought the dog home.
- With Conjunctions: Jai saw a dog on the road and decided to adopt the dog, so he brought the dog home.
10 Sentence Examples:
- I play cricket, and Robin plays football.
- Alex plays well, but Robin plays better than him.
- I will call you after I finish my work.
- She is smart, yet she is very humble.
- You can have tea or coffee.
- He was tired, so he went to bed early.
- When he was sick, I went to see him.
- I trust him, for he is an honest man.
- He can't drive, nor can he ride a bicycle.
- Although it was raining, they went for a walk.
Clauses & Phrases
Understanding clauses and phrases is key to understanding conjunctions.
Clauses
A group of words with a **subject-verb combination**.
- Independent Clause (IC): Expresses a complete thought. It can be a sentence by itself.
- Dependent Clause (DC): Does not express a complete thought. It needs an independent clause to make sense.
- I went to the market. (IC)
- When I came home... (DC)
- She loves her dog very much. (IC)
- ...because he was tired. (DC)
- We bought an ice cream. (IC)
- ...after the movie ended. (DC)
- The sun rises in the east. (IC)
- ...although it was expensive. (DC)
- He is a doctor. (IC)
- ...while I was sleeping. (DC)
Phrases
A group of words **without** a subject-verb combination. It acts as a single part of speech.
- in the morning (Prepositional Phrase)
- my naughty kids (Noun Phrase)
- has been studying (Verb Phrase)
- very quickly (Adverbial Phrase)
- under the table (Prepositional Phrase)
- a beautiful red car (Noun Phrase)
- will be going (Verb Phrase)
- extremely happy (Adjectival Phrase)
- on the top shelf (Prepositional Phrase)
- to pass the exam (Infinitive Phrase)
Types of Conjunctions
Coordinating Conjunctions
These join two elements of equal grammatical rank (word + word, phrase + phrase, independent clause + independent clause). Remember the acronym **FANBOYS**: For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So.
- He bought a book and a pen. (Joins two words)
- You can wait at my home or at my office. (Joins two phrases)
- I waited for him, but he didn’t come. (Joins two clauses)
- She was tired, so she went to sleep.
- He doesn't like tea, nor does he like coffee.
- The weather was cold, yet it was a beautiful day.
- I must go now, for I have an early appointment.
- They can play outside, or they can watch a movie.
- He is rich, but he is not happy.
- She studied hard, so she passed the test.
Correlative Conjunctions
These work in pairs to join grammatically equal elements in a sentence.
- Neither Alex nor Robin can play baseball.
- I want both the ice cream and the chocolate.
- He ate not only the ice cream but also the chocolate.
- You must either finish your work or stay home.
- Whether you like it or not, you have to do it.
- She is as intelligent as her brother.
- Hardly had I left the house when it started to rain.
- He is not only a good singer but also an excellent actor.
- Both my parents and my sister are coming.
- You can have neither the cake nor the cookies.
Subordinating Conjunctions
These join an independent clause with a dependent clause, showing a relationship like cause, time, or condition.
- Before we left home, I had had my breakfast.
- We can start the class provided they come on time.
- When he was washing my car, I went to the store.
- Even though the weather was horrible, they still went outside.
- He could not attend the meeting because he was sick.
- I will not go unless you come with me.
- She listened to music while she was studying.
- He will pass the exam if he works hard.
- I have been much happier since I moved to the new city.
- Stay here until I get back.
How to Identify Conjunctions: 9 Techniques
1. Meaning-Based Technique (Joining Test)
Easy Explanation: A conjunction is a "joining word" or a "connector." Its main job is to link words, phrases, or clauses together to create a smooth, logical sentence.
- I would like pizza and pasta. (Joins two words)
- You can wait in the car or by the entrance. (Joins two phrases)
- She studied hard, so she passed the exam. (Joins two clauses)
- He is slow but steady. (Joins two words)
- I will call you after I finish my work. (Joins two clauses)
- He is tall and handsome.
- The cat is sleeping on the sofa or under the bed.
- I wanted to leave, but my friend wanted to stay.
- She will be late because her car broke down.
- He is wealthy, yet he is unhappy.
2. Types Test (Coordinating, Subordinating, Correlative)
Easy Explanation: Identifying a conjunction is easy if you know its category: Coordinating (FANBOYS), Subordinating (shows relationship), or Correlative (works in pairs).
- I was tired, but I finished the project. (Coordinating)
- He didn't come because he was sick. (Subordinating)
- You can have either the tea or the coffee. (Correlative)
- Although it was raining, they went for a walk. (Subordinating)
- She is not only intelligent but also kind. (Correlative)
- We can go to the movies, or we can stay home. (Coordinating)
- I will wait here until you return. (Subordinating)
- Both the book and the movie were good. (Correlative)
- He worked hard, so he was promoted. (Coordinating)
- He will succeed if he perseveres. (Subordinating)
3. Position Test
Easy Explanation: Conjunctions usually appear **between** the elements they connect. Subordinating conjunctions can start a sentence but will still be attached to one of the clauses.
- Do you want to go now or later?
- He works hard and plays hard.
- I trust him, for he has never lied.
- If you study, you will get good grades.
- The movie was good, although it was a bit long.
- She is smart, but she is lazy.
- I will stay here while you go to the store.
- He must be tired, so he is resting.
- Because it was cold, I wore a jacket.
- He is strong, yet he is gentle.
4. Deletion Test
Easy Explanation: If you remove the conjunction, the sentence often breaks into two separate, choppy sentences or becomes grammatically incomplete.
- I wanted to go, but I was too busy. → (Without: I wanted to go. I was too busy.)
- She left while I was sleeping. → (Without: She left. I was sleeping.)
- You will succeed if you work hard. → (Without: You will succeed. You work hard.)
- He brought a jacket and an umbrella. → (Without: He brought a jacket. An umbrella.)
- She cried because she was sad. → (Without: She cried. She was sad.)
- I will wait, but I won't stay long.
- They can go to the beach or the mountains.
- He was tired, so he took a nap.
- Although he is rich, he is not arrogant.
- She is honest, and she is kind.
5. Non-Inflection Test
Easy Explanation: Conjunctions are fixed words; they do not change their form. You cannot add endings like *-s, -ed,* or *-ing* to them.
- He reads and writes every day. ('and' never changes)
- She will leave unless you ask her to stay. ('unless' never changes)
- I will wait until you are ready. ('until' never changes)
- This is a good plan, yet it has risks. ('yet' never changes)
- I am staying home because I am not well. ('because' never changes)
- She likes dogs, but he prefers cats.
- I will go, if you go with me.
- He is not here, so we will start without him.
- We can leave now or later.
- I studied hard, for the exam was important.
6. Pairing Test (Correlative Conjunctions)
Easy Explanation: Correlative conjunctions always come in fixed pairs. If you see the first word of a pair (like *either*), you can expect the second one (*or*) to appear later.
- Both the book and the movie were excellent.
- Neither my brother nor my sister can come.
- She was unsure whether to stay or to leave.
- He is not only a great student but also a talented musician.
- You must either finish your homework or stay inside.
- Just as you love music, so I love art.
- Hardly had she arrived when the phone rang.
- Not only did he apologize, but he also offered to pay.
- Both the teacher and the students were happy.
- She likes neither the red dress nor the blue one.
7. Distinction from Prepositions
Easy Explanation: Some words (like *after, before, until*) can be prepositions or conjunctions. It's a **conjunction** if it's followed by a clause (with a subject and verb). It's a **preposition** if it's followed by just a noun or pronoun.
- Conjunction: Call me after you finish your work. (Clause: 'you finish')
- Preposition: Let's meet after the meeting. (Noun: 'the meeting')
- Conjunction: Brush your teeth before you go to bed. (Clause: 'you go')
- Preposition: He arrived before me. (Pronoun: 'me')
- Conjunction: We waited until the rain stopped. (Clause: 'the rain stopped')
- Preposition: We waited until noon. (Noun: 'noon')
- Conjunction: I have been busy since I started the new job.
- Preposition: I have been busy since Monday.
- Conjunction: He was sad for he had lost the game.
- Preposition: This gift is for you.
8. Parallel Structure Test
Easy Explanation: Conjunctions should join elements of the same grammatical structure. For example, an adverb should be joined with an adverb, not an adjective.
- Correct: He worked busily and carefully. (adverb + adverb)
- Incorrect: He worked busily and careful. (adverb + adjective)
- Correct: She likes to swim and to hike. (infinitive + infinitive)
- Incorrect: She likes swimming and to hike. (gerund + infinitive)
- Correct: The movie was exciting but long. (adjective + adjective)
- Correct: He is a man of great wealth and of great influence. (phrase + phrase)
- Correct: You can pay by cash or by card. (phrase + phrase)
- Correct: She is not only beautiful but also intelligent. (adjective + adjective)
- Correct: He decided to study hard and to stop wasting time. (infinitive + infinitive)
- Correct: The report was written clearly and concisely. (adverb + adverb)
9. Extra Technique: The "Relationship Question" Test
Easy Explanation: A conjunction often introduces the answer to a "relationship question" about the other part of the sentence. Ask: *Why? When? Under what condition? What is the result?*
- Sentence: He was upset because he lost the game. (Why was he upset?)
- Sentence: I will go if it stops raining. (Under what condition will I go?)
- Sentence: She is smart, but she is lazy. (What is the contrast to her being smart?)
- Sentence: It was late, so we went home. (What was the result of it being late?)
- Sentence: He put on his coat and left the house. (He put on his coat, and then what?)
- Sentence: We must leave now, or we will be late. (What is the alternative?)
- Sentence: I'll call you when I arrive. (When will I call you?)
- Sentence: He is a good leader, for he is fair to everyone. (Why is he a good leader?)
- Sentence: Although the test was difficult, I passed. (What is the contrast to the test being difficult?)
- Sentence: He ran fast, yet he missed the train. (What is the surprising result of him running fast?)