How many coordinating conjunctions are there

A coordinating conjunction shows that the elements it joins are similar in importance and structure:. There are seven coordinating conjunctions, and they are all short words of only two or three letters:. Look at these examples - the two elements that the coordinating conjunction joins are shown in square brackets [ ]:. Coordinating conjunctions always come between the words or clauses that they join. When a coordinating conjunction joins independent clauses, it is always correct to place a comma before the conjunction:.

However, if the independent clauses are short and well-balanced, a comma is not really essential:. A subordinating conjunction joins a subordinate dependent clause to a main independent clause:.

A subordinating conjunction always comes at the beginning of a subordinate clause. It "introduces" a subordinate clause. However, a subordinate clause can come after or before a main clause.

Thus, two structures are possible:. Introduction to Conjunctions We can consider conjunctions from three aspects. What do Conjunctions Do? When you connect two main clauses with a coordinating conjunction, use a comma. While I am at work, my dog Floyd sleeps on the bed , and my cat Buster naps in the bathtub. You can also use a coordinating conjunction to connect any two items.

These items can be any grammatical unit except main clauses. My dog Floyd has too many fleas and too much hair. My cat Buster has beautiful blue eyes but a destructive personality. When you have three or more items in a series , you generally use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Some handbooks and style guides will tell you that this comma is optional, but you should include it for the sake of clarity.

Swatting olives off the kitchen counter , dragging toilet paper streamers through the house , and terrorizing Jacques Cousteau, the parakeet, have consumed another of Buster's days. Some teachers warn that beginning a sentence with a coordinating conjunction is wrong.

Teachers will typically tell you this because they want to help you avoid writing fragments. Other times teachers give this advice because their preference is not to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction.

What you should remember is that you break no grammar rule if you begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction. Because you might be breaking your instructors' rules, however, you should ask what their preferences are. If you decide to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction, keep these three things in mind:. So I had to rinse off the cat hair and crumbs sticking to these delicacies before I could add them to the salad. Flying down the bumpy path, Genette hit a rock with the front wheel of her mountain bike, flew over the handlebars, and crashed into a clump of prickly palmetto bushes.

Yet even this accident would not deter her from completing the race. Only when an interrupter immediately follows the coordinating conjunction do you need to use commas. We hoped that decorating the top of Christine's cupcake with a dead grasshopper would startle her. But , to our amazement , she just popped the whole thing in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.

Simmons All Rights Reserved. The Coordinating Conjunction Recognize a coordinating conjunction when you find one. Generate your APA citations for free! APA Citation Generator. Home Knowledge Base Language rules Using conjunctions.

Using conjunctions Published on May 23, by Amy Luo. Receive feedback on language, structure and layout Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on: Academic style Vague sentences Grammar Style consistency See an example. Governments often seek to gain favor from voters by prioritising economic development over environmental sustainability.

But at what cost to the planet and future generations? Until the company reaches a satisfactory agreement with the union, the workers will remain on strike. How long will the strike go on for?

Until the company reaches a satisfactory agreement with the union. Is this article helpful? She is passionate about helping people communicate clearly and effectively. Other students also liked. Commas , Commas can be tricky to get right, but mastering them will improve your writing. Learn when to use commas and when to leave them out.

Using parallel structure in writing Repeating the same grammatical structure in different parts of a sentence improves your style by making your writing more balanced. Choosing the right prepositions Prepositions are flexible words that express relationships between things.

Using the right one can be central to the meaning of a sentence. Data was gathered through questionnaires , and interviews. Data was gathered through questionnaires and interviews. She usually studies in the library , or at a cafe.

She usually studies in the library or at a cafe.