Conjunctions

What are Conjunctions?

A conjunction is a word that connects words, phrases, or clauses — linking ideas, showing relationships between them, and determining how the reader or listener understands those relationships. Without conjunctions, you can only make a list of statements. With them, you can show that ideas contrast, cause, follow from, or depend on each other.

English conjunctions fall into three main types: coordinating (joining equals), subordinating (making one clause dependent on another), and correlative (paired conjunctions working together). A fourth category — conjunctive adverbs — connects ideas between sentences and is frequently confused with conjunctions.

Coordinating Conjunctions — FANBOYS

The seven coordinating conjunctions join independent clauses of equal grammatical status:

AND — adds information, sequences events, shows cause-and-effect, builds lists, links adjectives.

BUT / YET — But introduces a contrast or exception. Yet carries a stronger sense of surprise or persistence — "despite everything, still."

SO / FOR — So introduces a result (informal to neutral). For introduces a reason (formal, literary register).

OR / NOR — Or introduces an alternative. Nor is used after a negative to add another negative: "She didn't arrive, nor did she call."

Subordinating Conjunctions

Concession Conjunctions — Spotlight

Cause / Reason Conjunctions — Register Differences

Usage note: Because directly answers "why" and is always appropriate. Since and as have causal use only when the reason is already known or apparent; if the cause is new information, use because.

Correlative Conjunctions

These conjunctions work in pairs — both elements must appear:

Verb agreement: With either...or and neither...nor, the verb agrees with the nearer subject: "Neither the manager nor the assistants were informed." / "Neither the assistants nor the manager was informed."

Conjunctive Adverbs — The Critical Distinction

However, therefore, nevertheless, consequently, furthermore, moreover, nonetheless look like conjunctions but are adverbs — they cannot join two independent clauses with just a comma. They require a semicolon before them and a comma after:

"The plan was sound; however, the execution was poor." ✓ "The plan was sound, however the execution was poor." ✗ (comma splice)

Conjunctions in Daily Life

Situation 1 — Explaining Decisions

Conjunctions structure reasoning precisely.

"I applied because the role matched my experience and offered the kind of challenge I had been looking for — not only in terms of scope but also in terms of the culture, which seemed exactly right."

Situation 2 — Balanced Opinions

Concession conjunctions are essential for nuanced argument.

"Although the approach has real merits, it raises questions that the proposal doesn't fully address. Whereas the first phase is clearly achievable, the third depends on conditions that may not materialize. Nevertheless, the underlying principle is sound."

Situation 3 — Giving Instructions

Sequential conjunctions make instructions clear.

"Complete the form and submit it before the deadline. If you miss the cutoff, you can apply next term, but note that the criteria may change. Once you have submitted, you will receive confirmation within three business days."

Situation 4 — Formal Emails

Formal conjunctions signal register and logical precision.

"Given that the original deadline has passed and the revised specifications have not yet been approved, we would like to propose a brief extension. Should you require any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us."

Situation 5 — Telling Stories

Narrative conjunctions create rhythm and movement.

"She waited for an hour, but nobody came. So she left. As she was walking back to the station, she passed the café where they had arranged to meet — and there he was, still sitting at the window, entirely unaware."

Sentences — Beginner to Advanced

Beginner

"She studied hard and passed the exam, but she wasn't entirely happy with her grade."

And joins two actions. But adds a contrasting clause. Two coordinating conjunctions.

Beginner

"If you arrive before noon, we can have lunch together. If not, I'll see you at the meeting."

First conditional. If = condition. "If not" = informal shorthand for "if you do not arrive before noon."

Intermediate

"Although the presentation was technically impressive, it lacked the clarity that the panel was looking for — so the team was asked to revise and resubmit before the final deadline passed."

Although = concession. So = result. Before = time. Three different conjunction types in one sentence.

Intermediate

"She had prepared thoroughly, yet she found herself genuinely unsettled by the first question — not because she didn't know the answer, but because she hadn't expected to be asked it in that way."

Yet = strong concession. Not because...but because = correlative structure made from two subordinating conjunctions.

Advanced

"Not only had the committee failed to communicate the change, but the assumption that everyone had been informed through informal channels — whereas in reality no formal mechanism existed — had created precisely the kind of opacity that the new protocols were designed to prevent."

Not only...but (correlative). Whereas = formal contrast. The conjunction work carries the logic of the institutional critique.

Advanced

"Provided that the revised terms are accepted and the outstanding conditions are met within the agreed timeframe, both parties are prepared to proceed — notwithstanding the reservations that each has expressed throughout negotiations."

Formal conditional (provided that). And joins two parallel conditions. Notwithstanding is a formal preposition meaning despite; it often appears alongside conjunctions in legal and diplomatic writing.

How Conjunctions Elevate Your English

Basic: "The data was good. But the conclusion was weak."

Elevated: "While the data was rigorous and the methodology sound, the conclusion — rather than building directly from the evidence — made a leap that the evidence could not fully sustain, leaving the reader with the uncomfortable sense that the argument had been built backwards from a predetermined position."

("While" joins the positive and the critique in one sophisticated movement. "Rather than" replaces a simple "but". The conjunction work carries the full intellectual evaluation in a way two simple sentences cannot.)

Basic: "She was tired. But she finished the project."

Elevated: "Exhausted as she was, she completed the project — not out of obligation, but out of a standard she had set for herself so early in her career that it had long since stopped feeling like effort and had simply become who she was."

("Exhausted as she was" = inverted as-clause for literary concession. "Not...but" = correlative contrast. The conjunctions create the sentence's emotional arc.)

Memory Tips

FANBOYS = The 7 Coordinators

For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, So. These seven are the only true coordinating conjunctions. If you use a comma between two independent clauses, it must be followed by one of these seven — or it is a comma splice.

The Comma Splice Rule

Two complete sentences cannot be joined by a comma alone: "She arrived, he left" ✗. Fix options: (a) comma + FANBOYS: "She arrived, but he left." (b) Semicolon: "She arrived; he left." (c) Subordinate one: "When she arrived, he left." Conjunctive adverbs (however, therefore) are not conjunctions — they cannot replace the comma + FANBOYS.

Although vs Despite

Although = conjunction (followed by a full clause with subject + verb). Despite = preposition (followed by noun or gerund). "Although it was cold, she went out." ✓ / "Despite the cold, she went out." ✓ / "Despite it was cold, she went out." ✗

Because vs Since vs As: New Information vs Shared Knowledge

Use because when the reason is new information: "She left because the meeting was canceled." Use since or as when the reason is already known or obvious to both parties: "Since you know the area better, you should lead." Avoid using since or as to introduce a reason the listener doesn't already know.

Correlative Agreement

"Neither the director nor the board members were informed." (verb agrees with nearest subject: board members) / "Neither the board members nor the director was informed." (verb agrees with nearest subject: director). The nearest noun wins.

Not Only...But Also: Subject-Verb Inversion

When not only begins a sentence, the auxiliary and subject invert: "Not only did she finish the project..." (not "not only she finished"). This is identical to question word order and is one of the hallmarks of advanced formal writing.

Formal vs Informal

Informal:

"She was tired but she pushed through, and in the end it worked out because she really knew her stuff."

Natural coordinating and subordinating conjunctions in conversational narrative.

Informal:

"I can't come on Friday — so we'll have to rearrange. Though honestly, I think next week works better anyway."

Formal (Conjunctions):

Formal:

"Given that the project timeline has been revised and the allocated resources have been reduced, the committee wishes to propose a restructuring of the delivery phases. Furthermore, it is recommended that a formal review be conducted prior to the next stage of implementation."

One Idea, Two Registers

Informal:

"It was a tough one — but she handled it well, and everyone respected her for it."

Formal:

"Notwithstanding the complexity of the situation, the response was measured and effective — qualities that were noted both by the panel and by the wider team."

Idioms with Conjunctions

"To have your cake and eat it too" Meaning: To want two good things that cannot both be had at once.

"Management wanted lower costs and higher quality, but unless someone was willing to pay for both, they could not have their cake and eat it too."

"To read between the lines" Meaning: To find or interpret a meaning that is not explicitly stated — to understand what is implied rather than said directly.

"The report was carefully worded and professionally presented, but anyone prepared to read between the lines could see that the findings were considerably more troubling than the language used to describe them — not because the authors were being dishonest, but because the institutional context made directness impractical."

Quick Reference