Coordinate Conjunctions Examples

Free grammar tips, lessons and tests

Recommended purchases

This site: Grammar Monster on line Daily tips with Grammar Monster's gadget Daily tips with Grammar Monster on Twitter  The best grammar reference books Grammar Monster off line The only grammar checker we'll endorse
Common grammar errors
Easily confused words
Grammar terms & definitions
Grammar tests
Grammar lessons
Search this site


 Home

Search
 

Glossary
of Terms

Common
Errors

FAQs

Grammar
Chat

Download

Grammar
Checker


Coordinate Conjunctions - Glossary of Terms


Co-ordinate Conjunctions

Co-ordinate conjunctions join similar words, phrases or clauses to each other (i.e., to join an adjective to an adjective or a noun to a noun).  The most common co-ordinate conjunctions are: and, but, or, for, nor, so and yet.

The conjunctions and, but and or are the most common by far. 

Examples:

The waiters served sandwiches and cakes. (joins two nouns)
He is a small but aggressive dog. (joins two adjectives)
The manager or his secretary will be with you in a moment. (joins two nouns)
He typed the letter quickly but accurately. (joins two adverbs)

In the examples above, the conjunctions all join words.  As a general rule, when a conjunction joins two words, there is no need to precede it with a comma.  However, when it joins two clauses, it is usual to place a comma before the conjunction.

Examples:

The applicant must be able to sing and dance. (no comma)
The applicant must be able to sing, and she must be able to dance. (joins two clauses - comma required)
 
Interactive example:

 
Pat and I slept, but Julie stayed awake the whole way. [show me the co-ordinate conjunction]
 
Associated pages:
 
What are conjunctions?
Conjunctions and commas
Conjunctions and semicolons
Glossary of grammatical terms
 
  

Grammar Monster © | Copyright Registration Number: 226604 | All rights reserved