Home of English Grammar

Free Guide (Updated for 2023)

  • Home
  • Download Lessons
  • Grammar Rules
  • Online Exercises
  • Online Tools
    • Grammar Checker
    • Word Counter
  • Guides
  • Contact
You are here: Home / Lessons / Review: Coordinating conjunctions

Review: Coordinating conjunctions

September 29, 2015 - pdf

Common coordinating conjunctions are: and, but, yet, or, nor, for, so, either…or, neither…nor. Coordinating conjunctions generally connect words or phrases of the same grammatical class. For example, a coordinating conjunction connects nouns with nouns, adverbs with adverbs or clauses with clauses. It cannot connect a noun with a verb or an adjective.

  • Jack and Jill went up the hill. (Here the coordinating conjunction ‘and’ connects the two nouns – Jack and Jill.)
  • He worked patiently and diligently. (Here ‘and’ connects the two adverbs patiently and diligently.)

Kinds of coordinating conjunctions

There are different types of coordinating conjunctions:

Cumulative or copulative conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions which merely add one clause to another are called cumulative or copulative conjunctions. Examples are: and, both…and, as well as, not only…but also.

  • He mounted the horse and rode off.
  • She is both pretty and intelligent.
  • Tom as well as John passed the test.
  • He was not only praised but also rewarded.

Adversative conjunctions

Some coordinating conjunctions are used to connect opposing or contrasting ideas or statements. They are called adversative conjunctions. Examples are: but, still, yet, whereas, while, nevertheless etc.

  • He is rich but he is unhappy.
  • He is poor yet he is happy.

Disjunctive or alternative conjunctions

Some coordinating conjunctions present two alternatives sometimes indicating a choice between them. Examples are: or, either…or, neither…nor, neither, nor etc.

  • You can have coffee or tea. (You can’t have them both.)
  • He neither wrote nor called.
  • He does not drink, neither does he smoke.

Illative conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions which express an inference are called illative conjunctions. Examples are: for, so.

  • He has been working for hours, so he must be tired.

Correlative conjunctions

Some conjunctions are used in pairs. They are called correlative conjunctions. Most correlative conjunctions are considered as coordinating conjunctions.

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • WhatsApp
1,267,772 
647,105 

Check Your Grammar

GrammarCheck.net - Try online
Hint → Bookmark GrammarCheck for future use.

Latest Exercises

  • Animal Idioms September 18, 2023
  • Less vs. Fewer September 17, 2023
  • If, Unless, Providing, As Long As September 17, 2023
  • Identifying Conditionals September 16, 2023
  • Conjunctions Quiz September 14, 2023
  • English Vocabulary Exercise September 13, 2023
  • Prefixes Exercise September 12, 2023
  • Tenses Quiz September 10, 2023
  • Gap Filling Vocabulary Exercise September 8, 2023

Topics

  • Adjectives
  • Adverbs
  • Business Writing
  • Commas
  • Conjunctions
  • Creative Writing
  • Difference
  • Essay Writing
  • Exercises
  • Learning
  • Lessons
  • Nouns
  • Prepositions
  • Pronouns
  • Proofreading
  • Punctuation
  • Quiz
  • Spelling
  • Style Guide
  • Teaching
  • Terms
  • Verbs
  • Words
  • Writing

Quiz

  • Can you correct these 14 basic grammar mistakes?
  • What kind of writer are you?

Copyright © 2023 · EnglishGrammar.org
Disclaimer · Privacy Policy · Sitemap