Conjunctions
Conjunctions
Mind the underlined words in the following sentences:
Man proposes but God disposes.
Do you prefer to tea or coffee?
He wrote the letter accurately and legibly.
Mind that each of the italicised words i.e ‘but’, ‘or’ and ‘and’ in the above sentences connects two words or sentences.
Thus, a word which joins words or sentences together is called a Conjunction.
Conjunctions according to their function in sentences are divided into three classes, as:
1. Co-ordinating Conjunction.
2. Correlative Conjunction.
3. Subordinating Conjunction.
Let us discuss them in detail as below:
Conjunctions
Co-ordinating Conjunction
Look at the following expressions:
The peasants and the labourers are busy in their respective works.
He utters clearly and melodiously.
Manika is honest and wise.
Mind that the conjunction ‘and’ joins two nouns (i.e the peasants and labourers) in the first sentence, two adverbs (i.e. clearly and melodiously) in the second sentence and two adjectives (i.e. honest and wise) in the third sentence. These Conjunctions are called Coordinating Conjunctions.
The conjunction which joins together words or sentences of equal rank is called Co-ordinating Conjunction.
Some Co-ordinating Conjunctions are: or, for, but, yet, so, still, otherwise etc.
Let us illustrate their uses as below:
1. He must do or he must die.
2. You must meet him for he would pay your bill.
3. We wanted to go but they did not like us to be there.
4. Deepa is rich, yet he is not happy.
5. Manisha is in the office so we cannot meet him.
6. The book was there still he could not find that.
7. Harsah was absent from his work, therefore he was called for an explanation.
Conjunctions
Correlative Conjunction
Mind the following sentences:
Either Ram or his brother is guilty.
Neither he nor she is wicked.
I do not know whether he would do it or not.
Though he is weak yet he struggles to survive.
In the above sentences some connective words are used in pair as: either …….. or, neither ……… nor, though……. yet and whether ….. or. These paired connective words are called Correlative Conjunctions.
Conjunctions
Sub-ordinating Conjunction
Mind the following sentences:
We eat that we may live.
The boy began to cry when he saw his mother.
He went there where his parents were.
Do the work as you are suggested.
He is happy because he has won the lottery.
The words i.e that, when, where, as, because etc. are used to connect two clauses: one Principal Clause and the other Sub-ordinate Clause in each of the above sentences respectively. These are called Sub-ordinating Conjunctions.
A conjunction that connects a Sub-ordinating Clause with the Principal Clause for the completion of its meaning is called Subordinating Conjunction.
Some Sub-ordinating Conjunctions are: when, where, because, as, that, until, whenever, wherever, unless, before, after, since, as that, till etc.
Besides those Conjunctions as discussed above, there are some conjunctions that are used to connect sentences. Such conjunctions are called Sentence Connectors. Some sentence connectors are: the, this, these, there, thus, then, nevertheless, moreover, yet,too, further, though, therefore, however, too etc.
Look at the following examples:
1. There is terror everywhere. This must be checked with all our might.
2. The boy was very happy. However, he felt insecure there.
3. His condition seems worse. So he should be sent to consult a physician.
EXERCISE
1. Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with suitable Co-ordinating Conjunctions:
a. He may cease to run the shop …………… his commitment remains.
b. David has left his riches ………… his place to his people.
c. Macbeth had murdered sleep, ……….. he shall sleep no more.
d. Learn the lesson first ………….. then attempt the questions.
e. The whole of Assam is under great flood, …………. the government is silent.
f. Heera was punished, ……………. not turned out from the job.
g. Haren is …………. shrewd …………. a ruffian.
h. Lalita is an honourable woman ………….. her daughter is not so.
i. The doctors can treat us of disease ……………..they cannot make us immortal.
2. Fill in the gaps in the following sentences with suitable Conjunctions:
a. Rubel is …………….. honest and intelligent.
b. He is kind and heplful ………..
c. Rakesh ……………… his brother is honest.
d. …………… he or his sister will attend the meeting.
e. You must work …………… you will starve.
f. He is coward ……………… naive.
g.Hira is rich …………….. honest.
h. You may do ………… you like.
i. The meeting is over ………….us depart.
j. Suman failed, ……………. he did not lose heart.
k. He is old ………….active.
l. True scholars are simple ……….. the fools are arrogant.
m. He may come ………. you allow him.
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Conjunctions
N.B. The article ‘Conjunctions’ originally belongs to the book ‘School English Grammar Part- I‘ by Menonim Menonimus. Conjunctions
Books of Composition by M. Menonimus:
- Advertisement Writing
- Amplification Writing
- Note Making
- Paragraph Writing
- Notice Writing
- Passage Comprehension
- The Art of Poster Writing
- The Art of Letter Writing
- Report Writing
- Story Writing
- Substance Writing
- School Essays Part-I
- School Essays Part-II
- School English Grammar Part-I
- School English Grammar Part-II..
Books on Linguistics by M. Menonimus:
- A Brief History of the English Language
- Essays on Linguistics
- My Imageries
- Felicitous Expression: Some Examples
- Learners’ English Dictionary
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