Conjunctions “Hooking up words and phrases and clauses”
What are conjunctions? • Conjunctions connect two words, phrases, or clauses. • Three most often used conjunctions: • and • but • or
What is a phrase? • A phrase is any collection of two or more words. Simple as that. • A phrase is NOT a sentence, because a phrase, unlike a sentence, cannot stand alone and make sense.
What is a clause? • A clause is any group of words containing at least one subject and one verb to express an idea. • There are two types of clauses: • Independent • Dependent OR subordinate
Independent Clauses • Independent clauses are clauses (i.e. at least one subject and at least one verb) that can stand alone and make sense. (Get it? They are independent and can get along fine on their own) • Independent clauses can be sentences. e.g. I went to the store. We study Latin. Tom and Jerry are always fighting.
Dependent/Subordinate Clauses • Dependent/subordinate clauses CANNOT stand alone and still make sense, even though they have at least one subject and at least one verb (like all clauses do). • Dependent/subordinate clauses CANNOT be sentences. e.g. When I went to the store… Since we study Latin… Although Tom and Jerry are always fighting…
Back to Conjunctions • There are two types of conjunctions: • Coordinating • Subordinating
Coordinating Conjunctions • Coordinating conjunctions just link together words, phrases, and clauses and have no other effect on what they link together. • The easiest way to recognize them is by the mere fact that they are the short ones (i.e. less than four letters usually) • e.g. and, but, or, yet, nor, for
Subordinating Conjunctions • Subordinating conjunctions are, in simplest terms, words that make an otherwise independent clause into a dependent/subordinate clause. • They are usually four letters or longer (“if” is a notable exception to this). e.g. after, as long as, whenever, although, since, because, when, if, unless, while, so that, etc.
Subordinating Conjunctions • Note that if I add a subordinating conjunction to these independent clauses, they no longer make sense alone. After you read them, you are waiting to know more. I went to the store. When I went to the store…then what? We study Latin. Since we study Latin…what happens next? Tom and Jerry are always fighting. Although Tom and Jerry are always fighting…what else do they do?
Correlative Conjunctions • Correlative conjunctions are coordinating conjunctions that work as a team to add emphasis. e.g. both…and either…or neither…nor not only…but also whether…or
Conjunctive Adverbs • We will not dwell on this, but be aware that some words are adverbs that act like conjunctions. e.g. however, nevertheless, moreover, etc.
Test Yourself • The following sentence is from the School House Rock song “Conjunction Junction.” Name all the conjunctions and what kind they are: In the mornings, when I'm usually wide awake, I love to take a walk through the gardens and down by the lake, where I often see a duck and a drake, and I wonder, as I walk by, just what they'd say if they could speak, although I know that's an absurd thought. when—subordinating where—subordinating and—coordinating as—subordinating if—subordinating although—subordinating
Complex and Compound Sentences • If a sentence has at least one dependent/subordinate clause in it, it is a complex sentence. • e.g. When I went to the store, I bought some eggs. • If a sentence has two or more independent clauses linked by a coordinating conjunction, it is a compound sentence. • e.g. I went to the store, and a burglar had stolen all the eggs.
Compound-Complex Sentences • If a compound sentence has a dependent/subordinate clause in it, it is a compound-complex sentence. • e.g. When I went to the store, I tried to buy some eggs, but a burglar had stolen them all.
End • Like English, Latin has coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions. • It also has correlative conjunctions. • Be sure to know the difference between independent clauses and dependent/subordinate clauses and how to spot them.
