Types of Conjunctions

Types of Conjunctions, The English Learners Guide to Mastering Usage

Fluency in English is not an easy feat. It takes commitment and perseverance, as well as a combination of traditional classroom instruction and self-directed learning. Language schools and centers provide opportunities for learners to practice with peers, receive guidance from teachers or instructors, and get immediate feedback. On the other hand, self-study allows learners to reinforce their fundamental knowledge, build a strong vocabulary, cultivate effective reading habits, and hone their skills. However, finding suitable self-study resources can be difficult and perplexing. To minimize the confusion and address the need for a universal reference guide, a grammar hub was established to present complete instructional material for English grammar. This specific unit offers detailed academic content on the Usage of Conjunctions.

lillypad english learning app banner

Conjunction Types Reference Guide for ESL and English Language Students

This all-inclusive guide to the usage of conjunctions is beneficial for English language learners at all levels. It’s a thorough and exhaustive coverage of fundamental and highly technical topics. The sections covering the basics are geared towards Beginner and Intermediate students, while the more detailed segments address what Advanced students need. This hub and sub-hubs are packed with real-world sample sentences that can serve as a basis for a learner’s sentence construction skills and everyday language use. Included are simplified tables of rules and functions, practice exercises, and study guides. In other words, this grammar hub is designed to be a handy source of academic materials that can be revisited at any time. Since English is a language that continuously evolves, the contents of these pages are updated periodically. It is highly recommended to save and bookmark it for future reference and use.

LillyPad english language software CTA

Coordinate Conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions (also Coordinate Conjunctions) like “for,” “and,” “nor,” “but,” “or,” “yet,” and “so” are used to link two sentence fragments that are of equal importance and structure. An example of this is “I arrived at class early today but still did not get a good seat,” where the conjunction “but” joins two subordinate clauses both semantically and syntactically. Learning interjections can be like a puzzle for students because of the inevitable linguistic nuances they encounter. This page has tables that streamline the different functions of conjunctions, sample sentences, and notable learning strategies to aid in comprehension and ease of use.

Subordinate Conjunctions

Conjunctions can be difficult for English learners to master due to the gradations of the English language. This page offers simplified tables that break down functions and rules, impart sentence examples, and suggest effective learning techniques for better understanding and application. Subordinate Conjunctions are used to link two clauses to form complex sentences. These types of conjunctions introduce subordinate or dependent clauses that add extra information to the main clause. Examples of common subordinate conjunctions include “if”, “after”, “because”, “before”, “as”, “although”, “since”, “so that”, “unless”, “until”, “though”, and “when.”

lillypad english learning app banner

Correlative Conjunctions

Coordinate and subordinate conjunctions exist in a sentence alone and without a pair. However, the case is different for Correlative Conjunctions. It is a type of conjunction that works in pairs to complete the meaning of a sentence. This conjunction helps avoid sentence fragments and achieve perfect grammar. In this blog, we will discuss the different types of correlative conjunctions, how to use them in sentences, and the common mistakes one must avoid. Conjunctions can be difficult for English learners to be proficient with them due to the shade of ambiguity that the English language is known for. This page offers tables that detail functions and rules in the least complex way, give useful samples, and recommend time and tested learning tips.

Adverbial Conjunctions

Adverbial Conjunctions, also known as conjunctive adverbs, connect two independent clauses to form a compound sentence. They provide additional information about the action described in the sentence and can express various relationships such as cause and effect, contrast, comparison, sequence, time, emphasis, summary, and illustration. Due to a bit of ambiguity in the English language, mastering conjunctions can be challenging for English learners. To simplify the learning process, this page provides tables detailing functions and rules, vocabulary lists, and common errors to avoid.

lillypad english language software CTA

Frequently Asked Questions:

Coordinating conjunctions serve to link two independent clauses or two grammatical structures of equal weight, indicating their equal importance and ability to stand alone as a sentence. On the contrary, subordinating conjunctions combine a subordinate clause that cannot function independently with an independent clause. The subordinate clause is dependent on the main clause and lacks the ability to stand alone as a sentence.

The common correlative conjunction pairs are “both…and,” “either…or,” “neither…nor,” “not only…but also,” and “whether…or.”

The main difference between them is that a correlative conjunction is always used in pairs and a regular conjunction can be used on its own.

Starting a sentence with a coordinating conjunction is grammatically acceptable, as long as it follows a complete sentence. While “And I worked today” may seem incomplete on its own, it can convey a complete thought when combined with a previous sentence. For instance, “It was my day off yesterday, and I worked today.”

Subordinating conjunctions serve to connect two clauses – an independent and a dependent clause, where the latter cannot stand on its own as it lacks complete meaning. Therefore, it is important to avoid creating sentence fragments and using subordinating conjunctions without an independent clause. For instance, consider the sentence “Allie was late because she missed the bus,” where “because” acts as the subordinating conjunction connecting the two clauses.

To construct a subordinate clause, one combines a subordinating conjunction with an independent clause. The subordinating conjunction serves to indicate dependence and demonstrate the relationship with the independent clause. For instance, consider the sentence “Although Ryan was sick, he still managed to finish the report,” where “although” acts as the subordinating conjunction introducing the subordinate clause and indicating concession.

lillypad english learning app banner

Learn from History – Follow the Science – Listen to the Experts

For learners of all ages striving to improve their English, LillyPad combines the most scientifically studied and recommended path to achieving English fluency and proficiency with today’s most brilliant technologies!

What’s the one thing that makes LillyPad so special? Lilly! Lilly’s a personal English tutor, and has people talking all over the world! Lilly makes improving your English easy. With Lilly, you can read in four different ways, and you can read just about anything you love. And learning with Lilly, well that’s what you call liberating!

Additionally, the platform incorporates goal-setting capabilities, essential tracking & reporting, gamification, anywhere-anytime convenience, and significant cost savings compared to traditional tutoring methodologies.

At LillyPad, everything we do is focused on delivering a personalized journey that is meaningful and life-changing for our members. LillyPad isn’t just the next chapter in English learning…

…it’s a whole new story!

Do you want to improve your English? Visit www.lillypad.ai.

Follow us on Facebook or Instagram!

lillypad english learning app icon