The Coordinating Conjunction
Recognize a coordinating conjunction when you see one.
And, but, for, nor, or, so, and yet—these are the seven
coordinating conjunctions. To remember all seven, you might want to learn one
of these acronyms: FANBOYS, YAFNOBS, orFONYBAS.
|
F = for
A = and
N = nor
B = but
O = or
Y = yet
S = so
|
Y = yet
A = and
F = for
N = nor
O = or
B = but
S = so
|
F = for
O = or
N = nor
Y = yet
B = but
A = and
S = so
|
Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses. Look at the examples that follow:
The bowl of squid
eyeball stew is hot and delicious.
The squid eyeball
stew is so thick that you can eat it with a fork or spoon.
Rocky, my orange
tomcat, loves having his head scratched but hates getting his claws
trimmed.
Rocky terrorizes
the poodles next door yet adores the German shepherd across the street.
Rocky refuses to
eat dry cat food, nor will he touch a saucer
of squid eyeball stew.
I hate to waste a
single drop of squid eyeball stew,for it is expensive and time-consuming to make.
Even though I
added cream to the squid eyeball stew, Rocky ignored his serving, so I got a spoon and ate it
myself.
Understand the difference between coordination and subordination.
Use a coordinating conjunction when you want to give equal emphasis to
two main clauses. The
pattern for coordination looks like this:
main clause + , + coordinating
conjunction + main clause.
Subordination, however, emphasizes the idea in the main clause more than
the one in the subordinate clause.
Generally, the patterns look like these:
main clause + Ø + subordinate clause.
subordinate clause + , + main clause.
Read the pairs of sentences that follow. The first version coordinates
the two ideas. The second version subordinates one idea to emphasize the other.
To survive the
fetal pig dissection, Rinalda agreed to make all of the incisions, and Frances promised to
remove and label the organs.
To survive the
fetal pig dissection, Rinalda agreed to make all of the incisions if Frances would promise to
remove and label the organs.
Diana stared
dreamily at the handsome Mr. McKenzie, but Olivia, who hated
economics, furiously jiggled her foot, impatient to escape the boring class.
While Diana was staring
dreamily at the handsome Mr. McKenzie, Olivia furiously jiggled her foot,
impatient to escape the boring economics class that she hated.
At a red light,
Maria jumped out of Gino's car and slammed the door, for she could not tolerate
one more minute of the heavy metal music that Gino insisted on blasting from
the stereo.
At a red light,
Maria jumped out of Gino's car and slammed the door because she could not tolerate
one more minute of the heavy metal music that Gino insisted on blasting from
the stereo.
Making an A in
Anatomy and Physiology has not helped Sima choose a career. She might decide to
make her parents happy and go to medical school,or she might use her
knowledge of the human body to become a sculptor.
Making an A in
Anatomy and Physiology has not helped Sima choose a career. Although she might decide to make
her parents happy and go to medical school, she might also use her knowledge of
the human body to become a sculptor.
Kyle refused to
eat the salad served with the meal,nor would he touch any green vegetable put on his
plate.
After Kyle refused the salad
served with the meal, he then would not touch the green vegetables put on his
plate.
Joe spent seven
hours studying calculus at the Mexican diner, so now he can set his math
book on fire with his salsa breath.
Since Joe spent seven hours
studying calculus at the Mexican diner, he can now set his math book on fire
with his salsa breath.
Because she gets
seasick, Danielle is dreading the spring break cruise, yet she might enjoy herself
once she realizes how many cute guys in skimpy bathing suits parade the decks.
Even though Danielle is dreading
getting seasick on the spring break cruise, she will probably enjoy herself
once she realizes how many cute guys in skimpy bathing suits parade the decks.
Punctuate coordinating conjunctions correctly.
Three patterns in writing use coordinating conjunctions. Add commas when
required.
Pattern 1 —
Connecting two main clauses
When you connect two main clauses with a coordinating conjunction, use a comma. The pattern looks like
this:
main clause + , + coordinating
conjunction +main clause.
Here is an example:
While I am at
work, my dog Floyd sleeps on the bed , and my cat Buster naps in the bathtub.
Pattern 2 — Connecting
two items
You can also use a coordinating conjunction to connect any two items.
These items can be any grammatical unitexcept main clauses. The pattern looks like this:
item + Ø + coordinating conjunction + item
Here are some examples:
My dog Floyd has
too many fleas and too much hair.
My cat Buster has
beautiful blue eyes but a destructive
personality.
Pattern 3 —
Connecting three or more items in a series
When you have three or more items in a series,
you generally use a comma before the coordinating conjunction. Some handbooks
and style guides will tell you that this comma is optional, but my advice is to
put it in. The pattern looks like this:
item + , + item + , + coordinating
conjunction +item
Here is an example:
Swatting olives
off the kitchen counter,dragging toilet paper
streamers through the house, and terrorizing Jacques Cousteau, the parakeet,
have consumed another of Buster's days.
Yes, you can begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction!
Some teachers warn that beginning a sentence with a coordinating
conjunction is wrong. Teachers will typically tell you this because they are
trying to help you avoid writing fragments. Other times teachers give this
advice because their preference is that a sentence
not begin with a coordinating conjunction.
What you should remember is that you break no grammar rule if you begin a sentence with a
coordinating conjunction. Because you might be breaking your instructors'
rules, however, you should ask what their preferences are.
If you decide to begin a sentence with a coordinating conjunction, keep
these three things in mind:
§ Be sure that a main
clause follows the coordinating conjunction.
§ Do not use a
coordinating conjunction to begin every sentence. Use this
option only when it makes the flow of your ideas more effective.
§ Do not use a comma after the coordinating
conjunction. Coordinating conjunctions are not transitional expressions likefor example or first of all. You will rarely use
punctuation after them.
Here are some examples:
While I was
answering the telephone, Buster, my cat, jumped onto the kitchen counter and
swatted all of my jalapeño-stuffed olives onto the dirty kitchen floor. So I had to rinse off the
cat hair and crumbs sticking to these delicacies before I could add them to the
salad.
Flying down the
bumpy path, Genette hit a rock with the front wheel of her mountain bike, flew
over the handlebars, and crashed into a clump of prickly palmetto bushes. Yet even this accident would
not deter her from completing the race.
Only when an interrupter immediately follows the coordinating
conjunction do you need to use commas. Read this example:
We hoped that
decorating the top of Christine's cupcake with a dead grasshopper would freak
her out. But, to our
amazement, she just
popped the whole thing in her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
Verbling
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