UNIVERSIDAD DE LA FRONTERA

Facultad de Educ. Cs Soc. y Humanidades

Departamento de Lenguas, literatura y Comunicación

HANDOUT N°4: Combining independent clauses

A. Paired conjunctions (Correlatives)

Use both … and.
Example: You have met his father. Have you met his mother?
Yes, I have met both his father and his mother.

1. The driver was injured in the accident. Was the passenger injured in the accident?
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2. Wheat is grown in Kansas. Is corn grown in Kansas?

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3. He buys used cars. Does he sell used cars?

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Use not only … but also.

Example: I know you are studying math. Are you studying chemistry too?
Yes, I’m studying not only math but also chemistry.

1. I know his cousin is living with him. Is his mother-in-law living with him too?
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2. I know your country has good universities. Does the United States have good
universities too?
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3. I know you lost your wallet. Did you lose your keys too?

Use either … or.

Example: Omar has your book, or Rosa has your book. Is that right?
Yes, either Omar or Rosa has my book.

1. You’re going to give your friend a book for her birthday, or you’re going to give her
a pen. Is that right?
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2. Your sister will meet you at the airport, or your brother will meet you there. Right?
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3. They can go swimming, or they can play tennis. Is that right?

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Use neither … nor.

Example: He doesn’t like coffee. Does he like tea?
No, he likes neither coffee nor tea.

1. Her husband doesn’t speak English. Do her children speak English?

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2. The students aren’t wide awake today. Is the teacher wide awake today?
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3. They don’t have a refrigerator for their new apartment. Do they have a stove?
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B. Combining independent clauses with coordinating conjunctions

(a) It was raining hard. There was a strong wind.
(b) INCORRECT PUNCTUATION:
It was raining hard, there was a strong wind.
(c) It was raining hard, and there was a strong
wind.
(d) It was raining hard and there was a strong
wind.
(e) It was raining hard. And there was a strong
wind.
(f) He was tired, so he went to bed.
(g) The child hid behind his mother’s skirt, for he
was afraid of the dog.
(h) She did not study, yet she passed the exam.
Example (a) contains two independent clauses
(two complete sentences). Notice the punctuation.
A period, NOT A COMMA, is used to separate
two independent clauses. The punctuation in (b) is
not correct, the error in (b) is called “a run-on
sentence.”
A conjunction may be used to connect two
independent clauses. PUNCTUATION:
Usually a comma immediately precedes the
conjunction, as in (c).
In short sentences, the comma is sometimes
omitted, as in (d).
In informal writing, a conjunction sometimes
begins a sentence, as in (e).
In addition to and, but, or, and nor, other
conjunctions are used to connect two independent
clauses: so (meaning “therefore, as a result”)
for (meaning “because”)
yet (meaning “but, nevertheless”)
A comma almost always precedes so, for, and yet
when they are used as coordinating conjunctions.

Punctuate the sentences by adding commas or periods. Do not add any words.
Capitalize where necessary.

Example: The boys walked the girl ran - The boys walked. The girls ran.

1. The teacher lectured the students took notes.

2. The teacher lectured and the students took notes.
3. Elena came to the meeting but Pedro stayed home.
4. Elena came to the meeting her brother stayed home.
5. Her academic record was outstanding yet she was not accepted by the university.
6. I have not finished writing my term paper yet I will not be finished until
sometime next week.
7. We had to go to the grocery store for some milk and bread.
8. We had to go to the grocery store for there was nothing in the house to fix for
dinner.
9. Kostas didn’t have enough money to buy an airplane ticket so he couldn’t fly
home for the holiday.
10. A thermometer is used to measure temperature a barometer measures air
pressure.
11. Both John and I had many errands to do yesterday John had to go to the post
office and the bookstore I had to go to the post office the travel agency and the
bank.
(Taken from: Schrampfer Azar Betty. Understanding and using English Grammar.Pearson Education.
1999)