Types of Conjunctions

In English, conjunctions are classified as coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions

or correlative conjunctions. They’re necessary to create complex sentences, compound
sentences, or to join multiple ideas or actions together. Using the right conjunction is essential to
making your meaning clear.

Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions join words or ideas together. For example, if you stated that you like
chicken and fish, “and” is acting as a coordinating conjunction. It joins the two nouns in question
together: chicken and fish. There are seven coordinating conjunctions in English, which are: for,
and, nor, but, or, yet, so. These seven coordinating conjunctions can be remembered by using
the acronym FANBOYS. You can use them to create compound nouns, compound adjectives,
compound sentences, and more.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions join independent and dependent clauses together. The subordinating

conjunction indicates the relationship between clauses, such as time place, cause, or effect. It
also shows that the less important idea in the sentence is included in the dependent clause (or
subordinate clause) compared to the independent clause.

Common subordinating conjunctions include: after, because, if, since, than, though, until,
whether, while, when. For example, in the sentence "George went fishing after he finished his
work," the subordinate clause is "after he finished his work." That is less important than the
main clause, which is "George went fishing."

Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions link sentence elements that go together. They always come in pairs,
including:

 either/or
 neither/nor
 not only/but also
 whether/or

Using correlative conjunctions, here’s another example of conjunctions at work: I like not

only chicken but also fish.

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Conjunction Exercises
Conjunction exercises can help you learn how conjunctions are used. Let’s roll up our sleeves
and test your knowledge. The answers to each question are explained below the sentences.

Choose the Correct Conjunction Exercise

How do you know which conjunction to use? Challenge yourself to select the only conjunction
that would work in the following sentences.

1. The weather in Texas is hot, ____ it's known to get cold there as well.
2. ____ it rains on Sunday, I will not be able to drive.
3. I like dogs a lot ____ they're so friendly.
4. Amber doesn't have a ride, ____ Pearl will have to take her home.
5. Neither my mother _____ my father will be able to attend the party on Sunday.

Name That Type of Conjunction Exercise

Is that conjunction coordinating, subordinating or correlative? See how well you know your
types of conjunctions with these sample questions. Decide which of the three types of
conjunctions is used in each sentence.

1. I'd like to go to the movies, but there's nothing good playing.

2. Jeanne can read lips if she's looking right at you.
3. Either stop talking to your friends or move your seat.
4. We won't know how well Dad is doing until his lab tests come back.
5. Tony wanted to make a new recipe, yet he also wanted to order pizza.

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 Conjunction Practice Worksheet
Answers to Conjunction Exercises
Check your conjunction skills to see if you identified the correct answers to the conjunction
exercises presented above.

Answers to Choose the Correct Conjunction Exercise

How did you do on the sample sentences? Check your answers below and see if you chose the
correct conjunctions.

1. The weather in Texas is hot, but it's known to get cold there as well.

2. If it rains on Sunday, I will not be able to drive.
3. I like dogs a lot because they're so friendly.
4. Amber doesn't have a ride, so Pearl will have to take her home.
5. Neither my mother nor my father will be able to attend the party on Sunday.

Answers to Name That Type of Conjunction Questions

Could you name the types of conjunctions? See how well you did with the answers below.

1. Coordinating: But brings two equally important ideas together.

2. Subordinating: If introduces the subordinate clause.
3. Correlative: Either is always followed by or.
4. Subordinating: Until introduces the subordinate clause.
5. Coordinating: Yet connects two equally important ideas.

You can also refresh your grammar knowledge with a quick lesson on the different parts of a
sentence.

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Subordinating Conjunctions List
In English, there are lots of subordinating conjunctions, but the most common
ones, along with a few examples of how subordinating conjunctions are used,
are as follows:

Comparison
 Than
E.g. He is cleverer  than  I am.

 Rather than
E.g. I chose to learn German  rather than  French.

 Whether
E.g. She was uncertain  whether  to stay or leave.

 As much as
E.g. He doesn’t earn  as much as  me.

 Whereas
E.g. Elliot is tall and blond,  whereas  his brother is short and has dark hair.

Time
 After
E.g. Mary closed his diary  after  writing about that day’s events.

 As soon as
E.g. A baby deer can stand  as soon as  it is born.

 As long as
E.g. You can use my car  as long as  you drive carefully.

 Before

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E.g. He always feeds the dogs  before  he goes to school.

 By the time
E.g. By the time  ambulancemen arrived, he was unconscious.

 Now that
E.g. You can go and play  now that  you have finished your homework.

 Once
E.g. Once  you learn it, you never forget.

 Since
E.g. Mary has danced  since  she was five.

 Till
E.g. James lived with his parents  till  he was twenty – five.

 Until
E.g. You can stay on the bus  until  you reach London.

 When
E.g. Tom’s parents cheered for him  when  he crossed the finished line.

 Whenever
E.g. Whenever  we go abroad, we take as many pictures as possible.

 While
E.g. While  I was walking to the market, I met Jenny.

Concession
 Though
E.g. Though  it was raining, she went out.

 Although

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E.g. Although  the kitchen is small, it is well designed.

 Even though
E.g. Even though  he’s a millionaire, he lives in a very small flat.

Place
 Where
E.g. This is the park  where  we played.

 Wherever
E.g. Wherever  you go in the world, you’ll always find someone who speaks
English.

Condition
 If
E.g.  If  you leave, I will be lonely.

 Only if
E.g. Only if  a teacher has given permission is a student allowed to leave the
room.

 Unless
E.g. You won’t succeed  unless  you work hard.

 Provided that
E.g. I was allowed to go off by myself  provided that  I promised to be careful.

 Assuming that
E.g. I hope to go to college next year,  assuming that  I pass my exams.

 Even if
E.g. Even if  you have already bought your ticket, you will still need to wait in
line.

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  In case (that)
E.g. I have my umbrella with me  in case  it rains.

 Lest
E.g. Study hard  lest  you should fail.

Manner
 How
E.g. She taught him  how  to play the piano.

 As though
E.g. They look  as though  they’re heading for divorce.

 As if
E.g. At sunset, the sun looks  as if  it is going down.

Reason
 Because
E.g. I love Matisse’s work  because  he uses color so brilliantly.

 Since
E.g. Since  we’ve got a few minutes to wait for the train, let’s have a cup of
coffee.

 So that
E.g. I’ll go by car  so that  I can take more luggage.

 In order (that)
E.g. Do exercises  in order that  your health may improve.

 That
E.g. We eat  that  we may live.

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  As
E.g. We played chess all evening  as  we had nothing better to do.

Relative Adjectives
 That
E.g. She went to the school  that  my father went to.

 Whatever
E.g. I copied in my notebook  whatever  he wrote on the blackboard.

 Which
E.g. He developed the films  which  he had taken.

 Whichever
E.g. Mary will eat chocolate cake or donut,  whichever  is delicious.

Relative Pronouns
 Who
E.g. The person  who  made the mess needs to clean it.

 Whoever
E.g. Whoever  leaves last should turn off the light.

 Whom
E.g. He’s the man  whom  I met in  Greece.

 Whomever
E.g. He was free to marry  whomever  he chose.

 Whose
E.g. She’s the student  whose  handwriting is the best in my class.