Conjunctions

Conjunctions are words that join other words or clauses together.

·         God made the country and man made the town.

·         He was poor but he was honest.

·         She must weep or she will die.

·         John and Mary got married.

Conjunctions not only join clauses together; they also show how the meanings of the two clauses are related.

·         I decided to consult a doctor because I was not feeling well. (cause)

·         He is slow but he is sure. (contrast)

·         Ann wrote the letters and Peter posted them. (addition)

·         Either take it or leave it. (alternative)

·         He is very wealthy, yet very unhappy. (contrast)

·         You can have tea or coffee.

A conjunction and its clause can sometimes stand alone. This happens, for example, in answers.

·         When are you going to start? When I am ready.

·         Why are you crying? Because John beat me.

Afterthoughts may also begin with conjunctions.

·         Ok, I did it. - But I didn’t mean it.

Writers and speakers may also separate clauses for emphasis.

Phrase conjunctions

Some conjunctions are made up of two or more words.

·         He looks as if he were on the brink of a breakdown.

·         It looks as though it is going to rain.

·         As soon as I finish this book, I will start another.

·         We started early so that we might not miss the show.

Relative pronouns as conjunctions

Relative pronouns (who, which and that) join clauses like conjunctions.

·         I saw a beggar who was deaf and dumb.

In the above sentence who stands for the beggar - hence it is a pronoun. It also connects the two sentences I saw a beggar and He was deaf and dumb- hence it is a conjunction.

A relative pronoun is the subject or object of the verb that comes after it. So we do not need another subject or object.

·         Trust no man who does not love his country. (NOT Trust no man who he does not --)

·         The snake which we could not kill crept into a hole. (NOT The snake which we could not kill it crept --)