Conjunctions

Conjunctions

Conjunctions conjoin sentences, words, phrases or clauses. A conjunction can indicate the relationship between the elements that it connects in the sentence.

A clause is a group of words that contains a subject and a verb. A phrase, on the other hand, doesn't have both a subject and a verb within the same phrase.
There are two kinds of clauses:
1- Independent clause: a group of words that has a subject, a verb, and a complete thought.
2- Dependent clause: a group of words that has a subject and a verb but not a compete thought.

There are three types of conjunctions: coordinating, correlative, and subordinating.
1- Coordinating Conjunctions connect elements of equal importance. They are:
And is used to join two similar ideas together.
Or is used to show choice.
But is used to show an exception or conflict.
So is used to show the result of something.
Nor is used in negative statement to joining two negative alternatives.
Yet is used to show a contrary idea. It means something like "nevertheless" or "but."
For is used to introduce the reason for the preceding clause.

Examples:
Ahmad lives in Jeddah, and Mahmoud lives in Mecca.
Ahmad, Mahmoud, Samir, and Sami are friends. (series)
Ahmad and Mahmoud play soccer. (two nouns- no comma)
Samir plays football and studies at the college.(v + v - no comma)
You could buy a car, or you could buy a house.
He walks home, but she takes the bus. (S + V , coordinator S +V)
I love to study, but I hate to take tests.
The shirt is nice but expensive.(two adjectives)
Yousif loves to paint, so he bought an easel.
She did not call nor write me. (two verbs)
I wasn't happy with his behavior, nor his attitude. (two nouns)
Sami plays soccer well, yet he isn't arrogant.
Ali was able to afford an expensive car, for his father was very rich.

When there is a new subject and verb, a comma is used before the coordinator.
For is also commonly used as a preposition. Yet can sometimes be used as an adverb.
Nor, for, and so can only join independent clauses.

2- Subordinating Conjunctions are used to introduce adverb clauses. turn two sentences into one after making one of them a dependent clause. come at the beginning of a subordinate (dependent) clause. establish a relationship between the dependent and the independent clause.

Common Subordinating Conjunctions
after	بعد	if	إذا	though	مع أن
although	بالرغم من	if only	لو أََن	till	حتى
as	بينما	in order that	من أجل أن	unless	ما لم
as if	وكأن	now that	بما أن	until	حتى
as long as	طالما	once	مرة	when	عندما
as though	وكأن	rather than	بدلاً من	whenever	في كل مرة
because	لأَنَ	since	بما أن	where	حيث أن
before	قبل أنَ	so that	من أجل ان	whereas	بينما ألآخر / ألاخرى
even if	حتى لو انَ	than	من	wherever	في أى مكان
even though	بالرغم من	that	أنَ	while	أثناء / بينما

Structure for the use of subordinating conjunctions: Mahmoud showed up. The class was over.
Subordinating conjunction + S + V , S + V	S + V + subordinating conjunction + S + V
After the class was over, Mahmoud showed up.	Mahmoud showed up after the class was over.

Examples:
Unless you study hard, you'll fail the test.	You will fail the test unless you study hard.
While I work on my computer, I listen to the radio.	I listen to the radio while I work on my computer.
Although he was cold, he took off his jacket.	He took off his jacket although he was cold.

3- Correlative conjunctions are pairs of words that are used to connect words together. join similar elements; nouns with nouns, verbs, with verbs, and so on.
The most common correlative conjunctions are:
both . . .and	كل من ... و	I'd like both sugar and milk.
either . . . or	إما ... أو	You can have either coffee or tea.
neither . . . nor	لا ... ولا	I had neither coffee nor tea.
not only . . . but also	ليس فقط ... ولكن أيضاً	He not only had tea but he also had coffee.
Remember that when you join singular and plural subjects, the subject closest to the verb determines whether the verb is singular or plural.

Examples:
Not only does Ahmad speak English, but he also speaks Spanish
Neither Ahmad nor Sami was able to make it.
He is either in the house or in the yard.
Both Ahmad and Sami speak Spanish.