What is a Conjunction? 3 Types of Conjunctions | Coordinate | Subordinate | Correlative (free PDF)

Introduction

This tutorial will help you understand the three types of conjunctions in English: coordinate, subordinate, and correlative. Conjunctions are essential for connecting words, phrases, and clauses, which makes your writing more coherent. By the end of this guide, you'll be familiar with key conjunctions and their uses, enabling you to enhance your writing skills.

Step 1: Understand Coordinate Conjunctions

Coordinate conjunctions connect words, phrases, or independent clauses that are of equal importance. The acronym FANBOYS can help you remember them:

• For
• And
• Nor
• But
• Or
• Yet
• So

Practical Tips:

• Use coordinate conjunctions to combine two independent clauses into a compound sentence.
• Example: "I wanted to go for a walk, but it started to rain."

Step 2: Learn about Subordinate Conjunctions

Subordinate conjunctions connect an independent clause with a dependent clause. The acronym THAMOS can help you remember some common subordinate conjunctions:

• Though
• However
• As
• Meanwhile
• Once
• Since

Practical Tips:

• Subordinate conjunctions introduce clauses that cannot stand alone.
• Example: "Although it was raining, we decided to go hiking."

Step 3: Explore Correlative Conjunctions

Correlative conjunctions work in pairs to connect equal elements in a sentence. The acronym SWABIT can help you remember them:

• So...that
• Whether...or
• As...as
• Both...and
• If...then
• The...the

Practical Tips:

• Use correlative conjunctions to emphasize the relationship between two equally important ideas.
• Example: "Both the manager and the assistant attended the meeting."

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned about the three types of conjunctions: coordinate, subordinate, and correlative, along with helpful acronyms FANBOYS, THAMOS, and SWABIT. Understanding these conjunctions will improve your sentence structure and writing clarity. For further practice, consider taking the quiz linked in the video description to test your knowledge of conjunctions. Happy writing!