Conjunctions Introduction

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Conjunction. It's a word that sounds vaguely unclean… like conjunctivitis (pinkeye to you) or consumption (tuberculosis).

But it's less contaminating that it sounds. We promise.

You might know the word conjunction from that infuriating Schoolhouse Rock jingle "Conjunction Junction," which sounds like a cheesy Sinatra tune. If this is your first time listening to this earworm, we're sorry. That song will be with you for life.

So what is a conjunction, besides, as Schoolhouse Rock would have us believe, a weird abandoned train depot?

Conjunctions connect words, phrases, and clauses.

There are three types:

  1. coordinating
  2. correlative
  3. subordinating

Quiz Yourself on Conjunctions

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Fill in the blank in the following sentence: 


If you don't want to look __________ you're afraid of birds, you might want to stop crossing over to the other side of the street every time a pigeon crosses your path.


(A) like
(B) as though
(C) as if
(D) Both B and C

Which of these sentences needs a comma?

(A) Javier and Maria wanted to go biking in Central Park but the rentals were too expensive.
(B) So they decided to walk over the Brooklyn Bridge instead.
(C) Then they ate New York-style pizza.
(D) None of them.

Fill in the blanks using the appropriate conjunctions.

Felicia told Officer Holt, "I'm sorry, but __________ my friends _________ I saw who spray painted Spongebob Squarepants on the Fergusons' garage."

(A) both, and
(B) not only, but also
(C) either, or
(D) neither, nor

Which of these sentences incorrectly starts with because?

(A) Because she wanted to rescue Prince Tigerliver, Princess Lily journeyed to the Castle of Consternation.
(B) Because the Castle of Consternation was at the center of the enemy city, she traveled in disguise to reach it, but wasn't able to enter.
(C) Because the moat was infested with piranhas.
(D) Both B and C

Which of the following statements is grammatically incorrect?

(A) I ran two miles more than normal today, so I am going to have a piece of cinnamon coffee cake with my afternoon latte.
(B) Even I had a hard time climbing Mt. Everest. And I hike a lot.
(C) Normally I would consider myself a coordinated person yet I look like I have two left feet when I try to backpedal.
(D) I enjoy biking but not spinning. I always feel like a hamster on a running wheel.

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