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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Can you spot the grammatical error in this sentence?


Megan really didn't understand why I refused to go snorkeling but after seeing what happens to the characters on a snorkeling trip in Open Water, she thinks she has a better idea now.


(A) didn't understand
(B) snorkeling but
(C) on a snorkeling trip
(D) What are you talking about? This sentence looks just fine.

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 these sentences are fragments? 

  1. But driving a snowmobile over a frozen river.
  2. So, despite my warning, the novice skier took on the steepest slope. 
  3. Yet snowboarding scares me more than freefalling from a plane.
(A) I
(B) II
(C) II and III
(D) None of the above

How would you correct this sentence?


Because it was so cold on my city's annual Fright Night I wasn't able to wear the hula skirt I spent hours making for my "Tropical Storm Anita" costume.


(A) Add a comma after "Night"
(B) Make "Fright Night" lowercase
(C) Hula skirt should be hulaskirt
(D) Both A and B

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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