Coordinating Conjunctions: Definition, Examples, & Exercises

This centers on coordinating conjunction examples and its application in English sentences. Kindly read further to get a detailed explanation on coordinating conjunction as a sub-word class.

Coordinating conjunctions join together, two or more sentences, main clauses, words, or part of speech of the same syntactic and grammatical status.

Also refer to as coordinators, coordinating conjunctions are used to give equal relevance to a pair of main clauses.

Coordinating Conjunction Rules

coordinating conjunction examples

Coordinating conjunctions are words that connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank in a sentence. The seven coordinating conjunctions in English are:

  1. For
  2. And
  3. Nor
  4. But
  5. Or
  6. Yet
  7. So

Here are some rules for using coordinating conjunctions:

  1. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction to join two independent clauses. For example: “I wanted to go to the park, but it started raining.”
  2. Do not use a comma before a coordinating conjunction to join two words or phrases. For example: “She has a cat and a dog.”
  3. Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction when it is used to join three or more items in a list. For example: “I need to buy milk, bread, and eggs.”
  4. Use “nor” to connect two negative ideas. For example: “She neither spoke nor smiled.”
  5. Use “yet” to indicate a contrast or unexpected outcome. For example: “He studied hard, yet he failed the exam.”
  6. Use “so” to indicate a consequence or result. For example: “I am tired, so I am going to bed.”
  7. Use “for” to indicate a reason or explanation. For example: “I couldn’t find my keys, for I had left them in the car.”

Remember that coordinating conjunctions can only be used to connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank. If you want to connect a dependent clause to an independent clause, you’ll need to use a subordinating conjunction instead.

Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

Here are some more examples of coordinating conjunctions in use:

  1. For: She went to the store for milk and bread.
  2. And: John is a great athlete and a talented musician.
  3. Nor: The car won’t start, nor will it shift into gear.
  4. But: I like to eat healthy, but sometimes I can’t resist junk food.
  5. Or: Do you want to go to the beach or the mountains for vacation?
  6. Yet: The weather is hot yet humid today.
  7. So: She finished her work early, so she decided to take a nap.
  8. For: I’m not sure if I can go to the party, for I have a prior engagement.
  9. And: She loves to travel and explore new cultures.
  10. Nor: The restaurant doesn’t serve gluten-free options, nor do they have a vegetarian menu.
  11. But: I want to go to the movies, but I have to finish my homework first.
  12. Or: Would you rather go for a walk or watch a movie?
  13. Yet: She is a great musician, yet she has never performed on stage.
  14. So: It’s getting late, so I should start getting ready for bed.

Coordinating Conjunctions Exercises

Here are some exercises to help you practice using coordinating conjunctions:

  1. Identify the coordinating conjunction in the following sentence: “I want to go for a run, but it’s raining outside.”

Answer: but

  1. Complete the sentence using a coordinating conjunction: She likes to read books, __________ she also enjoys watching movies.

Answer: and

  1. Identify the coordinating conjunctions in the following sentence: “Neither the teacher nor the students knew the answer, so they decided to look it up together.”

Answer: nor, so

  1. Complete the sentence using a coordinating conjunction: I want to travel the world, __________ I don’t have enough money.

Answer: but

  1. Identify the coordinating conjunctions in the following sentence: “She is talented yet humble, and she works hard but also knows how to have fun.”

Answer: yet, and, but

  1. Complete the sentence using a coordinating conjunction: Do you want to go to the beach, __________ would you rather stay home and relax?

Answer: or

  1. Identify the coordinating conjunction in the following sentence: “I like to play tennis and swim in the pool during the summer.”

Answer: and

  1. Complete the sentence using a coordinating conjunction: I’m not sure if I should buy the blue or the red dress, __________ I think I like the blue one better.

Answer: but.

Remember that coordinating conjunctions are used to connect words, phrases, or clauses of equal grammatical rank in a sentence. They are a great way to combine ideas and create complex sentences.

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