Conjunctions Tips and Tricks for Government Exams

Introduction

• A conjunction is a word or phrase that connects words, phrases, clauses, and sentences together. The word and is a commonly used example of a conjunction. Here are two examples of how we can use a conjunction like and in both a simple and complex way:
  • The flower is yellow and white. (connects two adjectives)
  • The flower is yellow, and it has a particular smell. (connects two sentences)
• Conjunctions are useful in writing and speech to connect related ideas together, and they help us make our sentences shorter, less repetitive, or less confusing.

Theory

• Conjunctions are used to combine two or more objects, phrases or clauses. It can also be termed as connectors as they are employed in sentences to make connections. Conjunctions can normally be found in the latter part of a sentence if they are used to connect clauses. If conjunctions are used to connect objects or phrases, they can appear in the beginning, middle or end of the sentence according to the position of the objects or phrases.

Types

• Correlative Conjunction: used in pairs to join phrases or words that carry equal importance within a sentence (Either-or, Neither-nor, both-and, though-yet, whether-or, Not only-But also). Either take it or leave it.

• Compound Conjunction: formed when compound expressions are used as conjunctions (In order that, as well as, provided that, so that, as through, as soon as, as if etc.) Such an act would not be kind even if it were just.

• Coordinating Conjunction: coordinates or joins two or more sentences, main clauses, words or other parts of speech which are of equal importance or rank (for, and, nor, but, yet). Birds fly and fish swim.

• Subordinating Conjunctions: joins a clause to another one on which it depends for its full meaning or joins dependent clauses to independent clauses (after, because, if, that, though, although, till, before, unless, as, when, where, while). He ran away because he was afraid.

Rules

• Rule of Comma
  • Always use a comma before the coordinating conjunctions when it is used to connect two independent clauses.
• The conjunction ‘Both’ is followed by ‘And’.
• Usage of ‘LEST’ Lest is used when in a sentence a speaker thinks to avoid something.
• Usage of ‘so..as’  ‘So..as’ as a conjunction is used to show similarity between two objects, people, or subjects. This combination is used in negative sentences only.
• Usage of ‘as..as’  ‘as..as’ as a conjunction is used to show the similarity between two objects, people, or subjects. Unlike “so…as” this combination can be used in both positive and negatives sentences
• That  ‘Lest’ should follow ‘should’ or ‘first form of the verb’
• Unless and Until – Unless it is action oriented. Until is time oriented.
• If/Whether  In a sentence, to mention doubt or confusion, the statement is joined by if or whether.
• That  In a sentence, to mention surety, the statement is joined by “That”
• Usage of ‘Not only..but also’, ‘no sooner…then’, ‘Hardly..when’ These correlative conjunctions to be followed in their definite pairs only.
• After rather/other, than follows  After the usage of Rather and Other, than always follow in a sentence.
• ‘Seldom or never’/‘Seldom if ever’ instead ‘seldom or ever’/ ‘seldom if never’ ‘Seldom or never’ and ‘Seldom if ever’ are definite constructions. Using ‘Seldom or ever’ or ‘seldom if never’ is an incorrect usage.
• Between…….and  Often mistaken with the preposition “to”
• What with……and This combination is used to introduce the part of a sentence that indicates the cause of something

Solved Examples