Coordinating Conjunctions

Overview

Coordinating conjunctions can be used along with a comma to show the relationship between two independent clauses. Different coordinating conjunctions show different relationships.

The 7 coordinating conjunctions, also known by the acronym FANBOYS, are For, And, Nor, But, Or, Yet, and So.

FANBOYS

And: "And" simply indicates that both things occurred.

• • We saw a bear, and we ran out of the forest.

Nor: "Nor" states that two things did not occur.

• • We did not look behind us to watch the bear, nor did we think about where we were going.

But, Yet: These terms indicate a contrast between the clauses.

• • It may not actually have been a bear, but we didn't stay to find out.

  • It may not actually have been a bear, yet we didn't stay to find out.

Or: "Or" indicates that one of two things is true.

• • It might have been a bear, or it might have been a brown rock.

For: "For" introduces a clause that states a cause of the previous clause.

• • We ran out of the forest, for we saw a bear.

So: "So" introduces a clause that states an effect of the previous clause.

• • We saw a bear, so we ran out of the forest.