Lesson Three
Grammar Module Two, Unit Four: Conjunctions and Clauses
LESSON THREE
In this Lesson you will learn a little bit more about the two major types of conjunctions -- Co-ordinate Conjunctions and Subordinate Conjunctions. You will need to review the lists of these conjunctions to familiarize yourself with them again.
Review: By this time you are quite familiar with Independent and Dependent Clauses because you know how to find verb children and their subjects. You also know that a complete sentence must have at least one Independent Clause in it. Some sentences may have several Independent Clauses in it. Some sentences may have at least one Independent Clause and perhaps one or more Dependent Clauses in it.
To help you find clauses more easily, you need to learn the types of conjunctions. Conjunctions are divided up into two main categories: Co ordinate Conjunctions join words or word groups of equal rank.
Co-ordinate Conjunctions join words or word groups of equal rank.
There are two small subgroups of Co-ordinate Conjunctions. The first is called Simple Co-ordinate Conjunctions -- but, or, yet, for (sometimes), and, nor. These conjunctions will be referred to as Simple.
SIMPLE CO-ORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS (BOY FAN)
The second subgroup of Co-ordinate Conjunctions is called Correlative Co ordinate Conjunctions. These conjunctions go in pairs or TWINS:
//whether...or// //either...or// //neither...nor// //both...and// //not only...but also// //just as...so//. These conjunctions will be referred to as Correlative.
CORRELATIVE CO-ORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS (TWINS)
PRACTICE
SUBORDINATE CONJUNCTIONS
A second major group of conjunctions is called Subordinate Conjunctions. These conjunctions begin a certain type of Dependent Clause (Adverb Clause). The important thing to remember about these conjunctions is that they begin Dependent Clauses; and since Dependent Clauses cannot stand on their own, these word groups (globs which stick together) cannot be written as a complete sentence. Here is an example. Because is a Subordinate Conjunction. Because it is raining outside is a Dependent Clause. Is raining is the verb; it is the subject of the verb. Even though you have a subject and a verb, you do not have a complete thought in this group of words; therefore, you have a Dependent Clause and must not write Because it is raining outside with a period at the end because it is not a complete sentence.
To review, here is an outline that will help you.
TYPES OF CLAUSES
Independent Clause -- a group of words with at least one subject, at least one verb, and a complete thought
Dependent Clause -- a group of words with at least one subject, at least one verb, but not a complete thought
PRACTICE
TELL ME MORE! Click the PLAY button to hear additional information.
Tell me more about Clauses and Conjunctions
TYPES OF CONJUNCTIONS
I. Co-ordinate Conjunctions -- join word groups of equal rank
A. Simple Co-ordinate Conjunctions -- but, or, yet, (sometimes) for, and, nor
B. Coorelative Co-Ordinate Conjunctions -- //whether...or// //either...or// //neither...nor// //both...and// //not only...but also// //just as...so// Remember: twins
II. Subordinate Conjunctions -- used to introduce Adverb Dependent Clauses -- although, as if, because, if, so that, than, unless, even though, when, where, while, that, though, whenever, wherever, whether, as long as, as though, in order that, provided, whatever, as far as, considering, inasmuch as, so long as, whereas -- (those which are also on the preposition list) -- after, as, before, since, until, till
The important thing to remember about Subordinate Conjunctions is that they are stuck to a glob of words and cannot be unstuck when testing for a complete thought. Because it is raining outside is a Dependent Clause, and because is stuck to it is raining outside.