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Overview |
Conjunctions are words that are mainly used to connect one clause to another:
Bozo throws a stick // and Barney runs to get it.
clause 1 clause 2
When Bozo throws his stick, // Barney runs to fetch it.
clause 1 clause 2
There are two types of conjunctions: coordinating conjunctions and subordinating conjunctions.
| type | conjunctions |
| coordinating conjunctions | and, or, but, yet, then, so, nor, either, neither |
| subordinating conjunctions | because, if, when, while, before, after, until, although, unless, since, whether, (in order) to, so (that) |
Coordinating conjunctions connect independent clauses:
Bozo throws a stick // and Barney runs to get it.
independent clause independent clause
Subordinating conjunctions connect independent clauses to dependent clauses:
When Bozo throws his stick, // Barney runs to fetch it.
dependent clause independent clause
Bozo throws his stick // because Barney loves to fetch it.
independent clause dependent clause
For more information on connecting clauses to each other, see 
Grammar:
Sentence: Combining clauses in a sentence: Overview
Connecting words
Coordinating conjunctions may also be used to connect words:
Conjunctions connecting words |
|
word class |
example |
| noun | Kitty and Dotty have a brother called Bozo. |
| adjective | The warm but cloudy day was not ideal for the beach. |
| adverb | Dotty did her homework quickly yet carefully. |
| verb | Kitty tried but failed the difficult exam question. |
For more information, see Grammar:
Groups & phrases: Adverb group: Structure of the adverb
group
Connecting text to text
Some conjunctions, especially and, but, then, so and because,
may also be used to create cohesion 
by making connections between stretches of text:
MegaMonster swallowed so much water that he became enormous. His body rose above the water in the harbour. "There’s the water thief!" the children shouted. "Give us our water back!"
But MegaMonster just smiled. ...
When conjunctions are used in this way, they often signal a new 'stage' in the text.
For more information on cohesion, see 
Communicative functions: Creating
links in text: Overview
In summary, conjunctions connect one language item to another. These language items can
be of various kinds:
Connections made by conjunctions |
|
language item |
example |
| clause to clause | Barney likes Bozo // and Felix likes Kitty. Because Bozo plays with him // Barney likes Bozo. |
| group to group / word to word | The bus driver and the
shopkeeper were waiting for the children. Kitty and Dotty have a brother called Bozo. |
| text to text | GrumpyGhost had come in through the key hole. "Well, thought Granny, "then he can get into this bottle, too." |
For a summary of the relationships between the forms and the functions of conjunctions, click here: |
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| To practice identifying conjunctions in a text, click here: | 
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For PrimeTeach teaching activities which provide KS2 students with practice in using connectives to add information, see:
A ghost story
Bats and birds
Bats, birds, fish and dolphins
Furniture and home
For more information, see
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