Conjunction (Junction)

Definition: A word used to join words or groups of words.

*The School House Rock song used the idea of a train junction where train cars get joined to together to match the idea of words getting joined together by a conjunction.

Types of Conjunctions

Coordinating Conjunctions always connect items of the same kind. They can join single items or groups of items.

Coordinating Conjunctions include:

and, but, for, nor, or, so and yet

Examples of Coordinating Conjunctions

*songs and lyrics (two nouns)

*in sickness or in health (two phrases)

*First it rained, but the rain stopped quickly. (two complete ideas)

Types of Conjunctions

Correlative Conjunctions also connect items of the same kind. However, Correlative Conjunctions always act in pairs.

Correlative Conjunctions include:

both…..and neither…….nor

either…….or not only…….but also

whether………or

Examples of Correlative Conjunctions

*Both dogs and cats make good pets. (2 nouns)

*You should set flowers not only on the table, but also in the basket. (2 phrases)

*Either borrow a book or buy a magazine. (2 complete ideas)

Types of Conjunctions

Subordinating Conjunctions join two clauses (groups of words that form an idea together) in a way that makes one dependent on the other. The clause a subordinating conjunction introduces cannot stand alone- it needs the second clause.Example:I cannot eat that cheese because it is too moldy.We will go swimming after we hike to the lake.

Subordinating Conjunctions

Here are some subordinating conjunctions:after considering (that) so that whereas

although as if than wherever

as far as if though while

as long as in as much as unless

as soon as in order that until

as though provided (that) when

because since whenever

before so long as where

Examples of Subordinating Conjunctions

Shamrock was so stinky because he liked to roll around in garbage.

I will eat cheese as long as it is fresh.

We will rake the leaves when more fall.

Practice with Conjunctions

For each sentence, identify the conjunctions.

I want to take a nap and drink hot chocolate.

She is neither a doctor nor a nurse.

Both Swiss and cheddar are good cheeses.

I will make apple pie after we go to the store.

Interjections

Definition: A word that is used to express emotion. It has no grammatical relation to the rest of the sentence.

Since an interjection is unrelated to other words in the sentence, it is set off from the rest of the sentence by an exclamation point or comma.

Examples

Hooray! I have grown another toe!

Oh, that’s creepy.

Your feet are pretty, but, eww, that eleventh toe is weird.

No! My new toe just fell off!