Coordinating Conjunctions

Grammar Basics

Using Coordinating Conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are connectors. They connect two similar elements together that linguistically belong to the same category (such as two adjectives or two independent clauses).

There are seven in total: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so. While you can remember all of them by using the mnemonic F.A.N.B.O.Y.S., you will probably only use three:

and, or, and but and possibly nor.

Two verbs

The friends ate and chatted the entire evening.

Two nouns

Would you like wine or beer?

Two adjectives

The car was beautiful but dirty.

Two adverbs

Slowly but surely you’ll get everything finished.

Two independent clauses

I like to read and my sister likes to play video games.

Two phrases

I would really like to go to Italy someday because I would like to see my extended family and I would also like to take some language and cooking courses.

We can also join multiple things together using and, or and nor:

I need to buy bread, jam, honey, fruit, and salt.

I can’t decide if I should bring a cake, cookies, or a bottle of wine to the party.

The final connector is required and usually we place a comma before the conjunction that precedes the final item:

✘ I need to buy bread, jam, honey, fruit, salt.
🗸 I need to buy bread, jam, honey, fruit, and salt.

✘ I can’t decide if I should bring a cake, cookies, a bottle of wine to the party.
🗸 I can’t decide if I should bring a cake, cookies, or a bottle of wine to the party.

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