Coordinating and Subordinating Conjunctions

There are two types of conjunctions, coordinating and subordinating.  These are explained briefly below, and the topic will be covered in more detail in later posts.

Coordinating Conjunctions:

Coordinating conjunctions join two independent clauses, or in other words they join two complete sentences.  In this case, you put a comma after the first clause, then a space, then the coordinating conjunction and the second clause.  

The coordinating conjunctions are for, and, nor, but, or, yet, and so.  You can remember them with the acronym "FANBOYS." 

Example:  The weather is a little bit cooler today, and I am happy about that.

Subordinating Conjunctions:

Subordinating conjunctions, on the other hand, join two sentences, but one of them is less important than the other.  In other words, the clause that starts with the subordinator needs the other sentence in order to make sense.  

The subordinate clause may come before or after the main clause.  You put a comma after the subordinate clause if it is at the beginning of the sentence, but you do not put a comma between the clauses if the main clause comes first.

There are a lot of subordinating conjunctions, and some of them are:  

after although as as if as long as as though because before even if even though

if if only in order that now that once rather than since so that than that

though till unless until when whenever where whereas wherever while

Examples:

• He took to the stage as though he had been preparing for this moment all his life.
• Because he loved acting, he refused to give up his dream of being in the movies.
• Unless we act now, all is lost.