Modul 17

Conjunction

The chief coordinating conjunctions are: and, but, for, or, nor, also, either…or, neither…nor.

Kinds of coordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions are of four kinds.

1. Cumulative or copulative conjunctions
2. Adversative conjunctions
3. Disjunctive or alternative conjunctions
4. Illative conjunctions

Cumulative conjunctions

Cumulative conjunctions merely add one statement to another. Examples are: and, both…and, as well as, not only…but also.

• Alice wrote the letters and Peter posted them.
• The cow got up and walked away slowly.

Adversative conjunctions

Adversative conjunctions express contrast between two statements. Examples are: but, still, yet, whereas, while, nevertheless etc.

• The rope was thin but it was strong.
• She is poor but she is happy.
• He is hardworking whereas his brother is quite the reverse.

Disjunctive or alternative conjunctions

Conjunctions which present two alternatives are called disjunctive or alternative conjunctions. Examples are: or, either…or, neither…nor, neither, nor, otherwise, else etc.

• She must weep, or she will die.
• Either he is mad, or he feigns madness.
• They toil not, neither do they spin.
• Neither a borrower, nor a lender be.

Illative conjunctions

Some coordinating conjunctions express something inferred from another statement or fact. These are called illative conjunctions. Examples are: for and so.

• Somebody came,  for I heard a knock at the door.
• He must be asleep, for there is no light in his room.
• He has been working hard, so he will pass.