There are 9 parts of speech or word classes in English language:
– nouns
– pronouns
– determiners
– verbs
– prepositions
– adjectives
– adverbs
– conjunctions
– interjections

We use conjunctions to connect words, phrases or clauses.

Jack and Jill went to the cinema last night.
– and = conjunction
– The conjunction ‘and’ connects 2 words (Jack and Jill)

I met my teacher and her husband yesterday.
– and = conjunction
– phrase = a combination of 2 words or more
– The conjunction ‘and’ connects 2 phrases (my teacher and her husband)

He knocked on the door and we went in.
– and = conjunction
– clause = a group of words that consists of at least 1 subject and 1 verb
– The conjunction ‘and’ connects 2 clauses
– 1st clause: He knocked on the door (subject= he, verb = knocked)
– 2nd clause: We went in (subject= we, verb = went in)

Independent Clauses

There are 2 types of clauses:
– Independent clauses
– Dependent clauses

Independent clause is a clause that can stand on its on (can be understood on its own).

He knocked on the door and we went in.
– ‘He knocked on the door’ = independent clause
If it is not combined with ‘we went in’, we can still understand the clause.
– ‘We went in’ = independent clause
If it is not combined with ‘he knocked on the door’, we can still understand the clause.

It’s an old car, but it’s very reliable.
– ‘It’s an old car’ = independent clause
If it is not combined with ‘it’s very reliable’, we can still understand the clause.
– ‘It’s very reliable’ = independent clause
If it is not combined with ‘it’s an old car’, we can still understand the clause.

We use subordinating conjunctions to connect a dependent clause and an independent clause.

He was angry because he missed the bus.
– ‘He was angry’ = independent clause
– ‘he missed the bus’ = dependent clause
– because = subordinate conjunction

Dependent clauses usually give additional information to independent clauses.

He was angry because he missed the bus.
– Dependent clause ‘he missed the bus’ explains the reason for the independent clause ‘he was angry.’

There are several types of subordinating conjunctions:
– Conjunctions of Cause and Effect
– Conjunctions of Purpose
– Conjunctions of Time
– Conjunctions of Place
– Conjunctions of Condition
– Conjunctions of Contrast

We use conjunctions of time to:
– explain the condition for something to happen.

Conjunctions of condition:
– if
– unless
– as long as
– provided

We’ll stay at home if it rains.
– ‘We’ll stay at home’ = an action
– ‘if it rains’ = a condition
– if = conjunction of condition
– if = in the event that; on the condition that

He won’t go to sleep unless you tell him a story.
= He won’t go to sleep if you do not tell him a story.
– ‘He won’t go to sleep’ = an action
– ‘unless you tell him a story’ = a condition
– unless = conjunction of condition
– unless = except if

We will go as long as the weather is good.
– ‘We will go’ = an action
– ‘as long as the weather is good’ = a condition
– as long as = conjunction of condition
– as long as = only if

You can go out to play provided you finish your homework first.
– ‘You can go out to play’ = an action
– ‘provided you finish your homework first’ = a condition
– provided = conjunction of condition
– provided = only if

When the independent clause comes first, we do not need a comma after the independent clause.

We’ll stay at home if it rains.
We’ll stay at home, if it rains. (wrong)

He won’t go to sleep unless you tell him a story.
He won’t go to sleep, unless you tell him a story. (wrong)

We can reverse the order of the clause.
When the dependent clause comes first, we put a comma after the dependent clause.

If it rains, we’ll stay at home.
If it rains we’ll stay at home. (wrong)

Unless you tell him a story, he won’t go to sleep.
Unless you tell him a story he won’t go to sleep. (wrong)

We use conjunctions of contrast to:
– contrast or compare two things/present differences between two things.

Conjunctions of contrast:
– tough/although/even though
– whereas
– while
– even if

Anne likes Tim though he often annoys her.
– ‘Anne likes Tim’ = a fact
– ‘though he often annoys her’ = a contrasting fact
– though = conjunction of contrast
– though = despite the fact that

We thought he was arrogant whereas he was just very shy.
– ‘We thought he was arrogant’ = a fact
– ‘whereas he was just very shy’ = a contrasting fact
– whereas = conjunction of contrast
– whereas = compared with the fact that

While Tom’s good at science, his brother is hopeless.
– ‘his brother is hopeless’ = a fact
– ‘While Tom’s good at science’ = a contrasting fact
– while = conjunction of contrast
– while = despite the fact that

I feel tired even if I go to bed early.
= Whether I go to bed early or not, I feel tired.
– ‘I feel tired’ = a fact
– ‘even if I go to bed early’ = a contrasting fact
– even if = conjunction of contrast
– even if = whether or not

‘Though’ and ‘although’ are similar in meaning.
‘Even though’ is similar to ‘though/although’ but it makes a stronger contrast:

Anne likes Tim though he often annoys her.
= Anne likes Tim although he often annoys her.
= Anne likes Tim even though he often annoys her. (stronger contrast)