Coordinating Conjunctions

Definition of Coordinating Conjunctions

coordinating conjunction is a grammatical part of speech in the English language that joins words, phrases, or clauses of equal rank.

Coordinating Conjunction Examples

Some examples of coordinating conjunctions:

For: He was very tired, for he hadn’t slept since the weekend.
And: Shameka and Austin ran at the track meet.
Nor: Neither Vilma nor her sister were interested in the movie.
But: I’d like to meet with you over some coffee, but I have another appointment.
Or: Shelly, Justine, or Gustav will meet you at the front gate.
Yet: She wanted to go to the party, yet she knew it was important to study.
So: Jasmine prepared for her test in advance, so she met her friends that evening.

Coordinating Conjunctions in Context

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Why You Should Use Coordinating Conjunctions in Your Writing

On a general level, coordinating conjunctions play an important role in your writing because they help you to create clear sentences that are concise, and they do that by tying together common elements that have equal importance. 

Those common elements from a grammatical standpoint can be words, phrases, or clauses, and you can connect them with the following coordinating conjunctions: for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so.

Some examples:

“I want cake, but I also love ice cream.” Here, “but” connects two contrasting ideas (clauses).

“She enjoys swimming and hiking.” In this case, “and” joins two similar activities (words).

Using coordinating conjunctions in your writing enhances its readability and conveys your ideas in a clearer fashion.


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Coordinating Conjunctions Worksheet

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