Understanding Conjunctions

• The text discusses the topic of conjunctions in English language.
• A conjunction is a word that connects parts of a sentence.
• Conjunctions can connect words, phrases, or clauses.
• There are four main types of conjunctions: coordinating, subordinating, correlative, and conjunctive adverbs.
• Coordinating conjunctions include words like 'and,' 'or,' 'but,' 'so,' 'yet,' 'for,' and 'nor.'
• Punctuation rules for coordinating conjunctions: no commas if the conjunction connects only two words or phrases; commas if there are three or more items in a list; a comma after the first independent clause when two independent clauses are connected.
• Subordinating conjunctions are words like 'because,' 'unless,' 'before,' 'after,' 'if,' etc. They make a clause dependent or subordinate, as in "After Luisa gets home from work..."
• Rule for punctuating dependent and independent clauses: if the dependent clause comes first, use a comma; no comma if the independent clause comes first.
• Conjunctive adverbs are adverbs that act as conjunctions, such as 'however,' 'therefore,' 'as a result.' They connect clauses or phrases and require commas or semicolons in certain contexts.- The text discusses the use of conjunctive adverbs to connect independent clauses in a sentence.
• "Zach loves living in San Francisco" and "his wife hates the traffic and the pollution" are examples of independent clauses.
• Conjunctive adverbs such as "however," "but," "therefore," and "moreover" can be used to connect independent clauses.
• With "but," only a single comma is used before it, while with "however" and other conjunctive adverbs, a semicolon before and a comma after are typically used.
• An alternative way to punctuate conjunctive adverbs is to use a period before and a comma after.
• When using conjunctive adverbs, the most important rule is to use a semicolon or period before and a comma after.
• Rules for punctuating conjunctions include: if a conjunction only connects two words or phrases, no comma; in lists of three or more items, put a comma after each item except the last; when connecting two independent clauses with a conjunction, always put a comma after the first clause; and when connecting a dependent clause to an independent clause, if the dependent clause comes first, put a comma after it; if the independent clause comes first, no comma.
• The text ends with a test to quiz the reader on punctuating sentences with commas and semicolons.

Test your knowledge of conjunctions and punctuation rules in English sentences. Learn about coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, correlative conjunctions, and conjunctive adverbs. Practice using commas and semicolons correctly with different types of conjunctions.