Connecting conjunctions in English. Conjunctions in English: types, functions, examples of use

As in Russian, in English conjunctions connect parts of large sentences and parts of speech in the sentences themselves. In English, conjunctions are completely autonomous. They do not depend on the grammatical characteristics of neighboring words and do not obey the rules of grammar. The functions of conjunctions in English do not differ from those in Russian.

Form of unions

There are the following forms of conjunctions in English. Firstly, these are simple conjunctions that consist of one word. Secondly - derivatives. As the name suggests, they are formed as a result of the transformation of other parts of speech. Thirdly, complex conjunctions are distinguished, consisting of two words or having the -ever part. Finally, we come to compound conjunctions. They combine specifiers and auxiliary parts of speech, nevertheless serving to connect words in a sentence. Let's look at each form in more detail.

Simple conjunctions: and, if, but, etc.:

I’d like soup, mashed potatoes and tea - I’ll have soup, mashed potatoes and tea.

I walked through the wood and saw no people - I walked through the forest without meeting people

If only you were here with me! - If only you were here with me!

I’ll read this text in public if you promise me to save her - I will read this text in front of everyone if you promise to save her

I love her but I can’t do such a thing - I love her, but I can’t do such an act

He realized what they wanted but could do nothing to stop them - He realized what their goal was, but could do nothing.

Derivative conjunctions: unless, because, etc.

We will jump unless you agree to help - We will jump if you do not agree to help us

I say i’ll do it unless you agree to do it yourself - I tell you that I will do it unless you agree to do it yourself

I hated her because of my own reasons - I hated her for my personal reasons

You know I do all this because I promised your mother to help you - You know that I do all this because I promised your mother to help you

Complex unions: however, whenever, whatever, wherever

However nobody knows him better than me – Besides, no one knows him better than me

She was, however, one of the most absent-minded persons I ever met – She was, among other things, the most absent-minded person I have ever met

You can call me whenever you need to, you know it - You can call me whenever you need

I will be with you whenever you ask - I will be with you whenever you ask

Whatever you see, won’t shout – Whatever you see, don’t shout

I’ll try to find any good for you whatever you need - I’ll try to find any product that you need

They will find us wherever we go and it is the problem - They will find us wherever we go. And that's the problem

Wherever I live I will always remember our little sweet family traditions - Wherever I live. I will always remember our cute little family traditions

Unions: what are they?

The following types of conjunctions are distinguished in English: coordinating, subordinating and correlative or coordinating. Coordinating conjunctions are most often small and there are 7 of them in English. To make them easier to remember, they came up with the abbreviation “fanboys” - respectively for, and, nor, but, or, yet, so. Subordinating conjunctions are essentially adverbs that are used as conjunctions in a sentence. There are many more of them than subordinates. Let's look at them in the following table:

Paired or correlative conjunctions

They are used in pairs, linking parts of larger sentences. If the number of connected objects is different, then the one that is closest to the verb will be decisive. The most common of them:

as...as: I am as good at math as my elder sister - I know math as well as my older sister

either…or: They liked either our city or our culture in general– They liked both our city and our culture in general

neither...nor: We support neither your idea nor his - we do not support either your idea or his

not only... but also: I want not only help but also show what we really are - I want not only to help, but also to show what we really are

Hello, everyone! In today's article you will learn: what a conjunction is, how to use it and what place it occupies in a sentence. Also, let's consider what classification of unions exists. Let's study conjunction words and find out which conjunctions are the most popular in English.

Everyone is familiar with the words “ and», « or», « but», « when», « if», « because" - they are all conjunctions. Although they are small, they have a large role in language - they link individual words and phrases into sentences, making our speech understandable and logical. So, let's talk about conjunctions! C'mon!

Conjunction in English- auxiliary part of speech, which connects two words, separate, independent sentences or parts of a complex sentence. Conjunctions do not change their form, do not act as any part of the sentence in a sentence, and are not used on their own.

She likes swimming and yoga - She loves swimming And yoga.
He read the instructions but he didn't carry them out. - He read the instructions, But(he) did not fulfill them.

Classification of English conjunctions

Conjunctions of the English language according to their formation can be divided into simple,derivatives,complex And composite.

• Simple conjunctions(simple conjunctions) consist of one root without suffixes or prefixes:

and- And;
as- because;
or- or;
then- Then;
but- But;
if- If;
till- Bye;
how- How;
so- So.

• Derivative conjunctions(derivative conjunctions) come from other parts of speech and contain a suffix or prefix:

be cause - because;
un less - if not;
un til - not yet.

• Complex unions(compound conjunctions) are formed from other conjunctions, using suffixes, prefixes or the part “- ever"(ever, always):

al though - although;
how ever- nevertheless, however;
when ever- whenever.

• Compound conjunctions(composite conjunctions) consist of two or more words, auxiliary and independent parts of speech. These also include paired unions:

as if- as if;
in case- if;
as well as- as well as;
not only ... but also- not only but;
whether ...or- or or;
neither ... nor- no no.

Functions of conjunctions in a sentence

Conjunctions of the English language are divided into 3 main groups according to their meaning: essay, subordinates And doubles unions.

Coordinating conjunctions

Coordinating conjunctions connect words, phrases, similar clauses, or independent clauses of equal importance into one complex sentence.

These include unions: “ and- And", " but- But", " or- or", " as well as- as well as", " moreover- moreover", " not only … but- not only... but” and others.

All coordinating conjunctions can be divided into 4 groups:

Connecting.
Nasty.
Separating.
Causal.

Let's look at each of these groups separately.

• Connecting unions connect two words or two simple sentences.

Examples of such unions: “ and- And", " both … and- both ... and " as well as- as well as", " not only … but also- not only but".

She is smart and beautiful. - She's smart And beautiful.
He likes sports as well as music. - He likes sports as well as music.
She can both speak and write English. - She can How speak, so and write in English.
He neither wrote nor phoned. - He neither called neither wrote.
She is not only pretty, but also kind. - She Not only pretty, but also good.

• Opposing alliances express the opposition of one part of a sentence to another.

Examples of such unions: “ but- But", " still- yet", " yet- however", " whereas- while", " while- whereas", " nevertheless- nevertheless,” etc.

I will go and you stay here. - I will go, A you stay here.
He is short but strong. - He is not tall, But strong.
He says that he saw nothing, however, I don't believe. - He says What he didn't see anything, however, I don't believe it.
Nevertheless, I want to go there. - Nevertheless, I want to go there.
A story that is strange yet true. - A story that is strange, however truthful.

• Dividing unions used to give two options for something, sometimes as a choice between something.

Examples of such unions: “ or- or", " either … or- or or", " neither … nor- no no", " otherwise- otherwise", " or else- or else (otherwise).”

Would you like meat or fish? - Do you want meat or fish?
You either go with me or with him. - You go either with me or with him.
I'd like you to come, or else I"ll feel lonely. - I want you to come, otherwise I will feel lonely.
You must pay the fine otherwise you will be punished. - You must pay a fine, otherwise you will be punished.

• Cause-and-effect conjunctions indicate the reason for certain actions.

Examples of such unions: “ for (since) - because", " so- to".

I cannot tell whether she is old or young for I have never seen her. - I can’t say whether she’s old or young, since I’ve never seen her.
Hand me that screwdriver so I could fix this. - Pass me that screwdriver so I can fix this.

Subordinating conjunctions

Subordinating conjunctions connect the subordinate clause with the main clause, on which it depends in meaning, forming a complex sentence.

These include:

« after- after", " as- because", " before- before as", " if- If", " since- since/since", " that- what/to", " till- until/until", " unless- not yet/if not", " whether- whether", " where- Where", " although- although/despite the fact that”, “ because- because", " how- How", " once- as soon as (often not translated)", " than- than / than / unless”, “ though- although/despite", " until- until", " whenever- whenever/whenever", " while- while", " when- When".

Important! The subordinating conjunction is always placed at the beginning of the subordinate clause. It is not preceded by a comma.

English subordinating conjunctions by value are divided into several subgroups:

• Explanatory conjunctions introduce a subordinate clause, which provides more detailed information regarding the main clause.

Examples of such unions: “ that- What", " if- whether", " when- When", " whether- whether", " why- Why", " how- How".

Mendeleyev predicted that vacant places in his table would be filled in. - Mendeleev predicted What the empty spaces in his table will be filled.
Not suggested that we should decrease the intensity of the current. - He offered, to we reduced the voltage.
I don't care if he comes or not. - I don’t care, he’ll come whether he or not.

• Temporary alliances enter information regarding time.

Examples of such unions: “ before- before", " since- since (for some time)", " till- until (for some time)", " after- after”, etc.

I returned home after he had gone. - I am back after after he left.
I have not seen him since we moved into the city. - I haven't seen him since then how we moved to the city.
The tourists did not make camp till (until) it grew dark. - The tourists did not set up camps, Bye it didn't get dark.
He knew that the patrols might catch tracks before they were covered with snow. - He knew that the patrol could find his tracks, before how they will be covered with snow.

• Causal conjunctions enter information regarding the reason or reason for something.

Examples of such unions: “ as- because", " because- because", " since- since”, etc.

He may enter as he is a friend. - He can come in because he is a friend.
As he was not there, I left a message with his brother. - Since he was not there, I conveyed the message through his brother.
A copper wire became red-hot because an electric current was passed through it. - The copper wire became red hot because an electric current was passed through it.

• Target alliances enter information regarding the purpose of something.

Examples of such unions: “ that- to", " lest- (with the intention) not to", " in order that- in order to”, etc.

We eat so that we could live. - We eat to we could live.
He held my hand lest I should fall. - He held my hand to I didn't fall.
In order that an inflammable gas may burn in air it must first be raised to the ignition temperature. - In order to flammable gas burned in the air, its temperature must be raised to the flash point.

• Unions of investigation enter information regarding the consequences of something.

Example: " so … that- So".

He wasn't so weak that he could hardly stand. - He was So weak, What I could barely stand.
She ate so much that she fell ill. - She So ate a lot What got sick.

• Conditional conjunctions enter information regarding the condition of something.

Examples of such unions: “ if- If", " unless- if not", " provided (that) - provided that".

I will go abroad if I get a good job. - I'll go abroad If I'll get a good job.
They won't help you unless you tell them the truth. - They won't help you, If you won't tell them the truth.
The volume of gas is proportional to its absolute temperature provided its pressure remains constant. - The volume of a gas is proportional to its absolute temperature, provided that the pressure remains constant.

• Concessive alliances enter information regarding recognition, confirmation of something.

Examples: " though/ although- although, despite the fact that.”

He works hard though he is weak. - He works a lot, Although he is weak.
She is always neatly dressed although she is poor. - She is always neatly dressed, despite, What she is poor.

• Comparison conjunctions enter information regarding what is being compared.

Example: " than- how".

He is cleverer than I am. - He's smarter than me.
I like her better than him. - I like her more than him.

Conjunctive words

Both in English and in Russian, subordinate and main clauses can be connected not only by conjunctions, but also by connecting words - relative pronouns.

These include: " who- who, which", " what- What", " whose- whose/whose/whose”, “ when- When", " which- (that) which (about things or animals)", " that- which, who", " where- Where", " how- How", " why- Why".

Unlike English conjunctions, allied words not only connect parts of a complex sentence, but also are members subordinate clause offers:

I know the architect who has built this opera house. - I know an architect, which built this opera house (the conjunctive word “who” is the subject here).
We were not even explained what to do. - They didn’t even explain to us What needs to be done (the conjunctive word “what” is an object here).
I am sure Lisa will help you when she comes. - I'm sure Lisa will help you, When she will come (the conjunctive word “when” here is a circumstance of time).

Table of popular conjunctions

Conclusion

Often English conjunctions have the same forms as adverbs and prepositions. In order to distinguish them, you need to know what function each of these parts of speech performs in a sentence.

Conjunctions are never part of a sentence, like adverbs. Also, they do not refer to any specific word, like prepositions, but only connect words, phrases and sentences with each other.

And conjunctions are often placed at the beginning of a sentence or between two simple sentences in one complex one.

And that"s pretty much it! Speak English fluently and coherently;)

Big and friendly EnglishDom family

Unions are function words that perform a connecting function in a sentence. They can connect both parts of complex sentences and members of simple sentences. Conjunctions in English are somewhat different from Russian conjunctions. The difference is that conjunctions in English do not depend on the characteristics of the words that connect, they are unchanged and any grammatical categories are alien to them. And although they perform certain functions in sentences, they are not their members. Conjunctions are function words that perform a connecting function in a sentence

Syntactic functions of English conjunctions

The following table presents the classification of conjunctions in the English language, according to their syntactic roles.

Coordinating conjunctions and their types

Coordinating conjunctions are used to link into one complex sentence:

• homogeneous members of sentences
• independent proposals

Coordinating connectives

The water is clear and cold. — The water is clean and cold.
There is a chair as well as an armchair in the room. — In addition to the armchair, there is also a chair in the room.
Both the mother and the father were invited for dinner. - Both mother and father were invited to dinner.
I was neither in the shop nor in the cafe. — I was neither in the store nor in the cafe.

Coordinating adversatives

I want to travel, but I haven’t free time at all. - I want to travel, but I don't have any free time.

Coordinating separators

You may come Monday or Wednesday. — You can come on Monday or Wednesday.

Coordinating cause and effect

You were not at school thus you must learn this topic off your own bat. — You haven't been to school, so you have to learn this topic on your own.

The role of subordinating conjunctions in complex exercises

This type of conjunction in English is used when connecting a subordinate clause to the main clause. The most used among these conjunctions in English is that (What). It is worth noting that “that” is often left out in spoken language.

• She said that I could go. — She said I could leave

Depending on what type of subordinate clauses are connected by conjunctions, they can be divided into groups.

First group- these are conjunctions connecting subordinate clauses - subjects, predicates and additional clauses with the main clauses:

Second group consists of conjunctions connecting adverbial clauses with main clauses, which, according to the “circumstance”, are tense, reason, condition, etc. They are divided in the following tables, according to the possible “circumstances”.
Classification of conjunctions according to their role in complex sentences Time

Causes

Conditions

Goals

Mode of action

Comparisons

Consequences

Classification of English conjunctions by form

According to their structure, conjunctions of the English language can be divided into the following types:

• Simple
• Derivatives
• Complex
• Composite
• Doubles

1. Simple are conjunctions that cannot be broken down into their component parts.
   • If- If
   • or- or
   • but- but, etc.
2. Derivatives are conjunctions whose structure is as follows: root + prefix or root + suffix.
   • Unless- if not
   • because- because
3. Complex ones are either conjunctions containing the word “never”, or conjunctions formed by merging two or three simple conjunctions (the merging of three roots is less common).
   • Nevertheless- nevertheless
   • whеreas- whereas
4. Compounds are conjunctions that contain several words.
   • In order to- to
   • as long as- until
5. Doubles
   • Either… or- or or;
   • neither... nor- no no
6. In the English language there are a small number of conjunctions that are derived from participles and have retained their form.
   • providing- provided that
   • seeing- because the
   • supposing- if

Conjunctive words and their features

The concept of “conjunctive word” differs from the similar concept of “union” in that the conjunctive word is included in the subordinate clause as its member, and not only as a link between the subordinate clause and the main part of the phrase.

The role of allied words can be:

1. Relative pronouns
   

   My home is a place where I feel comfortable. — My home is a place where I feel comfortable.

Coincidence of conjunctions with other parts of speech

Due to the fact that many conjunctions in the English language coincide in form with pronouns, adverbs and prepositions, doubts often arise as to which part of speech a particular word belongs to.

• That — What(union)
• That — That(demonstrative pronoun)

The essence of such words can be determined by their contextual meaning.

• I notify my teacher of my absence before I miss lessons. — I notify my teacher of my absence before I miss class. (before- union)
• I have to go to the store before supper. — I have to go shopping before dinner (before- preposition)

If you have an interest in this part of speech, you can find out many interesting details about it in the following video:

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English functional parts of speech that connect words, phrases and sentences are called conjunctions. They have their own meaning, and they are usually learned by heart, like all other words. The conjunction (in English - conjunction) in English does not have its own syntactic function; it is not a member of the sentence. However, there are several classifications of English conjunctions, and their importance in speech should not be underestimated.

Types of conjunctions in English

Classification by structure:

Single simple words

Examples of such simple conjunctions are the conjunctions and (and), if (if), but (but).

A swan and a duck - Swan and duck

Sad but energetic - Sad but energetic

Forget it, if you can - Forget about it if you can

Collocations

As an example, we will give English conjunctions - as soon as (as soon as), as though (as if), in order (so that).

Gven looked as though she was frightened to death.

Correlative pairs

For example - both ... and (and (as) then.. and (so and) that), not only ... but also (not only ... but also)

It"s not only disgusting but also dangerous - It is not only disgusting, but also dangerous.

Classification by lexical meaning:

Coordinating (connecting) conjunctions

Such conjunctions in English serve to connect phrases, words and sentences that are independent of each other. Connective conjunctions are, for example, simple conjunctions while (while), or (or); paired conjunctions neither ... nor (neither ... nor), either ... or (or ... or).

Lima was making up while Rebecca was polishing her nails. - Lima was putting on makeup while Rebecca was polishing her nails.

Unfortunately they had neither food nor money. - Unfortunately, they had neither food nor money.

Subordinating conjunctions

Both Russian and English forms of such conjunctions are used to clarify the subordinating nature of subordinate clauses. Since there are various types of subordinate clauses, subordinating conjunctions in English are also divided into semantic groups.

Subordinating conjunctions in English, the table with translation of which is given below, are divided into groups with examples of their use for clarity.

A similar table of conjunctions of different groups can help when studying some grammatical topics in the English language.

The role of English conjunctions in grammar.

English conjunctions can serve as a guide for beginners in determining the correct tense in a sentence. They are a kind of “markers” that show exactly what time should be used in such a situation.

For example:

Continuous/Simple

When learning English, a lot of time is spent on visual comparisons of different groups of tenses. After all, in the Russian language there is no concept of categories of simplicity/duration of an action if this action occurs at the same time. The difference between the tenses of the Simple/Continuous groups is best seen in complex sentences with the conjunction when.

Lima was baking a pie when Tom dropped a flowerpot. - Lima was baking a cake when Top dropped the flower pot.

In sentences of this type, the conjunction when plays the role of a marker, showing that a long time was interrupted by a one-time time. Therefore, in one part of the sentence a Simple is needed, in the second - a Continuous.

Continuous

The conjunction “while” is associated with the Continuous group of tenses. Often in complex sentences with a predicate in one of the forms of continuous tenses, this particular conjunction is used. It usually shows the simultaneity of long-term actions.

Lima was baking a pie while Tom was mopping the floor in the hall. - Lima was baking a cake while Tom was washing the floor in the hallway.

Simple/Future

Another case of the influence of conjunctions on tense choice in English is the subordinate clauses of time and conditions in the future tense. In such sentences, after conjunctions of time and condition (if, when, till, after, etc.), the Present Simple is used instead of the Future Simple tense.

If Lima bakes a pie today, Tom will mop the floor in the hall. - If Lima bakes a pie today, Tom will wash the floor in the hallway.

After Tom mops the floor in the hall, he will help Lima in the kitchen. - After Tom washes the floor in the hallway, he will help Lima in the kitchen.